Weekly graphic. [volume] (Kirksville, Adair Co., Missouri) 1880-1949, 1888-12-28


At the Charlton River we enter the
famous coal fields NJ Northwest
part OF Adair, and Eastern part of
Putnam Counties. IA sc iuch VEN of
coal Crops out along the Black Bird
Creek and all of its tributaries. The
bluffs that enclose the narrow val
leys of Black Bird and Kinney
Creeks are all underlaid with this 3G
inch vein of coal. 1t is stated that
thicker vein, ono of As inches lies be
meath this.
The mines that are open and being
worked contiguous to the survey, are
not being thoroughly nor energeti-
cally developed, but Are carried on
in the most primitive manner.
The ecoal is very easy of access. Drift
ing being tha process, as this So inch
vien lies above tho surface OF the
creek valley. The coal is of very
superior quality and is apparently in
exhaustible, as is evidenced by oper-
ators in other parts of the county
To the north of the survey at Men
dota and other points where from
fifty to seventy-five car loads are be-
ing shipped daily. AT the points
named the drifting process is being
used. and there is no evidence of the
vein failing, and as progress is made
the same superiority in quality is
maintained, 225 square miles of terri.
tory would be directly tributary to
this 80 miles of road.
Leaving Unionville we soon take 8
north western course, following the
divide between North Blackbird and
Locust creeks for five miles, al
which point we get into the valley oi
Wolf branch and follow it to Locust
creek, which we cross and immediate
ly commence ascending johnson
branch until we reach its source and
the divide between Locust and Med
icipe creeks; passing two miles east
of the village of st. John we soor
cross the state line into Iowa, we
follow said divide (Which is very
crooked) to the village OF Buda
where we cross the { NJ. & st. Pau
r. r. Grade crossing.) From thi.
point to Allerton the country is
rather rough and badly cut up by
tributaries of Medicine creek. Tc
avoid these, we would necessarily
have to run nearly due north to the
c. r. l & p. r. Rs. and then par
allel that road to Allerton about six
iles,-this was not thought practi.
cable, and instead, we produced
nearly an air line in general direc
tion with fair alignment in detail
to Allerton, crossing the g. Il. !. &
=. r. II, just at the eastern edge oi
Allerton.
The country from Unionville tc
Allerton is generally in high state
OF cultivation, has fine soil and un.
dulating surface, water easy Of access
and shows evidence of an industrious
class of citizens. The map will show
you that large area Of country, 17C
square miles would be directly trib
utary to road built upon this sur.
vey,-SS per cent being in cultiva,
ton.
Passing through the northern part
of Allerton, we take up a northwest
course, and soon cross tributary oi
south Charlton river. getting onto
the divide again, we follow it for
about 4 miles, which brings us to the
head of Lewisburg branch, which we
follow about two miles to the
valley of Steele creek where we
cross at an elevation of 20 feet and
commence ascending at once and
soon cross narrow ridge be.
tween Steel creek and Turkey creek,
descending to the valley of Turkey
creek, we follow it until we reach the
valley of Grand
river, crossing Grand river and it's
valley we enter and foll.w the valley
of Brush creek one mile, at which
point we cross that stream and enter.
ing the valley of Cobden's branch we
follow it to its source, which brings
us two miles east of Leon; we produce
the line in a westerly direction and
pass just west Of the corporate linn
its Of Leon, county seat of Decatur
county, Iowa.
The country between Allerton
and Leon is we'll developed and par