Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1882-07-02

Improvements company, anu OpeIdtoo
by the Seattle Coal & Transportation
company, are tho most productive on
the coast, the daily output being about
100 tons. The GOAL il Ignite of good
quality, especially foresteam and house,
and in active demand. The deposit
here is extensive, embracing (as at pres
emit developed), four large veins; No. l
containing 81 feet Of pure coal; No. 2,
10 fest; No. 3, 8 feet, and No. 4, 5 feet
clear Of coal. OF these veins, Nos. l
and are worked, No. yielding the
largest amount.
The company now own eight steamers
and vessels, having an aggregate ton
mage of 1900 tons, all in active service
transporting coal to San francisco and
other ports at the rate of from twelve
to fifteen thousand tons a month. They
are now building new and extensive
wharf at Seattle, provided with enor-
NOUS coal bankers, improved chutes
and every facility for its convenience
and rapid shipment. am indebted to
Mr.. ]. e. Atkinson, the courteous rep
rosentative of the company at Newcastle
for information beyond my observa-
ton.
Returning to Seattle, sailed for New
Tacoma in the steamer Zephyr with
Capt. Ballard, which makes tri weekly
trips between that place, Olympia, and
intermediate points. At Tacoma made
connection with the Northern Pacific
railroad, which carried mo thirty-five
miles farther into the extensive coal
fields lying along the base of the Cas-
oado mountains. The road crosses the
Puyallup reservation, follows up the
Puyallup valley, through the small
towns and stations of the Puyallup, Al
dertOn, Lime Kiln, Orting, South Prairie,
and Wilkeson to Carbonate, the pres
emit seat Of the most active mining ope-
rations.
The country is low, densely wooded
with fir. cottonwood and alder, with oe-
casional openings and farm clearings.
Tbesso is black, deep and rich-expen-
6ive to reclaim, but very productive.
Oats, hay, potatoes, fruits and hops
grow finely; the latter are of very supe-
ri0r quality and the most profitable crop
raised. The whole country from tho
Green river to the South Puyallup is
underlaid Goals. They belong chiefly
to the crotao e0uS era, embracing several
varieties of bitumin0us, Ignite and
anthracite Goals.
The Wilkeson mines are situated at
WilkesOn, 81 miles from New Tacoma,
and about the same distance from the
base of Mount Rainier. They are not
operated ct present, but was so fortu-
nate a. to meet their former Superin-
tendant, Mr.. Everett, who gave me quite
specific information concerning them.
A dozen veins have been opened and
ovpf snenn<0O lnuo1nnoA <<, dot khas~
extent and quality. The AinswOrth
vein is ton feet in thickness, lying be-
tween six-inoh mining and tive feet
of shale, the base being pure bituminous
coal, found upon test to compare favor
ably with the Cumberland coal for
blacksmith and forging purposes. For
such use 1t is improved by washing,
which is rapidly done at cost net ex-
ceoding four cents n ton. The Wright
vein il nine feet thick with 81 feet of
clean forge coal, balance hard steam
coal. The General vein contains 81
feet of pure bituminOus coal. The Kelly
vein, eight feet solid bituminous; the
Black vein, eight feet steam coal; six
feet hard coal; the Goodman vein, sew
en- feet Of clean coal with q mining of
four inches in the center; the Sfoot
vein, 81 feet Of pure coal, the balance
shale. These veins are all clearly de-
fined and traoeable for q distance of
two and half miles along the strike.
They lie inside of a thousand feet of
rock measure between slate and sand
rock. Since their suspension-which
vas evidently not due to any deficiency
either in the quantity OF qualify Of the
ooAl-they have been purchased by the
Oregon improvement Co., which will
doubtless soon work them upon an OK
tensive scale.
The Carbonate mines are situated
about two miles southwest from Wilke-
son, at an elevation of 116O feet, in a
deep canyon Of . wild, rapid stream
known a. Carbon river, which, cutting
its way through the dense forests COW
orinQ the foothills, ompties into the
Puyallup river about fifteen miles from
Tacoma. Hero found several hundred
people, mining and shipping coal at the
rate Of 5000 tons . month. Theeo Goals
arc chiefly bituminous, and compare
favorably with the best found ON the
Pacific coast, and are considered su-
periOr TO most of them for steam and
ga, coke and forging. It requires no
screening, the finest being preferred for
eome purposes. About . dozen veins,
from three to twelve feet in thickness.
have been opened. The coal is elevated
BY Steam up an incline Of nine hundred
fest into the bunkera, and delivered on
the wharf at New Tacoma at q cost of
q Per ton, 81 for mining and 81 for
transportation; and a San Francisco
for 3 80 Per ton, where il il worth
from q and upwards by the cargo.
This valuable property, including two
miles along the Carbon river, is owned
by the Central Pacific Railroad Com
pany. Mr.. Pinksrton. their Superin-
tendent, informs me that there is q rich
little valley Of Government land about
nix miles west Of the mines, capable of
gastaining thirty families with only
three upon IL at present.. On tho return
train, mat Rev. Whitworth, who is de-
vsloping . very promising vein Of coal,
about four fest In thickness, on South
Prairie Greek, three miles from South
Prairie station. Mr.. g. F. Willis, who
Just arrived from that station, says that
. branch road will soon be built to the
mine, and that Mr.. Pinksrton has dis
covered an eiRht-foot rein Of excellent
oonl nt CnPhunafo aiuco INV WHIT