Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1876-01-28
4 MISSOURI WONDER BIGGEST roAI
MlNE IN THE WEST.

>s~s J'ss'ss ~ ttSN -tUlss NM VCJtJ III Ce16x
Iyet discovered ill-the Mississippi Vak
Hey, which We find published in tho
Journal Of Commerce, Of st. Il, ne
The depth Of the bed is unknown, q
1t has not been penetrated It il
owned by the SIMPSON brothers, 81
whom DR.. B. Simpson, Of this place, is
one; and they were to have received
one hundred thousand dollars on the
first Of this month for an interest il
the same:
The thickest coal vein yet discov-
cred in the Mississippi valley is that
known as Simpsons coal mines," sit
uatcd III Moniteau county, Missouri
almnt twelve miles from the Missouri
Pacific Railroad These mines were
discovered III 1851. by the present
owners, Thomas j. Simpson and Will
lam Simpson, but being remote from
railroad, the mines have been worked
irregularly, and to supply the local
county demand; however. the proprie-
tors have derived handsome income
from them, even with all the disadvan.
tages they have labored under Up
to the present time about $4,000 tons
have been mined and sold and the
work has been done in so systematic
a manner, that 200 or 300 miners
could be employed in the mines at
once, if occasion required. This coal
is SO easily mined and handled, that
contracts could be made now, with
even the present facilities, to have en-
average Of twenty-five tons per day
mined and raised to the surface at
three cents per bushel.
Descending by ladders some fifty
feet, we find ourselves at the bottom
Of the opening, and thence follow the
great tramtrack into the great coal
amphitheatre. Here is no dodging
and stopping. and crawling on your
hands and knees as III too many coal
banks. The ceiling is from thirty to
forty feet above your head, and Sc
cnrcly supported by pillars Of COAL
;imbers, arches, &c. Wherever we
look-aronnd, above, below-is coal;
a solid, huge mass the length, and
depth and width of which is known
only to the great Architect Of the Uni-
verse.
Here and there through the ceiling
are shafts from. the surface furnishing
air and light to the chambers below.
ard through these there is current
of air, thoroughly vcntilating all por-
tions Of the mine.
The dip Of the coal bed is an angle
of As degrees, and the main body OF
camel coal (from 81 to 40 feet thick,)
is generally in cubes or square blocks
varying in size from few inches to
four or five feet square These cubes
or blocks are separated by seams Of
lead, and quartz and altetnated
Or irregular, as the case may be. ID :
some of the crevices the lead is about
two inches thick, pure, solid galenA
decreasing in thickness toward the
top, till it is no thicker than sheet Of
yet pure lead. AS the
cubes Of coal are loosened and allowed.
to slide to the center, the lead becomes
disengaged from the coal, and is AE
shoveled into tubs and car
ried above. The seams Of lead aver
age four feet apart, and are confined
10 no particular course, but are fonnd
running horizontal and perpendicular,
and distinctly dividing this
immense coal deposit into blocks.
Lead is more or less abundant in all
he seams, but appears to predominate
n the veins running with the dip, and
hose running at right angles there
With. We were shown space eight
eet square and two feet thick, from
which 2, 100 pounds Of lead was taken
D mining the coal. Mr.. Simpson,