Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1884-08-27
The L1MaRs coAAll., al

Nm Expert Pronouuces IL Lignite and not
a.il Ysai Worth Working rs ass IT, "a
g 8Ihe letter given below is published in
the Le Mars Sentinel. In its conclu.
sions it disagrees with the reports made
iby Colonel Strait, who has also made
tests Of the Yankton coal. This is the
letter referring to,the ,Le Mars deposit:i
TO Capt. Moreton, Dear Sir: One year,
ago the 10th day OF fAprif1ast, as you are
aware, came to LIE Mars 10 prospect for
coal for you on your farm and to verify,
II possible, Col. Straits borlngs, who
had pnt down two prospect holes previ-
ous to my coming and reported having
found a paying scam Of coal IN each hole.
Now have drilled 1,277 feet in three
holes on your property. My first or No.
I2,hole was to q DEPTH of 415 feet; my
,second or No. hole was $50 feet and
my third or No. 5 Hole was S92 feet.
Holes Noal and 2 were drilled BY Col.
Strait, No.,2 beng where he claimed his
biggest seam Of conl, viz. Eve feet. My
first boring was No. 3 about three -fonrths
OF q mile from Col. Straits No. 2 hole. NY
,second,t No. A, was about 300 yards
from No. 2. and my third, No. 5, was but
three feet from No. 2 hole where the five
foot seam was reported. Now after all
this work, anxiety and enormous ex-
ipense and loss of time running as it ha
over two years and q quarter, I regret to
have to say that ] have found no coal
tthat would pay to work, for what I
found would be called Ignite among
coal men, and of the three holes I have
drilled l find at o depth Of, 1913 feet in
No. 5 (where the five foot vein was re
ported by Col. Strait the poorest quail
ty OF all, In fact, find no vein at all,
only q crumbling bituminous shale with
streaks OF Ignite, stems, leaves and resin
ous vegetable matter-the whole one un.
developed conglomeration-and at depth
OF 293 feetin this same hole I find no
coal at all Exactly where the five foot
vein was said to be in Col. Straits log),
in fact, not sign of coal; nothing but
sandstone, !. from sixty feet above
to ten feet below where the coal was re.
ported No. , hole, drilled by me, is a
little better, also No. 4, which drilled,
is better still; in fact best of them all,
but l find no coal of any kind except OF
Ignite quality corresponding with Col
Straits five foot vein. The shaft put
down to the depth Of ninety feet made
me somewhat doubtful of. the results
being satisfactory to coal Development
| the strata appearing too new, timber
With its bark on being in perfect state
of preservation. -" 0''i- 7pHriE ~ aite
1'have also learned from others pros
pecting parties of men. who We're will
them. and also specimens have seen
that there is, in my opinion, no workable
seam of coal in this vicinity" 54Fd 2
| Now after due consideration of nj
that has been done and a careful ex
animation of the specimens takel
| from the holes drilled by me will
th. "we1l drill" the best in the mar
ket, drill that does not pound the con
4 to q powder, but brings up specimens o
coal as coarse and as large as hazel nuts
settles all doubt in the mind Of th
\ prospector as 70 whether lie finds coal O
not. therefore venture to say that i
| would be folly to prosecute the searcl
I any further, involving, as it wonld d.
enormous expenditure without an,
reasonable hope of success. My opinion
1 goes still farther, that northwestern
/ Iowa is not tabundantly supplied wit
! workable coal pockets may be found G
Ignite or brown coal matter.
Thanking you for your kindness
treatment and honorable dealing durin
the stay of sixteen months in your EN-
ploy, am dear sir, very truly. ,....-
| ..y,,. ..i..,..- NJ. L. MAHER,
Practical Miner and Prospector.
LeMars, Aug. %, 1884.