Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1885-1890, 1886-12-18
MATERIALS And METALS
Great Falls Surrounded by Various
Building Materials and Many Of
the Precious Metals.

more than a cursOry glance at the minera
riches and geological advantages, shown
and exhibited by natures w hand within
a radius of fifty miles Of Great Falls. Il
is not within my province in the present
article to enlarge on the magnificent water
power Of the townsite. nor to treat on the
agricultural facilities of the surrounding
localities, though both have to be consid-
cred in the cost of production of metals,
precious or otherwise. | only need say
that natur has furnished the useful and
precious metals, the necessary fluXes and
fuel, and also the necessary motive power.
More could not have been done by nature
unaided. it only needed man with knowl-
edge how to collect these bounties and
how to use them for the varied industries
Of the nineteenth century.
COAL.
The coal deposits whose northerly point
lies adjacent to Great Falls, are now CON
eeded by competent judges, to exceed in
area, as also in quality, all other coal
fields yet developed in the territory.
The extent Of the workable area has
not yet been fully determined, as was
stated thirteen months ago, but the con
slant location of new mines proves wide
land office entries 1SS5-S6) the coal field
TO be of vastly greater area than was or
iginally supposed: this also being inside
surveyed lands.
The coal field at the present comprises
three areas, viz: Sand CouIee. Belt Creek
and Smith River.
These areas, however, are only artificial,
being caused by each locality being a
nucleus for location Of mines. but all
three areas show the same vein, same
characteristics Of deposit, and are also
connected regularly together. the outcrops
Of the coal being easily distinguishable
the whole distance.
Allowing Sand Coulee as them. W. cor
ner. Belt river as the n. T. and Smith
river as the S. W. and s.. E. points Of the
field, not less than 375 square miles must
he allowed for the area of this coal field.
subject of course to the reductions neces-
sary in the amount of coal available,
by reason Of faults, dykes, cts.
The coal area Of Sand Coulee is nearest
the town OF Great Falls, the distance from
the nearest mines to Black Eagle falls
being about seven miles. The Sand
Coulee mines have been well tested as to
quality and thickness this past two years,
and the result has been to show per
3nanencY Of thickness Of vein. a uniform
quality Of coal, and an accessibility
hitherto unknown in the coal fields of the
territory.
Without exception, Sand Coulee and
Belt river excel al other coal areas in the
territory BY the accessibility Of the vein,
the regularity OF the deposits. and the
absence Of thick bands of ligne-
Gus shale 50 characteristic Of other places.
This would signify a deposition little al
tered by terrestrial disturbances. and in
place Of abnormally thick deposits Of i'm
pure Ignite as shown at the Goose-Bil.
Bulls Head. etc, we find solid
of bituminous Goals near the upper
part of the vein, an excellent article of
steam coal in the center, with litaminoas
coal again below.
The coal measures of Sand Coulee are
oyerlaid by the finest strata Of building |
materials to be found in the Northwest,
and it attains its greatest thickness and
excellence in the neighborhood of the
city Of Great Falls. Not only do we flnd
building stones, but also cements, plaster
and various other sands; t~erra-cotta,
and various other clays, and all other ma
terials required for the building up Of a
city.
~NDsToSE
The sandstones-may be divided into
three classes, viz: Argillaceous, calcar-
Gus and gritty. The first is excellent
foundations or structure s beneath the
Of water, owing to its not being
and the absence of regular cleav-
This feature in the future by a CITY
whose enormous water power is well
is a very prominent one, and will
;ause this rock to be utilized to a large
Extent. The calcareous and gritty form
N excellent material for buildings, owing
o the stone being free from iron pyrites
sand, firm in texture, not liable to peel
With exposure, and above all, not a weak
absorbent stone.
The s%andstones are in various colors.