Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-01-26
DAVIS COUNTY COAL
FIELDS HITHERTO NEGLECTED.
ARE TO BE OPENED BY OUT.
SIDE CAPITALISTS.
RIakesburs viii Become the Shipping
Center and the Milwaukee viii
Probably Build Track to the New
Fields.

/ * & . 4
Blakesburg, Jan. 25.--It is now Ger.
tain That Davis county coal fields are
70 be opened up. 1t has been known
lor long time that there was plenty
OF coal in the north part of this county.
! Biologists have always made the claim
mat this territory is within the coal
measures, and it would only be ques.
ton of time when Davis county would
be one of the heavy coal producing
counties of the state. Parties from
Foster in Monroe county are leasing
coal lands in Marion township at $25
per acre, and are seeking to obtain
1000 acres for the purpose Of begin
ming mining operations.
A Splendid Offer.
Allen Miller one of the heavy owners
OF the township, has been offered ST.
600 for the coal underneath his farm,
and negotiations are being carried on
with other parties.
1t Is claimed that coal exists on the
north side Of Soap creek in heavy
fields and veins.
Some years ago George Adams dug
a well on his farm in Marion township
and found a fine coal bed four and one
half feet in thickness, and many
other land owners have known for
long time that coal could be found in
paying quantities all over the north
west portions of Marion township.
VIII Build Railroad.
The parties leasing the land and
buying options are interested in the
Hooking mines north of Foster in
Monroe country, and have plenty of
capital. They propose to sink a
shaft during the coming spring and
summer, and a switch will be con
structed by the Milwaukee railway
into the rich coal fields of Davis
county There is also much timber
in the coal belt, that will. become
very valuable when means of trans
portation are provided by the proposed
line of railroad.
The kIondke Mines.
This means that the great coal fields
that have been found and only partially
located along the north side of Davis
This means beginning of the coal in
dustry in Davis county.
1t Is well known among coal men
thdL COdl IGlu 6xlSlS III
the vicinity of Klondike in the south
part of Davis county, and coal was
found on the farm of X. T. Hotchkss
near Stiles a few weeks ago.
Here is an unoccupied field for capt.
tai on two sides of the county that is
ready to be developed when the nee
essary amount of capital can be turned
this way.
A number Of Monroe county capital
lists have been over the coal fields of
Davis county during the last month
looking the situation over with the OBJ
ject of obtaining leases and options.
The New Road.
The Des Moines & Missouri railroad
is new line that is being planned by
friends of the Milwaukee and it is
probable that this line will tap the Da-
Wis county fields also. AS surveyed it'll
runs from Des Moines to Seymour, in
Appanoose county.
Means Much for County.
This will mean much for Davis
county in the way of population and
capital for wherever coal is found It'll
is being mined at an increased rate. as
there is a good demand for the pro-
uuCLS VI Iu6 lulucS III every locality
where wood is growing scarcer. The
Milwaukee is being kept fully informed
as to the situation and prominent
Milwaukee official made the statement
that If the Burlington road did not
build line into the Klondike country
very soon. line would run in from an
other system for the purpose of ship
ping out coal.
The Mahaska mines and those in |
Wapello county are being worked out,
and the operators and mine owners
are looking for new fields
Future for BIakesbura.
No coal worth mining is found on
the south side of Soap Creek in Davis
county. but prospectors give it as an
opinion that fuel and steam coal is
abundant north of the creek. The
Klondike mines are open but can do
very little. until capital and railroads