The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1903-08-22
Larger Coal
Facilities
Extensive improvements
at the Washburn Mine
at Wilton to Increase
Coaling Facilities.

The Washburn Ignite Coal Co
is making extensive preparations
for an increased output Of Ignite
coal the coming fall and winter. In
addition to opening a new mine in
the center of a tract Of Il thousand
acres Of Ignite coal and fitting it
with modern coal mining machin.
cry. the company is remodeling the
old mine which has been in opera,
ton for several years, doubling and
trebling it's producing capacity, re-
fitting it's new machinery and ven
tilating apparatus, and erecting a
hosting apparatus that will in
crease the hosting capacity from
500 to 1000 or 1900 tons a day.
For the past sixty days these i'm
provements have been in progress
in Wilton under the supervision OF
E. 1. Foster, we'll known as n of
the first coal operators in Iowa.
When these improvements and adj
ditions are completed, which will
be about Oct. LIST, the Washburn
Ignite Coal Co. will be in shape
to put out 1000 to $500 tons of lig-
mite daily, an output which has
never been approached by any mine
in the state and which foreshadows
to some extent the enormous de-
velopment of the Ignite industry
in North Dakota.
In addition to all these improve
ments and additions at the mine
proper, the company is making
preparations for the convenience
and comfort If it's miners in the
way of a three story hotel a little
distance west of Mine No. (which
will be for the exclusive accommo-
dalton of the miners. Few coal
companies have made such arrange
ments for the health, are and COM
fort of their employees as will have
been done by the Washburn Com
pany when the present hotel is
completed, which will be in the
course Of a few weeks. The build
ing is a frame structure, three sto-
ries in height, and it's dimensions
are 68x6S feet. Its interior is light
airy and we'll ventilated. It is
erected Oh a stone basement, in
which will be a steam heating plant
a complete bath room and other
conveniences. Upstairs on the first
floor is a large light and airy din
ing room, a reading room will be
supplied with papers and magazines
recreation room, convenient and
modern kitchens, refrigerating APP
paratus and the other appurtenan-
ces necessary to the management
of a good hotel. The second and
third floors are divided into Sleep
ing rooms, all Of which have exte-
rior faces, windows from the out
side, a ample floor space for the
men to be housed. The building
is to be heated by steam and is
to be wired throughout for electric
lights. Board and lodging will be
supplied to the miners at the rate
of SIS per week. Few hotels will
be able to furnish their guests with
better conveniences than will be
supplied here, and miners working
at the mines will be assured of good
boarding and lodging places. The
hotel will accommodate about 200
men.
The exterior woodwork has been
completed, the plastering is being
done as rapidly as possible, and the
building will soon be ready for
use. In addition to the hotel, the
Washburn Company has a number
of cottages at Chaplin, a little dis.
lance from the mines, for it's mar
ried miners, at a nominal rent. As
fast as additional married employees
can be obtained, cottages will be
erected for them. These are CON-
Portable and situated at a conven-
lent distance from the mines. Min
ers who work for the Washburn
Company this winter will have no
reason to complain of insufficient
or poor accommodations. The man
agement of the mine is confident
that the best way to obtain the best
class of miners is to make the sur
roundings pleasant and comforta-
l1o ,oror1i1o a o~onvonionf and an.