The weekly Oskaloosa herald. [volume] (Oskaloosa, Iowa) 1855-1885, 1877-01-18
Good Reading for Anybody.

a friend, to answer, and thinking it might
be of general benefit, we answer thus
publicly: n.
GENTLEMEN:-Win you please be so kind as to
give me information TO the best of your ability
on the following questions:
1st. What can coal be had delivered in city
limits for manufacturing purposes, at the rate
of about 45O tons per month, and how thick Is
the vein, and does it contain much slate or sui
phur, and how does it answer orgiying intense
heat, or producing steam.
End. What can hard or soft wood be bought
What is the price of common lumber per NJ.
4th Have you any lime rock in your vicinity,
and price per bbl. at the rate of 200 bbls. per
month. 5th. Have you any sand near your
city and what color. 9th. How is house rent in
your city, say ordinary dwelling, to orooms.
ANSWERS.
1st. Good clear nut coal is now being
deliUered in our city, by the single load, at
cents per bushel, or 81 70 per ton, and
in such quantities as you speak of, could
no doubt be had for less. Nearly the
whole county is underlaid with a deep
vein of coal, varying from 3 to 10 feet
thick. Most of the works now in opera
ton are working veins averaging six feet.
Several fine mines are worked within half
mile of the city limits. Two miles be-
low town, at Beacon, are very extensive
companies working, two of which-Iowa
Coal Co., and Mahaska County Coal Co.,
are shipping very largely, and are working
veins nine feet deep, of pure coal. At
Muchachinock, six miles below town, are
the most extensive coal works in the
State, the coal is of splendid quality, and
mined from nine foot veins, in great guam
titles, as is shown by the Centennial
Run" of this company, when it In Eone
day turned out and shipped away, "a
cars of coal The coal marketed here
abouts is free from sulphur and slate. Of
course there is some sulphur and slate in
localities, but there is so much of the
pure that the other is net worked. Heat
as intense as the Old Scratch would need
can be produced from this coal, and it is
used in all the mills and factories here
abouts for steam.
End. Wood sells at $500 to 400 per
cord by the single cord; $500 for soft and
81 90 for hard, but better terms could be
made on contract.
3rd. Common lumber including joist,
scantling and timber, $15 to $1S per M
feet; flooring, $50 to $40 per NJ feet; siding,
$50 to $25 per M feet; shingles, So to 81
per NJ.
4th. There is plenty of lime rock here
abouts, and good lime can be furnished in
the quantity desired, at 25 cts. or less, per
bushel
9Th. There is plenty of sand from one
to four miles of the city, from white to
brown in color.
9th. House rent from $500 to $4,000 per
month. Good cottages for $12 to $15.
Would say further, that our facilities
for manufacturing works are unrivalled.
Three lines of railroads.&c. Central, c.
r. l. & P. and X. s. D., make lively
competition in freights; coal, wood, lime,
brick, building rock, abound plentifally;
a magnificent agricultural country sur
rounds the town, and each keeps pace
with the other, making prosperous and
contented community, not found where a
town has outrun the country, or vice versa.
Prices for living are reasonable; market
ing of all kinds, brings fair living price,
and home fruit and vegetable dealers
supply the demand so that the produce is
always faesh when put on the market.
Our coal finds market in every direction,
but especially north, in the coal-less
regions of Minnesota, and the cars return
loaded with lumber, so that, with easy
access to the river in three directions, we
get lumber very cheap. Our educational
advantages are of the best-our public
schools being taught in three fine brick
houses, one that cost $50, 900; and two fine
colleges costing $50,0O each. No better
town can be found for business than
Oskaloosa. A glimpse at our advertising
columns show something of the business
done here