The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1912-08-14
THERE ARE MILLIONS IN IT.
Immense Wealth Stored In Chouteau
County Coal Mine.

Immense Wealth Stored In Chouteau
County Coal Mine.
1t will be news to many citizens of
Montana that the best-and possibly |
the largest-coal property 10 the state
Is located 10 Chou,eau county. This
| ci aim is based upon the result of de-
velopments at the Mackton company
plant, about five miles east Of Big
Sandy, which demonstrate that its
product is superior to any other coal
mined In Montana, and that the sup
ply rune into millions OF tons. The
statement is not mere Boosting or
euesswork. 1t is presented upon the
authority of experts who have made
careful examins alton of the property.
The principal feature of the NJ sckton
company mine IL q ten foot vein OF
unknown width that dips downward at
an angle of about 40 degrees to .
depth that has not yet been reached.
A shaft has been sunk along the slop.
ing course OF the vein to q depth OF
$50 feet, the slope continuing an un.
known distance beyond that point. II
IL the theory Of experts that an
immense str atum of coal lies on q
level plane below the dip-:has the
sloping vein IL q portion of this bed
of coal that has peer forced to the
surface BY a great upheaval thousands
of years ago.
At the invitation OF Paul r..
Schwartz, president of the Mackton
company. and O. A. Bergeson. secre'
tary, q representative OF the River
Press recently went through the mine
!. and was surprised at the amount and
quality of the fuel that has been un.
covered. Crosscuts of about 600 feet
have been made from the main shaft
that show q uniform thickness OF the
vein, which lies under q bed of sand
> stone about twenty feet thick. This
rock forms q solid root and dispenses
with timbering an expense tina,
!, usually cuts quite a figure in coal
, mining operations. ~Outcroppings Of
the vein can be traced along the sur
rounding hills for q mile or more
! from the shaft, and coal indications
, at q greater distance are believed &c
be q continuation of the same vein
Above the ten foot vein Is another weir
of about four feet of workable Goa
that has not yet been developed to any
9 great extent.
AS to the quality of the Macktor
coal, an analysis made by F. W. c
=. Whyte, general manager of the Goa
e department of the Anaconda Copper
9 Mining company, gives this percent
age result:
WOAouuVC.. 1 l
Volatile combustible. ..... 40 $40
D.. Fixed carbon. .......... Al 6-10
J., Ash ITO
It is believed this exhibit Of hea
producing elements places the Mack
ton coal in the lead of any other fue
mined in Montana.
j.. In the matter of quantity, the sup
ply is go enormous that it cau scarce
II ly be comprehended. With the dc
velopments already made there ar
about 120, 900 tons uncovered or block
ed out, but this amount is insigni6car
compared with what remains untouch
. ed. Mr.. Whyte, who 10 also presider
of the Montana Coal Operators assc
- citation, recently made this estim ate
:" the supply underlying land to whic
" the Mackton company holds patent:
From $50 acres at $500 tons pc
" acre, 1,125 900.
81 From 80 acres At 5000 tons per acr.
20 800, 900 tons.
From 80 acres at $500 ions per acr,
~ 100000 tons.
This estimate of a total supply {
over two million tons in the acreae
Investigated is considered conserv,
c. tive, in view of the average conten,
he of the area that has been uncovered
be These data regarding the size of Il
Mackton company deposit, and II
a. quality of its product, support Il
III claim that it ia the best and one of IL
d. largest coal properties in Montana.
CH0UTEAU COUNTY FAIR.
-. Exhibits From All Parts Of Coun
w Will Be Displayed