Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1904-10-04
WORK OF GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
What Has Been Done lii North Dakota
. Under Direction Of the State Geologist
During the Past Season

r Inv WIN VI tAS SuISSy$ WeaS @StaAilSN
on under the direction OF the State
Geologist Professor A. G. Leonard Of
the university. Investigations were
undertaken along several different
lines and during the season nearly all
parts of the state were visited by some
of the survey. The RESULTS
Of the work of the past two seasons
will be published in the forthcoming
third biennial report, which will con-
tain reports on the irrigation possibili-;
ties along the chief streams of the
western part Of the state; on the lig-.
mite deposits occurring along the Big
and Little Missouri rivers with map
showing location OF the seams; on the
results, of stream measurements in
North Dakota during the past two
years; description and map of the
country lying between the Northern
Pacific railroad and Missouri river;
and a description of the geological
formations of the state. H.. 8, .:ss. ,
The problems which were under in
vestigation are of direct economic i'm
portance, as is shown by the following
summary of the work accomplished.
Preliminary work on the clays of the
state. These had already been studied
by Professor Babcock and large
amount of valuable information secur-
ed concerning them but much is left
to be done before full report on them
is published. A careful study was
commenced of the various clays in all
parts OF the state and of the different
geological formations represented by
them. Detailed sections were made
showing the succession and alienation
of the beds in widely separated local..
ties and these will form the basis
necessary for future study. Nearly
all the clay plants were visited and
much valuable information concern.
ing them secured A new brick-yard
is being started at Minot and the
Kenmare Hard Coal and Brick com
pany, near Kenmare, is increasing the
capacity of it's plant very materially by
building large steam drying shed and
installing an additional brick machine
Mr.. Mayo is building large brick fac
tory on the Pambina river five miles
from Walhalla, where there is an
abundance of good clay close at hand
and also plenty Of water power. The
high grade fire clays, pottery clays
and brick clays which occur at Dick
inson and are used by the Dickinson
Fire & Pressed Brick Company were
found to have quite wide distribu.
ton. While they do not appear to
extend far to the west they were OBJ
served as far east as Gladstone,
where they outcrop a few miles north
of the town. These white, high grade
clays are also found at least several
miles north and south Of Dickinson
and they doubtless extend a consider.
able distance beyond Gladstone, just
how far could not be determined in
the limited time given to their study
Some time was spent in the Turtle
Mountain region in the endeavor to
find whether ignite occurs there.
Coal has for years been mined near
the eastern and northern edge of the
mountains, in Canada. and also near
Dunseith in Rolette county. The drift
deposits are so thick in this district
that the underlying coal bearing beds
Of the Laramie formation do not out.