The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-07-05
BIG COAL DEPOSITS
Valuable Ranges Throughout the
Pacific Coast
Rich Veins in Neutrality-suspicious. Posi-
bnfties of a Region Hitherto Sup
posed to Be Devoid of
Fuel Prospects.

The magnitude of the coal deposits
IN the state Of Washington is little
realized away from the Pacific coast.
Not all the Atlantic states combined
contain such a supply, according to a
writer in the New York Tribune
Workable veins are known to exist IN
eighteen out of the thirty-four cour-
ties, and they cover an area of more
than 1,000, 900 acres. The coal ranges
in character from camel to semi-an-
thracite, through all grades of domestic,
gas, steaming, coking and smithing
Goals. With the exception of the Ros-
lyn mines in Kittitas county, the pro-
ductive measures lie west of the Cas-
cade range. They are all Ignite and
bituminous. Anthracite has been found
in the Olympics and in the Cascades,
and there is a fine deposit at the base
of Mount Rainier. These, however,
have not been developed sufficiently to
judge of their values The ignite
measures extend from British Columbia
on the north to the Columbia river;
and east from Puget sound fifteen
miles. The area covered is estimated
at 500, 600 acres. Less than 2 per cent,
of all this territory has been worked,
although about 5 per cent of it is
owned by companies prepared to open
up veins as soon as the market is ready
for the output. Many hundred acres
are held by prospectors who lack the
money to develop their claims. OF the
mines already in operation the New
Castle, owned by the Oregon Improve
ment company, lies twenty-one miles
from Seattle and consists of four veins,
the shallowest of which is three feet,
the deepest twelve feet. The coal is
excellent for steaming purposes. The
Gilman mine, forty-two miles from
Seattle, is now working two of its FIVE
veins. The output is high-grade ig-
mite, with small streaks of bituminous;
too small, however. to warrant separa-
ton. The Cedar mountain mine is
working two veins. one of them eleven
feet six inches in depth. AT Franklin
the coal is of a semi-bituminous char
acter, the deposit being of somewhat
older geological formation. The same
is true of the Black Diamond mine,
thirty miles from Seattle. This mine
something like 500 men and
its capacity is estimated at 1000 tons
per day.
The Skagit county mines bid fair to
be Of more immense value in the near
future. The preliminary tests made
by the Yorktown indicated that this
coal is the best for stearning
purposes on the sound. It also makes
a very superior coke. The bituIninous
measures join the Ignite on the east
and extend to the Cascade range. The
veins are so twisted that it is impos-
sible to determine their number. The
Carbon river group is developed more
than the others, four veins being
worked, the product high grade gas
and steam coal Twelve miles north is
the Raging river group, consisting Of
eight veins, four of which are being
The Roslyn mines are 125
miles east from Seattle. Their veins
lie nearly horizontal, near the surface,
and cover an area of 100, 900 acres. The
mines have been in operation since
1886. Over 1000 men are employed,
and the daily output is about 1880
tons of bituminous lump coal, well
adapted to domestic and steaming
purposes. The first discovery of coal
in Washington was made in 1852, at
Bellingham bay, but no export of i'm
portance was made until 1870. Last !
year over million and a quarter tons
were marketed, which for a season Of |
is no bad showing. The !
coal veins are easier mined |
than those of the eastern states on &C |
count of the angles at which they dip, |
thep TO be opened by |
tunnels, and saving the expense of |
hosting the output. Timber for |
bunkers, etc, is cheap and abundant; |
water for washers is to be found every |
where. This, of course, has great |
bearing on the values of the measures.
t seems only question of time before
viii be the largest coal
producing district in the United States,
Ind probably the largest in the world.