Omaha daily bee., 1886-11-26
COAL DISCOVERY IN OMAHA
A Vein Seven Feet Thick is Struck Near
the Union Pacific Bridge
WHILE BORING FOR NATURAL GAS
The Foundation For n Tremendous
Boom For Omaha-Chcap Coal
Near at Hand and Plenty
OF IL, Too.



stock yards TO secure an additional supply of
water, they struck q vein OF gas at the depth |
of about 20) feet. This gas was supposed to
be natural gas. such as is found in Pennsyl- |
vania. An analysis, which was completed
only few days ago, showed however, that
II was nitrogen gas, and not the natural gas
used for man utacturing, heating and illumi-
mating purposes Meantime stock company
was organized in this city for the purpose of
boring for natural gas. The capital was fixed
at $4,000 The principal organizer of this
company was Mr.. Peter +. Her, who had be-
come an enthusiast on the subject of natural
gas, and asserted that he would bear the ex-
pense himself of boring for IL, If nobody
would join with him in the enterprise. But
he had no difficulty in inducing others.
among whom were such men as Herman
Kountze, William A. Paxton and John Nc
Shane, to unite with him in the project
Operations were accordingly begun some
weeks ago at Fourth and Pierce streets, near
the Willow Springs distillery, and only
few hundred feet from the west end of the
Union Pacific bridge. At a depth Of 36G feet
the borers struck
A VEIN OF COAL
seven inches thick. Although this occa-
stoned some little surprise it was not cOnSid-
cred of very great Importance. as such thin
sections of the state and would not pay to
work. In fact, the discovery of coal was con-
sidered of such little consequence that the
men engaged in the work failed to make men
ton of the find in reports OF their progress to
outsiders. The borers continued to
bore for natural gas, not eX-
pecting to strike any profitable
bed of coal. Yesterday, however, a great
surprise was occasioned when they ran their
drill through a vein of coal
SEVEN FEET THICK
at n depth of 81 feet just below a stratum of
blue limestone. Specimens were secured and
placed on exhibition. The coal is what is
known as soft or bitumnous coal, and of
splendid quality. Those who understand
coal mining say that this bed of coal in all
probability underlies the whole of Douglas
county.
THE VEIN TO RE WORKED.
A coalmining company will be organized
at once with ample capital, and mining will
be begun Immediately.
In this connection ii may be stated that the
Union Pacific few years ago bored an
artesian well near the west end of the bridge
and struck a vein Of coal at the depth of about
six hundred feet, but every effort was made to
keep the matter quiet. The public obtained
but very little information about the matter,
anu ~ WAS Sciclhly gwen III iu'Hci All
industrious manner that the discovery really
amounted to nothing. 1t looks very much
now as if the valuable secret had been kept
with the intention of not destroying the
Omaha market for the Wyoming coal mines
of the Union Pacific. But the great secret
has at last been uncovered, and the era of
cheap iuel in Omaha is near at hand.
AN UNUSUALLY THICK VEIN.
Increased value attaches to the discovery
from the thickness OF the vein. While it is
true that in the immense coal regions of
Pennsylvania veins have been struck that
have a thickness of from thirty TO eighty feet
any find approaching this size is entirely un
known in the west The Iowa coal fields. the
richest yet found in the west, contain but
few veins that are more than four or i've feet
in thickness, and none that are more than
six feet in depth. The mines in the vicinity
of Angus and other towns along the Des
Moines river have been giving an immense
yield for years from veins that have not
averaged more than four feet in thickness.
SURE TO PAY.
The distance from the surface of the dis
coyery is another good feature. Many of the
Iowa mines are all the way from six hundred
to one thousand feet in depth, and yet vein
OF coal three feet in thickness at such depth
is worked at great profit. At Lcavenworth a
Coa company Has llidue IL lOlluuc from tile
operation of vein of coal only one and a
half feet thick at depth Of over nine hun
dred feet. With the improved machinery of
the present day the depth of vein cuts but
little figure after the first cost of reaching the
bed has been met. BY the improved ma
chinery the coal is hoistcd by steam on an
endless chain on which are hung buckets
working on the principle of the once popular
cham pump. This will make the operation
OF the mine an easy matter.
A REWARD FROM THE STATE.
A number of years ago the state legislature,
for the purpose of encouraging prospecting
for coal, passed an act Offering a reward of
5000 for the discovery of coal in paying
quantities within the state. Several times
attempts have been made to secure this re-
ward by parties who have discovered small
coal veins in different sections of the state,
but the tird as yet has not been sufficient to
recover the bonus. The men who are inter
ested in the find of yesterday will be entitled
to the money.
TESTING THE QUALITY.
Samples OF the coal taken from the drill
We're examined yesterday evening by several
coal men of the city, who pronounced /, of q
iirst-class quality. Samples of the coal will
be taken to the laboratory at Creighton col
lege to-day for an examination,
REJOICING OVER THE DISC CoVERY.
The discovery OF yesterday has caused
great enthusiasm and rejoicing, II will
supply lOng-fct want, namely, cheap coal
which means great boom in manufacturing
enterprises OF all kinds, and consequent won
derful growth and development of the city
In fact the discovery is regarded as having
more important bearing upon the future o.
the city than even the great South Omaha
union stock yards and packing hous(
industries
Big Libel suit Continued.
FREMONT, Neb., Nov. p. - Especial to
the BEE, district court has been in ses
sion for ten DAYS, Judge Post presidinC