The Delta independent., 1915-04-30

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is busy town as well, being well
supplied with business establishments
of all kinds. Its environments are
finely improved orchard properties,
farms, stock ranches and elegant
homes. In the nearby hills is abun-
dant coal of good quality. With its
foothill location plenty of pure noun
tain water and fine air, and the sup
such location, Paonia is an ideal
city for homes. Add fine schools.
churches, social advantages and a
splendid average people. and citizens
of their town and their homes.
Up to the Coal Camps
The writer had the privilege of Wis
iting, as the guest of Mr.. Craig of
the Paonian. the coal camps of Bowie
and Somerset, and to enjoy an auto
trip over the newly built road to Som
erset, which road is to be extended
by Gunnison county up the Muddy and
eventually is expected to be built over
the divide.
Bowie is the first of the coal camps
to be reached and as it is in Delta
county. its thrifty and clean appear
ance was greeted with genuine inter
est and approval.
Bowie is an evidence of what capi-
tai and well directed effort can do
for one of our mining properties.
Out of little hole in the hillside
that marked a mere coal prospect
number of years ago, is now drawn
by gravity tramways. $4,000 to 100,-
900 tons OF the cleanest coal imagin.
able, per year. This amount of coal
is not only mined from that one of
the company's veins being worked.
but it is marketed to customers who
prefer that particular coal for do
nestle use to any other.
Below the mine opening are cluster
ed the mine buildings, power plants.
tipple, a fine new electric light plant,
with the usual sizing and loading de-
WIGS. DdIh lIOll lntSt eNIeUu the
rows of miners cottages, all built
square and all painted white with
green roofs. They are roomy. clean
and comfortable. The village is point
ed to with pride by Mr. Alexander Bo-
vie. superintendent. as the cleanest
and most sanitary of mining camps.
The new office of the company and the
residence of Mr.. Bowie, are handsome
modern structures. built of Delta's
beautiful white. compressed brick.
Mr.. Bowie asserts that the mine vein
now being worked is the cleanest and
purest piece of coal bieg opera
ted any where, the vein being from
eight to eleven feet in thickness, with
scarcely any waste or impurity. The
supply is traceable for miles and is
therefore practically inexhaustible.
Bowie is the only one OF our county
coal properties that is operated upon
anything like commercial scale. A
number Of others mine coal for home
use. but have no railroads and are but
slightly developed
On to Somerset
Six miles from Bowie. clustered in
its nook of hills, is the site of the
Utah Fuel company and the mining
town Of Somerset. Just across the
Delta county line in Gunnison county.
Somerset is now outputting about
400 tons of coal per day and is quite
pretentious camp. The machinery
equipments are of high order and well
worth trip up that way to see. Great
boilers supply steam to the most i'm
proved engines. Two separate light
ing plants are maintained, one for the
mines and one for lighting the town.
The coal that is now being taken
out Of this mine is back about
mile and quarter from the opening.
The vein being worked is "a feet
thick. Trains of cars are drawn out
on one track loaded with coal and a
like number Of empties run back on
another track for loading. The out
put of the mine is about fifty car
loads a day, OF 25 tons each.
The visiting newspaper men we're
shown the greatest courtesy at each
of the coal camps visited. and. to the
writer, 1t being his first visit, the trip
proved one Of particular interest.
The New Auto road to Somerset
One Of the things that tickles the
Somerset people most, Just at this
time, is the newly completed automo-
bile road which follows the river up
from Paonia to Bowie. and thence to
Somerset. The road is a trifle mar