The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1910-07-21
What They Are Doing at GAINESVILLE
Shaft,

|
Mr.. j. A. Evans, of Des Moines,
representing q. T. Evans and asso-
ciates, was in town day or two last
week, interviewing our people in the
interests of the new company who
want to. lease a block of land for
prospecting purposes.
The new company offers a royalty
of six cents per ton, mine run for
all coal taken from under the lands.
They also offer to pay a rental of
fifty cents per acre per month on all
lands leased until they actually be-
gin taking out coal, which rental
will be deducted from each mans
royaty as they come to him. By this
plan man having land at distance
from the shaft will begin to realize
something from his land at once.
,ney propose to begin prospecting
within ninety days, to begin sinking
a shaft within twenty-one months if
prospecting is satisfactory, and have
mine in actual operation within
four years from date of the leases.
They preferred block in the
northwest part of town and held a
conference with some of the land
owners, Wednesday but no definite
conclusion was arrived at as some of
the land owners thought that the roy
atty offered was not high enough
The company is now figuring on
block south of town and some large
land owners have been approached
but just what progress has been
made we do not know. The News
believes that things will work around
soon and that these people will get
a block of land in the immediate
vicinity of this city. They appear
to mean business, and we have it on
good authority that they are amply
able to carry out any contract that
they make. If the land owners in
the northwest part of town do not
move soon they-will lose the chance
of life time to realize quickly on
their coal lands. If this block goes
southeast, it will be goodbye Katy
to the north-siders for years to come.
The boys at the main shaft struck
3 small veins of coal about the mid
die of last week These veins were
! 8, 10, and IL inches in thickness
and were separated by seams of rock
and clay that renders them useless
| for mining purposes. The boys in
the air shaft were throwing this coal
out this week, and it is being burned
| in the furnaces. The main shaft is
now down AS feet and the air shaft
about 400 feet The 4th of July and
payday came close together this
time and the force at the shafts have
consequently been light for several
/ days but most of the boys have gone
back to work and the shifts are full
er than they have been for a week
or more.
The hosting engine at the main
shaft broke Thursday evening, caus-
ing some delay in getting it repaired.
The piston rod on one side broke
which broke the engine head on that
side and all they could do was to
bail out the water until the engine
could be repaired. The repairs were
made Friday or Saturday since which
time they have been going along as
usual
Saturday night the railroad COM
pany sent down the work train and
40 or so dagoes and got busy on
laying ties and rails for the new
switch which runs to the mine. The
connection with the main line was
made Monday morning and was
ready for the noon passenger train
to run over, and last night the steel
was laid almost to the mine. A big
lot of stone and cinder ballast was
also brought down and used on this
section. 1t seems that the Company
is really in earnest to make good
track from here north, or more prop
erly speaking from the north here.
, By the time this issue reaches our
readers the new switch will be ready
to move cars to the mine.
The Burlington has been spread
ing stone ballast on the Saline sec
ton for some weeks past, and some
30-odd cars Of ballast having been
used Our section foreman has been
asked the number of UNPUBLISHED
miles on his section, from which we
conclude that it is the intention of
the company to extend the ballast
to this city. The switch was used
for the first time, Tuesday evening
!. when several cars of ballast were
set out on it to be used in ballasting
! the switch and put it in first-class
shape.-Cainsville News.
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