The intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1887-1891, 1890-05-17
No. L..

$1,000. The exact time when a man
may receive the full net value of the
coal contents of his land depends upon
many indefinite factors, such as the
growth OF facilities of transportation,
the demand for the product, etc. II is
thus impossible to give any one value
per acre which will apply to all coal
lands, even though their coal contents
ana the conditions under which it oc-
ours be similar.
THE COAL INDUSTRY,
For Lafayette county, however,
there is every prospect that the coal
Industry will increase largely In the
near future, and the developments will
probably be most active along and ad-
1acent to the railway lines at present
constructed. This county stands al
ready second in the state in the amount
OF Its annual production, and the pro.
uuct Tor the year ending June 3Oth,
loo9, was over $4,000 tons, with an
average value at the mine of nearly
S33I,OOO This product ia about ii per
cent. of the total for the state during
the same period.
THE EXTENSIVE WORKING OF so THIN
A BED is REMARKABLE.
The fact that, in this county, q coal
Oeu Is worked, on large commercial
scale and al considerable profit, which.
al the most, is very little over two feet
III Thickness, and which is generally
considered less than this, will be TO
many surprising fact. In this coun-
Try coal less than two feet in thickness
has been ignored in tonnage estimates,
anu When less than three feet in thick
ness has been considered of value onIy
when above water level and otherwise
iaVorably located for cheap Mining. In
the present case, not only is the bed
less than two feet in thickness, but Il is
mined III places by shafts nearly one
hundred teet deep, out of which all
wa er has to be pumped.
In England coal seams less than two
feet III thickness are considered work.
able on large scales, and official esii-
mates OF the workable coal of the
United Kingdom have included all beds
above one foot thick, within depth of
1000 feet. That this country will, before
many years, approach England in
industrial activity cannot be doubted,
The practicability of working these
coal beds of Lafayette county under
present conditions il a demonstrated
TACT; with further industrial growth
we can, therefore, confidently look for.
ward TO much greater development OF
its coal interests.
CONDITIONS FAVoRING MINING IN LAFAY.
ETrE COUNTY.
Inc reasons which have permitted
the mining OF this coal 90 Tar will apDly
equally TO its development i'm the
iuture. Hrjeity stated these are. first.
that 1t is generally above water level
and eau be opened by drifts or shallow
shafts, can be drained by natural flow
or with siphons. This condition of
the bed is well seen along the river
bluffs where the coal crops out, geuer-
ally above the level of the railway, con-
unuously for miles. Towards the in
terror, the general northwesterly dip of
the bed, and consequent southerly rise,
tends 10 maintain this relation between
the position OF the beds aud the travers-
ing drainage channels, SO that the coal
crops out at frequent intervals along
the hill sides bordering the streams.
Further, among the conditions favoring
the mining of this coal, is the presence
OF an excellent root which oyerlies il
AND the fact that the proportions and
divisions OF slate, between the coal and
the limestone head rock, are such as to
permit of mining by method similar
to the long-wall, by which almost all of
the coal is excavatsd.
ENHANCEMENT OF WORK WILL,
CHEAPEN COST
With 1uture developments and en-
iarSements OF the industry, it is proba-
BILE that coal will be produced at a con.
sldera0ly lower cost than at present.
Mining is still carried on here on what
would be considered elsewhere small
scale; cutting of the coal is done by
hand and hauling in the mines either
by man or mule power. With the in
PRODUCTION OF suitable coal cutters and
wire rope haulage the cost of produc-
ton vii! he considerably reduced.
ANALYSES OF THE COAL.
No analyses or other tests of these
Goals OF this county have heen made nv
this survey.
In part OF the report of 1872. al.
reauy cled, analyses of six OF these
coals are Ven,which shew tho follow
ing ranges OF con position:
W,,r' Wa.et ,.,:r.'...,.. 900 to So per cent.
nolatile matter. .,,.,.34 % 42,95
EiNeu carOoh. D.G6 30 O4
Asn.'',.- Ola " lS.lT
They are, thus, decidedly bitumiuous
Goals, somewhat high in water and in
ASH, Just what their capabilities are
ior the purpose of coking. gas produo-
tioh or any other OF The uses to which
Goa. Is put, caunot De stated without /
~ ataan