Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-12-01
COAL FUEL.
Interesting Suggestions as TO the
Coal supply Problem.

Coal SUPPLY ELOOAcsMs
EDIToRs HERALp-One of the most
important problems affecting the pros
perity of Los Angeles at the present time,
as well as for years to come, is the ques-
ton of cheap fuel in regular and abund-
ant supply.
Some relief will be obtained from the
mines at Gallup, N. NJ, although this
coal is subject to an all-rail haul of 1000
miles and is not first-class coal, and
though the present price may be reduced
somewhat in the future, this coal can
never be laid down in Los Angeles at
figures that are requisite, if we hope to
build up extensive manufacturing
inter ests.
Another source from which we hope to
secure fuel supply is from the coal
fields of Utah, when the Utah Southern
Railroad is completed to Los Angeles.
That there are large supplies of coal oi
excellent quality tributary to this road is
a conceded fact 1t may not have oc'
Cured to the people of Los Angeles that
the Utah Southern, after leaving the coal
fields of Utah, passes through country
rich in silver, copper and lead ores until
within few miles of where it is pro-
posed to intersect the Atlantic and Pacific
road.
The first to be supplied will be the
vast mining interests now anxiously
awaiting the completion of this road, and
the demand from the mining camps will
exceed the supply Of coal from this road
for some years at least.
The writer has, during the past month,
visited most OF the principal points on
Puget Sound; also, many of the coal
mines of this section, and believes that
the cheap fuel for Southern California
must be obtained from the Puget Sound
Basin.
The first mines opened here were not
of the best quality of coal, and Southern
California is not to-day obtaining the
best coal mined in this region. In fact
very little of the Sound coal reaches
Southern California, Portland and San
Francisco taking all the surplus output.
In 1887 the output of coal in Washington
Territory, according to the coal niue in
spector's report, was l, ,115, 900 tons, about
600, 900 tons of which we're shipped out
of the Sound, the balance either con-
sumed here or sent into the interior.
This year the output will be considerably
larger. yet the demand is far in excess OF
the supply. The developments during
the next few years in Western Washing
ton, especially in iron manufacturing,
will create an immense home demand
for fuel that will tax not only the mines
now in operation but many more that
will be developed, to their full capacity.
The Moss Bay Steel Company, COM
posed of English capitalists now erecting
q steel plant near Seattle, own six
thousand acres of coking coal and are
developing it on an extensive scale for
their own use. Coke OF fine quality is
produced at Wikeson, on the Northern
Pacific Railroad, and new company is
erecting fifty coke ovens near there, and
although they will not be ready for busi-
ness for two months, have already re-
ceived orders for 2500C0 tons of coke,
many of the orders coming from the
mining regions OF Idaho and Montana.
At Tacoma smelling works for the re-
duction Of silver ores are in course Of
erection and they will be large consum-
ers of coke; other various enterprises are
seeking sites on the Sound, chiefly for
the production of iron and steel, which
will all be large consumers Of fuel.
At the present time several lines Of
railroads are under construction from
this city and Tacoma designed chiefly to
supply fuel for these two cities.
In the Skagit Valley three different
roads are under construction for the pur-
pose OF handling coal, coke, iron ore and
lumber. Several mines are now being
opened near the lines of these roads
above mentioned. All the roads referred
to have as their chief object the handling
of coal and iron for manufacturing pur-
poses rather than the shipment of coal
away from the sound.
1t seems to the writer that the only
reasonable method of securing regular
and cheap supply Of fuel for Los Angeles
is for some of her business men to Sc
cure valuable coal properties on the
sound, and mine and ship the coal, for
by doing this they could furnish both
coal and coke at reasonable figures and
be free OF coal rings or com binations, and
by owning the mines could assure manu-
fecturers who desire to locate in Los
Angeles, of supply of fuel at
fair rates; that this would be a
profitable enterprise admits of little
doubt, and would at the same time be of
great benefit to our beautiful city. To-
day we'll located coal lands can be pur-
chased at reasonable rates, although the
price is advancing rapidly.
Well located land carrying two to four
seams of coal, one being a fine coking
coal, can be purchased at $50 to $3.50 per
acre. The locality where such purchases
can be made is where there are no rail-
roads now, but where roads are under
contract to be completed within a few
months.
Regarding quality, the coal is much
better than the Black Diamond or other
Goals now mined in the vicinity of Seattle
and Tacoma.
l give several analyses made by the
Getty Analyst" OF Glasgow, Scotland.
No. !: No. 2. No. 8.
HydIo % 0ca carbon % $3.50 1880 $3.50 93s9 9
Ash alef ......'............ ..... es 6os Aa591
sulphur ........-.....-........... .-.... ......
No. 8 makes remarkably fine coke aud
is free from sulphur.
These analyses are from different
properties in the same district. The
steam coal is solid fne-looking coal
and does not air-slack easily, being the
same as Wellington in fact the ledge is
conceded by experts as being a continue
ton of the Nanaimo.
d. .. Mills and Mr.. Cornwall, the lat
ter being President of the Black Diamond
Coal Company of Seattle, are building
Nh