The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1915-01-07

those bordering the north side Of tne
Snake river basin and relatively rich
i in primary potash. from which local
concentration by teaching could have
/ been derived in the underlying sedi-
mentary beds. Owing to the present
keen demand for this mineral, the de-
Ivelopment of a commercial deposit
would attract world wide attention at
/ this time, and II Is sincerely TO be
hoped that the present discovery may
prove of Importance in this connection
Phosphate Rock.
In the phosphate fields of southeast
ern Idaho, the most important move
ment of the year was the establish
ment of a fine crushing plant on ono
of the rich phosphate deposits situat-
ed near the line between Idaho and
Wyoming by the United States Phos-
.phate company, Salt Lake enterprise,
which has put the fine ground rock on
the market at a moderate rate. This
Is one of the most efficient grain fer
.tili2ers and soil reviewers in existence
and the most essential element Of all
plant food Its employment by scien-
titic agricultural experiment station,
handling in Illinois and other central
western states under four year rota-
ton methods has shown an increase
grain yield Of SO in value for each 81
worth Of pulverized phosphate rock
added to the soil. Idahos resources in
this mineral are as rich and extensive
az the resources of the famous state OF
Pennsylvania are In coal and with pro-
per handling, should develop a similar
great industrial advantage to this state
as time rolls by and our peoples right
to the use and benefit of this great
natural mineral asset should be relig-
iously asserted, as this class of min
eral forms the basis of industrial en-
terprises In other states that have EN-
ployed hundreds of millions of dollars
in invested capital and has proven
big factor in their progress and devel-
opment.
Idaho Coal Deposits.
The people Of Idaho use upwards of
10 million dollars worth of coal and
Portland cement a year. which IN
wolves a serious annual drain of cash
capital from this state to pay for these
common articles Of daily use, and ut
present are entirely imported from adj
jacent states. While lavish in provld-
ing us with great variety of other
useful and valuable minerals and oth-
er natural resources, nature has been
rather niggerly in its deposition Of
coal In Idaho. We have, however a
limited area of bitumlnous coal bear
ing formation that has been Identified
by the United States geological sur
vey, as the same geological horizons in
which the famous coal deposits OF
western Wyoming occur This small
coal field Is situated near the Wyom-
ing line in Madison county, adjacent
to Teton basin and In 1t there has been
discovered three coal veins which are
8, 5 and 10 feet in thickness respect
lively, that are exceptionally free from
bone and containing a character OF
fuel that equals in heating qualities
any Of the coal now imported into this
state. These Idaho deposits have been
.opened to a depth in one instance Of
200 feet. and in the progress Of the de-
Ivelopment Of this vein 1900 tons OF
clean commercial coal has been pro-
duced that has given eminent salts
faction to the agricultural settlers of
the upper Snake river valley to which
lit is tributary. These deposits are
somewhat disturbed by faulting, but
competent authorities have estimated
their contents at several million tons
.of available commercial coal. 1t should
be patriotic duty Of home industry
advocates to support the further flnan-
cling and extensive development Of
these deposits by local capital as there
Is hardly any element of risk in an in
vestment of this nature. Intelligently
handled, 1t could be guaranteed to pay
a handsome margin Of profit, and the
pASoNhb DNAlNIS VI tllV plOpCIhlCS diO ia
the frame of mind to do business on a
liberal basis.
Mineral Lumber.
One Of the newest things In Idaho's
mineral industry is the manufacture
of mineral lumber and the fortunate
feature Of this development is the fact
that the deposit involved is situated on
state land and is likely to prove q val
liable and important tribute to the
state finances as result. This de-
post consists Of an extensive area Of
short fibre asbestos and is situated a
few miles north Of Kamiah. a station
on the Clearwater branch of the Nor
thern Pacific railway.
1t has been leased under most fav-
orable terms by which the state is to
receive a perpetual royalty of so much
per ton, and In addition to this after
limited period, an equal division of the
net profit derived from the operation
This deposit of asbestos shows out
crop exposures over an area Of three
miles long by ono mile wide, and indi-
Gates a resource Of several million
tons. An ingenious German by the
name of Herman MangOld whose en-