East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1913-10-15
U.0F0. MEN EXAMINE
GOALS AT JOHN DAY
SEE LITTLE OF COMMERCIAL
VALUE ON TRIP; SLIGHT
OIL TRACES NOTED.

UNIVERSITY OF OREGON. Eu-
gene. Oct. 15.-The much talked of
coal prospects in southern Morrow
county, about 90 miles from Heppner,
the commercial value of which has
been discussed for years, have been
under examination for several days
, by A. ]. Collier. professor Of geology
in the University OF oregon Profes-
sor Collier is finishing mis- examina-
! tion this week. He Is working under
! the combined auspices of the United
states Geological Survey and the State
bureau of Mines.
These coal prospects have been
known to settlers for a quarter of
century but first attracted statewide
attention about ten years ago. A
small amount of development has
! been done. The O. r. & n. few
years ago investigated the commercial
! possibilities.
Professor Collier will make tests
of the specimens to determine the ex-
act percentage of ash and the chem
ical makeup generally Of this coal.
The Geological Survey will publish
the result in a bulletin which II pro-
poses TO issue next spring This bull
letin will inform the state not only as
to the Morrow county coal but as to
other coal outcoppings examined this
summer during a two months expedi-
ton by Professor Collier and Assist
ant Professor A. j. Mitchell, of the
university.
] III 10 Ia
coal seam examined was 26-inch one
in Grant county, north Of Dayville'
I Or. II was a Ignite coal containing
3S per cent of ash. Good quality lig-
mite contains only about IL per cent
ash. while the highclass hard coal,
known as anthracite contains only
about 4.67 per cent. The professors
heard Of a three foot coal vein in the
John Day basin. farther up the John
DAY valley but did not get to it,
In Dry Hollow. 16 miles southwest
of Fossil, where the expedition spent
) four days. the coal veins were narrow
, and existed between layers of shalt
and clay. An unfavorable impression
: was gained. although in Dry Hollow
[ a trifle bituminous and sub-bitumin'
? Gus coal was found
A small coal prospect examined
= Clarno showed a poor quality OF hg
= mite.
. At Dayville. where a coal surve.
has been sought for years by the IN
habitants. the best prospect was 2
4 inches wide. Large chunks OF de
tached Ignite found on bars in tn
! John Day river have misled Dayvill
people to some extent, according I
Assistant Professor Mitchell, VII
saws most of these chunks have float
ed down. Carbonaceous shale is ais
often mistaken for coal he says.
In the Clarno formation in Wheele
= county. a trace Of oil was indicate
y nv the presence of bitumen two c
y three miles east of Clarno ferry. Tn
traces may have been due TO oil
:. lower strata or to ancient surlac
causes. Professor Collier suggeste
to the community that drilling be ur
. dertaken for water. the eommuni'
- needing such a well, so that no los
would be incurred If oil were nC
!, struck. The indications were n'
:, considered particularly favorable fo
Z oil.
:, No traces of gas were found
:. The members of the expedluo
=, sneak only for the results of wha
70 they found. While they saw no COZ
of much economic value, they DO NJ
mean to say none ever VIII be touh
in the John Day BASIN