New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-01-22
4 STATE GROWING RICH.

| TIE GROWTH OF INDUSTRY IN THE BLOCK COAL
| REGION-A NEW RAILROAD DEVELoPING
THE MINERAL WEALTH THROUGH WHICH
ITS ROUTE LIES.
| TO the Editor OF The Tribune.
SIR: Six years ago, Brazil, Ind, was an OBJ
scure station on the Indianapolis and Tcrre Haute Rail-
road single shaft about so feet I'm depth, worked by
horse wbim supplied all the ncighborhood demand for
coal and the behavior Of this fuel In combustion excited
no particular remark About that time some adVen-
urers from the Mahonng region of Ohio happening to
see some Of this coal at the Indianapolis Rolling MILL
and recognizing It's blockke FORM inquired as 10 the
source whence 1t obtained Being informed,
they entered upon its exploration; and the re-
suit is that there In that region Elk furnaces
using this coal crude state capable Of turning out
daily l26 uns Of pig metal and more than 20 colieres
raising 1866 TINS Of COAL giving employment to s35 men,
and reghting about is railroad trains The demand Tor
this coal in the Lake and Ohio River markets. to say
nothing OF that OF the inland towns, is Unsuitable III
far outstrips the mining Development cite TINS as
notable example to show how far peculiar local re.
capable OF developing and maintaining great
lines or traffic.
NEW BRAZIL ABOUT TO SPRING INTO EXISTENCE.
The Cincinnati and Terre Haute Railroad, now con-
structing about this block coal zone along
line where Il attains greatest width and where the
peculiar seam exhibits its greatest thickness. This zone
Is not than ten miles broad The coal seam ranges
from to five feet and in some places exceeds even
1--WE and onehalf feet in thickness. Chemically 1t Is as
best Brazil coal. append single tOberhaltzers
mne) Water, ESQ; fixed carbon, 61.35; volatile mat
ter 1870; ash quite white and light $685. The seam IL
said to six thick five Of which were exposed at
the time OF my visit. 1t has sulphur band in the mid
die which is easily separabe The territory underlad
by the block coal Immediately adjacent to the railroad
which raaohod by short lateral branches, COM
prises little than three townships situated in the
owen. Admitting that one third OF the area originally
occupied by this has been swept away by driit
I'm aprag Of
capable OF yielding about 5000 tuns to tho acre, or an
aggregate OF 800 900 tuns
OTHER COAL sEAMs-DEvELoPISG THE REGION.
But this a. of Prof Coxs classification does not
represent all ron-smeltng Goals Of this region At
Centre Point about five miles north OF the line of the
road, feet below there is another seam tG) ~ feet
thick, which corresponds with the lower seam at Brazil
successfully used in the blastfurnacc s further
10 bright, glossy splint coal A three feet thick,
which is richer IN fixed carbon and is as free from inn
purlties the best Brazil coal The assay OF Arney's
GOAL belonging TO this series, gives Water, $50; fixed
carbon, G22s; volatile matter 1885, ash nocculont and
pale yellow,1.74.
The construction of the Cincinnati and Terre Haute
Railroad must lead to the rapid development of this
gon, both in the erection Of furnaces roingmills,
foundcres &C. for the local consumption OF these pecu
liar GOALS and in the opening OF numerous coeres for
the supply OF distant and widely separated markets.
This region has superior advantages over Brazil as
dense manufacturing center, In unailng supply Of
In this respect and that method has been devised
TO remedy this deficiency, are facts notorious to every
cOnyersant with her industry. Terre Haute, as
have shown in former letter, combines in eminent
degree all the requisites for manufacturing Site and
another Brazil Is destined 10 spring the banks
Of Eel River, IL will be detriment to her trade.
HOUSEHOLD FUEL AND GAS COAL
Above the coal seams which have noticed there are
two others which will prove OF great economic value;
the limestone K), sendblock In its soa char
acters and which ordinarily from four 10 four and
half feet in thickness and yields admirable fuel for
steam and domestic purposes and the L. which has
thickness varying from six to eight feet The latter is
evidently compound seam, being separated by clay
partngs, and each band, assay, will probably he
found to present differences in its component parts 1t
is believed that 30 inches Of this compound seam
viii be found to he adapted to gasmaking purposes.
This scam well developed in Sullivan County. and at
Sheburn, Curryvile and other points 1t Is extensively
mined and sent to the Chicago market.
Thus then this new railroad In distance Of 30 miles,
will ntersec at least five coal seams presenting az
grege thickness OF not less than y feet OF solid coal
Indianapolis Jan. 10, 1872. j. W. FOSTER