The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1865-01-11
ROCK ISLAND COAL MINES.

We clip the following from eommunica-
ton in the Chicago Tribune of the 10sh, in
regard to the coal mines of this region. We
have corrected a few clerical or topographic
alerrors which probably crept into the arti.
Gle Inadvertently.
The state geologist of Wisconsin was re-
GENTLY here and examined the coal mines in
this region, and we presume the communica-
ton in the Tribune was written by him: 4
The coal of Rock Island and vicinity forms
a part of she northern border of the great
Illinois coal field. The loweD carboniferous
rocks here come TO the surface, resting upon
the Slurian and Devonian strata. Deeply
cut by the great valleys of the Mississippi
and its tributaries, and removed by extensive
denundation, the coal formation exists as a
series of outlayers. occupying the highest
points of land. In all the deep vallies ir
has been swept away, and its ruins have
gone south ward, to form the rich alluvials of
the lower Mississippi and the deltas ut it's
mouth.
The coal is found associated with sand
stone and limestone in thin bands, between
heavy beds of shale. One workable ssam
only has been found. which has an average
thickness of about three feet six inches. 1t
is. however. quite irregular, being liable to
-.
The coal lies high above the streams, and is
very favorably located for mining Ii is gen.
orally reached by shafting into the hill sides.
The roof is limestone or calcareous sand
stone, occasionally separated from the coal
by a thin band of shale. Beneath lies q very
bisuminous shals, sometimes graduating into
an inferior coal. and resting upon bed of
fire clay. This shale abounds in fossil plants,
often in very fine state of preservation.
Il.
ferns, mingled with plants of great delicacy
and beauty. The FIRE clay has been tested
and found valuable. 1t is extensively used
BY William s. Thomas, at Carbon Cliff, in
Rock island county, in the manufacture of
pottery, friedrich and tile.
Most of the mines of this district gre small
averaging from ten to thirty tons daily yield.
The mining is done at the outcrOp on the hill
sides, and the coal is generally carted to
Rock Island BY teams. The mines are from
eight to ten miles distant from the river. and
this long transportation is very serious
drawback upon the profits.
The only large mines are those of Coal
Valley, owned by P. l.. Cable Esq, of Rock
Island This is one of the best organized
mines of the country. Mr.. Cable has a rail-
road twelve miles long. from Rock Island to
his mines, over which his coal is carried to
market His annual product is about 60, O00
tons, which is marketed mainly at the river,
and carried westward into Iowa. 1t is ex-
tensively used by steamers. and supplies the
large towns of Eastern Iowa with fuel and
gas. About so hands are employed, most
of whom are common laborers, who have
taken up mining and acquired their skill by
practice in these mines They work under
an arrangement novel as it is successful
The miners and the owner of the mines, are
parties to mutual understanding, by which
the railroad receives one.tnird, the mine own
er another, and the operatives one third o
the price per ton which the coal brings a
Rock Island. This arrangement works ad
mirably. 1t secures the best class of labor
avoids strikes, encourages men to establish
permanent homes, and secures the steady de
velopement of the mines. 1t is eninentlJ
profitable to all parties. 1t is intrinsicall,
just and humane, and has the additional al
vantage of putting more money into tn
pockets of mine-owner and operatives than
the old method.
The mine is opened in the side of steel
bluff, south of Rock River. The coal i.
brought TO the cars. which run to the moutl
of the drift, by mules over iron track
The seam is here about four feet thick, wit
excellent roof and floor, but Is subject t
some slips and Interruptions. In runnin
the main entry back into the bluff, at u dis
lance of about go rods from the opening, tn
coal suddenly gave out aud was replaced b.
mass of sand and gravel, mingled wis
large stones and driftwood. This occurrenc
puzzled the miners considerably and wa
supposed by some to be fault or slip of til
strata. On examination, however, of tn
surrounding country, the real nature of tb
interruption became obvious. The coal an
its associate rocks came in again, and ar
seen in their proper places, though larg
extent of the formation Is gone. 1t has bee
cut out by dividing agencies, similar to thos
which are now at work in every valley wher
water flows. But the space has been file
up with material, washed in by powerf,
currents, while the surface suffered temp,
rary submergence. The phenomena prof,
bly, belongs to the drift epoch, when extei
sive areas of the earth which had bee
above water for ages, subsidized below tt
ocean, and became covered with the deposit
of clay. gravel and boulders, which form tt
surface SO generally in the north rempera
zone. Possibly it is altered drift washed
by the Mississippi at it's food, when it's WI
tiers flowed hundreds of feet above their pre-
ent level. Fresh water has certainly stoC
on the highest lands of this region, for on tt
hill top deposits of loamy clay are every
where visible, containing fresh water well
All shallow beds OF coal are liable to the,
Interruptions. In regions which have bee
= subjected to extensive intimidation, cuttin
broad and deep valleys, and especially whe
deposit of drift is thick. the greatest care
required in.opening mines, where heay
outlay is to he made. A thorough survey /
competent geologist is an essential prer,
quisite to any large investment in improv
mcnts.
The quality of this coal is good, thous
hardly equal to the best Goals of the sta,
as seen at Du Quoin. LaSalle, Danvile al
Esir hur