The Cordova daily times., 1923-04-13
FIRE CONSUMES VAST MONTANA
 COAL DEPOSITS
Smouldering Cauldron Eats Into Valuable
 Beds
CAUSED BY COMBUSTION
One Mine Burning Fifty Years; Study Being
 Made River Basin

MILES CITY, Mont, April 13.-- Two hnrdreu fires, one of which has been burning for more than half a century, are eating their way j"tc the vast coa, and gilnite beds ill southeaster" Montana, according to Thomas Edison Smith, formerly sup erninterdent of tie Bear Creek coI mine, of this city. and now ttln- missioned by a group of Miles City men to examine and report upon lhe coal resources Of the Powder River Basin.
 Smith declares that the largest of these fires is in great bed of coal about seven miles northwest of Ashland, in southeastern Rosebu" County. This tire, he reports, is burning around three sides Of tract one-half mile square, and the smoke, steam and heat waves arls- ing from the furnace beneath pro duce the effect of burning caul- dron in the bowels of the earth.
 Fire Started Self
 "The origin of the fire was prob ably spontaneous combustlon' Smith says. ''The Ignite coals lg- nite easily and this property IS one of the sources of danger in mines at Sheridan, Wyoming. When fine coal of this quality gets seven feet deep or more it is apt to ig- mite, especially if it is covered with snow. Along the heads of rapidly cutting streams, where thick bank of coal is exposed, the physical con ditions are suitable for the coal to ignite, especially on the north and east side of the gulches. It is found in nearly every case that the coal is burned further upstream, about one and a half miles on the north or east side of the stream, than on the other side.'
 Fire Great Spectacle
 The burning coalbed in the Ash land district is a sight worth trav- cling miles to see, declares Smith. "The coalbed which is on fire is exposed in a coulee nearby, where it is more than 25 feet thick. Where it is burning the coal is nowhere under less than 105 feet of cover, and in one place there is 165 feet of strata above the burning coal. As the fuel burns the overlying rock falls down about 10 or 12 feet leaving great deep crevices through which the hot rocks can be seen far below"
 Smith says he tossed sticks down into some of these cracks, and they caught fire almost instantly. These cracks remain in evidence for years, and as they are about ten feet apart and fairly straight they give the burned area the appearance of a field plowed with gigantic blow This particular bed, he adds, has been burning, to the accurate knowl- edge of residents, for more than fifty years. 'In the last AZ years the fire has moved over a distance of mile and quarter. Since Oc- tober, 1921, the fire on the south side has moved 154 feet, which is exceptionally rapid,' according to Smith.
 Burned Ages Ago
 Commenting on this phase of the situation, Smith says: "In the past 42 years erosion of the burned area has not progressed sufficiently to expose the rocks beneath. As much of the burned area has the fused rocks projecting above the surface it is certain that they were burned ages ago"
 Smith says that nearby residents formerly secured coal from bank on Cook Creek, on Tongue River A rancher one day procured a loaC of coal and left his pick and shove l6duluS dSdluSI lHe COdl. " Acll He returned several days later the fire which had been burning in behind the coal face bed, had broker through and burned the handles ou of his tools. 'That bed," Smitf says, "is no longer source O. fuel, and on cold days the stean arising from the fires below may bt seen arising above the ground"