The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1923-06-27
TWO
MILLION COAL
OUTPUT IN Nd.
State Will Mine and Sell This
Much Ignite in 1923,
Says Maj. Washburh
ASKS BAN ERS' AID
Points to Great POtehtialities
In Fuel in North DakOtaS
Future

North Dakota this year Will NINE
and sell 100000 tons of Ignite coal
and in 1888 North Dakota should be
mining for its own use and for ex-
port between ten and fifteen million
tons of COAL" Major Stanley Wash
burn, of Lakewood, N. j., president
of the North Dakota Ignite Goal
Operators association, and vice pres
ident of the Washburn Ignite Coal
company, declared in an address be-
fore the opening session Of the North
Dakota Bankers association here this
morning.
The bankers, he said, are the men
in the community who have vision
and foresight, and he urged their CO.
operation and support in developing
the latent res ources of Ignite in the
state. He said that with the back
ing of the bankers, the developing
of the Ignite mines could be carried
forward with amazing swiftness.
Major Washburn believes that the
people of the northwest do not real
ize the vast richness and limitless fu-
ture Of the country. He pointed out
that MINES sofa and the Dakotas have
more acres, by 10000 square miles,
than the French Republic, and il
these three states were isolated from
the rest Of the Union would be al
most self supporting and self-sus-
tanning.
Great Potentialities.
at is not my intention" the Major
said, "to go into all the resources of
North Dakota. l want to bring to
your attention, however, that what
| regard as a greatest potential asset
of North Dakota and the northwest
is the vast deposit of Ignite coal. We
have in North Dakota alone O8,0O0,-
100000 tons of high grade Ignite. In
order that you may realize the wealth
on which we are literally sleeping,
let me call your attention to what
other nations, whom we consider rich
in coal, possess. England, known
throughout the world as one Of the
greatest coal producers, estimates
her supply at 100000, 100000, Ger
many's resources are supposed to be
467, 900, 100000, and Frances total is
10000, 100000. Therefore, the three
greatest coal producers of Europe,
ombined, have less coal than North
and South Dakota alone and barely
more than the state Of North Da-
kota.
ut is only few. months ago that
one of the organizations represent
ing eastern coal, published state
ment that the Northwest was depend
ent on anthracite and bituminous
coal, as no fuel of any value exists
in Minnesota and the Dakotas
Whether this statement was made
through malice, do not know, but
whatever the case, the person max
ing the statement was densely ignor-
ant of the territory in which they
were doing business"
Continuing his talk, he said that
never before had there been so much
! discussion of Ignite. In Germany
Ignite is used for the operating of
many industrial concern, including the
force which transforms Ignite into
electrical power for all the lighting
required for the city of Berlin. The
bulk of 20O,0O0,0O0 mined in 1923 in
Germany will be used as it comes
| from the ground. North Dakota with
it's Cos, ,0OO, 100000 tons has never, SO
far, mined over 100000 tons.
Now Is the Time.
He pointed out to the bankers that
now is the time for them to act if
they intend to keep northwest
money in northwest banks, for it is
at this time that the Ignite coal
should replace the millions of tons
of eastern coal which is shipped to
this territory each year, represent
ing 100,000,000 dollars a year which
the northwest is sending east to
build up reserves in eastern banks
II see no reason" he said, with
publicity and educational campaign
and the close cooperation of the
bankers why this state should not
: this year mine and sell 100000 tons
Of coal and think it is not visionary
to express the opinion that by 1888
North Dakota should be mining fol
it's own use and export between II
and Is million tons Of coal. Thu
moment we are able to mine and sell
large quantities, industry would be-
gin to move slowly toward the mine!
and in ten years your state would bt
considered an industrial state rather
than purely an agricultural one"
Can Aid Consolidation.
Major Washburn said that the Goa
operators association believes tina
the bankers association can be O.
very great assistance to the growth
of this industry which means 80 mucl
/ to the state.
4 "Had there not been so great
car shortage last fall, I believe tina
one-half million more tons Of Goa
would have been mined in North Da
kota last year. For this reason,
. urge all you bankers, when You re
turn to your bank to help supper
J the "buy early campaign" Yo
, should make it your dpty to talk t
as many citizens as possible, and
lContinued on Page 81