, 1889-06-27
OUR MINERAL WEALTH.
VAST mINEs HAVE YEr To M
DEVELOPED IN WARRINGTON.
The Coal and Iron Cannot he ,yus..s hv
PsansvIvsnis. Nor tho Gold s.d
silver by California.

Many statements In this article will ap.
pear more clear to the average reader by
reference to the facts stated In the series
on the Geology Of Western Wsshin gtou"
and also In IN article on the mineral
wealth of Washington, the standard by
which they estimate its probAb wealth in
coal and iron was found largely by u study
OF the products In Pennsy lsania and other
similar regions. In like manner they
sought TO compare its veal th iu gold. all.
yer, etc., with California ena other p,aces
naV'np similar formations. ln many re-
spects such prior experiences led them
astray. This article will attempt to show
some OF the reasons why we'll read scen.
lists and practical miners should both
make many mistakes when they trst tried
to solve the problems presented in the
70 .ks and mineral formations Of WASH
iDRt,n.
HOW TuE COAL VEINS WE'RE FORMED.
1t 10 supposed that coal Is formed from
vegetable matter, trees, bus hes, reeds, etc.,
that grew on marsh land and was buried
and preserved from complete decay Ia one
OF natures 'sio,," until other rock or soil
was formed above 1t, and pressure and
other changes to which il was subjected
ripened this mass OF matter into good sol.
Id coal. Much of the vegetable matter
forming coat doubtless grew aiso on high
land, and was carried by freshets, as
drlitwood, 6y the streams OF those times,
snd deposited In the marshes or under
water In lakes, ut the mouths of rivers,
and In similar places.-
The coal formati0ns 6rst studied iu Eu.
rope and In the United States were Of
the so-called carbOniferous period, among
the most ancient classes Of rocks when the
typical land auimals we're reptiles, and
few or none OF the higher classes OF ami
, , NAL or vegetable forms of life existed.
During the so'called secondary period"
more or less land was formed in the
ROCKY mountain region and Westward Of
them. Also ut this time birds were
among the higher forms Of life and many
transition forms between the low forms
OF animal aud vegetable life OF former
times, and the higher and more perfect
forms OF the present came In.
THE TERTIARY PERIop,
The real Important changes in WASH
inHton did not take place on u large scale
until the tertiary period, when most
forms OF life were like the present. The
difference In the formation were 30 great
that when hrst discovered, many skilled
eastern geoloRlsts could scarcely believe
that vast deposits Ut coal could exist here.
When they found they really did exist,
they sought to refer the period of their
Formation TO as ancient times as possible.
Some things aided then. In 80 doing.
Thus In the Rocky mountain region
are Iounu land vegetation APP
parently OF the Secondary age in counec-
| tl0n with fnaatia oE
period. In Washington and British Col.
umb bia the conditions are reversed. Here
nre found secondary marine fossils in con.
nection with tertla-y vegetable life
These facts are of NOR importance TO the
scientist, studying the origin of the pres
enJ forms Of life, than to the miner or the
man in common lite. They all indicate
how recently, geologically speaking, these
things have been done, Us compared with
other regions.
The coal deposits are on the south and
east eides OF the Sound, extending from
Seatco to Whstcom. They then appear 10
extend westward across the Gulf of
Georgia, Vancouver's island, the Straits
OF tuca and the land south of the straits
to the ocean.
Some ReoloRists seem inclined to class
much of the coal of Washington and
British Columbia as of the secondary
period. but further study of this matter
will probably reduce materially the pro-
portion 80 classed. and Cause much more,
II not all Of 1t, to be referred to the Fer.
tisry period. AS we 70 east from the salt
water OF the Sound, We meet the
trst coal groupings about the head
OF tide water of the rivers, some
ten miles back from the Sound
except where they cross the gull OF Georgia
westward from WhatcOm, The nearer we
approach the Cascade mountains, the older
the formations and the better the coal,
Ten years ago all anthracite coal was cup
posed to he of carboniferous period, olaer
than other coal in its deposit. Now 1t is
supposed that internal heat, contact with
volcanic rocks will change common into
anthracite coal. However that may be,
all classes OF coal, Ignite. bituminous
and anthracite are found on Puget Sound /;
the FIRST near the Sound, the second rather
back and the last high up on the noun.
txins.
II 10 estimated that the earth's weight
is several times more than globe of its
size formed Of surface soil at its average
density would weigh. In fact, the earth =
weight is about equal 10 globe of solid
iron Of its size. Many belieye that the
interior OF the earth 10 mainly macs of
iron. However that may he, che most
plentiful and useful OF all metals is found
among the rocks Of every age. Deposits
OF iron are always forming, Wherever
there Il coal, iron and limesione are usual.
ly found near by. Even the beaver marsh.
es, now forming, are full of bog iron ore