, 1877-11-24
OUR MINERAL RESOURCES.
What the Seattle and Waiia Wana
Railroad will Reach Next Year.

= sssEsss sEassas5se -
what the Seattle and Walla Walin
Railroad will Reach Next Year.
There have been rumors from time
to time of valuable mineral deposits
along the line of the Seattle and
Walla Walla Railroad. but outside
of the prospecting parties very little
has been really known OF the truth
of these reports. Those best inform
ed have thought best to say but lit
tie until titles we're obtained to the
lands on which these deposits were
found. Now, however, when the
iron horse is so soon to pick his way
among these buried treasures, and
they are so soon to be brought to
light to do their part in the arts of
the nations, the time has come to let
capitalists know our boundless min
eral wealth.
Yesterday Capt. Suffern invited a
DISPATCH reporter to his laboratory,
where are many specimens from the
mines of the Territory. First we
were shown specimens of fine mar
BILE, of black and green, from Lake
Washington, and soapstone of the
same colors from the same locality.
Next the Seattle coal, which has al
ready earned such just reputation
in southern market. Passing five
miles from the completed end of the
road at Lake Washington are the
Squak coal mines, of still better
quality, and in larger quantities.
These mines are overlaid by sand
rock formation. The fossils, speci-
mems of which were in the laborato-
ry, show moss, ferns, willow and
bearberry leaves. Passing from
Squak over lime formation nine
miles, is the bituminous coal, 2ha
miles from Snoqualmie prairie.
This coal alone is sufficient to build
the road. 1t is like the Cumberland
coal, and cokes freely. The vein as
discovered is reported to be % feet
thick, and can be easily worked. 1t
lies near the line of the road. I'm
derneath this vein is chest, very valu-
able for the manufacture of gas. The
fossils are principally clam shells.
About four miles to the eastward
are extensive copper mines 3H
miles from the line of the road. The
ore is both black and red oxide of
copper. Some idea of the value of
this may be gathered from the fact
that specimens assay sc per cent,
while the famed Lake Superior
mines only assay SS.7S, and the Sno-
qualmie copper can be mined at
much less expense than the Lake
Superior. In the some neighbor-
hood, at the foot of the mountains,
is ledge of fine variegated marble,
(mmmolite se,pentine,) which is ca
pable of a high polish. It some
what resembles the famed Tennessee
marble. Six or seven miles farther
we find red hermatite iron that
assays 65 per cent. This, it will be
seen at once, is also very valuable.
Twenty four miles to the eastward
the road passes over the magnetic
lode, where the iron ore assays 76
per cent. This ard the red hema>
tite together form the strongest oi
iron.
The above are all mir ., which are
discovered, and can be worked sc
soon as the cars reach them. In al
dition anthracite coal IS supposed tc
exist near the line, but the vein il
not yet discovered. Detached
pieces of white marble of fine quail
ity have been picked up in the vicin
ity of Squak, but the ledge has moi
been found. Indications of gold
anu silver are numerous, and {
thorough inspection will probably
reveal both of these metals in pay
ing quantities. Plumbago has beer
discovered, and would be thought
valuable, but for the existence o1
these more profitable mines. The
mountains are covered with chrys
tails, the same as the Brazilian peb-
bles from which spectacles are
made. Amber in limited quantities
is also known to exist on these
mountains; Capt. Suffern has some
very fine pieces. He also has many
fine cabinet specimens of various
kinds, including precious stones
which We will not enumerate. as
they are not among the inducements
for finishing the road.
This mineral belt is the most valua
bic one discovered in the history OF the
world. This at first glance seems al
exaggeration, but consideration of the
attendant circumstances is sufficient
evidence that it is not. In the frs
place the iron ores are Of the qualities
which unite in the best of iron, thel
the coal, which is conveniently located
is the kind used in the reduction o1
these ores, and both are found in inex>
haustible q Iantlties convenient to the
best ocean harbor in the world. The
iron will eventually be manufactured in
Seattle to supply the trade of the Pa
cific coast and Islands, and large pop
ulation will be employed in the manu-
factories; the coal will drive from the
market that now shipped to this coast
from the East and from foreign coun>
tries. and the limestone, sandstone, and
marble will be used in building city
on Elliott Bay that will contain all the
elements of prosperous commercial
center. The load will be taxed to its
fullest capacity in the development OF
these mines, all of which will be
reached next year, and the profits aris>
ing from this amount of business will
enable the managers of the road :, push