The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-01-01

an exceedingly extensive and valuable
tract OF coal land. Beginning near South
Prairie, on the Northern Pacific railroad,
TINS tract OF valuable coal-bearing strata is
exposed by an anticlinal axis. embracing
an area of about five miles wide, east and
west, and extending due south thirty
miles to the Nesqually river, In Suckitash
valley. The strata is of the cretaceous
period. and the lower measures yield
neavy bituminous coal, which makes
strong, compact and sonorous coke,
the best, without question, that
can be produced from any coal
IN America west of Pennsylvania.
Up to the present time only
small experimental plant of coke ovens
have been kept in operation by the Tacoma
Coke and Coal Company, preparatory to
increasing them indefinitely, and turning
out rather small supply, which is eagerly
sought after from every port ON
the Pacific coast. It is being used
at the Ryan smelter in Tacoma
for the reduction of gold and silver ores,
and gives the most gratifying satisfaction
10 the operators of the reduction works.
The Wilkeson Coke and Coal Company is
operating the same set of veins as those
OF the Tacoma Coke and Coal Com
pany, on the western incline of the
same anticlinal axis. The management of
these mines has labored under great diff
cuities from the beginning, because of
having TO drive the main gangway
such great distance along
the strike of the vein before reaching
second terrace of the hill, where a good
lift of coal exists. Their main gangway
now is $500 feet long, and they have lift
of 500 feet above the gangway.
Cross cuts are being made from
the end of the main gangway on
both sides a distance of about two
hundred feet to numbers l and veins,
which makes all the coal available through
the same gangway with the same advan-
tages lift. The lift increases as the veins
extend further south, and the strata are
free of faults and exceedingly regular in
their course. For the first time in their
history the Wilkeson mines are now
nearing a condition where they can pro-
duce coal in unlimited quantities. Prep
arations are also being made for the cree
ton of an extensive plant of coke ovens.
People who visit Wilkeson next year viii
find it very smoky place. The Wilkeson
district has only been developed at the
northern end, where connections could be
easily made by rail with the main line of
the Northern PACING. The coal from this
district, ike all of the heavy bituminous
Goals in the state, has the pleasing advan-
tage of being very suitable for all uses,
domestic, steam, blacksmithing, coke, etc.
1t is high III fixed carbon and rich in
hydrocarbon gas, is very lasting and
evolves great heat.
THE BUCoDA DISTRICT.
Next in order is the Bucoda district,
from Tenino, on the Northern Pacific,
south to the Columbia river, and east and
west from the foot of the Cascades to the
foot of the coast range, embracing a coun-
try about fifty by sixty miles in extent.
There exists one vast bed of Ignite coal,
ranging in quantity from that vile kind
that would hre ship in mid ocean by
spontaneous combustion, to high grade
bituminous Ignite which makes good do
mestic and fair steam coal. Many farmers
in the region can take visitor to ravine
in their land and show a twelve-foot
vein of coal. At only one
place is this vast bed of coal being worked,
viz: Bucoda, where the Northwestern
Coal and Transportation Company have
opened six-foot vein near by the North
ern Pacific railroad. The coal is rather
poor grade for even this class of coal, but
the company readily sells about 5000
tons per year for domestic purposes.
Colonel Ellsbury, of Centralia, has built
three-mile branch of railway from Gen.