The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-10-25
AN IMMENSE COAL FIELD.
A Coal Belt Three Hundred Miles Long.

A correspondent of the Chicago Tribune writes as
follows in reference to the wonderful deposit OF CO.
at Evanston, In Wyoming
The nearest station on the railroad is Evanston
but there is telegraph station, called Almy, at the
mine, the latter being connected with the main track
by railroad 1l,000 feet long, built at a cost of
$4,000. Almy is precisely half way between Omaha
and San Francisco-nine hundred and ffty-seven
miles from each: Certain persons calling them
selves the Rocky Mountain Coal and Iron Company
lso clam 10 strlp OF land covering the coal crop
winter OF 1869, and Immediately commenced OPEN
ingit. ,.-.-.
500 to 500 feet high and appears to conform in drec
ton to the course of Bear river, running nearly
north and south the site OF the works then sweep
ing round with the river to the east. It composed
Of partly argllaceous strata, and is very much worn
down-weathered into succession Of rounded
spurs, with narrow ravines and gulches between.
Above the coal are fossllzed decduOus leaves, very
much resembling species now living.
The WoymiDg coal belt extends along the Pacific
Railroad for 800 miles. 1t is thought by Hadyn to
be OF lower tertiary age In the neghborhood of
sandstone, never in that OF the red. The general
properties of the coal from the mine am describing
It's resistance to the disintegrating influence Of the
weather, its comparative freedom from sulphur
and its crlorihc quality, place " at least in
the foremost rank OF Rocky Mountain Goals.
Indeed, much more is claimed for II, e. g.,
that it is a better article, ton for ton,
than Lehigh COAL for making steam, for domestic
use for locomotives, or gas, because it hasut so
much waste water ash, and clinker, and is quicker
and more infammable. 1t is claimed that 1t makes
10000 feet OF gas to the ton. Pttsburg coal makes
Pennsylvania Central is forty miles per ton. This
coal is in use by the passenger engines of the Cen
tral Pacific for 500 miles west OF Ogden, and q ton
Of 1000 pounds runs an engine seventy-6ve miles.
1t is as good for blacksmth's use as anything but
the best charcoal. 1t was tried 10y the Union Pacific
Company last winter in one Of their cupolaS at
Omaha for smelling castiron, and found to answer
the purpose Of anthracite in that connection better
thon anthracite ITSELF adding it is said, to the fine
ness of grain and toughnesa Of the iron. The pro-
portion Of metal and coal about the same as with
anthracite, and the time required for smelling the
same.
In the hills north and east adjacent, occur layers
of clay iron, sone yielding about thirty per cenJum
Of the metallic iron, and remarkable for the high
percentage of lime it contains obviating the
sty of using other flux, and leaving the ore in an
uncommoDly porous and fusible condition by reason
OF the expulsion Of carbonic acid gas in such great
quantities. A few miles eastward there are deposits
of magnetic ore; and on the Weber river few
miles westward, the same In considerable variety.
The coal and the iron are existing here then, in in
eXhaustlDle quanttes; why are not tne requisite
conditions for the successful manufacture of iron
fulfilled?
The mine has been opened substantially by main
inclines. 1t pitches into the hill at an angle Of
twenty to thirty degrees and crosscuts, widening
into chambers for half a mile in length, and to a
depth of 400 to 200 feet. The workings at various
places show the vein to be thirty feet thick. There
are two miles of light iron hand-car track in the
openings. The arrangements for working the mine
and for delivering the coal seem to be most judi
cious. Probably 10000 tons have been taken out 1t
is delivered On the dump, believe. for 81 ton-at
least from seventyfve cents to s1'25. The Central
Pacific Company is using it, as stated, on the east
ern end Of their road.
f. The mine of the Rocky Mountain Company is
kept dry by two or three men at the pumps The
cropping on the southwestern exposure of the range
continues on north and east from where they are
working it three miles, in some places showing
more than 40 feet thick They are taking out now
perhaps 5000 tons month. They could take out
1000 tons day had they market for it. Toward
getting this they are now bending every energy.