The intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1887-1891, 1890-05-17

'oi ohoush ioT CiostT uellneatlOn 10 De
in action and, though extending back
far into geologic time is yet posterlor to
the deposition of all the carboniferous
rocks in the county; namely, the
process OF erosion along the lines of
flow OF the now existing streams.
THE SANDSTONE BELT.
But, in addition to what may thus be
called the erosion area of these streams
sinuous strip Of country, destitute OF
coal, can be traced on the map from
the south line OF the cOanty, near Tabo
post office, northwards through Hig-
ginoville and Page City to the river
In this strip, which In the vicinity of
Higginsville, between one and two
miles broad, no Lexington coal bed is
iound. On the contrary, deep drill
holes have been put down hundreds OF
feet into the ground here and have
struck nothing but sandstone ana
shales. Ii IL in this strip that the NC.
Causland farm drill hole, reported to be
eight hundred feet Deep. is located,
which is referred to on page AZ of part
III Of the report of 1872.
AGE OF THE SANDSTONE.
This sandstone is considered in the
report OF 1872, above referred to, to be
the upper sandstone of the lower coal
measures, and its position has been
explained by considering it protuber-
Pnce of these lower rocks. Recent
drilliDgs and other developments,
however, furnish reasons for modif-
cation of this view, and the writer is
inclined to assign later age TO these
sandstones than to the adjacent Goals
and limestones. The strip above out
ned has all the appearances of being
the site OF an ancient river channel,
eroded during some brief period OF
elevation and afterwards filed by
deposits of sand and finer material,
during subsequent period OF sub
mergence. Studies now in progress in
johnson county, in the extension of
this line, go TO confirm this interpreta-
ton, but sufficient facts have not yet
been accumulated for il TO have been
accepted as final nor Tor the age of such
erosion to have been determined II is
presented merely as a promising work
inghypothesis, and criticism of it will
be very welcome.
THE COAL TONNAGE.
county, as shown on the map, is
approximately four hundred square
miles. From this figure an approximate
estimate can be made OF the coal tonnage
OF the county. For this purpose we
will neglect those areas of the LexIng-
ton coal known to overlle the Mulky
coal east OF Aullville, and will throw
out of the consideration any portion of
,l, A,,l lI,x hoH tob
the area west of Aullville. Thus the
estimate will be Oh the assumption OF
only one coal bed over the entire coal
area. Should the presence of the
Mulky bed west of the vicinity of Aull-
vile be demonstrated later, s. very
great increment 10 this estimate of the
coal tonnage of the comfy will be
made. For the purposes of this esti-
mate, We will further assume eighteen
inches as all average thickness OF the
coal over this area.
TOTAL AMOUNT OF COAL
On this basis, the total amount of
coal in the county would be 669. .000, 600
tons or about 1900 tons per acie.
With the present methods of mining il
is probable that nearly so per cent. of
the coal in the ground is excavated and
shipped; but assuming it 10 be even
as low as 60 per cent, the gross value
of the product from the above total
tonnage, at present market prices,
would be about $G7O, 100000.
TOTAL VALUE OF THE COAL.
Allowing net profit of twenty-five
cents per ton (about one cont per
busheD, the total net proit on this
Of hn -, he,
borhQod of $I00. 900, 900. On the same
assumption, the gross value per acre
of the contained coal would be in the
neighbOrhood of So, 800, while the net
value would be about $400 per acre.
The value of the coal contepts of such
land, based upon the present market
prices Of the same substance, is thus
many times what the land Is valued at
for farming purposes. Coal, however, |
is o possession which 10 not convertible |
until excavated and transported to
market, and, until this is doue, II rep
resents just SO much capital lying idle |
in the grouud, Moreover, the coal of |
any one tract cannot be opened upon,
exoavated and thus converted into |
ready money In short time; but the
work will proceed slowly aud the re-
turns will come in gradually from year
to year; Thus, if y man own u prop
egty OF forty acres, of which, according
TO our calculation. the net value of the
coal is 900. and if he does not re-
celve any OF this $4,000 until the eXpl-
ration OF diteen years, then the present
value of mis- Iand is II sum, which, at
compound interest at current rates,
will amount TO SIG, 600 in fifteen years;
this at per cent. interest will be about