The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1894-06-28
COAL ON THE COAST
The State Of Washington Has the
Largest Supply.
ATALANTlC STATES NOT IN IT
workable VEINS Are Known to Exist in
Eighteen Out of the hirty-FOur
Counties-1 200, 900 Acres.

The magnitude of the coal deposits In
the state of Washington is little real
lied, even among her own citizens. Not
all the Atlantic states combined contain
such supply. Workable veins are
known to exist in eighteen out of the
thirty-four counties, and they cover an
area of more than /, 1000, 900 acres. The
coal ranges in character from camel to
semi-anthracite, through all grades of
domestic, gas. steaming, coking and
smithing Goals. With the exception of
the Roslyn mines in Kittitas county, the
productive measures lie west of the
Cascade range, although the Methow
valley promises great mines when de-
veloped. They are all Ignite and BIZ
luminous. Anthracite has been found
in the Olympics and in the Cascades,
and there Is Is 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 $780,
900 acres. Less than per cent of all
this territory has been worked, although
about ; per cent of 1t is owned by COM
panies prepared TO open up veins as
soon as the market is ready for the out
put. Many hundred acres are held by
prospectoSs who lack the money to de-
velop their claims.
OF the mines already in operation the
New Castle, owned by the Oregon m
provement company, lies 81 miles from
Seattle and consists of four veins. the
shallowest of which is three feet and
the deepest twelve feet. The coal is
excellent for steamiDg purposes. The
Gilman mine, 42 miles from Seattle, is
now working two of its five veins. The
output is high grade Ignite, with small
streaks of bituminous. The Cedar
Mountain mine is working two veins
one of them over II feet in depth. A,
Franklin the coal is of of a semi-bitum
inous character, the deposit being of q
somewhat older geological formation
The same is true of the Black Diamond
mines, 80 miles from Seattle. Thi.
mine employs about 500 men and it.
capacity is estimated at 900 tens pei
day.
The Skagit county mincs bid fair to BIZ
of more immense value in the near 1u
ture. The preliminary tests made by
the Yorktown indicated that this Goa
Is the best for steaming purposes on the
sound. 1t also makes very superior
coke. The bituminous measures ioii
the Ignite on the cast and extend TO tn,
Cascade range. The veins are so TWISTED
that it is impossible to determine thei
number. The Carbon River group i
developed more than the others, fou
veins being worked, the product higl
grade gas and steam coal. Twelve mile
north is the Raging River group, con
sisting of eight veins, four of which ar
being worked. The Roslyn mines a IN
1875 miles east from Seattle. Their vein
lie nearly horizontal, near the surface
and cover an area of 100, 900 acres. Tn
mines have been in operation since 1866
Over 200 men are employed, and tn
daily output is about . 800 tons bitumi
nous lump coal, well adapted to dcmes
tic and steaming purposes. The frs
discovery of coal in Washington wa
made n 1852, at Bellingham Bay, but n
export of importance was made unit
1870. Last year over a million and
quarter tons were marketed, which 70
a season of depression is not bad show
ing The Washington coal veins ar
easier mined than those of the easter
states on account of the angles at whic
they DIP, allowing them to be opene
by tunnels, and saving the expense Q
hosting the output. Timber for buDl
ers, etc, is cheap and abundant; waite
for washers is 20 be found everywhere
This, of course, has great bearing o
the values Of the measures. 1t seem
only a question of time before Wasf
ington will be the largest coal produC
ing district in the United States, an
proba bly, the largest in the wsrld.