Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1879-02-20
COAL!
LE0lsLATlvE COMMITTEE ON
THUR1DAY LAST.

SssII VI THE State GEOLO0l9T AND
LE0lsLATlVE COMMITTEE ON
THURSDAY LAST.
A Pleasant. Profitable asd Agreeable
faAs.
The following named gentlemen com.
prising part Of the Legislative coal-in-
vestigating committee, visited Austin
on Thursday last:
Hon. F.V. God, Of Napoleon, chairman,
Hon. A. Derno, OF Houston,
Hon. N. E. Ellertsou. Of FILLMORE,
Hon. w. J. Bean, of Nicollet,
Hon. Joseph Cooper, of Ridgeway.
The committee was received by = few
of our prominent citizens at tho depot
and conducted 10 the Flick House, where
they took In fne repast, such an one a.
only the ladies of the Fleck can serve up.
After dinner, number of our citizens
having called to make the acquaintance of
the gentlemen OF the committee rs we'll
as Prof N. H. Winchell. State Geologist,
who arrived the day before. an unceremo.
NOUS exchange Of views as to the pros
poets Of finding coal, took place.
About 2 O'Clock, the committee, under
the lead OF Prof. Winchell and Hon. Mr..
Dresbach, IN company with goodly
number Of our citizens, repaired to the
spot north of Engle's mill, where the
prospecting drill is set up. Owing to
the intense cold weather then prevailing,
the men In charge of the drill had quit
work. Here 1t will be necessary, in order
to lay before our readers = correct report
Of what transpired, to branch off some
what. The day preceding Prof. Wlnchell
and Mr.. Dresbach went to Olranto to
examine the mines there, and returned
Thursday to meet the committee. On the
way to the drill in our city, Prof. Win.
chell was asked by one of our citizens
"What do you think Of the sample Of coal
purporting to have been taken out of the
hole drilled here" HIS answer was
"Why, hadn't heard of it." Mr.. Dres-
bach. on coming to the hole, had but
little to say about coal there, and this has,
to some extent, in connection with the
further actions of Mr.. Dresbach, i'm.
pressed number of our citizens with the
belief that coal has absolutely been struck
on that gerry spot. However this may be,
We leave to future developments. Mr..
Dresbach called the attention of Prof.
Winchell to very weighty and fine.
grained rock, and the latter at once pro-
nounced 1t to contain the kidney Iron
Ore" Upon further examination and
trials of ACIDS, he thought that 40 per
cent. of Iron Of the hest quality was con.
tained in that rock, and as valuable as
the Iron Ore Of Missouri, which contai Ms
90 per cent. The Kidney Iron Orc being
much easier to reduce, and he stated that
If found in large quantities (Which how.
ever is not frequently the case), it would
pay to work. Lucky Austin, she has
hopes Of having great Iron and Coal
mines!
The singing north. wester however did
not allow the motley crowd on the
grounds to be too enthusiastic. All were
coveting the warm cosy rooms of the
Fleck House, and thence we accompanied
the crowd. Hon. Mr.. Goff, chairman,
invited oil to tho parlors, and called At.
tention to the fact that they came to
Austin for the purpose of finding out
what would be desirable legislation IA
encourage the development of coal min e.
in the State of Minnesota. He desired 4
free expression Of our citizens.
Mayor VanValkenburgh having been
called upon, stated that he would like to
hear report from Prof. Winchell first
as to prospects.
Prof. Winchell then proceeded to give
IN excellent, comprehensive aud exha US.
tive lecture upon the coal fields, their for.
nations, extent, causes of their forma.
lions, in fset, such . lecture a. it is 4
pleasure to listen to. As Prof. Winchell
will proba bly, publish a pamphlet on the
subject we will not 60 into his statements
further ut this time, but merely give his
deductions, and these without using the
scientific terms. He says, that, as by his
former examination of the formations
hereabouts, would declare the rocks Is OF
the later period, not of the period which
covers the coal In al countries. But he
says also, that he has on his trip to Otran.
to, been shown rocks which contains fos-
s,ls which may belong 10 an earlier pc.
riod, but still his faith in favor of the
rock which forms the roof of the coal
beds, was weak. Yet he promised close
examination.
Hon. Mr.. Dresbach was then called for.
He stated that he was willing to sacrifice
his means in the endeavor to fluid coal:
yet he would like to have the state of
Minnesota take an interest in II, and he
thought the state should offer to give any
body whs first finds coal beds In paying
quantities bonus Of $25, 900. I. would
be stimulant to himself. his associates,
and capitalists if he should require their
assistance. He further stated, land our
readers will note this), that he had all
due regard for the deep learning of Prof.
Winchsll and biologists in general, "but
a. l am willing to put in my means into
this enterprise, and a. I have, after care
ful examination, strong hopes of being
successful. and as I 90 not ask anything
of the State unless successful. I think the
State runs no risk whatever"
Mayor VanValkenburgh, iu his usual
good mannered way, thereupon remarked,
that, In his opinion, the citizens of Aus.
tin had % much the interest of the State
At heart Is their own In desiring such
legislation - will tend to develop such
= source of profit - . coal mine would
be, and thanked the legislature, in the
name Of the citizens of Austin, for send.
ing committee to confer with US. Messrs.