Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1910-11-03
Will TEST Ignite
STATE UNIVERSITY WILL MAKE.
ANALYSIS OF COAL FROM
THE Ignite BELT
DATA Will BE PUBLISHED
Much Valuable Information Gathered
BY the University's Survey
Party Will be Publish
ed in Bulletin

vermillion-The party which for tho
past summer has been making a
study of the coal, soil, water and
animals and plants OF Harding coun-
ty and adjacent areas under the
state geologist recently closed its
work for the season. Now remains
the making of the chemical analysis
Of the coal samples, the careful
study of the extensive collection or
plans and animals which was made
for the state museum and herbarium
and the general preparation of the
reports.
| AS soon as practicable, state sur
| vey bulletin will be Issued and dis
tributed from the state university at
| Vermillion dealing with the resources
Of this part of our state. Dean Peri
sho will write upon the geology, soils
water and agriculture. Professor w.
srson VIII discuss at length the exact
occurrence, quality. quantity and val
lie of the Ignite coal OF Perkins and
Harding counties. Professor Visher
will treat fully the natural history of
this perhaps now the most natural
part of our state. Lists of plants and
animals which occur and facts .. in
terest and of value about them will be
given A map Of Harding county will
be published showing the location of
the buttes, streams coal outcrops.
ETC., as accurately as possible. The
revision of the available maps of the
area was made by Messrs. Iverson and
| Pipal.
The party entered the state at its
extreme northwestern corner. The
territory west of the Little Missouri
river was worked as far south f.s
Camp Crook. Then a swing was made
to the north. Professor Perisho 10 IL
| ed the party for extensive work in
and about Cave Hills. From the Cave
| Hills the work was continued east
ward to the Perinks county line to
connect with the work done by the
survey there during the summer OF
| 1909. Slim Buttes were next eyamin-
ed. From their southern end, almost
in Butte county, the outfit turned west
to the Short Pine Hills. Of the sew
enty-four townships of Harding coun-
ty the party worked in all but five.
\ Ao pelSOuIei VI llllS pdl ~ was.
Dean E. c. Perisho, the State Uni
versity, director.
Professor B. A. Iverson Vermillion.
In charge of the work on Ignite.
| Professor S. S. Visher, state uni
yersity. Biologist.
William Pipal State University,
] Geographer and assistant geoiogist.
F. D. Fromme. State Agricultural
| College, Brookings, Collector of Ger
| tain plants for the state herberium
Mr. Iverson found that good seams
of Ignite coal uEder-l lie much of the
area and out-crop along the larger
| streams and about the ha:tcs, especial
ly the Slim Buttes and Cave Hills.
Seams of from seven to ten feet thick
are not infrequent and some even
| thicker occur. However, due to the
geeral absence of rock roof. tun-
neling can not be cheaply DONE The
Ignite propensity to Stake to a
powder further decreases it's present
commercial value. Methods will
doubtless be devised to overcome the
first objection, just as briquetting Is
the second, SO that some day this coal
will be very valuable since it burns
readily after once started, and gives
much heat At present there is only
one mine with tunnel-Hilton's at
the South Cave Hills The scores of
other mines" are merely pits.
Practically everyone OF this area
venient and cheaper than wood. In
digging and hauling or at most for
fuyO I011o for Iol
wagon.
Much of the area recently with
drawn by the national government
until inspection for coal, Mr. Iverson
believes will be quickly retured for
free entry, since the available coal
is not enough to justify the land as
being classed as coal land, in spite of
/ perhaps. there being enough for do
| NEST use exposed.
Mr.. Visher found the biology of
/ Harding county to be more interest
ing than expected Over 12O kinds of
birds were met with, several of which
had not previously been found in the
state More than 400 sorts of plants
were collected, showing that this
county, because of the forested buttes,
Is as we'll favored in regard to variety
Of plants, as any of the more eastern
counties.
Antelope and deer were both seen
The party ascertained that there are
4 at least 70 ty deer left in the buttes
4 and probably more than twice as many
4 antelope on the plains.
i 1t is, hoped by the state geologist
4 that copies of this bulletin will prove
! interesting reading to every citizen OF
the state, and of considerable value tc
the Inhabitants and prospective set
tiers of the entire western half OF
4 South Dakota.
/ M'tchell-Piankinton new orera
i house. which has heen in course OF
construction since early In the sum
mer. will be ready for the opening
dates which have been announced, fol
November l and 2. "She Man on the
Box" will be presented TIE first nieh,
/.