The Elk Mountain pilot., 1881-12-22
SOME OF THE NATURAL RESOURCES OF
THE GREAT GUNNISON
COUNTRY.

| l0O ulIal VUVN1DVN
COUNTRY.
The following is very interesting
letter from the pen Of Prof. Richard
son, written for the Denver RkbudH-
1as, which We take the liberty to re-
produce:
The Goals of the great Gunnison
country are of the varieties known as
Ignite, bituminous and anthracite.
The lignites are very abundant and
somewhat variable, and are OF those
varieties known to geologists as the
brown tertiary Goals. These Goals
may be found in places north Of
Gsnnison from ten to eighteen miles,
and extending westward about 100
miles, Or as far west as the junction of
the Grand and Gunnison rivers, and
the whole mass lies south of the ridge
separating the waters OF the Gunnison
and Grand. The deposits are mostly
horizontal and vary from three to
eight feet in depth. 1t makes excel
lent fuel, snd is a very fine coal for
domestic purposes: burns freely, and
makes bright quick fire when used
IN generating steam. In quality it is
quite equal to the Boulder valley, and
like that has tendency to slack in
the open air and cannot be kept IN
stock, but must always b. used fresh
from the mine. This variety of coal
carries from forty-hve to hfty-six fixed
carbon, and were it not for the very
superior quality Of the bituminous and
anthracite Goals it would indeed be
invaluable. In area it will Cover more
ground than both those varieties. The
true bituminous coal Of the Gunnison
country occupies less than half town
ship. It extends from the south side
of Mount Carbon, and does not ex-
tend beyond the mountain on the
southwest or southeast at all, bYt
does extend northward and eastward
through and under Mount Wheat
stone, and crosses at Crested Butte
and along the east side of Wheatstone
Thus the Crested Butte bituminous
coal and that Immediately under
Mount Carbon and Wheatstone arc
the same, and the area, though SO
! small, contains millions and millions
of tons of as good coal for all domestic
and industrial purposes as can be
found in the United States. 1t makes
the best quality Of coke, IS excellent
for blacksmithing, being pure and
clean, while it is entirely free from
sulphur. The analysis as given by
Prof. Woodward, and which has since
been proved correct, speaks for itself:
In 100 parts there were of water 90,
ash $50, volatile matter 24.4o and
fixed carbon 1890, furnishing 95.4o
per cent. of combustible material in
100 pounds. For blacksnlithing it is
equal, if not superior, to the cele-
brated Biossburgh and is also a good
gas coal. Although limited to very
small scope of country, it is accessible
by rail, both at Mount Carbon and
Crested Butte, which latter place is
now shipping both coal and coke to
this place and beyond, by the Denver
and KlO Grande railway.
The Mount Carbon coal and coke
will also become an article of export
when the Denver, South Park 4 Paci-
fc railroad reaches that point in the
coming spring, if arrangements can
be made for its transportation.
The anthracite coal of the Gunnison
country is very extensive and will, in
GLIDING the semi anthracite varieties,
cover an area of about twenty by forty
miles square. This immense body of
coal nearly all lies west of the 1o7th
meridian, is found on Anthracite
creek and west of it. On Rock creek
and many other points, including de-
posts on Slate river and north of
Crested Butte. This variety OF coal,
which seems inexhaustible, will vary
in fixed carbon from 7S to o. per
cent, that at Anthracite creek being
the best, where it is proved to be on
true anthracite, 90 per cent: fixed car
bon from fair specimens. This varie-
ty of coal cannot, owing to the great