Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1897-01-16
DAILY INDEPENDENT.
SATURDAY..... j i NUARY 16, 1897.
COUNTY OFFICIAL PAPER.
COalIn Nevada.

my III COhluS Wueu the pIoASSeOI VI
science from abroad to America will
say: 81 am astonished at the hatness
Of American scientists in. geology
and mineralogy when they say there
are no coal mines in. Nevada" Be-
cause some men protesting to be geol-
ogists have given it out as their
opinions that the formation preclud'
ed the possibility of coal mines being
found in this State
As a matter OF fact it ought to lie
known that the solid earth under our
feet has history as we'll as the peo-
pie who live on it's surface. The fact
TINT the growth of timber in Nevada
is 80 limited is proof that god pay
ing coal mines will IN time be devel-
oped. TO prove this, will give you a
history Of coal only partially develop
ed. Not more than 81 miles south OF
your own city nt Elko you will find
on the north end OF Pancake range a
strata of coal that lays flat. and in
places between the Diamond and
White Pine ranges VI mountains that
come up 5000 and 1000 feet above
the sea level, running north and south
and about As miles apart east and
west.
In 1871 coal was discovered here
and prospected for by Col. A.C. Ellis
and Hon. II. X. Mitchell. These
gentlemen demonst: ated beyond any
possible DOUBT, that good Ignite coal
exists in the Pancake laage. At the
north end OF the range five distinct
strata OF coal crops out on the east
slope, running north and south and
dipping west. All have been pros
pected to limited extent from the
surface. In 1878 Mr.. Mitchell built
hosting and pumping plant ABOUT
hall way from the base to the top OF
the east slope and sunk double
compartm shaft to cut the. live
coal seams. The shaft was sunk to
a depth Of 300 feet and only cut the
first three strata. The third seam
cut showed three feet of Ignite coal.
The shaft was not sunk any deeper as
the water encountered was too great
for the pump to handle.
In company with General Allen A.
Cadwalader, whose knowledge Of coal
and ether mineral formations obtain
ed by experience made him compe-
tent Judge. l visited the mine. We
inspected each stratum and when
we reached the third, Cadwalader
said for the amount of prospecting
done he had never Seen better coal.
Here all further development came
to dead halt as Ellis and Mitchell
had invested about $4,000, all their
surplus capital, in building the plant
and prospecting. They have never
been able since to interest capital in
the development Of the, property.
To all biologists let me say: If you
doubt that Nevada's formation pre-
cludes the possibility of coal mines
being found in the Pancake range, go
and serach for wisdom and you will
find the formation and qualification
Of sedimentary rocks, conglomerated
sand stone, shale containing fossil
fern. animal remains, fossils with
coral and plants out Of which, have
read, coal is formed. /. &C.,.
In many parts of Great Britain
coal mines are over 1000 feet deep
and the deeper coal is found the
better. 1t has been proven in the
Pancake range as the first seam cut
was smaller than the second aud the
third larger and better than the
second. All proof goes to show that
the fourth and fifth seams will prove
far more promising.
You have good coal formations in
Elko county that will warrant pros
pecting and development work will
prove it Elko and White Pine cotin.
ties are rich In gold; silver, copper,