Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1875-07-17
THE PUYALLup COAL FIELDS.

C. E., who recently made an examina-
ton Of the Puyallup coalfelds, amply
corroberates the previous reports and
establishes high value Tor the pro-
duct whenever sufficient capital may be
enlisted to place it in the market. The
report says: OF the bituminous coking
Goals q great variety are found. But
few analyses of these Goals have been
made, and their values have thus far
generally been estimated by their prac-
teal use in blacksmith's FORCES, or by
simply burning them in an open fire.
place or CRATE. These tests, though
rude, have demonstrated that as fuel
they are far superior 10 the Ignite Goals
which are so common throughout the
basin of Puget Sound. In appearance
and general characteristics, many of
these Goals resemble the bituminous
Goals Of Clearfeld county, Pennsylvania,
which are noted in the East as superior
heating and steam-generating Goals.
Upwards Of thirty outcroppings of this
character Of coal have been found, and
though 1t is very probable that some of
them are outeroppings of the same bed
in different localities, yet the examina-
tions have shown that there are at least
twelve separate and distinct beds.
Among the varieties of coal in which
the country abounds, there will be found
various qualities respectively adapted
for heating and steam-generating pur-
poses, and for FORCES and gas manufac-
ture. The beds of coal which have
been noted, vary in thickness from two
feet to over fifteen feet, most of them
being of such dimensions as to admit of
economical mining. These coal beds
generally are found to contain but little
slate, or other impurities, some Of them
consisting of pure coal. The anthra-
cite coal has been found outcropping in
but two localities. At one place is a
bed three feet thick, and at another a
bed over ten feet thick. The former
consists almost entirely Of bright and
pure coal, while the latter is q brilliant
coal interspersed with deposits of slaty
coal. The coal resembles in character
some of the free burning anthracites of
Pennsylvania. The last named bed is
but imperfectly exposed, being covered
with surface soil at the time it was ex-
amined. Report is made Of the exist
ence of other beds of anthracite in
other localities. t.......
1t would appear from this that the
Puyallup coal will, in time, supersede
the other products Of the Territory. It
appears from the report that the valleys
traversing the country afford everywhere
favorable opportunities to enter upon
the beds of coal at low level by means
of drifts, from which large quantities of
coal can be produced, dispensing with
the necessity of deep mining, which
would involve the erection of expensive
hosting and pumping machinery to
raise the coal to the surface and drain
the mines. There is enough coal acces-
sible above water level to supply ell the
demand that could be expected fol
years to come. The country being
heavily wooded will afford all the timber
which will be required for timbering
the mines and for other purposes con-
nected with mining. The construction
of railroad to tide-water is pronounced
eminently practicable at a moderate
cost. There are several routes, the
shortest of which is about twenty-five
miles. Up to the present time but
about one-fourth of the country defn.
italy known to contain coal has been
entered or claimed. ea
IMPORTANT IF TRUE.-The Portland