Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1900-02-03
COAL FEED NEAR LEWISTON
Located On the Grande River in
Oregon.
THE ASSAULT ON SPIONKOP.
The Beers Shelied the British Continuously
and the Mortality Was Appalling
THE ASSAULT ON SPIONKOP.


the Grande Rondc river near the mouth
OF Weratche creek Coal groupings have |
been known to exist at that point for sew
eral years, but the homcsteaders III the
district objected to any attempt to de-
velop the prospects. The settlers be-
licved the discovery of merchantable coal
| would interfere with their homestead
proofs, and for that reason efforts were
persisted i'll TO conceal the evidence of its
existence. However, the evidence became
SO general and so positive that it could be
! concealed no longer. Samples were Sc
cured by citizens of this city, which upon
being analyzed were pronounced good
| quality of coal. S. II. Wilcox, all expe-
| rienced prospector, was then sent into
the region from which the samples were
| secured, and he returned with the report
that this coal existed i'll large quantities.
The district was again visited by S. II.
Wilcox and Newton IIhbs of this city,
VINO thoroughly prospected the district
and opened up an extensive coal deposit
which underles several thousand acres
of land. The vein is fully six feet thick.
Some OF this coal is on patented land.
The vacant sections have been located by
Hibhs and Wilcox under power of attor-
ney for citizens of this city and Asotin
county, and the decided land adjacent
was bonded to the extent of about 5000
acres i'll all.
This coal field is only forty miles from
Lewiston, and i'll the summer is accessi-
bic by a good wagon road. 1t is on the
line of the O. r. & n. Co.'S survey from
Elgin to Snake river 1t is believed this
road will be built i'll the near future. 1t
is believed this coal discovery will hasten
the construction of the road. The dc
mand for coal at all points reached by the
OR.& n road will arouse the company s
interest in this new resource. The de-
posit is perhaps the most extensive i'll all
the great Northwest. 1t is i'll the center
of large district that is rapidly develop
ing a demand for coal for ore reduction
and other manufacturing interests. Thcss
conditions will hasten development o
all the facilities required TO put this Goa
on the market
This coal deposit is i'll a basalt torna
ton. The Grande Ronde region reveals
evidence of two basalt overnows. One
of them is older than the great deposi
, that filled up the inland sea that once
covered the Inland Empire. Over thi
old basalt is sedm, ntary deposit, al
: accumulation of the period intervening
: between the old and new overflow
. In this sedimentary deposit are all tn
, ordinary Accomplishments of coal deposit
3 generally. The theory is often advance
= that coal cannot live in basalt forms
!. ton. lii this instance even charred WOO
!. and Ignite are found above the coal
This refutes the theory that the Law
overflow would destroy possible coal dc
; posts at a great depth. The claim tht
lava formations are not old enough
: permit the development of perfect cot
= is also reluted i'll this instance.
2 This coal deposit lies level over Il
i, old lake bed for a distance Of three mil'
along the river and on both sides of IL
re Grande Ronde canyon, which is fly
miles wide at this point. The deposit
revealed by the canyon cut by the rive
The basat overlies the coal from 100
500 feet in depth.
The locators of this coal field W
! thoroughly develop their properties wit
out delay. An attempt will be made
place the entire body under one manag
} ment for the purpose of developmei
An effort will be made to interC
capitalists in the enterprise as soon
the development reveals the extent a
!; value of the deposit.