The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-01-20
NESQUALLY COAL FIELD.
Tacoma Eastern Railroad to BE Elk
tended and Development Be
gum at Once.

8um ut OnCes
Special Dispatch to the observation-disclosures.
coal field. lying forty miles southeast. Of
Tacoma, is to be developed by the build
Ing OF the Tacoma Eastern railroad, which
Buckingham, formerly secretary to ke-
ceiver Andrew F. Burleigh, at Seattle, as
president. The road has passed into. the
bankers. through their control of the Pa
cific National bank OF this city, which
held majority Of the securities and liens
against the four miles OF railroad now
built.
The announcement Of this enterprise.
made definitely here today, is the most Inn
portant piece Of railroad and industrial
means that the rich timber and coal dis
trct within the great arc OF circle,
bounded on the north by the Northern
Pacffcs main line and on. the west by
the Portland branch, is at last to be de-
veloped and made productive.
The Nesqually coal field has long been
est in the state, being equal or superior
to the great Wilkeson coal belt in which
the developed mines OF Pierce and King
,bs
at the base Of Mount Rainier. Sixteen
hundred acres OF these coal lands have
passed under the control Of the Ladd &
Tilton syndicate and 1,600 acres more are
owned by the st: Paul and Tacoma Lum-
Der. Company. The portion belonging to
Lado Il Tflton was secured between twelve
cal men. who were then members Of the
inner circle which directed the local affairs
of the Northern Pacific railway These
ager Of the Tacoma Land Company: Theo-
dore Hosmer, president Of the Tacoma
Light and Water Company. and Gen. J.
" sprague once Western manager of the
They and their associates formed the
Nesqually Coal Company and did consid-
cradle development work on the five. rich
veins Of coal, running from five to eleven
feet In thickness. which run through the
Nesqually coal belt, It was expected at
that time that the Northern Pacific would
plan was frustrated by the Northern Pa
cific's requirement and development Of the
Roslyn mines and the further active de-
line in Pierce and King COUNTIES. The
stock OF the Nesqually Coal Company was
later pledged at the Pacific National and
other banks as security for loans, and in
present owners.
The nucleus Of the Tacoma Eastern Is
the old Hart road extending southwark
four miles from the head of Commence
ment bay. 1t was stated today that Ladd
& Tilton will extend this road at least M
teen miles into the heavy timber the COM
once. The further development OF the
coal properties will also be commenced.
In 1901 the road will be extended into the
coal OlStrlCt ltSeu ana shipments OIL tho
new coal to tide water begun.
Most of the coal veins crop out along the
sides of big hills, permitting their develop
ment by drifts and water level tunnels, as
at Wilkeson. This insures much cheaper
mining than where deep shafts have to
be sunk. The development already done
shows that the coal measures on the Mes
qually are Gin place" to a much greater
extent than the coal veins to the north
ward in Pierce and King counties. This
fact will be another important element
in opening the new field at a minimum
cost
1t is not improbable that a second line Of
railroad may be built into the district, for
branch Of the Orting & Southeastern
logging railroad. owned by the st. Paul
and Tacoma Lumber Company, now ex-
tends southeastward from the Puyallup
river, near Lake Kipowsin, to within
eight miles of the coal properties. AS this
company owns large part of the coal
belt, It may decide to haul the coal from
its mines over its own railroad.
1t is expected that the Tacoma Eastern
railroad will shortly apply to the Ia
coma city council for q franchise to cross
the tide flats to deep water, and thus Sc
cure a system of terminals which may
subsequently bring about the disposal OF
the road at round figure to the Union
Pacific or Burlington railways. when they
build to Puget sound.