Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1909-11-05
GREAT FORTUNE N
LSPHALTINE DEPOSITS
Engineer Tells Of Values IN Gilsonitc
Elatcritc and the Like Pound
In Utah.

The asphaltlne deposits OF tho west
ern states. particularly those Of Utah
and Colorado are likely to become the
most valuable assets Of those states
when they shall be- properly developed.
and transported az moderate rates By
the advent of the Moffat or Denver
Northeastern railway These deposits
are practically ineNhaustible, the fls-
sures containing them extending for
miles and 20 unknown depths. Al pres
ent these products are valued IN eastern
cities At from $50 10 s45 per ton. This
price is partly due 10 the present cost
OF transportation. but with the advent
OF the road this will be lowered. These
deposits are more valuable and reliable
than many gold and silver mines. W.
Weston. who examined an the hydro
carbon fields Of Colorado and Utah for
the Denver a. Northwestern or Moffat
railroad has given a full account Of
these deposits from which we take the
following.
where the coal ends in this Utah
Colorado region. tho hydro carbons be-
gin at the state line OF Colorado and
Utah and extend west to Fort
Duchesne and Pariette and then on to
the elateIite deposits OF Indian Lake
and Sans Canyon 20 miles southwest
Of Fort Duchosne. The total hydro car
bon area is estimated at about 10000
square miles and the tonnage from Ave
glsonite vcins-the Cowboy Black
Dragon. Bonanza Culmer and Du-
chesne including the Middle Park (Col-
orado) vein--at 81. 900 tons, exclusive
Of the elaterite veins bituminous lime
stones and asphaltic limestones. The
Utah gilsonite is valued at from SS2 to
sf5 per ton, and the elatei'ite AZ S65.
The chief hydro carbon field along the
Monat road Is In the Uintah basin,
which Is $50 miles long by 80 miles wide,
with an elevation OF 5000 feet. The
formations are sandstones and shales
and limestones.
MONTHLY EARNINGS.
up to 1909, the shipments we're ali by
wagon 10 comparatively distant rail
roads Yet. with this disadvantage.
their united value was estimated
at $4,000 per month. The Amer
lean Asphalt association quotes
gilsonite az $40 ton at Den
YER. The Raven Mining company
quotes elaterlte at $50 a ton on the cars
IN Utah. Cost OF mining and sackins
at the Duchesne was So per ton, or a
total for production and transportation
of SOL Shipments nom the Cowboy
series, Colorado line. cost S22 per ton,
including wagon haulage to Rife, Colo.
The cost OF putting this on tho mar
ket IL estimated at $26 per ton. So
that even with crude methods OF min
ing and long wagon haulage. there Ia
a clean profit on the gilsonite Of SIS 10
$50 per ton. The profits on the elatcr-
lite. which occurs in smaller veins and
closer 10 the lroad. are estimated at
si5 per ton. These profits FAR exceed
what IL commonly reslised from an
ordinary gold or silver mine.
FOUND IN SANDSTONE.
The Willow creek silsonite deposit
Is on tributary OF the Grand river
in Middle park. The vein runs NORTH
and south, and dips so degrees to the
west or out OF the hill. AZ the inter-
section of two veins the giIsonlte Is is
feet wide. but the average Is four feet.
II Is Ia a vertical assure in sandstone.
filled from below with mineral pitch,
The vein is traceable 5000 feet on the
surface. The gilsonite is uniform and
pure, and 1900 tons have been shipped
from the surface, One man can stope
down - tons per day. The cost OF
production at present would be $40"