The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-04-27
Coal and Lumber,

tural implements in use at $4,000.
Coal and Lumber.
Slowly but surely are the coal fields O
Gallatin county taking rank among tn,
leading producers of that article in the
northwest. Within very few miles, ant
directly tributary to Bozeman is the Belt
range, which is practically inexhaustible il
coal, and the only successful coking and
smelling coal yet developed in the state anG
far superior for domestic and heating pur
poses. The coal belts of Gallatin comprises
strip of II miles in width and so miles in
length, running in northeasterly direc.
ton. Some of the mines in this strip are
now being opened and WORKED, notably those
at Trail Creek, Timberline and Chestnut,
and all is of q cooking nature. Passing
north into the Bridger creek and Belt
range, others have very favora-
BILE coal prospects which have no,
yet been fully developed and consequently
are not known as mines. No coal of much
Importance has as yet been opened north
and Bridger creek, but in many places out
GROUPINGS are visible along the mountain
sides, which only need development to show
an abundance of good coal.
The Timberline mines are at an advanced
stage of development and are reached from
OAo NOIOuoIA IdCluO Dy u6rfOW-QuaQG
road, which is only mile and a half in
length. The Northern Pacific uses this coal
altogether on its line east of Bozeman to
st. Paul and west to Spokane Falls and has
just extended its contract with the coal
company for 20 years. Each day $50 tons
of coal are taken from the Timberline mines,
which seem to be inexhaustible, and i'm
proves in quality at every foot Of develop
ment. Arrangements are now pending to
increase the output to 1000 tons per day,
which Hon. G. W. Hoffman, the principal
owner, says he is in position
to do. This will furnish employment
for many more men and Bozeman will reap
the benefit.
The Trail Creek district is rapidly COM
ing into prominence as a coal field and
great bodies have been uncovered, but the
owners want the railroad to build there be-
fore it will pay them to ship coal. Particu-
lar reference is had to the Mountain House
Coal company. Their property is located
seventeen miles southeast Of Bozeman and
only eight miles from the Northern Pacific
main line. The owners are w. F. Sloane,
E. ID. Ferguson and M. M. Black, of Bozo-
man. They have a claim running diagon-
ally through two sections of land and the
vein has been cut on the surface the entire
distance. The property has been devel-
the statement that they have good quail
ity of coal and sufficient to supply ali fu.
ture demands. An analysis shows: Spe-
cific gravity, 1.28; moisture, 1.5O; ash, GAS;
one part coal reduces % parts lead; total
carbon, 72.46; fixed, 61.S5; combustible vol
atile matter. 30.2; absolute heating effect
$3.50; Chat of pure carbon SO.8O) it carries
slight trace of sulphur. By comparison
with the analysis of the coal Of Pittsburgh,
Connelsville and Rock Springs, the Noun
tain House article is pronounced by experts
tirst-class. There are five veins running
parallel on the claim and coal has been
found In every quarter section of it. Five
thousand tons were taken out last year and
sold in Helena to Davenport Il McCabe.
Goa! dealers, who were well pleased with it.
The Chestnut and Maxey are well known
coal mines which are being developed.
These are on Trail creek and are owned bv
the Union Pacific railway, Enoch Hodson
has large deposit of coking coal which is
about to be sold, together with the ooking
plant. II the railroad company would
build to the Ma1ey and along the mountain
side to HOdson's and thence to the Noun
tain House, these claims could easily pro-
duce, combined, 600 tons per day. Cheap
transportation is all that is needed to make
Gallatin county as famed for its coal fields
as it is for its beauty of scenery and pro-
ductiveness of its soil.
While the numbering interests Of Gala
tin county are not az extensive as those of
Missoula county, several saw mills are in
operation and produce all the lumber con-
sumed in the county. Red fir is the princi-
pal product. For fuel purposes there is no
lack OF timber in the mountains.