Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1887-1890, 1888-02-18

In the main body Of the Sand Coulee
coal field the primary conditions under
which the coal was deposited were excep.
tionally favorable, resulting in a superior
quality of coal, greater thickness of vein,
and reader facilities for mining. In
common with the sister coal-tields viz:
Belt and Smith river, the coal must orig
inally have been d lake-like deposit,
formed from the deposition of decayed
roots Of aquatic plants. Before being
compressed by huge bodies of sand this
deposit must have been of enormous
thickness. In a subsequent era the con-
tour of the field was altered in level by
local disturbances, probably originating
in the Belt mountains.
In connection with the coal vein, at an
average distance below of from 40 to so
feet are found two bands of carbonate of
iron, very similar to the grey band of the
east. The upper stratum of ironstone va
ries from 3 feet to as high as 6 feet and is
richly im%pregnated with the metal Tests
show that phosphorus is non-existent, or
nearly SO; lime is present in a small
amount, and thus we have an ore that is
of the best description for the manufac-
ture of iron or steel. This bed of iron
stone is unlimited in extent, and is easy
VI dCGSSS Sttl1 HuSlC LII odlu SOulcC. n
stratum of grey clay separates this band
about 10 feet distant. This lower band is
about 2 feet in thickness, and identical in
| character with the other one.
A REMARKABLE GEOLOGICAL FEATURE
of the Sand Coulee coal field is, that al
though the coal measures themselves,
are Of the cretaceous age, the base of them
rests conformably upon the carboniferous
limestone, signifying either that this lime
stone was dry land during the nons of
, time intervening between the two depes-
its, or that a tremendous erasion of rocks
had occurred in that interval. This Ger
boniferous limestone occurs in unlimited
quantities in Sand Coulee, and by practi-
cal proof furnishes a fine article for mer-
charitable lime.
In some portions of the coal field, the
lime, iron and coal can be observed in the
same hill, all easy CT access and of good
| quality. Truly this is a marvellous combi-
nation of materials required by man, and
especially in a vicinity where they will be
so much required for various purposes.
In this article | have refrained from de-
scribing the various mines in detail, as
they nave been before described in the
Tribune. need only say that they still
retain the same quantity and quality as
when last described. At that time the
future was before US; now the present has
arrived with its railroads completed to
our doors, and vast reduction works
/ under full Roadway. Sand Coulee
will be now an important factor in
the prosperity of this section; her coal,
coke, iron, lime and magnificent build
ing sandstones will be required for one
purpose or another. The influx of a large
amount of skilled labor for the mines
will naturally create such a market for
ranch produce as the farmers have
never before seen in this section, and
this tide of prosperity and industry will
also overlap the sister coal fields of Belt
and Smith river, and its effects be felt in
every mining camp of the Belt noun
tains. SAND CoULEE.