Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-10-09
CoLLIERIEs OF STATE SOON 70
De OPERATING WITH FULL
FORCES.
COOL SUMNER ExHAuSTS
PART OF SURPLUS SUPPLY
Mining Industry Of State Important
Despite Fact Large Quantities Are
Shipped Into Iowa-Deposits Suffi-
cient to Las. 25co Years at Present
Rate Of Production.
Special to Times Republican.


Des Moines, Oct. with the ad-
cent of frosty weather the coal mines
Of the state are taking on more men
and it is estimated if normal weather
continues many of the mines will be
running full time within another four
or six weeks. The coal trade appears
to be opening up a little earlier this
fan than usual, owing TO the cool
weather which prevailed thruout much
Of the summer compelling people 10
consume what coal they had on hands.
The coal industry in Iowa is an i'm
portant one, Notwithstanding that
much coal is shipped in from out of
the state. Ii is estimated that the
value of the coal industry 20 this state
would approximate more than $4,000
900 a year. Coal IS produced in twenty
three counties of Iowa and some 500
mines are in operation Which turn out
annually from seven 10 eight million
tons of coal. On an average more
than 5000 men are employed in and
around the mines and from eighty TO
one hundred thousand people are de-
pendent on the industry. More than
$15,Qoo,o geo are paid TO the employees Of
the mines of the state annually,
Monroe County Leads.
Monroe county leads all other coun-
ties OF the state in the amount OF coal
produced, with Polk county second.
Aoour twenty large mines are in opera
ton in Monroe county and the output
for the year ending June 50, 1914
amounted 10 2.+l036a tons. II Polk
county there are twenty seven mines
in operation and l.630,5S5 tons OF coal
were mined in this county during the
fiscal year ending June 80, 1919,
The coal field in Iowa pretty largely
follows the Des MONIES river Coal is
found from Webster county IN the
north central part Of the state 20 Van
Buren, county in the southeast part
There are two exceptions 10 this gen
eral trend Of the coal field. There is
a basin Of coal found near Buffalo. in
Scott county altho It is reported that
this field is pretty we'll mined out.
The coal In OF good quality, however,
and the vein Is more than four feet in
thickness. There is also a thin vein
of mining coal found in Adams Page
and Taylor counties which is not con-
nected in any way with the general
coal Aeld Of the state. The vein runs
from fourteen 20 twenty--two inches /
IN thickness.
Coal For $500 Years.
In Appanoose county what IS called
the Mystic seam OF coal extends under
the entire western half of the county |
and the adjoining portions of Wayne
on the west and Missouri on the south. !
Il Is said that IN spite Of the millions
Of tons which have been taken from.
the Appanoose formation, only a mar
row strip on each side Of portions OF
the lines Of railways mas been mined.
Great quantities OF coal are yet u1-
mined in the Mystic region.
L has been estimated by Mr.. Camp
bell OF the United states geological
survel, that the original coal supply
OF Iowa was 29,l6o,o00,0 900 tons. From
1870 10 June 80, 1914, the amount OF coal
records of the state mine inspectors
mated that at the present ra;e Of pro-
duction Of coal in this state our Iowa
coal supply will last $500 Years
The new railroad put IN by The Rock
isisItd from DSs Moines south to Al
lerton TO connect with It's Chicago
Kansas City line has opened up a fire
coal held in Lucas county within three
miles of Charlton. The Central Iowa
Fuel COMPANY mas beer developing the
fe,d there and IS now mining more
than 1000 tons per day in that field
Considerable IF this coal is sold in Des
MONIES and vicinity and also TO the
Rock Island railroad