Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1903-09-03

maJlOn Oh the FdllFOdu CUNpdHy One
OF the greatest difficulties presented to
mining in the northwestern part of
New Mexico and Southern Arizona has
been the high cost Of coal and the
long distance it has been necessary to
haul the fuel. At present all Of this
coal has to go by way of Ell Paso, Tex,
and 1t makes the fuel SO expensive
that in some instances pinon wood Is
brought down from the mountains on
burros and used for fuel in preference
to coal The prices Of steam coal in
Solomonville is now SIG per ton, and
it is scarce at that figure. The Green
Consolidated company, which operates
the big copper mines in that section.
which recently passed into the con-
troll of Rockefeller, the smelters, mills
and plants of all kinds have to face
this problem. The Southern Pacific
and the Santa Fe have both sought q
route which would relieve this difi-
Guilty, but up to this time it could not
be located.
The Colorado Fuel and Iron com
pany and the Southern Pacific sent
men into this territory looking for
coal. They foud lava on the surface
and the reports were turned in that
no coal could possibly be obtained
there, as the lava would have burned
| 1t up. Last April Ross Johnstan and
Walter N. Hauser, two experts from
lWalsenburg, Colo, were sent into So
corro and Valencia counties to inyesti-
gate reports OF coal having been dis
covered there Investigations were
made under the lava beds. which re-
vealed the existence Of q fine quality
of Ignite coal.
The beds we're examined and found
to extend from twenty-five to thirty
miles in length and the veins we're
from five to thirty feet in thickness.
Coal which has been exposed for years
to the weather was found TO be I'M
Stacked and Of good quality.
E. H. Hartman heard of the dis
covery and offered to open negotia
tions for the purchase of lands, but
the company was formed and took
over the filings which were made OH
| the properties. The railroad company
was then organized to build the nee
essary railroad connections. The line
Pacific will be about $50 miles lone
and from the Southern Pacific to Du
range about $50. The fact that ths
Hartman roads have surveyed a lint
from Laramie, Wyo., to Steamboa
. Springs, in Routt county and are con
tinuing on southwesterly from there
, may possibly mean connection be
! tween the Union Pacific and Southern
Pacific; but If such a plan is contem
plated no official intimation Of ii hal
been given out.
President Kinne says that the frs
object Of the company will be to bull.
the 150 miles from the Southern Pa
cific connection 10 the coal fields ant
: TO develop them while the connection
with the Denver and Rio Grande is be
ing constructed The line will tray
erse 100 miles Of the Mbgollon timbe
Preservation in Arizina and New Me,
leo, which is reputed to be the fines
!, timber reservation In the United States
Many Of these trees are from two I
four feet In diameter ami from 100 7
I, $50 feet from the ground to the firs
> knot. The government allows raj
Y road 100 feet on each side of the righ
!, Of way and the timbers for all the tic
!. and bridge work will be obtained !
this reserve, besides giving the con
y pany a large supply for commercIi
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