The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-06-21
OUR COAL MEASURES.
More Fuel Than All Atlantic
States Combined.
WESTINGHOUSE GREAT WEALTH.
Fifth Bulletin Issued by State Board
Of Trade, Describing Ten
Groups Of Veins.

Yesterday the state board Of trade issued
Il. sifth builetin. It is an excellent article
nm the coal measures of Washington by
s. n. Dewsnap, B. s., the weIl-known
chemist and mining engineer of this city.
The bulletin Is as foliows:
There il more coal in the state of Washington
than IN all the Atlantic states combined. Work
able veins of coal exist In eighteen counties in
Washington. and cover an area OF ever 100000
acres Toward the development of this great
source Of wealth but little has been done aud
much remains TO be done. Twenty-four veins
are being worked, comprising an area OF about
1900 acres, which gave output OF coal in
1880 of 10000 tons and probable output for
$50, of q go 900 tons, while the area worked out
Il less than 1000 acres. Other companies are at
work developing sixty other veins, comprising
an area OF about 5000 acres, some OF which will
bc among the producers OF 1892. Thus f-s per
cent of the known coal lands of the state is held
by companies which are shipping coal, and
per cent more - held by companies preparing
70 make shipments
what OF the other 95 40 per cent of coal
1auds9 They are held under claims By pros
pccfors who have made the discoveries. Some
OF these prospeetors lack even money 10 pay the
government price for the land. Others. who
have their lands. are awaiting means OF trans
portafion 70 take their product to market The
possess the largest coal field In the United
efates--p probably in the world, and a large part
Of the territory has not yet been prospectcd
The coal exists in ten different measures or
distinct groups OF veins. which show distinct
characters OF coal varying over a wide range Of
usefulness ana chemical composition from
true camel. showing IS percent volatile hydro
carbons, to a scmi-anthracite OF 81 per cent.
nxed combustibie carbon Betwcsn these two
extremes are found all grades OF gas, domestic,
steam, coking and blacksmith Goals.
will consider the different measures and
their product a little in detail. and note sueh
conditions Of location, geological formation and
chemical composition as will aid in the charae-
tcrizatioE OF their product.
IGSITE MEASURES
Arc the first in importance In the state in point
OF area and present output. The Ignite belt
extends from Bellingham bay on the north 20
the Columbia river on the south, and comprises
oil that par. of the state west Of an arc OF
circle passing through whatcom, Gilman aud
Portland, Oregon. The area covered viii aggre
gate about 10000 acres. The probable number
OF veins Is eighteen. OF these, eight only are
at present worked, and from these about ,c0o.Oo0
tons we're extracted in 1890. less than per
cent OF this territory is being worked. viii
consider each belt OF veins of this measure sepa-
rately The Newcastle belt consists of six veins.
having a strike south of east aud north of
west and'a dip north OF d deg. The third and
fourth veins of this belt are worked at Coal
Greek and at Gilman. The former has bench
OF coal eight feet thick, and the latter bench
eleven feet thcx. These veins have been
worked steadily for the last twenty five years,
and the present depth AT Coal Greek is $50 feet,
or about 800 feet below sea level. The coal is
compact black, finty and very firm. Its chem
ical composition will be seen in the analyses
below. 1t is a free burning lump coal. well
adapted to steam and domestic uses. At
Franklin, BLACK Diamond, Durham and Cedar
river four veins are worked which follow this
type In almost every respect. The veins have
similar strike and dip and almost Identical wall
rocks, but are geclogically lower or older in
formation.
Thurston. Chehalis and Cowlitz counties is of
later OF more recent geological formation, con
sisting OF eight or more veins, three of which
only are worked at Rucoda, Chehalis aud at
the head of the cowlitz river The coal IL free
burning lump coal OF a little lower specific gray
sty and less compact than that of the New castle
belt.
BrTuMIsoUs MEASURES.
Bituminous measures lying east OF the Ignite
measures and between them aud the Cascade
range OF mountains, cropping out at greater
elevation. and being somewhat uncomfortable
10 them, are a series of measures showing much
greater differences of structure and chemical
led Uses. The veins are tilted at high angles,
the dip being mostly from 81 to 65 degrees. and
the veins are so twisted that IL is impossible to
tell what was the original condition of the meas
urcs or what Is the number of veins. IL will be
necessary to notice each group separately. The
Carbon river group is most developed.
The wilkeson mine, working one vein three
and one-half feet thick, produces a SOFT bright,
bitumnous coking coal mixed with
quantity of soft yellow clay which is washed
out, and coke is made of the product at the com.
panys ovens on the grounds. Two veins are he
ing worked at South Prairie and at Carbonate.
one vein producing gas coal OF high grade
and the other high grade steam coal The out
put of this belt in 1890 was lSli 600 TONS which
10 less than 10 per cent. of the amount this
group can lie made 10 produce. Lying north of
this group some twelve miles :s the Raging river
group, consisting of eight weil-defined veins
three of which are being developed two by the
snoqualmie Coal and Coking Company, One of
them shows a thickness OF seven feet of excel
lent coking coal and the other nine feet OF gas
coal The veins of this group are less twisted
than those of the Carbon river group and the
coal which is soft and foliated, is less mixed
with clay, but in part will have % be washed
The company has arranged for the erection of
500 eoking ovens during the season of 1891. and
the Northern Pacific railroad has branch nearly
completed through the property.
Between these two groups several discoveries
OF coal have been made, and arrangements have
been made for the development OF some OF the
veins. The results would he looked forward 10
with interest, as some relation between the two
groups of veins will probably be shown. II i:
possible that they are one and the same group
On the east side Of the Cascade range in Xiii
tas county are the Rosiyn mines. The veins lie
nearly horizontal, aud az depth OF from 4oJ 10
Coz feet below the general surface of the coun,
try. The area covered probably exceeds l0o, 0Al
acres. The coal is compact hituminous lGmp
coal, well adapted 10 steam and domestic uses
The output in 1900 was 45l 600 tons. These mines
are owned by tho Northern Pacific Railroad
Company, and II controls the transportation M
present. When other means OF transportation
is obtained further development OF this group
with an annual output of $4,000 tons may bt
looked for.
The Sksgit river group laying along the river
from which II derives its name, shows SONS
points OF interest not found IA other groups
Owing To q fold In the formation the number OF
veins has not been asceItained with certainty
but il is probably twelve. aud possibly more
Three properties are being developed The
Skagit Cumberland Company is developing fou,
veins about three quarters of a mile south 81
Hamilton; J. j. Conner IS developing ioug vein,
directly west OF these. and the Bennett. mine
six miles further west, is developing two veins
All these veins strike southeast and northweS
and dip from fifty 10 eighty degrees Il
the Northeast. The most easterly vein is the old
est geologically aud laws very close TO the meta
morphtc rock, consisting of serpentine, falcon
slate and clay.iroa stone. This vein shows tht
highest fixed carbon, and every succeeding vein
soang westward shows differences indicative o
more recent formation IN q descending ratio o
fxed carbon, while all the veins show 10 !
greater or less exten; the wayy folated structgr,
peculiar 10 this group. The coal is mostly soft
hirh In mixed carbon, peculiarly free from phos