The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1910-03-18
Want TO TAP
COAL FIELDS
Cheaper Transportation and
Cheaper Fuel the Object
of Efforts.
find That llGxI1E CAN Be USED As FUEL
Pierre Correspondent Tells ofExper-
iments indicating Benefits to the
State through Transportation.

:"
Joined hands in movement which
has for its purpose, and with all prob
abilities and possibilities for success,
the working out of a combination Of
Missouri river transportation and Mis-
souri, river coal to supply the north
west with cheap fuel. The matter
has been discussed in its different
phases at meetings of the business
mems club, and at commercial club
meetings in that city, out of which
discussion has grown investigation
which is leading tosomething definite.
The matter was gone into more in de-
tail at dinner of the business men
of Fort Pierre and the reports of the
details were more specific than at any
of the past discussions.
At that meeting G. E. Deland of
Pierre, who has had charge of the
river work, showed what his investi-
cations had brought out in regard to
possibilities of carrying business on
the Missouri with proper develop
ment The river at the head of the
navigation would be the nearest water
port by hundreds of miles for the grain
traffic of all the Canadian northwest,
as well as for Montana and the Dako-
tas. The system of barges which are
being constructed at st. Louis for river
carrying trade, built of either steel or
wood with water tight compartments,
of light draft and large carrying Ca
pacity, show the practicability of car
rying large cargoes of bulky freight
on the Missouri river. Mr.. Deland,
looking into the future, predicts that
the day will come when the grain
carrying trade of the northwest will
be down the Missouri to the gulf, as
the cheapest way to the markets of
the world, either in Europe or Asia,
with completion of the Panama canal.
Hon. P. +. Mcclure, who has been
investigating the coal proposition in
connection with the matter of water
transportation, has collected a large
amount of data, which is source of
wonder to those who have looked upon
the coal of the northwest as small
proposition. He has gone into the
matter deep enough to find that the
coal of the Dakotas is to play large
part in the fuel problem of the coun-
try. The only question is that of get
ting this Ignite coal to the market in
a shape in which it will be market
able product. Near the mines it is
not hard problem, but the Ignite III
its'raw state Stacks and shales if ex-
posed to the atmosphere, and to bring
t down the stream in the summer
when it could easily be carried by
water, would only allow it to slack by
the time of the arrival of winter and
demand for fuel, and this precludes
its general use. But the matter OF
handling this product is by it's manu-
facture into 'briquettes. The in.
vestigation shows that this work has
been done at an experiment station
which has been working and is now a
business which is being rapidly de.
veloped. The North Dakota expert
ment station has been working upon
this plan with great success, as shown
by the report of f. M. Gilbreath
commissioner of agriculture in that
state, who speaks very highly of the
Ignite briqlettes in every way.
The facts above show that the mat
ter of preparing the fuel for shipment
is no longer in the experimental stage
and the only problem left is that Of
river transportation for the handling
of this product. In this line there II
in course of organization company
for the construction of boat to ope
rate on the Missouri during the sum
mer months with Pierre as head
quarters. The construction of Graf,
of sufficient proportions for the hand
ling Of such traffic as could be Sc
cured along the river would cost ap
proximately three thousand dollars
and there is no question longer as t,
the raising of funds there and at For
Pierre to construct one or more sucl
boats. The work would take som
time, and the boat, il built, woul,
hardly be ready for business this sea
son. But the company will be com
pleted at an early date, the construc
tion work will be commenced this fal
and the boat be in readiness for wor
at the opening Of the navigation sea
son next spring.
The government geological repor
shows that there are billions of tor
of ignite coal, not only in North d;
kota but in South Dakota, and i,
development will bring prosperit
to the two Dakotas which was new.
dreamed Of by the founders Of IL
two states.
Another feature OF the situatio,
one in which every taxpayer In tn
state is concerned, Is that Of the 10,
ering Of cost Of fuel for the differel