Omaha daily bee., 1903-03-14
COAL Is FOUND NEAR OMAHA
Three-FoOt Vein Of Semi Anthracite Dis
covered at Glizsman Farm
CRUDE TESTS SHOW EXCELLENT QUALITY
DriIIers for Omaha strike
Pure Coal when SHAFT Reaebes
a Depth Of Ninety-Three
Feet.

Bituminous coal has been discovered in
the vicinity Of Omaha. The discovery was
made at IL o'clock yesterday morning on
the farm OF W. II. Glissman. min miles
vest Of the city. on the Center street road.
The coal was struck at a depth Of ninety
three feet, and is apparently Of the semi
anthracite grade. The vein is three feet
in thickness at the point where it was
struck.
The discovery was made by W. J.. ellison.
who has ch1rge OF the drilling which has
been going on for some time at the Gliss-
man farm for the Omaha Petroleum. Gas
and Oil company.
Mr.. ellison is a practical miner. having
been engaged in the business for a number
Of years. and is but recently from the
Boulder (Colo) mining fields. As soon as
the coal was found MI. ellison mounted a
horse and rode to the nearst telephone.
FIVE miles distant, and sent the word to
Omaha. Frank Dunlop, secretary Of the
company, and a Bee reporter departed a
few moments afterward by private convey
ance for the Glissman farm to investigate
the discovery.
The drill, a huge ten-inch affair. had been
pounding through slate and coal blossom
during the morning. having Just gone
through a thirty-fve foot ledge OF dark
sandstone. At ninety-two feet the indica-
tions for coal became pronounced and sud
denly, from the easy action Of the drill.
Mr.. ellison and the driilers were satisfied
that a strata Of coal had been reached.
The drill was drawn out, the long cylin-
drical bucket sent down and 1t brought
up a miscellaneous compound Of powdered
slate and coal blossom and a quantity Of
pure coal, finely crushed by the action Of
the drill.
The drill was set TO work again and it
drove through the coal layer with great
rapidity for a few minutes. and when the
bucket was sent down again it brought
up a considerable quantity OF pure coal in
pieces from the powdered state to the
size OF a hickory nut. The drilling was
continued for about three feet through
the coal vein. when slate and coal blossom
were again encountered and the drilling
was discontinued until the ofhcials of the
company in Omaha could be notified.
Coal burns Readily.
In the meanwhile Mr.. Glissman took some
OF the new-found coal up 10 his house to
test its burning qualities and found it
very easy Of ignition and that II burned
rapidly. The family dinner was cooked
with 1t.
The Bee reporter obtained a small guam
tity Of the coal, taken from the shaft in his
presence, and TESTED its burning qualities
at the house. 1t was found to burn readily.
will a strong bituminous odor, clear gas
eous flame, emitting a Srownish smoke,
and leaving a light brown ash. The coal
on being exposed to air shows no indics-
tions of decomposition, is extremely hard
in texture and is apparently of a seminar
thracite order. The specimens from which
the necessary crude tests were made were
taken directly from the shaft and were
from the lower edge of the vein.
The geological formation In the vicinity
of the shaft is in all respects similar to
the coal producing regions Of southeastern
Kansas, the Hooking coal fields OF Ohio
and the bituminous coal fields Of Pennsyl-
vania. Maryland and West Virginia.