The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-07-19
COAL IN THE NORTHWEST.
Mining Hnllnstry Increasing Yearly In the
state or Warrington.

At the Worlds Fair in Chicago the State
of Washington exhibited chunk of coal
weighing twent y-ive tons. 1t excited con-
siderable interest because those were the
young days of important mining in that
State and the Pacific Coast is not able to
boast OF such enormous coal resources as
are found further east.
The Geological Survey Of Washington
has just published map showing the dis
trbuton OF the coal fields in the State.
One may see at glance that all the coal
fields yet discovered are situated quite
conveniently to the sea.
They extend in broken line from the
Canadian boundary to the Columbia River.
One group ia situated on or near the sea,
little above the northern end Of Puget
Sound; another group lies to the east Of
Seattle and Tacoma, and still other fields
are south Of Puget Sound
Altogether there are seventeen fields
which are contributing more or less to the
coal supplies. Some of them are entirely
within the Puget Sound basin, and others
lie between it and the foothills Of the Cas-
cades. 1t il fortunate for Washington.
which ia not overburdened with railroads,
that her coal fields are so conveniently
situated for the water transportation OF
the fuel
1t has been said that the coal of the Pacific
Coast is not of superior quality, and this
is true. But Washington mines great
deal of coal of the most useful kinds.
There are some beds which are cassed as
anthracite, but the fuel is not mined and ~
believed to be inferior; large supply OF
lignite, is mined, and a great deal OF semi
bituminous coal. which is excellent for loco.
motives and steamboat use Nearly all
of il is used for steam making. higher
grade of coal is the bituminous coking
coal part of which is turned into coke,
while far larger quantities are used for
steam and domestic purposes.
Last year Washington produced the iarg-
est quantity of coal ever mined there.
There was no very important production
before 1890, but nearly every year since
then the quantity mined has increased.
| II amounted last year to 2,600,7S9 short
tons.
The larger part is consumed in the state,
| and as time goes on and the population
| increases the home market will require
| much greater supplies. The largest use
| to which coal is put is i'll the making OF
steam for locomotives, steamboats, and
| stationary boilers
Wood is extensively used es fuel in west
eTr washington, Dut Ia tle AulpeiienS 'eS'oi,
| of the eastern part of the State coal is used
| for oil purposes, and is chiefly supplied by
the Roslyn district, v hich furnishes nearly
half the coal mined and is conveniently
situated in respect Of the transportation
facilities afforded by the railroads and
| shipping of Tacoma,
| The great bulk of the coal shipped from
! Seattle and Tacoma goes to San Francisco,
| but a number Of cargoes were sent in 1901
| to Hawaii, rs well az 10 Alaskan ports.
| British Columbia completes with Washington
| in supplying Alaska, but that Territory
| has coal of her OWL and is likely in few
years to become an exporter instead Of an
! importer
| California buys about onethird Of the
| coal produced the railroads Of Washington
and The adjoining States are also large
purchasers, nrd about SOO,O00 tons a year
are consumed by steamers 10 the foreign
| and domestic trade.