Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1907-06-30
THE W. D. WAsHBURN COAL
- MINE $a $SY%

IL = SoG, Vel. W. -. WdSuDuru De-
gan opening up the coal mine at Will
ton. For years it was known that
good deposits of coal existed in that
neighborhood and it had been mined
by, the farmers around the town, sup
plying the early settler with a good
grade Of fuel al very slight cost,
and in digging Ia well near by the
coal was found in sufficient quantity
to warrant prospecting, so the drill
was put down. on the land where
the. mine has been developed and
coal found in abundance.
What Gen. Washburn ideas We're,
at that time, as to the value of North
Dakota Ignite is but judged by what
he has since accomplished.
There has never been any doubt in
the minds of the majority of the peo-
pie that the coal was good fuel
for family use if it could be found
near enough at hand to enable it to
be mined and handled away at little
cost of labor and less yet in money,
but the idea that the commercial
mining of it would be success to the
operator and Of real benefit to the
people was beyond comprehension. So
when Gen. Washburn invested many
thousand dollars in cold cash and the
business energies Of some of the alb
lest noen of the country the thing
could not be understood or appreci-
ated, and when he talked of shipping
the coal and establishing depots it
was regarded as hazardous.
But when man who is capable of
making q success in life takes hold
of q thing he first calculates the costs
and considers results, If success,
and if he becomes satisfied that his
plans are feasible he gets ahead.
This is just what was done at VIII
ton.
81 Now what has been the result? In
this case the result is one of the
most perfectly equipped mines in the
United States, with the best machfn-
cry possible to construct and every
other condition to correspond.
The plant is furnished. with boil
ers and engines of the latest pattern
and the best of construction. The
hosting apparatus is the very best.
The motor for hauling the cars and
the cutting machinery corresponds
with the other parts Of the equip
ment. The result is a mine of the
capacity of 500 tons of coal daily at
shaft No. and 1000 tons at No. q.
TEN TO THIRTEEN FEET OF coal
The coal vein being worked is ten
to thirteen feet in thickness, about
fifty, feet from the surface to the
top of the coal.
The coal is easily mined, free from
impurities and of good quality.
The mine has now been in opera
ton for five years and is in better
physical condition than at any prey
ious time. 49,, 4
Ss The daily output is now about 300
tons and was it not for the difficulty
of obtaining labor it would be much
greater as this amount is not suffi-,
Gent to fill the orders and as storage
sheds have been built at Bismarck.
Mandan, jamestown, Cakes, Ashley,
Aberdeen and two at Fargo for the
purpose of assembling fall and win
ter supplies the demand is greater
than the ability, with the present
working force, to supply. ss5
1t is very difficult to get as many
miners as needed. Yet when 1t is
considered that good miners are MAX
ing 81 to Sc per day and common
labor 81 to SO per day 1t would APP
pear that help enough to get out all
the: coal needed would be readily
found but suck is not the case.
! MANY MORE MEN NEEDED
A larger force Of men is needed and
it is hoped that they may be obtain
Jed early in the season so that the
storage bins can be filled before the
rush for cars for grain and cattle
shipments set in Otherwise fuel
famine may again be a serious
menance:
As above stated the works above
ground are properly planned and well
built and capable of handling a
much larger business but it is down
4 in the under ground workings where
the real value OF equipment and nat.
ural advantages bestowed by nature
i are to be seen. WA
j The engineering Is of a huge order
land the mechanical construction is In
conformity with all the other plans.
A MODERN BRICK PLANT
i In addition to the coal mining ii
the clay mining to supply the brick
q - 80