, 1874-05-28

The-vein pitches into the
hill squtherly at descending angle OF
about thirty degrees, and also slopes
gently dssthezriver, thereby afford
ing nataraI drainage for future workine,
"In ,the aboyeI have msrely alluded
. the smaller portion Iof the coal bed as
now seen inits>natural c6nditien ,Sxish-
out Work Of any imnprt41cs having
been done on any part of Il. sbut by fol-
lowing down the face of the coal bench
to the river, found an enormous de-
posit-ufremarkzbsyy fine looking coal on
its bank, partially under water <bqt
plainly visible, and said to be forty-one
feet fn thickness, bd. the wafer was too
me to measure isaeeufateiy.
but hareno doubt whatever the stateal
mentis correct. fThe coal on the bottom
OF the river has become polished by at
triton SO as to resemble blacktmarble, !,
being in such hard and sound condi-
ton, giving No evidence ofihaSing been
impaired by the action of3the water or
exposure to the atmosphere at low
stage of the river, neither could 1 detect
In any part Of the vein the slightest
symptom of air slack, OF any falling off
inisl1bstanee OF feracity, and every por-
ticn of the exposed surface appeared
perfectly sound. Allowing thirty six
cubic feet to the ton and multiplying
even the sfna1lest size of the vein in
sight by one mile in length and a quar-
ter of a. mile IN width. will prodrce ma
ny millions of tons, which car, be taken
from the field without going below the
level of the river at low water. In go
ing round the abrupt point of the hill.
where the coal protrudes upon the r1yer.
bank, and ascending the mountain for a.
few, hundred yards. came upon ra-
vine with precipitous sides,r worn by
continuous rushing Of water from the
hill, and found another seam Of GOAL
strippedrof its earthly covering and ex-
posed to view; this stratum was between
five and six feet thick, pitching at the
same angle and1n like direction as that
before described, and lying above 1t,
about eighty Or a hundred fest The
face was not SO compact as the lower
seam of somewhat the same appearance,
but, Think, not quite SO fine In quail
ty, bat doubtless, advantageous to work.
{ "TLe country rock in which this coal
occurs is sandstone; forming the upper
covering of the seam as well as the ,un-
derlying stratum upon which the, coal
rests in perfect and unbrokens condi-
lion, presenting sufficient evidence Of a
largely defined coal measure, to warrant
the conclusion that the largest and best
seam of GOAL may be found below the
sandstone of the second tier. i.. D..
ssThe coal of the second stratum, as
first described, is of remarkably fine.
quality, showing a decrease in the
quantity of bituminous matter, as COM
pared with the other veins; more closely
resembling the English Camel coal and
Boghead coal of Scotland,5 than any
have yet seen on the American conti-
,,a,,fr o1I - iS not ,praaco,,a h1o to cr,,
pose it may be found equally as good,
when worked to a greater depth, or fur
ther into the mountain where the pres
sure will be increased, and such tests as
have already been made, especially for
making gas, justify this belief; there is
no coal yet found on the Pacific coast,
at least to my knowledge, to be com :
pared to it in any respect whatever.
cit would seem to be impossible for
the hand of Nature to have laid out her
work in more advantageous and CONS
plete manner, in the general surround
ings of this immensely valuable deposit,
than she has here displayed: so much
so, indeed, that had the most competent
engineer been consulted to SO place this
coal field as to make it easy OF ccess,
excavation ana exit, with due regard to
loading and draining. am unable to
perceive how he could have improved
it. a"i *aii 1t can be placed
on board vessels at far less cost than
any Coal yet discovered on the Pacific
Coast, nor is there any other Of equal
size known. except the Anthracite coal
roinesain Pennsylvania. From present
appearances, can say without hesita-
tion that the coal can be taken out and
placed on the cars for from thirty TO-
sixty cents per ton, and occasionally for
less sum, certainly so at the lower end
of the bill, where the body, of coal is
largest; but the cost will vary according
to circumstances, depending upon the
level from which it is taken and other
cOntInSeucleS.- l.
OF the harbor Of Seattle, Captain Bat
tersby says: q ooi.5} .9fr - eaiea
"This fine sheet of water may justly
be called an inland sea, completely land
locked, of extreme beauty and useful
ness, affofding safe anchorage for the
combined fleets of the world, If requir-
ed. and not surpassed for the general
facilities for the entrepot Of great
country by any I have ever seen, and
now thar Seattle is to become the grand
terminus of two railroads, the Northern
Pacific and the Walla Walla, in conjunc-
ton with the enormous trade and gen.
eral business and travel which must
Immediately spring into existence from
the export of coal, wheat, lumber and
other produce, and the manufacture Of
iron and steel. The present line, of
commerce viii be completely diverted
from its original channels; such won
derful natural advantages cannot long
lie dormant, and cannot fail, in the
natural course of events fo maka Soot.1a