Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1910-11-04
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

past summer has been making a
study of he coal. soil, water and
animals and plants of Harding coun-
ty and adjacent areas under the
state geologist recently closed it's
work for the season. Now remains
the making of the chemical analysis
Of the coal samples. the careful
study of the extensive collection Of
plans n animals which was made
for the state museum and herbarium
and the general preparation of the
reports.
AS soon as practicable, a state sur
vey bulletin will be issued and dis
tributed from the state university at
Vermillion dealing with the
of this part of our state. Dean Peri
ShO will write upon the geology. soils
water and agriculture. Professor w.
erson VII discuss at length the exact
occurrence, quality. quantity and val
ue of the Ignite O 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 Of Ia
terest and of value about them will be
given. A mar of Harding county will
be published showing the location OF
the Duties, 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 vas worked as far south as
| ~, C,~~l- TIC,, , r,,i,, --1~ ,o,J>
to the north. Professor Perisho % n
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 t.
! connect with the work dom by the
survey there during the summer OF
1909. Slim Buttes were next eEan1n-
| 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-
y the party worked n ali out fve.
The personnel of this party was:
Dean E. c. Perisho. the State Uni
versity. director.
Professor B.. A. Iverson, Vermillion.
In charge of the work OF Ignite.
Professor S. S.. Visher. state uni
versitv, biologist.
William Piral. State University,
Geosrapher and assistant gco!ogist.
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 under-lie much OF the
area and out-crop along the larger
streams and about the buttes. especial
ly the Slim Buttes and Cave Hills.
Seams of from seven to ten feet thick
are not "infrequent and some ever
tn 'cker occur. However. due to the
geeral absence of a rock roof, tun-
neiiiiS can not BE chcapiy ac3c. Taz
Ignite propensity to Stake to a
powder further decreases it's present
commercial value. Methods VII
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 a tunnel-HiltOn's at
the South Cave Hills. The scores OF
other mines" are merely pits.
Practically everyone Of this area
burns the Ignite, since it is more con
venient and cheaper than wood. In
most places it can be had for the
digging and hauling or at most for
two dollars a ton. loaded in your
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 Goa
: is not enough to justify the land as
being classed as coal land, in spite OF
perhaps, there being enough for do
nestle use exposed.
Mr.. Visher found the biology OF
Harding county to be more interest
ing than expected. Over 120 kinds OF
birds we're met with, several OF which
had not previously been found in the
state. More than 400 sorts of plant;
were collected, showing that this
county, because of h forested butteS,
is as well favored in regard to variety
of plants, as any of the more eastern
counties. ..-s
Antelope and deer were both seen
The party ascertained that there are
at least forty deer left in the buttes
atd probably more than twice as many
antelope on the plains.
1t is hoped by the state geologist
that copies of this bulletin will prove
interesting reading to every citizen OF
the state, and of considerable value t.
the inhabitants and prospective set
tiers of the entire western a o
South Dakota.