The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1901-11-30
Hundreds of Thousands of Acres oil
Land Underlaid With Rich
Veins of Ignite.
Work that Has Been Done by the
Washburn Company toward
Developing Mines.
Extensive Mining Plant of the Com
pany at Wilton, and Thousands
of Ton Output.

the deposits of Ignite coal along the
Missouri river in Mclean county were
known. In that year Col. G. A. Louns-
berry, editor of the Fargo Record, made
a trip. to the coal mines then being
opened by one Mccall, who was after.
ward killed in the Black Hills. The
bed of coal was nine feet through and a
drift extended into the bluff for a dis
lance of 200 feet. A roof of coal had
been left in the vein, and columns of
coal for support. The visit was then
made in the interest of some Pittsbrug
parties, who contemplated putting a
line of barges on the river and convey
ing tho coal to market. The discovery
of gold in the Black Hills soon after
ward proved too powerful a counter
attraction, and the first movement toward
the development of these mines came to
naught.
Following this first attempt to de-
velop the coal mines of the upper river,
the business of coal mining languished
for a number of years. The full value
of the coal was not realized and its very
plenitude prevented its being appreci-
ated at its true value. True it was
made use of locally, and for many years
has been the only fuel of the farmers
and of the residents OF the cities and
towns in the vicinity of the coal fields.
But so far as the developing the coal
mines on a large scale, and furnishing
the residents of the northwest with a
cheap and valuable fuel, no decisive
steps were taken until the building of
the Bismarck, Washburn and Great
Falls road by General w. D. Washburn,
and the opening of the immense mine
of that company at Wilton.
Much of the land in the Washburn
land belt through Mclean county is
underlaid with fuel, which varies in per
centage of carbon and volatile elements.
1t is within reach of all the farmers
of the county. who may obtain it at the
mines for about a dollar a ton. Much of
the hardship of the winter is removed,
when it is remembered that a cheap and
good fuel is obtained at so low a figure.
No farmers in the county but may sit
at night about a cheerful fire, where the
black diamonds of Ignite are burning
in the stove or fire place, throwing their
grateful heat and warmth in all direct
ions and rendering of little moment the
cold winds that may be bowling outside
the farm house.
Near Wilton General Washburn owns
mines covering a territory of several
hundred acres and from these mines,
equipped with all modern machinery,
coal is taken and hauled to all parts of
the northwest. These mines are a mat
ter of only a few years development.
They are equipped with the finest cleo
trical machinery. The entire mines are
lighted by electricity. Electricity is
also the motive power of the coal cut
tiers, c~onveyors, and haulers. There is
an automatic hoist that will raise 125
tons of coal per hour from the mine
to the level of the earth where it is
loaded into cars and borne away to all
parts of the northwest. Hundreds OF
men find employment in these mines at
good wages. Thousands upon thousands
of families are supplied with fuel from
this source.
Not alone is this coal valuable for
house heating purposes. Tests have
been made establishing its value as q
steam producer and as a result it is EN-,
ployed in many stationary boilers. The
state institutions are heated with it,
electric light plants and other plants use
it for their motive power. p it has
proved a boon to the families and in
situations that have used it. Being far
cheaper than bituminous or anthracite
coal, it has made an immense saving in
the fuel bills Of the state of North
Dakota, whose people are independent
of the coal trust, and have never to fear
a fuel famine.
In August, 1900, John Satterlund Sc
cured permission from General Wash
burn to make a test of Ignite coal on
the locomotives of the railroad. lie
had three tons Of coal brought down
from his mine, a few miles from Wash
burn, for the purpose of testing its ell
cheney as a steam producer on a railroad
locomotive. The test was highly salts
factory, the engine working with nearly
maximum efficiency, proving that Ignite
coal was On excellent substitute for the
Pennsylvania coal at s motive power
Thirteen heavily loaded cars we're moved
up a steep grade with apparent ease.
The result Of this test was that Ignite
coal was installed as the fuel Of the road
Con locomotives and nothing but Ignite