The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1897-03-10
ITASCA COUNTY COAL.
An Itasca County Coal Find Contained q
Half Busheu.

Deeu fGulOES u Ctdl Illus III pdi ID VI
Itasca county but no one ever disclos-
ed the whereabouts OF the mine. On
new years day it fell to the lot OF
Can't. Alex McDougal TO see the find
and prove il a fake, but the story has
only just leaked out. 1t happened as
follows:
Captain McDougall was sitting in
his Office bout two and half months
ago when well known Duluth man
touched him ON the elbow and said:
'.See that?" at the same time holding
out for inspection a piece of bitumin-
Gus coal.
swell. what of it?" inquired the
captain
Nothing. only that this is Mime
seta coal and this piece was Knocked
of ledge with pole The ledge is
situas ed atoat l2o miles from Duluth
aad i, looks IKE a good thing"
Captain McD,Egall took the black
diamond 40 b = sand and examined ii
critIral.y. ii:s prscticed eye told hiib
thai Il Was i specimen of an excellent
qualify al soft coal. The gentleman
that prese g-, I5e specimen for ex-
aminat.oa eaii he mad invested in tbs
prospective coal mine and wanted to
inteTes, jut W.ialeback inventor
The ia; Ter realized that if there was
a po.wr'3 any where near Duluth
that would iei1 any considerable
quantity rI coal like the sample dis
cove OF Importance had been made.
The gentleman that lad made the
ipTsstm vas Very sanguine that
the discovers Ma- an important one
but the best he could get from
Captain McD0agall was the promise
TO make an Investigation and this he
determined 10 do. 1t might be that
ii coal property had really been dis
covered Specimens OF coal had been
found in the northern wilds from time
to time. There were iron, gold, cop
per and silver and why not coal?
Gaptaia AlcDougall at. once made
preparation 20 Investigate.
A day or two after the interview
described Captain McDougall and his
friend with the good thing in coal
were speeding north toward the head
waters OF the Mississippi river They
left thc ram 4.oat loo miles from
Duluth in Itasca county. 1t was in
the heart OF t1at wild region and the
pTosp-ciiV i've coal mine was p miles
distant through painless forest
with SHOW three 10 four feet in depth.
But Cans ala McI)ougall and his COM
panion were prepared for roughing il.
They We're supplied with snowshoes
and packs and he celebrated nayiga-
tor WIS ,ls much at home in the forest
as he would have been on the high
seas. The captain weighs 90 pounds
and he saowsnoei it with his com
Danion oSer that distance of p miles
with % pound pack on his back.
He assured his sanguine companion
that if there Was any coal mine al the
point OF destination they would
probably know il before they got back
TO Duluth. Tie captain knew the
sample ne had examined was of fine
quality and he was determined to see
where it had been found and from his
own estimates of the importance of
the discovery.
TT
spot where the coal discovery had been
made but at last the two men arrived
there and established a Temporary
camp. The coal was supposed to have
been discovered in gorge about five
miles from the Mississippi river.
The ledge where the black diamonds
bristled was beneath the waters of a
large pool which was fed by springs.
Captain McDougall surveyed the
spring and then prepared for action.
He opened that heavy pack he had
lugged % miles on snowshoes through
the woods and drew out numerous
curious looking articles. The captains
companion had forgotten the dyna-
mite but it developed that it would
have been OF no use anyway. The
pool of water was surrounded by a
dense forest, the branches of which
completely obscured the rays OF the
sun.
When the inventive skipper had
brought TO light the contents of his
pack there was pair Of tongs that
might have answered the purpose OF
crowbar as well, steel rod, highly
tempered which was uncoiled and
Strengthened by the aid OF wood fire:
small d-edge in the shape of large
camn frying nan with a bail and