The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1917-04-20
INDICATIONS OF COAL
Several Veins Recently Dis
covered In the Immediate
Vicinity Of Orovile

of the existence or coal In tnlS Vlclni-
ty has been known, and in a few In
stances perfunctory efforts at pros
pecting fer coal has been carried on,
but never to such an extent as to sat
isfactorily demonstrate whether or
not black diamonds were present IN
sufficient quantity to make the deposit
Of commercial value. 1t may be that
both lack of capital and lack OF con-
fidence are to be charged up as the
cause for this evident lack of enthu-
siasm in more extensively investig
ing for mineral that would add more
wealth to the country than any min
eral discovery that could be made. On
the hill west OF Oroville several
stratas of coal have been discovered
ia past years, and q few months ago.
while sinking a we'll on Ed. Halls
ranch, only short distance east OF
town, vein of coal foot thick was
encountered. Strange to say. consid-
ering the size Of the vein and the i'm
portance of a coal find, no great effort
has been made TO further prospect the
Hall strike, to ascertain its real merit
or to make more thorough investiga-
ton at other points in the same gen.
eral zone where indications of coal
exists.
OF late, more interest has been
aroused in the possibility Of the exist
ence of coal in large and paying guam
titles hereabouts by the discovery of
coal seams west OF, and very near to
Oroville. This paper has not made the
prominent mention Of the last finds
that their discovery possibly justifies.
fearing that premature announcement
might be followed by disappointment,
as has too frequently been the case in
that had every appearance OF being
something not only extraordinary but
from which a producing mine might
be anticipated. However, the existence
OF coal cannot be denied nor doubted
and it remains for future development
to determine its extent and quality
There is every reason to believe that
at an early date diamond drill will
be employed to thoroughly prospect
he ground, and it is by that means
or'y that 1t can be determined wheth-
er coal mining Is going to be an I'M
rortant industry in this neighborhood,
for important 1t will be II coal mining
is carried on at all.
Some time ago. j. w. Seward, an
experienced prospector discovered
cropping veins of coal on the north
side of the Similkameen river, Just
west of the falls and power plant. A
wash had stripped the hillside to bed
rock, and it was where the rock was
exposed that the coal seems showed
up like black ribbon across the face
of nature This seam can be traced
for some distance up and down the
river and plainly shows its trend up
the hillside. True, the seam is quite
narrow, but it is between sandstone
and shale, formation favorable to a
coal deposit. At one place on the vein
where prospecting has been done to
only a shallow depth, the vein has
widened considerably. Associated with
Mr.. Seward is H. l.. Prentice, of this
PA"NSt "AN WIN tAC lulu lAcdu6 dJ
their disposal they have carried
some investigation along the vein.
The coal extracted has been tested
and pronounced to be of excellent
quality. Considerable interest has
been created among residents of Oro-
Vile In this find, and it is expected
that measures will be taken to follow
the veins down with the aim of de-
termining their extent and character.
The presence of this important fuel so
near at hand certainly Is such as to
encourage the investment of a consid-
cradle sum in extensive prospecting.
In addition to this coal discovery
OH the Similkameen a mile or two
south, on the trend of the vein, and
we'll up on the hillside only a mile
and half from and overlooking the
town, j. j. Malloy recently uncovered
coal seam several inches in thickness
on his place. The strike was purely
accidental, as he was not looking for
coal at the time. This coal to all ap-
pearances Is similar to that taken out
at the Similkameen river, and is pos
sibly a continuance of the same lead.
Mr.. Malloy, we are informed has given
on optional lease on his land to a par
ty who expects to bring in a diamond
drill and prospect number of pieces
OF property he has secured on lease
The black substance that has been
taken out of these two deposits is GER
tainly coal, and what is now to be de-
termined is whether at greater depth,
or at some other point on the trend of
the vein, the fuel is present in larger
quantities than at the point Of expos
ure to pay for extraction. From all
outward and visible signs there are
reasons to believe that coal in paying
quantities exists In this neighborhood.
Time and investigation may prove the
fallacy of this contention, but until
such investigation is made that be-
lief will continue to exist. The string
ers discovered on both sides of the
valley may be feeders to a large
mother lead, and If so the chief depos-
1t is sure to be found with systematic
drilling by those who have had exper-
ience in prospecting for and mining
coal. 1t is not necessary to dwell at
length on what the opening of coal
mines so near at hand would mean
ITO Oroville, and the entire north part