The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1908-11-29
6nsrgH Esc zco1e0z, Zyl79 Abe~e Coal Saa,

the federal statutes providing for the
sale Of conl land by the general land
office specify only the minimum charge
per acre, the townships included II this
great coal field were withdrawn from
entry three years ago, and the secretary
of the interior instructed the geological
survey to classify and value the land.
This work was begun In northern Wyo-
ming last year. when a party in charge
of Mr.. J. A. Taft examined the area
between Sheridan and Clearmont, and
another party, under Mr. h, w. Shaw,
studied the Casper-Douglas end of the
field The work was continued this
year by Mr.. II. S. Gale, who connected
with Mr.. Taft S work on the south,
classifying the area about BuffaIo and
Trabiup, and by Mr.. r. w. Stone. who
has carried Mr.. Taft S work east from
Clearmont TO RoZet.
This article relates to the region e1-
amiDed by Mr.. Stone. and the state
ments will be confined to an exposition
of that area alone.
Mapping the Country.
In order TO classify coal land ade-
ouately, it is necessary to have a map
on which to plat the outcrop OF coal
beds. AS no suitable map was IN ex"
istepce. one had to be made. This can
be done most simply by riding section
lines, but in an area Ike the breaks
of Powder river. where II is 1mpossiuIe
10 ride for any distance In a stralght
Iine. another method must be used.
And furthermore. rs the known ''goy-
yernment corners on Powder river be
tween Crazy Woman creek and the
Montana line can be counted on the
fingers of two hands. riding section
lines accompishes nothing. Therefore,
n Topographic map was made by (ne the
plane table method, with caretuiIy
measured base lines furnishing start,
ing points. The, first base Inc, Two "nu
one half miles long, was measured on
,hc river flat ac ID, A. Campbell s, be,
low, Arvada; others were measured
o1ono tho railroad rs the progress or
thc cork demanded On THIS map the
posiljon and shape Of the hills and val
leys are shown hy contour iincs, Eacn
contour line or line Of oQaal elcvatlons
represent certain elevation anoNe sca
level Streams, roads, and houses are
shown by conventional signs, ana lastly
the outcrops of the principal c9al BEDS
we're drawn on the mar: On TINS map
,Lo nositinn of township and section
ines viii he plartcd, and all marked
section corners which wore found WI
he indicated. The main ohlcet OF me
work was study OF tbn c,onl resources
ond classification OF the land. 1hcre-
gently, coal beds and section r. corners. 1iss
All Of the coal Sot j" tais srs d6mmoniy 6s54 fs
EH@"n x e@al u nv ontcrops on one side of hil1i
It rTobably cTtenaf thrGHGI r%s Of and f$c Ti I
ne ,t iHt'm' ,be same level For The geo
II, ioe;sp nP'S who can read the natural signs; ms
;tis not difficult 10 trace coal nea
for - miles. even though no coal IS seen
Oh Manv Ian ranchers appear TO think tGat It
so long as there is no 'nS soni va cnaI on land land
Inc ialid ai,sI,. Is an erroneous view.
rhcn h,s o' it is remembered mat even en- ,;!
coal bed %ay s1aye be aSG SG"Ps'iy ye, y
hidaql l;t,lo Jiaging become n paving mlng.
rhcfefore @ 3aeh qpsr%toH sS ts ns com"ea sSoySl
ing down "a me nt ;P ;ps base neither deceives
se cos, aooloa;st Ioo st. nor makes uon.coal land
ef aaa The Ia1,sss ss't in that xSo!s shsls