Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1903-02-18
Eeruus County Coal lands.

In a well written article in the Feb
ruary Review of Reviews, Frank A.
Wilder, director of the State Geologi-
cal Survey of North Dakota, gives
GONE encouraging data concerning the
coal deposits of the northwest. He
starts out with the statement that
there is more coal in Montana and
Wyoming than Pennsylvania" the cor
rectness of which the reader is at first
inclined to doubt but which the of
fetal maps and figures accompanying
the article bear out in full. The geo.
logical surveys already made give
Montana $4,000 square miles OF BIZ
luminous and $4,000 square miles of
Ignite coal lands. This alone is four
times as much as the total area OF
Pennsylvania and though it will not
prove universally productive the great
er portion will some time doubtless
prove equal to the output of the Penn
sylyania fields. The writer gives, in
a brief manner, the far reaching i'm
portance in the commercial upbuilding
OF the northwest, of these magnificent
coal areas. Capita! seeking a field for
investment in profitable manufactor-
les finding both the raw material,
abundant fuel and adequate railway IA
c%ilities, will naturally be attracted to
the northwest. Irrigation upon which
the continued prosperity of eastern
Montana depends, is itself dependent
upon the coal area of the state. On ac-
count of the low gradients of the
streams, lateral irrigating trenches
can not be made generally practicable,
while large reservoir sites are rare.
The country is well supplied with
streams and with cheap Ignite 1t will
be possible to pump the water from
streams and wells in quantities suf-
ficient to irrigate large tracts. These
are but a few of the dement's which will
accure as results Of the coal deposits
of Montana.
In this generous distribution of ma
tural wealth, Fergus county has re-
ceived her share. A map accompany.
ing the article locates the principal
regions of deposit throughout the
state. One bed of Ignite extending
from the north, crosses the Missouri
river in the vicinity of Judith and un-
derlies several hundred acres of Fer
gus county soil. West of this field the
famous Sand Coulee bituminous comes
across from Cascade and its richness
is Just being opened up on Sage creek.
In the vicinity of Grass Range is a
large ring shaped bituminous deposit
which has yet been scarcely scratch
ed. The formation which is being ex-
tensively worked at Red Lodge in Car
bon county, and which produces the
best coal in Montana, extends into this
county, the outcroppings extending for
several miles along the Musselshell.
The Swimming Woman mines are but
a relatively insignificant exploitation
of this extensive bed.
Dawson, Custer and Valley counties
are almost entirely underlaid with lig-
mite. With these exceptions Fergus
county is as well supplied as any coun-
ty in the state and with the coming OF
railroad communications and the set
Ting up of the county, the output of
the coal mines will be constantly in
creased and will, no doubt, be a con-
siderable factor in putting the imperial
domain of Fergus to the fore of her
sister counties in agricultural, min
ing and commercial achievements.
Will Not Talk of Big Deal.
The proposed consolidation of the
Kendall mine with the Wright prop
critics and the Barnes King group, in
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