Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1872-10-02
ColI i'm California

Recent developments show that the de
posits of coal in California are extensive
the veins near the surface having thick.
ness of three feet and upward. The near.
est veins vet discovered are on the head
waters of the san Pablo Greek. The
Houston ranch adiourns the one where the
first discoveries were made. This ranch
has recently changed hands, and the pur-
chasers have laid open a large Vein Of
coal on this property. The coal appears
to be Of much better quality than the aver
age Of that taken from the Monte DiablC
mines. 1t IS clear and bright, burns freely
and Is so free from sulphur that iron may
be welded with 1t without difficulty. 1t
Is purposed to run a tunnel, for a roadway,
through the foot hills near the dam of the
Countra Costa water company i tunnel
of five or six hundred feet would admit of
q grade easy enough for horses to trot up
and down, and for heavy loads to be tax
en- over it. The mines would not be more
than six to six and q half miles by this
road from the center of Oakland. Several
enterprisjng citizens of San Francisco are
interested in these new mines. aud in a
short time this coal will find It's way to
market The estimated cost of laying it
down in Oakland Is about s. 80 per ton,
and perhaps a fraction more to bring it to
this side Of the bay, Adding fair profit,
it looks very much as If Oakland would at
no distant day obtain 4 very good quality
Of coal for - a ton, which Is less than
half the price they are now paying for the
poorest quality. Goose Bay coal IS retail
ed on that side of the bay for Sl4 ton ];
and West Hartley at $50 a ton. The coal
recently discovered appears from the sam
pies to be very close to the quality Of
Goose Bay coal.
If the new coal measures are as Impor-
tant as many believe, 4 narrow gauge
railroad will probably be constructed from
the mines to tide water at Oakland. Two
or three Of the business men Of that city,
in conjunction with others, have for more
than a year past been developing an ex-
tensive coal mine at Goose Bay, and are
now about ready TO bring the coal to San
Francisco. The prices Of foreign Goals
have had an upward tendency for more
than a year past; and low that the prices
have gone up materially in England, there
is no immediate prospect that foreign Goals
will be any cheaper in the San Francisco
market. We hope some day to see coal
for steam purpose laid down in the San
Francisco market at 50 a ton, and for do
nestle use at from IS to SO. But it is
useless to expect to obtain foreign Goals
at such figures. The encouraging fact is
that hardly a week passes in which some
progress has not been made in the matter
Of coal discoveries on this coast. Two or
three capitalists of San Francisco own
tract of land in Mendocino county OF about
twenty-five thousand acres. The tract was
purchased at about the price of an ordinary
sheep ranch, and is worth all 1t costs If
devoted to such uses. But upon this tract
it is now known that there are iuexhaust-
ible deposits Of coal Of quality not inte-
rior to English camel coal. These unde-
veloped coal fields are about twenty miles
from the town of Ukiah, and perhaps
thirty five miles from the coast and hardly
more than one hundred and fifty miles in
a straight line from San FraneiscO.-San
Francisco Bulletin.