The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1894-09-15
WESTERN COAL FIELDS.
Valuable Ranges Throughout tho
Pacific Coast.
Rich Veins In Neutrality-suspicious. Possi-
bilities Of Region Hitherto Sup
posed to he Devoid Of
J0el Prospects.

Workable veins are known to exist in
eighteen out Of the thirty-four coun-
ties, and they cover an area Of more
in character from camel to semi-an-
thracite, through all grades of domestic,
gas, steaming, coking and snithing
Goals. With the exception Of the Rosr
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 fine deposit 1t the base
Of Mount Rainier. These, however,
have not been developed sufficiently 70
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 800, 600 acres. Less than 2 per cent.
Of all this territory has been worked,
although about 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 shaHowest 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 it's Ave
veins. The output is high-grade hg-
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 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
employs something like 500 men and
it's 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 steaming
purposes on the sound. ). 1t also makes
a very superior coke. The bituminous
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
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
worked. The Roslyn mines are l25
miles east from Seattle. Their veins
lie nearly horizontal, near the surface,
and cover an area of 100, 600 acres. The
mines have been in operation since
1886. Over 1000 men are employed,
md the daily output is about 2, 500
tons of bitnminous lump coal, well
adapted to domestic and steaming
purposes. The first discovery of coal
in Washington was made in 1852, at
bay, but no export of inn
year over a million and q quarter tons
we're marketed, which for q 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,
allowing them to be opened by
and saving the expense of
hosting the output. Timber fer
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.
It seems only question Of time before
will be the largest coal
district in the United States,
md probably the largest in the world.