San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1894-07-28
WESTERN COAL FIELDS.
Valuable Ranges Throughout the
Pacific Coast.
Rich Veins In Neutrality-suspicious. Possi-
bilitics OF Region Hitherto Sup
posed to BE Devoid of
Fuel Prospects.

Inc 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
writer in the New York Tribune.
Workable veins are known to exist in
eighteen out of the thirty-four coun-
ties, and they cover an area of more
than 100000 acres. The coal ranges
in character from camel TO semi-an-
thracitc, 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 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
dI SVD.OOO dtTSS. LESS llldll per NCht.
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
thA
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 lig
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 .Franllle
the coal is of a semi-bituminous char
acter, the deposit being of a 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
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 stcaming
al
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
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
worked. The Roslyn mines are 125
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 LOCO men are employed, |
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 |
depression is no bad showing. The
Washington coal veins are easier mined
than those of the eastern states on &C
count of the angles at which they dip,
allowing then To he opened by !
tunnels, and saving the expense of
hOisting 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.
1t seems only question of time before
Washington will be the largest coal
producing district in the United States,
and probably the largest in the world.