The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1885-10-16
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OFFICIAL PAPER OF PEMBINA 20.
Published every Friday morning, ut Pembtna
D. 7. Subscription, e. 90 per annum. in advance.
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 10, 1885.

cn1UA1 pONxODLn 40, AooOs
The question of fuel supply is an
interesting one in this portion of the
Northwest. About the only objection
brought against this country by parties
contemplating to settle here is that
of the long winters in connection with
q supposed scarcity of fuel in the
country. So far in our history people
have had very little difficulty in oh.
tanning sufficient supply of fuel and
the only fear l,as been the possibility
of q failure to develop any other
source of supply when timber became
scarcer. Now, we think it may be
regarded as an assured fact. and taken
as u part of our calculations for the
future, that in very few years at
fartllest, an abundant supply of fuel
will he developed in this prairie
country. The first practical step in
this direction willsbe the building of a
railroad to the Turtle Mountain country
when the coal mines there will be
opened up and supply will begin that
will soon he so abundant rs to fill the
market and greatly reduce the price Of
the hard coal that may he imported
from the east. Coal mines are being
developed OH the other side of the line.
Near Medicine Hat, ut Lethbridge,
the terminus of the Gait railway,
recently opened up, u large coal mine
is now being operated, II description Of
which will be of interest to our readers.
We clip from correspondence of the
Winnipeg Manitoban concerning
"a VISIT TO TIE MINES,
entrance to which is gained by three
main galleries at the bottom lands,
which penetrate into the bowels of the
earth 800 feet. Under the guidance
of Capt. Stafford, an old an experienced
miner. the party enters. First the
galleries are over six feet high, and
six or seven feet wide, but rs you
enter the height decreases, and you
have to bend your back or bump your
head, and your back does get tired
shortly, and every once in while the
top of your head strikes the top of the
gallery, and the coal, although btu.
minous is the harder of the two, and
when all the others laugh heartily ut
the collision the victim doesn't think
it is very funny. From the main
galleries, side galleries branch of every
90 feet, and from these in turn other
side galleries run every 30 feet. The
mine is laid out in regular plan,
which resembles somewhat the BRAN
ches of u tree, and so intricate arc the
different galleries, that one who is not
accustomed to the mine could easily
get lost and not find himself for many
a day. Through all the galleries are
SMALL IRON TRACKS,
OH which Coal cars are run. The men
work in gangs of two, who have u
which they attach to eacl, car
they fill with coal, and OH its arrival ut
the mouth of the mine they are cred
tied with the output. There are now
men steadily employed,
and the daily output is about 200 tons;
but this quantity will be increased ut
once to 240 tons, now that additional
facilities have been
Each train load to Dun
more consists of twenty cars. with
eight and a half tons of coal to the
car. Last year the G. z. II. took IL
large quantity-some 5000 tons
which was transported by barges
down stream to Medicine Hat; but
owing to the uncertainty of the navi-
CATION of the river, the shipping
facilities were unequal to the re.
quirements, and this led to the con.
of the railway. At tile
junction with the G. p. r. the cars
run on an extended trestle.work. ut
which are chutes through which the
coal can be transferred TO the C. p. R.
cars with but little Inconvenience or
cost. From the mine the coal is taken
in small dump.cars up all incline plane
Of 1900 feet to an elevated platform,
and is emptied down Il chute into the
railway cars stationed OIL the track
below. OF
THE QUALITY OF COAL
it will be unnecessary for Il journalist
to express an opinion. 1t is IL bright,
clear. bituminous coal of great heating
power and remarkably clear of clinkers.
It is largely used in Macleod and ON
The G. p. r., and SO far us could lie
gives the greatest satisfaction
~ those who use it. The mine itself |
is entirely free from gasses, and no
water hinders the workmen. The air |
in it is pure. there being large venti.
ating shaft to the crest of the hill,
nearly 300 feet in length. So far no
accident has occurred in the mines,
nor are any apprehended from foul air
or coal damp. The miners are all ex.
perienced in the work, twenty being
from Nova Scotia and the others from
she mines of Wales, Lancashire,
Derbyslire, Cornwall and France.