Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1900-10-02
BIG PROSPECT.
Prospects for the Development of Lig-
mite Coal Fields are Bright at H
this time. Sa15* !
Importance ofthe Deal Being Figured
on by the Peavy Elevator
t$ System. F&Et% @


Peavey elevator system, embracing
nearly 500 elevators in the states of
Minnesota, North and South Dakota,
Iowa, Nebraska and Kansas, is inves-
tigating the Ignite coal of North Da-
kota with a view of supplying it. TO
consumers, in the territory indicated.
The country elevators of the Peavy
system all handle coal, both hard and
soft, and if the North Dakota coal
comes up to specifications it will get
an Introduction through these eleva-
tor sales that will give wonderful I'M
petus to its further development.
% E. L. Craw, a prominent business
man of Grand Rapids, Mich, who js
largely interested in the coal fields in
the Ignite section of North Dakota, is
in the city today on business connecred
with the mines in Burleigh and Nc
Lean counties. He is very enthusias-
tic over the prospect of heavy sales 10
the Peavy people, and he expects to
close a contract with the firm for st
least Is 900 tons of the Ignite product
Mr.. Craw claims to be the original lig-
mite man Of North Dakota. He says
he puchased his land there more than
twenty years ago and tried to make
the railroad companies understand at
the time that the whole country was
full Of valuable coal, but not until
Senator Washburn projected his new
railroad into that territory could he
make the other. roads appreciate the
wealth of it's coal deposits. ,1f3 IN"
"The country contains an inexhaust-
ible supply of the finest soft coal in
the world" said Mr.. Craw at Mr.. Craw
at Senator Washburn's office this
morning. We are elated beyond
measure at having the coal inspected
by the Peavey people,"
sW., G. Leiferman, manager of the
coal department. for r II. Peavey 8
Co., said that he had been on the
ground with Senator Washburn' and
representatives of the coal mines along
the line of the Bismarck, Washburn &
Great Falls railroad. The coal ap-
peared to be Of excellent quality, and
Mr.. Leiferman says he will buy a good
deal of it to meet the demand of North
Dakota. AS to its further introduc-
tion,"' he said, lit is our desire to sup
ply the people along our lines with the
best and cheapest fuel in the market.
We handle both hard and soft coal at
our elevators, and if the Ignite if what
people wants, and we can buy it for
them. they shall have it. There is a
great demand for soft coal and if the
Ignite proves as good as it's friends
say it will, its immediate use in the
northwest is assured" s.s.'
r. H. Peavey said that the matter
was in Mr.. Leiferman's hands, but that
he would gladly lend a helping hand
to any northwestern enterprise which
meant the development of a great in
dustry. II have heard a great deal
of the Ignite coal, Z said Mr. Peavy,
t.and we wall certainly give it a thor
ough trial. The people Of North Da-
kota deserve credit for their enterprise
in pushing 1t to the front,
Several months ago Senator Wash
burn predicted that the development
Of the coal mines at Wilton, on the line
OF his railroad, would work wonders in
a short time. The senator went so
far as to say that with adequate trans
portation facilities and sufficient capi-
tai to operate the mines on an exten-
siYe scale, the fuel supply OF the
north invest would be revoluti ionized.
The twin cities would become large
users Of the coal, and a great coal
country, with all its advantages,
would spring up in the vicinity OF
Washburn and Wilton. The senator
pointed to the extraordinary supply,
which experts have estimated at mil
lions OF tons. and he assured the people
OF North Dakota that next year an
Immense plant would be put In to IA
cilitate mining operations.