The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1889-09-07
A City OF Black uiamonds

From thirty inches to three feet Of coal
within from three to Eve miles Of Ottawa
This Is the statement Of Frank O'Mer..
A possibility Of . great suburb on the
south with population Of Eve thousand
souls!
This is what it means II OMsrs /, not
mistaken.
Will Ottawa become q city Of twenty five
thousand inhabitants in five years.
Will Ottawa acquire four or FIVE addition.
al railroads?
She can ascertain the probability Of these
conditions for FIVE hundred dollars.
Does Ottawa want splendid foundry EN-
ploying one hundred and sixty men, that is.
an additional population of nearly a thous-
and people,
II she has sufficient interest in her vel.
fare to build foundry building three hun.
dred feet by ono hundred feet and donate
something like a block Of ground, she can
have it.
Inc business Mems Association had ap-.
parently died until Wednesday evening, but
its seeming state Of coma was but the calm
OF the elements before the storm-the Asso.
citation never moves at tribes, but when q
project OF Importance is presented ss q Dos
sible acquisition, it is on the alert and
watchful for the interest Of the CITY. This
Wednesday evening meeting was called to
consider matters which may add ten thous-
and people to the city's census figures before
1894.
Most important was the proposition Of
Frank O'Mera, cashier Of the First National
Bank Of Streator. Mr.. o. Mera is an Otts--
wa boy, and his long sojourn in Strestor has
not marred his beauty.
Dir. O'Mera said that he had given the
coal mining question q great deal of stten-
ton during his sojourn in Streator, and after
studying the question from all sides decided
that the second vein coal Of Strestor must
underlie certain portions of territory be-
tween three and FIVE miles south of this
city. He then procured an option on seven
or eight hundred acres Of land, under which,
be is of the opinion, > vein of coal from
thirty inches to three feet in thickness, NAV
be found in great quantities. This coal ia
uniform in thickness, mineabie, and equal 10
the best Wilmington and second vein
Strsator coal. In order to ascertain the
exact value Of this field Il becomes necessary
to make experiments! borings. Ten holes
must be sunk to depth of one hundred
aud twenty-five feet, in different portions of
the field. This could be done by competent
men, who were experts at their business, for
about one thousand dollars. One-half of
this expense he would stand himself and no
asked the business men to contribute the
remainder. II the money could DO raised
at once he would commence the experiment
tai borings next week. A twenty inch vein
was being mined at Wenona at large profit
to the operators, and a thirty inch vein
would mine thousand tons to the acre.
the experiments proved satisfactory Ottawa
would have coal field at her doors that
years Of heavy mining would fail to exhaust.
He did not think that coal could be found
near this city of either four or Eve feet in
thickness, because he was of the opinion
that there was q three foot vein and it was
improbable that these measures would be
found in such close proximity.
Beneath the coal on this land. on which
he holds an option, he was confident that
there is bed Of fine clay, Of q quality here.
tofore unknown in this locality. 1t is suit.
able for fine pottery, terra Gotta, and even
porcelain. After the coal, if q good vein be
found, is taken out, this clay could be mined
and through it large manufacturers Of ine
pottery and kindred products could be in
duced to locate here.
He stated as further incentive that the
c., B. g. Q. road had shown lively inter,
est in his project and that if the field was
found tc promise productiveness would assist
him il every way possible.
Mr.. Catlin and others stated that they
and other members of the association had
been in correspondence with a prominent
now employing eighty men,
who is DESTROYS Of locating here and will
submit propositions for the consideration of
The business men. His casting are used by
The Western Cottage Organ Co., ]. E. Por-
ter and H. P. King, of this city, the Austin
Corn Shelter Co. of Chicago, and other prom
inent parties in this and other states. Pro,
vided the firm locates here they ask, as q
first proposition, that factory building
three hundred by one hundred feet and
about block of ground be donated them,
They will also submit other propositions
which Mr.. Porter will receive and report
upon at the next meeting of the association.
Mr.. Catlin also stated that an Iowa man,
who has a patent on an automatic lumber
is DESTROYS Of locating here and
hat he (Mr Porter) would take care Of him
himself and thought he would be able to &c.