The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-03-09
EXTENT OF MINERAL FIELDS
Samples Were Taken From Fifty
Eight Mines and Experiments
Conducted for More Than Il
Year at State University.
SPECIAL.

IS based upon exhaustive tests that have COW
cred a period of one and one-half years. II
IS not TO be denied that Missouri heretofore
has not had the reputation for its coal with
large manufacturers as that enjoyed by IL
linois. As a consequence Of this. the large
manufacturing plants have been constantly
buying and shipping coal long distances and
paying larger prices under the impression
that they were getting superior coal
. The investigation of the question made by
the mechanical engineering department of
the university. together With the experiment
station. covered all the important CONNER
coal coal mines in the State. These were
subjected TO both careful chemical a~nalysi-
and burning tests. AZ stated. it was found
that Missouri coal compared very favorably
with the best Goals of Illinois. and a num-
her or Missouri; Goals show n higher fuel
value than the best Goals OF that S'ate. This
s specially noteworthy when It is rernem-
h'rri that coal 10 the most important min
oral product Of the State. II il also Il ques-
Hon that has never been scientifically irvcs-
~r!.Htcl heretofGre.
analytic Test Nndc.
The samples which were used in these
departments AMI which each weighed forty
pounds. were taken by Professor G. ".
1880 49, 'a'HHA 81 ~ A"N~ " - ihiii'
placed in Mason Jars. properly sealed. With
"ut the loss az time these various samples
were sent 10 the experiment station labora-
Tory wheT. ali analytical work was done.
The heating value OF the coal depends
chi fy upon the per cent of fixed carbon.
ami IS materially affected by the per cent
of ash. Moisture and sulphur in the form of
gypsum. The amount Of ash In the com
merciaI product depends in great measure
,---
ing 1t before shipment.
TIese two Gepa rtmepts claim that IL a
coal contain a large per cent of moisture
and hydrogen. not only will the number of
heat units derived be reduced by evaporat-
ing this moisture present and formed. but
ais" by heating this aqueous vapor to the
temperature of the chimney. all If this
heat escapes. and in no way serves to- fur
nish heat to the boiler.
II a coal is high In the percentage of ash.
not only will its heat value be diminished.
but the quantity of ash and ciinker resting
up"1 the CRATE bars vii. tend to reduce the
draft area. ana hence will prevent perfect
combustion. Moreover. the gases which
would "thcr%isc burn and produce heat
with a proper air supply are I'm danger of
escaping unhUrncd. y coal high in content
Of ash deInardS a stronger Graft and a larS-
- grate area than one with a lower coz
tent. s. boiler furnace should be designed
rs nearly as possible for a given quality
III coal. frem which IL is evident that ~ith
= given CRATE area the quality of the coal
,.st"rmin-s in a great measure the capacity
an! economy of a hoiie:.
Extent of Coal Fields.
There ere four beds of CSai in Missouri
that hay. been determined. The Bcvicr coal
Lcd commences in the northeastern portion
Of Audrain County, extending southweSt y,
iruItou as The "astcrnfI:mit. IN the form 81
a boot il extends westward and north, tax
ing I'm the northern portion or krohe ,oun-
y. the northeast of Howard ooun'y; m
the west OF Macon. Aaair and Schuyler
and the east OF Linn. sullivan and
Prinani. 1t extends on northward into iowa. !
In a large portion of Sullivan and Adalr-
fields Tebo coal Is found. The Lexington coal !
field takes In the greater portions OF Caia.
Another Tebo ccal field has been
In Henry County, small portions
into Bates and Johnson counties.
Rich Hill coal fields are In the extreme
western part of the State, In the western
halves of Vernon, Barten ma a pef'feh Oh
Bates County. /
iermined extent are found at trenton, IN
Grundy County. and at KNOB NesteTk ~
are the o~utcruppings of the same coal fieln.
and that those Just mentioned comprise that
field. ~
In has been ascertained that the Bevier
rIaI bed is the thickest ana has the widest
distribution. In this field the reoi Is a
sandy shale. sometimes occurring as sani-
stones. II Is solid enough to furnish a sate
roof when properly supported, ana IN some
places is safe enough for long wall mining;
Al through the southern eRd OF ~ soa
coal with a finch parting OF shaie. North
of Adair County this shale seems TO thlcken
and finally to become thick enough TO sepa-
rate the bed into TIVE independent beds WITH
feet of shale between them.
Lexington Coal Bed.
The Lexington coal bed occupies a large
area along the Missouri River east OF nan
IninahIe thickness. covers a larger area IN
Iowa than in Missouri and Is found IN Put
nam ard Schuyler counties and a peruon o.
County. The Tebo coal bed IS con-
he'd Gnd.riies a small area in the vicinity
~ Dcepwate- and Brownington in Henry
-runty. This bed is from 81. to 4 feet thick.
Rich Hill coal bed lies I'm the south
part Of the state. II varies from
=" to IS inches In thickness. and in some
places IL is a tTiae thicker:
The samples that. EeFe gathered py TO
Marx ard Deetor Paul Schweither
taken from she following Hfty-.our
nines:
No. 6. Western Coal Company. and No. s.
: cir coal cempsn5; in Barton Count:
Vein, in Jackson Countyi No; L; Central Gas
company and Henry Ceal Company. Boone
'uunty: the Thompson Mine. Cooper Creek
cal Company, Bowen Bros. and the Wat
and the CaldwsIi Coal Company, in
'aldvell CoHntyi the Excelsior Mine. La
ayette County, Vernon Coal Company. No.
q: Rich Hili Coal Company, Bates County:
Coal Company. Linn County;
Iurlln Coal Company and Rcmbauer. Adair
'ounty; Edmunds. No. 6 Farmers Conaoi-
Gated. Silver Creek Coal Company. Buck !
Horn Coal Company, Salt Fork Coal Com
amy, No. ! Higbee. Labor Exchange. No. 1
J. c. McGrew. Carter Coal Company. Glenn
Lexington Coal Company. Valley Mine.
so. 2 Higbee. Dover Coal Company. Carter,
iraddy-Lexington Coal Company. J. r.
and Mayview Coal Company. Lafay-
lite County: No. 10 Morris Coal Company.
ones & Davis, Randolph County: No Go
Kansas and Texas Coal Company. No. 20
Kansas and Texas Coal Company and No.
northwest Coal Company and Lingo,
n Macon County: Elliott Coal Company,
Murlin Coal Company. Richmond
nd Camden Coal Company, No. IL Rich
nond and Camden Coal Company, No. IA
Richmond and Camden Coal Co. in Ray
Brush Creek Coal Company, jack
on County: No. s Mendoza Coal Company.
30. 2 Mendoza Coal Company and B!ackbird |
nd Emporia. in Putnam County Missouri
,ity Coal Company. in Clay County Grun-
y Coal Company. in Grundy County
Pleased With the Result.
All of those who have been interested In
hese experiments. as Doctor e. w. Marx.
rofessor OF mechanical engineering: Doctor
'aul Schweitzer. chemist at the Agricul-
urai Experiment Station; c. r. Marbut,
Of geology. and Doctor II. J. Wa
ers. Dean of the Agricultural Department. |
re enthusiastic over the results of their
nvestfgatfons. IL proves that Missouri coal I