The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1911-02-24
stard about 100 foot above the ~.
rounding plains. This coal zone b

rounding plains. This coal zone b
sides of Table Mountain, north anc
south Cave Hills, Slim Buttes, ct.
The second coal zone, Ave to sever
feet in thickness Is much lower down
and was only found out cropping II
the northwestern part of the state II
the valley of the Little Missouri a.
we'll as in the northeastern part II
the valley Of the Grand River. Thu
lower zone lies about 100 feet be-
low the common level Of the plain.
which have an elevation OF some
thing like 5000 feet l regret t.
state that in nearly every case wher.
the outcropping of coal were examiD
ed they were found to be underlyin,
shale or clay beds that have not bee,
assumed such solidity as to produc.
rock roofs. This means that when
ever the coal is taken out the TUNE
must always De we'll timebered. Thi,
one fact alone will add tremendou,
expense In the utilization of ou'
South Dakota coal.
1t is not often in discussing tn.
products of our own state that it BE-
came necessary for me to bow to tn.
greater possibility of any other CON
monwealth, but in the question
the production of coal we must a.
low the palm to our sister state o.
the north. DR.. Leonard, the Stat.
Geologist of North Dakota, in his I'D
nual reports, tells us that North Do
kota has at least one great coal sean
forty feet in thickness few
twenty-five feet in thickness, grea'
many fifteen feet in thickness and +.
use his own words. "The ones thu
are ten feet in thickness are too nun
erous to mention" This abundance
of coal nearby in North Dakota MAJ
yet prove not only of great wealth h
our sister but may be of much econ
omic value to US.
The utilization of the coal OF Sout,
Dakota is a problem that now con
fronts us. ! must be very frank ans
fair with you men today and tell 70,
that these coal beds of ours are NOR.
than twenty-five miles from a raj,
road to the north and three times q.
far to any railroad in our own state
This fact alone would make it i'm
possible to mine and ship the coal t.
any advantage. There Is one Othes
trouble; our coal when exposed Il
the atmosphere fakes into fine powd
er and this only adds to the difficuj
ty of its economic use. There Is poe
sibility however, to use these Goa
seams In very successful name
II the coal could be made into br,
quotes. The whole history of tn.
brisquetting of coal is a very inter
estting one. 1t has long been sue
cessfully used in Germany and 70,
a great many years we have been 81
perimenting in this country with the
making of brisquettes. The process.
by which the brisquette is made 1,
as follows. First, the coal must b.
reduced to powder. Secondly tn.
powdered coal must be dried in .
temperature of 200 degrees f
Thirdly, the dry powdered coal mus,
hen be heated to $50 degrees o,
more. II binder is used then the
fourth step Is the mixing of the
binder with the coal and pressing
t while it is yet hot. Fifth, whez
the brisquette is nodded it must bl
allowed to harden. The question nov
tor consideration Is the kind of bind.
srs that have been generally used
These are as follows: First, heavy
-esidium of petroleum.; secondly, ele
nents Of ash pitch; third, natural as
ohalt; fourth, compound of starch;
fifth, magnesium. sixth, potter's clay;
teventh, milk of lime: eighth, natur
Il cement; ninth. Portland cement
snth, Gypsum. The first four O
:hese are not too costly for they car
oe used for fifty cents a ton, but the
:rouble with them is that they pro
luce too much smoke and SCOT. The
.moke is disagreeable and the 500
% dangerous In the pipes and flues
The starch binder is not so expen
tve of itself, but 1t requires extra
are In its use and this in turn pro
tuces an extra expense. The magne
.ium is neither convenient nor suit
able for use in South Dakota. The
Potter's clay binder is too frail anc
produces too much ash. The milk Of
ime disintegrates even in the air
| The cement binders are not only cost
but the unconsumed residue /:
great. This leaves Gypsum which II
convenient for use with our grea
gypsum beds in this state, but the
,rouble with 1t Is that at least twelv,
ser cent. of gypsum must be used
| ant when added tn tho ooh abroad,