The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1885-02-14
BUTTE,s FUEL SUPPLY.

BUTTE'S FUEL SUPPLY.
It is well understood by orr: large
wood consumers that the supply Of
fuel in the vicinity Of Butte Is fast
diminish ing. and that it Is only =
matter of a very short time when
wood, as a fuel; will bs entirely out
of the question for the use OF our
mills and smelters. It's prics even
cow has reached q point beyond
which. considering the depressed con-
dition OF. the copper market, it can
not be probably 'nsed by them. In
view of this fact it becomes all the
more important that Butte should
look ahead and take steps to secure q
full and lasting supply of fuel. Many
Of our most prominent mining men
are seriously. considering this ques-
ton, and believe that when this one
question is. satisfactor.l II solved this
great mining. section will enter upon
an era of increased and uninterrupted
prosperity.
The heretofore rapid development
of our mines their marvellous out
put; the building up of every in
dustry connected with them in and
near Butte have SO %engrossed the
minds. aud taken the time Of our
people that they have not given the
question of the future supply of fuel
that thought which its importance
demands. But the time has now
arrived when they can no longer
ignore IL. With the low price OF
copper and the fast diminishing
supply of wood staring them in the
face they are confronted with a prob
lem which involves the question of
cheap fuel in its solution. In view
of this fact 1t becomes imperatiyely
necessary that our mining. mill aud
business men shall unite upon some
plan by which they can compass this
important end. 49,: az"
In the consideration of this matter
our attention has been directed to the
immense coal fields IN the vicinity7of
Bozeman as offering an easy solution
of the fuel problem. We have also
taken much pains to investigate their
extent, the quality of the coal
and its adaptabiIity to the
wants of Butte Tor sme'ting and
domestic purposes. As The result of
this investigation the conclusion Is
reached that if they could he con-
nected with lutte by a direct rail-
road line the question OF our future
tu. ! supply would be forever settled.
With such a line we are assured
upon unimpeachable authority that
a good quality of coal can be laid
down in Butte at a price not exceed
ing S. per ton. The importance of
reaching such a supply Of cheap fuel
can scarcely be estimated by our mill
and smelter owners. The present
price Of coal here, We understand, 10
from So 90 to $lO.50 per ton-a dill
ference of $500 to $3.50 per ton in
favor of the Bozeman coal. This
difference in the course Of i years
consumption. of coal would, in the
aggregate, make sum which would
go far towards the construction of. i
road between: Butte and the coal
fields. -. is p,
We have secured from a perfectly
reliable source. some facts relative TO
these coal fields, and as they may be
of interest to our readers we sabmit
them. The output of coal at Tim
berIine, the point at which TIE
Northern Pacific OF tains Its supply
Of coal. is from $50 to 500 tons per
day, all Of which il used by that rail.
road company. Two of the four
mines from which this coal Ia taken
belong to the Northern Pacific Com
pany. Their daily output is about
$50 tens. Tue other two belong to
Messrs. Quevly & Hoffman Of Booze
man. Their daily output is from 200
to $50 TONS. These mines are sit
uated three miles from the n. P.
track, and the coal is delivered to it
over a narrow gauge road with a
grade of 236 feet to the mile. The
coal cars pass directly into the mine,
and are loaded from shoots connect
ing with two rooms above where the
coal is mined.
The upper tunnel Of Quevly &
Hoffman's mine is three hundred
feet atove the lower tunnel, and is
reached by a double track incline
railroad 40 feet in length, up which
the empty car are hauled by the
weight of the loaded ones. A large
steel wire cable Is used, and the speed of
the cars Is regulated by means OF
brakes. The upper tunnel of
this mine is 800 feet iu length on a
vein of coal avera,ing for the
distance, twenty-five feet in
with. For 200 feet the vein is 40
feet in width. The room from which
the coal is mined extends to . height
Of $50 feet above the tunnel. The
coal /, conveyed directly to the cars
through shoots.
Up to this date not ton of coal has
been mined below the water level.
The lower tunnel of this mine Is 100
feet ab We the water level The out.
put is sold to the n. P. Co. under u
long time contract. The mines
around and operated by the railroad
are located near by and
worked In Il similar manner. Our