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

The Skagit veins are situated ahout
thirty miles up the Skagit river. There are
two groups. On the north side several
miles from the river are the Skagit Coal
and transportation Company's mines. and
on the south side and few miles further
east are the Skagit Cumberland Coal Com
pany's mines. This coal measure belongs to
the cretaceous period, and the coal is a
strong bituminous kind. Some of 1T makes
excellent coke, and all is good for making
steam. There are about eight workable
veins IN the measure, varying from two
feet to thirty feet in width; they dip from
20 TO 80 degrees westerly, and the coal can
be easily mined by drifts on the veins from
the bottom of the canyon No pumping of
water or hoisting coal viii be necessary.
The walls of these veins are hard. smooth
shaie, and much of the coal is very fine
and intimately mixed with pulverized bone
coal, which will necessitate much care in
washing the coal and preparing the fine
product for market. The great improve
ments in coal washing machinery makes
easy what was impossible few years ago.
in working this class of coal mines. This
district only requires liberal coal wash
ing plant and fair outlay of capital for
development works to put it on a basis to
produce large quantities of good coal.
The following analysis represents the
value of this coal when produced in large
quantities:
flxeo CARBON .-...................-.-. n. 9
uas- ..'..--.....---...-... 80
ASH us
Railroads have recently been built to
the property and preparations are being
made TO put the coal on the market.
GREEN RIVER MINES.
Next in order are the Green river, King
county, mines This field is very extensive.
Beginning few miles southeast of Seattle.
it continues about twenty-five miles in q
southeasterly direction up Green river and
its tributaries. The coal ranges in quality
from bituminous Ignite to heavy bitumin-
Gus coking coal. These mines are very
reliable. For years they have sent forth
steady stream of coal to California. The
coal from this vast district naturally grav-
itates to Seattle, where large vessels load
and distribute it at various ports on the
Pacific coast. The Pacific coast must
always rely upon this high grade
of bituminous ignites for their
great supply of cheap coal. 1t is found in
inexhaustible quantities, comes out of the
mines in uniform suitable-sized pieces for
use, is hard and clean, hunks and carries
without waste, and is an excellent domestic
and steam coal. An average sample of a
number of carloads of this coal gave by
analysis:
Fixed carbon. .-......-.-.-..........-. 46.S
Gas NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. SO 5
Ash ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. L 4
Moisture. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. SO
There is very much of this valuable kind
of coal land undeveloped. The veins car
rying the heavy bituminous coking coal
lie in the southern part of the district not
yet connected by railway. A cross-section
sample of this coal from an eight-foot
vein, after washing, gave by analysis:
Fixed carbon ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 6S.4
Gas. ..........-.-............ 203
Asn.-- .....-.-.-...---.--.-.--. 20
THE wILKEsoy MINES.
The Wilkeson district, next in order, is