The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1888-07-06
SAND CouLEE COAL ZINES.
One Of the Great Resources Tributary tn
Great Falls,

0E006 x1AAD0
Written for tie Neo North Wet.
Among other great ~our of Greai
Falls, are
81 COAL MINIS,
ten miles distant by wagon road and 10 miles
BY rail. The road having been but recently
Constructed and not yet ready for running
visitors were taken out in carriages. The
first mine is owned by John and Burk Lar.
gent, of Sun River Crossing; the second by
Robert Vaughan and Paris Gibson, and the
third that we inspected, by parties connected
with the Montana Central r. r. Co.
The veins lie flat-horizontal-and the
openings are made in the sides of the
bluffs that border the Sand Coulee valley,
which by the way is occupied by ranchmen
and farmers all the way from the river to the
mines.
DEVELOPMENTS.
The main entrance, or tunnel, in the Hum
phry mine, owned by Vaughan B Gibson, is
In 300 feet, with several cross-cuts and cham
bers. The entrance to the Montana Central
is in 500 feet, with openings enough to pro-
vide room for thirty miners to work at once
taking out coal. The Humphry mine is in
the bluff to the right of the main coulee, and
the Montana Central on the west side of the
same hill or plateau about two miles distant,
and on the left side of Straight Coulee, a
branch of the main coulee.
KITE OF
Before the railroad was projected, borings
we're made at intervals from min to mine,
and a continuous vein from eight to fourteen
feet was found to exist. At Belt creek, 25
miles in a northerly direction, a similar vein
crops out, and there are several other loca-
tions and developments within q radius of
five miles Of the mines we visited, showing
the deposit to be extensive; and as 1t is 18
Belt mountains, the apparent supply cannot
be exhausted for centuries. %
GOOD STEAM AND coK1NG QUALITIES.
The groupings of the veins are bleached
near the surface and are not marketable from
to 70 feet from the point of exposure, but
from this point the coal grows better as ad-
is made. The vein lies in strait !
fed sandstone, with intervening slate roof. +
As we walked through the mines there were +
places where a six, footer could not reach the /
roof with a cane.
Now, here is IN abundance of coal for all
mills, smelters and general use, and ex-
perts in the science of analysis pronounce it
. good article of bituminous coal, about one-
being coking aud three.fourths steam
coal, and it is said to leave but little residue !
in burning.
TO SHIP.
The railroad company is putting in a turn
table at the mine, and the coal ompan is |
up chutes for loading, screens for |
separating, and have all the necessary ma
on the way for expeditions mining,
and within q few days expect to have a large !
force of miners at work and be prepared to
ship the coal for use on the Montana Central
and Manitoba roads, and to supply the de. !
mand wherever made. The whole country
north of Prickly Pear seems to abound in
strati6ed rocks, sandstone predominating,
but little wash as VI have in Southern
Montana; hence the moisture is retained by
The soil, and good crops are now being ma
tured without irrigation. Northern Montana
in prairies and rolling hills, with but
little timber, and these coal discoveries prove
fortunate for residents, who can
now supply themselves with first class fuel at (
cost. AS.