New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-05-20
WASHINGTON COAL FIELDS.
PROBABLY THE LARGEST IN THE WORLD


THE PRODUCT BEING TESTED OF UNITED STATES
STEAMSHIPS.
Seattle Wash. May (SppclaD. THE result Of the
recent test of Washington coal made by the sew
era vessels Of the Dchrng Sea fleet Is pelng
waited for with considerable interest on TINS coast.
For years every effort has been put forth to induce
the naval authorities 10 buy American coal instead
II the coni from the British Columbian mines. The
contract for this years supply was made as usual
with the Cornox mine Vancouver Island. but
Secretary Herbert af;erward ordered the Behrng
Sea fleet 10 visit Puget Sound end make thor
ough trial OF the steamng qualities OF tn" Wash
ington product The Mohican. the flagship OF the
squadron took l2j tons: the Yorktown, POO tons;
the revenue cutter Rear. 80 tons. the Corwin. -
tons: the other vessels OF the feet went north with
full bunkars but viii use the Comox coal after the
present supply Is exhausted.
The importance OF coaling station on this side
Of the continent ~ easily apparent In the event OF
war with England. the British Columbian mines
would be immedia tcly shut of. and In case OF
quarrel with another country. the neutrality laws
would forbid England 10 supply us. There seems
no reason for preferring the British Columbian TO
the Washington coal. The latter has been In use
for years on all the coast steamers and has given
universal satisfaction. The oregon Improvement
Company runs more than a dozen large boats. IN
Guiding the Queen. the finest on the Alaska
route, all using coal from tho company HllNf'-
The revenue cutter Bear OF the largest
carriers OF the Behrlng Sea fleet. uses the
American coal from preference. The Bear IS one
OF the finest vessels In the service She has been
selected 10 make the annual trip 10 Point Barrow.
the northernmost point Of Alaska, and Is the only
ship. except whalcrs. that goes 80 far north. The
Washington coal will be cheaper 70 use and. In the
opinion OF experts Will give better satisfaction.
since Il contains less sulphur and less ash making
material than the average output Of the British
Columbian mines. II Is possible that some slight
alteration Will have be made in the furnaces OF
vessels before the coal can Dc made thoroughly
useful but the result would more than pay Tor the
trouble. II can be used IN the present furnaces.
with rather more frequent feeding than the Comox
coal requires.
The magnitude Of the coal deposits in the State
OF Washington Is little realized away from the
Pacific coast. 80, all the Atlantic States combined
contain such supply. Workable veins known
10 exist In eighteen out OF the thrtyfour chnties
and 'hey cover an area OF more than l""lVv acres
The coN ranges In character from camel 10 semi
anthracite. through all grades ~ domestic. gas.
sieaming. coNng am smlthing Goals WIN N" eN-
ceruon or The RosJn mines 80 kitutas County.
range They arc al Ignite AMI biuumlnous. An
thr1cite has been found ln th" pymlics and IN the
- S, I a. rh h. ,uve n5t S,+9
developed .Ifirlenflr 10 Judge Of their values The
the north 90 tho Columbia River. and east from
Puget sound nfteen miles The area covered is es-
tlmated at $4,000 acres. Less than ? per cen, OF
ell This territory has been worked although about
per cent % lt IL owned hy companies prepared 70
open up veins aS so0u as IA" market s ready FOR
the output Many hundred acres are held hy pros.
psciors who lack thc money o. l,yeiop their claims
%; thc mines already IN operation thc New Cas-
lies twentv-on. miles rom s"aitl. AMI consists ~
four veins. tho shailoWest Of which is three feet.
the deepest tw'ly" feet The coal ls excellent for
stc,uirr purposes Tho Gilman mine forty-two
miles from Seattle. T. now working two Of ne five
Frnt The output - hlRh-grade Ignite. with small
sircfks ~ bltuminous. too small however. o. war
rant separation. The Cedar Mountain mine J.,
working two veins. o. them eleven feet SIX
inches In depth At Franklin the coal Is of a semi
~; tho mink ptm5nl Mines ,hlrty miles from
Seattle. This mine employs something Ike 80
men. and its capacity IS estimated at 100 tons per
Tho skarlt County mines bll fair TO BE- OF i'm
mense value ia The near future. The preliminary
tests made hy the Yorktown indicated that this
hfnmnoys r,.,s,ir@s ioin ma. li.,nl,e ON a.. east
twisted that II Is impossible 20 detcrmin" their
nmno.r me ,s narno. Kvrr srr%up - ur,VroPs
product high Grade gas and steam coal Twelve
OF eight veins. four 81 which being worked.
The Roslyn mines are i25 miles east from Seattle.
Their veins lie nearly horizontal near the surface
been IN operation since 1888 over 1909 mon are
employed and the daily output f. about 300 tons
o. bltumlnous lump coal. well adapted TO domestic
The 6rst 7iscoyerv o. coaI in Washington was
made I'm 1872 Mt Bclngham Bay. but no export ~
importance was made untll 1870 Last year over "A
million and quarter tons were m, mSr5eteq which S
Washington coal veins easier mined than those
which they dip allowing them to be- opened by
tunnels and saving the expense OF hosting the
OUTPUT Timber for bunker ETC., Is cheap and
values OF The measures. I, seems ONLY a question
OF time before Washington viii be- the largest coal
producing district in the United States. and proba-
bly, the largest in the world.