The Colville examiner. [volume] (Colville, Wash.) 1907-1948, 1919-05-03
COLV|LLE VALLEY
COAL COMPANY
PROPERTY SHOWS MERCHANT
ABLE COAL IN LARGE
QUANTITIES IN SLOPE
Colville and Spokane Men Visit Mine
and See Coal Vein at Depth
of Three Hundred Feet

That Stevens county residents
know practically nothing of the con-
cealed resources of their county was
again demonstrated Sunday, when a
party of Colville men visited the
properties of the Colville Valley
Coal Company-and found a coal
mine where no coal mine is supposed
to be possible.
Although no real geological survey
has ever been made of this county,
it has ever been considered improb-
able that this county could have any
coal beds. Eighteen years ago,
when Major Ruth discovered an out
crop of coal on his place west of
Valley, while trying to uncover
spring, it was considered improbable
that it meant anything other than a
freak showing of small coal blos-
som. Even during the following
years, when Frank Weatherwax used
this coal in his hotel in Valley dur
ing the winter, there was little idea
that any real coal deposit was to be
found. A rock tunnel had been
driven into the coal vein by Com
stock & Davis, and 20-foot vein of
coal was there disclosed. Yet few
seemed to have faith in the coal
prospect, unless it was Frank Wea-
therwax, on whose land the mine is
now located.
Last year Cook & Mann started
new slope, commencing at the
outcrop on the hill west of Long
Prairie, and following the coal vein.
w. S. Rogers and Frank Weather
wax then purchased the holdings of
Cook & Mann. A most encouraging
report on the property was made by
Harold Evans Elliott who recon-
mended a continuance of the work.
The vein continued, and despite all
predictions and geological theories,
they continued to find coal. In July
of last year the Colville Valley Coal
Company was organized by Frank
Weatherwax and w. S. Rogers, who
were determined to find out what
they had. The slope has followed
the vein 300 feet, and instead of the
vein dwindling, the coal is getting
better. Even admitting that there
should be no coal there, the fact re-
mains that it is there, with 100000
tons of excellent coal in sight, and
apparently unlimited possibilities of
further finds. The writer saw this
coal, saw the vein for the entire
length of the 300 feet in the slope,
and is pleased to announce that the
coal is THERE.
The mine is about miles in an
air line southwest of the town of
Valley. The opening is 215 feet
above the level of Long Prairie, on
the 12OO-foot hill west of the prai-
rie. The outcrop shows for three
quarters of a mile north and south,
and the vein dips into the hill at an
angle of about 30 degrees. The
slope (which in English means a
tunnel dipping downward) is 10 feet
wide, and follows the top part of the
2O-foot vein for 300 feet into the
hill, meaning that it is in coal all
the time, and that every foot of the
slope discloses merchantable coal.
Now there are 100000 tons of
coal in sight-not guess but re-
ality-which means that it is already
a coal mine, and no longer a pros
pect, or an ideal in Frank Weather
wax mind. The slope is topped by
a good hanging wall of sandy slate
and sandstone. The old rock tunnel
was driven straight westward for
10 feet, and is 60 feet north of the
present slope. 1t will be used later
for the main haulage way.
Although the coal is of good
quality all the way down the 300
foot slope, the quality is getting
better with depth, and where they
are now working are disclosed occa-
sional chunks Of the finest brilliant
black coal-almost pure carbon. This,
if any quantity is found, means a
high grade of blacksmith coal which
now sells for more than $40 ton.
The M. R. Strong blacksmith shop
in Colville tried this coal, and Mr..
Strong and VIM. Loudon state that
they would be glad to use this kind
in their work. The coal was also
tried by A. J. Lee in the furnace of
Hotel Lee, and by F. ]. Van Buren
in the range of Vans Cafe, and both
pronounce it excellent coal.
Fred Bianco, the superintendent
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