The Eureka sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1902-current, 1903-04-11
IMP,RTANT COAL DISCOVERY
restsshow she Hew Find 60 BE Best
Qsalfsy OF Bfsuminons Cosl-Lo-
csed About Four Miles East Of =.
AP. Track.
FDm the Elio Independent of April 4.

FDm the Elko Independent Of April 4.
Mr.. I. B. Sheldon returned from Pali-
ssde lat night, where he went to exam
inc a ;oal prospect in that vicinity in
which fe is interested.
From him we learn that the find is
Of considerable importance and that sur
face Indications point to the uncovering
Of large body Of coal Of excellent
qualify.
The site Of the location is on Govern
ment and, on Smith creek, about elgh-
teen niles from Palisade and about iour
miles rom the line of the Eureka & Psli-
sade railroad and. in the event of good
body Of coal being uncovered. 1t will seem
that the matter of transportation Of the
product, which is q great factor in the
development Of an enterprise of this kind
is easily sdved. The vein is partly in
Elko county and partly in Eureka county.
The vein is four feet thick, and from
analysis received from San Francisco as
sayers and the Experiment Station at
the Nevada State University. the coal is
Of the very best quality Of the bitumin-
GUS variety.
The San francisco assayers, in letter
accompanying their report, state that the
coal is better quality than any now on
the San Fra,cisco market, while the ex-
pertinent ststion people state it is a most
important discovery and ask for more
samples anc other information when q
greater deph is attained. The samples
which were analysed were taken from
the surface ut-croppings. The coal is Of
rich black 'olor, end contains but little
if any foreigl matter. The assays show
2 per cent aa and A per cent carbon.
When burned ii throws off great heat
and nothing remains but fine
white ash. It is known ss peacock coal.
from the fact that variegated colors run
through it, ard this is always considered
to be Of the btst.
The vein, which is four feet wide, is at
the base Of quite high mountain and
extends from the outcropping into the
mountain widening as depth is attained,
and the indic,tions are that this vein
leads to a large body Of coal. All who
have seen the prospect are most enthusi-
astic in their statements regarding it.
The circumstances attending the dis
covery of the vein are quite interesting
and point out very strongly how some
times small and apparently very unim-
portant and trivial matters may be the
forerunners Of perhaps great events. 1t
seems that Mr.. A. Patton, rancher who
lives in the neighborhood of Palisade, and
the discoverer, was driving q bunch
of cattle along one day about two weeks
ago when his attention was attracted by
a gopher burrowing into the ground and
the circumstance that the earth the little
animal was throwing out was a rich
black color This seemed peculiar to Mr..
Patton as the ground at this particular
point had the general appearance of land
in the locality. However he dismounted
and examined the mound the gopher
had piled up, and, after locating the
place in his mind, continued on with the
cattle to their destination. He then Sc
ourad q ,1;nLy a0J ohoyal aoI .at,,noA -
the place for the purpose of simply satisfy
ing his curiosity if nothing more. After
digging away about two feet of surface
earth he encountered the coal vein and the
mystery Of the black earth was explained.
Mr.. Patton informed q number of his
frieLds, and day or 80 ago the land was
located by A. Patton, w. G. Owens, w.
F. Linsbargsr and Frank Ennor of Car
lin, and 1. B. Sheldon of Elko. These
gentlemen have employed man to go
to work Immediately and show up the
property and are confident they have a
very good thing. We hope they will not
be disappointed.
The finding Of deposit of coal in this
section would be one of the very best
things which could happen to asst in
building up eastern Nevada and develop
ing numerous low grade mineral resources
which nov lie dormant, owing to the
high price offuel.
Mr.. Sheldon brought up number of
samples of tle coal with him which can
be seen at tie Western Union telegraph
Office.