The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-03-12
HOUND ABOUT ROANOKE.
Exploration of Coal Fields-Marveilou
Development on Peak Creek,

Exploration of Coal Fields-Marvellous
Development or Peak Creek.
ROANOKE, Va, March H. Special. I'm
the month Of january last. the Peak Greek
Coal and Iron Company was organized r
Lynchburg with a capital stock of S200.004
Of which $4,000 was at once taken. The
Board of Directors decided % close thl
books. and proceed at once in ihe work oi
developing their plant. which consist, o'
about 3.l00 acres of land, lying ON both
sides of the Norfolk and Western Railroad
and Peak Creek In Pulaski county. or thi.
boundary about zoo acres are coal lands
The deposits of iron ore are practically
ineXhaustiDle, being a brown hcmatte, and
very rich in quality. The lead OF iron ore
runs through the tract q distance Of three
miles. and can not yet bee said 90 De sui-
iciently developed 10 give am idea OF ils
real value. For two years past the Clark
Summit Mines adjoining. have been worked
with profitable results by the Virginia
Steel Company.
But valuable as This property has all the
time been conceded % be. neither the own.
ers nor the public were prepared for inl
mine of wealth which partial exploration
of the coal fields has brought % light. All
along the base of the mountains, and just
above water level. indications of coal are
abundant. ln many cases 10 crops out al
the roots OF trees. and large Jumps of pure
c0aimay bc easily knocked OF with "a walk.
ing cane. An opening one hundred and
ffty Yards deep iu the hillside, discloses q
seam of coal siX feet deep and comparative
V free from slate. while side entries in every
direction show the same condlt0n-a slA
fool vein of somi-anthracite coal.
4 second entry. near the first. 90 depii
0fdny Yards disclosed Throughout The entire
distance "a seam of coal six feet and Gen
inches. and cree from slate. a third entry
hore ideutically the same results. ana iht
fourth has lust been started. ln the latter
entry the miners found. six feet from OBJ.
surface. "a six-fo0t seam. equal in all respects
% the others.
Next shaft was sunk at the loot OF lh1
mountain. and at a distance OF thlrty-eiehl
feet below the level of Peak creek % three
foot vein of coal was found. The las
named seam produces coal so closely Ie
scmbling camel coal, that majority %
miners would at first so pronounce 10. bu
ID ia frmer than the scml-antlracite. and %
different grade.
MANY persons I'm the vicinity who have
given this newly discovered coal "a trial. say
n uroduces Am immense heat. lasts well
and burns better than any soft coal the,
have used. and leaves neither SCOT nor art
An agree that one ton of 10 is worth tW'
TONS of any soft coal yet mined in this coun
try.
Tine report of Messrs. Lancaster Brothers
mining engineers of this city. Who have
made "a thorough survey and examination
of this property, states that the develop
ments already made are a sufficient guar
fee that "a hyo-lO0t seam Will yield j.22,,l
tons of coal and that The ihree'ioot VEN il
the thirty-cight-loOt shaft viii yield 2,W1.22
tons-a grand total of j,32l,O26 tons, whicl
will lind rapid sale at Sj per ton
II isalso stated as the opinion OF tue eX
nerfs tnrf ly sinking shafts Of greater depth
IA will Ief und chat these zoo acres OF lan'
contain m as millions of tons of superio
coal no. ye discovered.
The b, ok OF the company viii be az ono
roopene1 TO the subscription of the remain
ir, SlsD 90 To the capital stock, and th
work of aiming and shipping the produc
inalsurated with a yig0r which ~assure
great results.