The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-09-03
CHEAP FUEL SUPPLY
North Dakota Lacks Forests of Con-
siderable Extent, but Has
Coal in Quantities.
Ignite Underlies a Large Part. of
the Western Portion of the
State-Easily Mined. =

The fuel question is an important one
in any country, unless it be in the tropics,
and is especially so all over the northern
part of the United States, as we'll as
Canada. northern Europe and northern
Asia. Even in this balmy North Da-
kota climate, artificial heat is sometimes
convenience during some portions Of the
year. Unfortunately for this state, the
cold weather attributed to North Dakota
by residents Of other sections has been a
great bugbear to prospective hOmeseek-
ers, and has doubtless deferred thousands
from locating here, not knowing that
North Dakota has one Of the grandest
climates to be found anywhere, says the
Grand Forks Herald. North Dakota
residents have long ago discovered that
ample provision has been made for equal
| izing the temperature by generous sup
ply Of fuel. And not only SO, but the fact
has been demonstrated that this state has
not only fuel enough to supply it's own
people, but if necessity to also furnish the
worlds needed supply for a thousand
years or more. Indeed, one-third Of the
vast area of the state may be rightly
termed an undeveloped coal mine contain
ing unlimited millions Of tons of coal
ready for use. North Dakota's tree
less plains" have probably kept thou
sands Of settlers from locating in the
western part of the state, who come from
timbered regions, not knowing that few
feet below the soil Of these same tree
| less plains is an inexhaustible coal sup
| ply. The: settler in many favored sections
Of the western part of the state may Sc
cure all the fuel he needs during his
| natural life time without cost by shoveling
off the surface soil from some hill on his
| land.
| The rivers of the state are nearly al
bordered with timber, furnishing a sup
ply of timber for the adjacent territory
| for years. This timber is largely oak, ash
elm, cottonwood, etc. There are also large
bodies of timber in the Turtle mountain
country, aggregating many Thousand
acres, and there are smaller bodies o.
timber in other sections of the state
| Large quantities of wood are annually
shipped into the eastern part of the state
from northwestern Minnesota, where II
many sections it cumbers the ground ant
is cut down to make the land available fo
| farming purposes. Hard coal is alst
shipped into the state from the eastern
mines via the great lakes, and is still
used to considerable extent, although
the use Of North Dakota's Ignite Goa
is becoming more and more general.
In Its Infancy. :, T.,
Coal mining in North Dakota is still il
its infancy. For years the value Of on
Ignite coal was scarcely appreciated b.
our own citizens, outside Of the western
portion of the state, where it has been II
general use for years. Its use in the east
ern part Of the state has increased 90
per cent in the past ten years. Within tn
\ past year several new mines have !beel
opened and it may be safely stated tina
within the next ten years North Dakot
will not only be practically furnishing no
only it's own needs in the way of fuel, bu
will be shipping to other states in larg
quantities. AS noted already, the wester
| 1oo1 0f ha StCtn iS lr6o 10 wit G
coal beds In many sections it is yer
near the surface, cropping out here an
there in the hills and along the banks Q
rivers and streams. The government Ian
laws provide that coal lands may be pur
chased at from $40 to $50 per acre, accord
ing to their distance from a railroad, i
regular subdivisions of from forty to 80
acres. In the Minot land district durin
| the past year eighty-two declarator
statements for coal lands have been en-
tered and four coal land proofs have bee
entered.
In heating power North Dakota lignit
nearly equals bituminous coal. Twent
samples from different localities, analyze
by Professor E. j. Babcock of the stat
university, showed the following results
Completes Successfully.
North Dakota coal is successfully com
peting with anthracite and bituminou
Goals from the east. It retalis In Mime
apolis for $3.75 per ton and in Fargo #
, 1925 per ton. In the western part of til
state it is sold from $3.50 to s2.25 per to-
People who have learned how to use
prefer it to wood or eastern coal. III
:; best on the market thus far comes frol
the mines near Wilton, just over the lir
in Burleigh county. The town Of Wilto
Is just over the line in Mclean count
:. General Washburn has developed gres
proposition at Wilton. The mining
, , done by scientific methods-electricity ar
! automatic machinery. The capacity
the mine is now something like 1000 tor
a day. This means a good pay roll.
pay roll means great deal for Wilton an
- the building up of these communitit
a means much for the jobbing business
= Bismarck. The Ignite coal industry
+ in it's infancy. It Is wanted all over IL
q prairies Of the northwest and the So
= Milwaukee, North Western and 9th
y roads are building to Bismarck to get tn