, 1923-02-11
COAL DEPOSITS OF WYOMING WOULD PAY OFF NATIONAL
WAR DEBT IF MINED TO FULL PRODUCTION, SURVEY SHOWS

nothing compared with the result to
be obtained from the investment.
Why can not our present legislature
open this subject and see what the
sentiment OF her able-mnded men
are?
Early Mining History.
Gold, usually first in mention
among metals. thought not first In
value. was discovered near South
Pass. Wyo.. in 1912, just seven years
before the great California excite.
ment, by a man from Georgia. whose
name is lost to us. While endeavor.
ing to return to safety. he was. more
than likely, killed by Indians. He
disappeared and the verdict in those
times was killed by Indians"
The next action toward develop
ment that is worthy of note was a
party OF forty men who went to the
head OF he Sweetwater river in 1855.
These men did not accomplish any
development worthy of note, but the
fact that they did their best is the
factor in mind. In 1865 n party Of
prospectors having among Their num-
Der such men as Henry Riddell, Rich
ard Grace. Noyes Baldwin. Frank
Marshall. Harry Hubbell, John A,
James, w. H. Shoemaker. and others,
discovered the Carlsa lode and made
their locations at South Pass, in
southern Fremont county. Lincoln
Mining District" was organized at
South Pass City. Wyo.. on Novem-
Der II, 1866, with w. H. Shoemaker
as president and John A. James as
secretary. This start toward develop.
ment is one that will remain as a
vital date in Wyoming and with 1t
should be placed the date of 1912. the
discovery OF gold, e~ishty-one years
ago.
That summer n party of thirty
men left Salt Lake City for this dis.
trict. under the leadership of a nan
by the name of Lawrence and were
expecting to spend the winter in the
new gold fields. On the way this
party met a band of Arapaho Indi-
ans and Lawrence and one other were
killed. The balance of the party were
pursued until they reached the coun
try belonging to the Shoshone Indi.
ans. where the pursuit ceased
Soon after the discovery of the
Carisa came the discovery of h At.
lantic ledge, northeast of South Pass.
the Miners Delight. two miles north.
east Of the Atlantic; the Summit, King
Solomon's. Northern Light Lone
Star state. Jim Crow. Hoosier Boy
Mrahomet. C~opperopolis, Elmira, Scott
& Eddy. Rose, Garfield, Duncan, Mary
Ellen, Franklin, the Bullion, Burr
Irish Jew, Hidden Hand, and Others
well known rs good producers. There
wa also the discovery and light
workings OF placer beds at South Pass
City, on Rock Creek. Burr Gulch. Ore
gon Gulch, Strawberry Gulch, STAN
baugh Flats. Big and Lite Beaver
Creeks, Twin Creek. Red Canyon aut
others too numerous to mention.
The organization act of tho miners
was legalized by the Dakota legisla
ture in a bill approved on December
81. 1867, and the county was organ
fzed on January 3. 1868, with John
Murphy ms the first sheriff.
Mans knowledge of tho use OF min,
erals has always been the Euage by
which civilization has been measured
History chronicles the fact that, the
nation that best understood the use
of minerals. stood pre-eminent among
her contemporaries and was the lead
err in commerce. The Egyptians were
far in advance of the other nations OF
their time and research has shown
us that this fact was due entirely TO
mining development during that age,
and warrants tho statement that min,
ing has beer the greatest factor In
elevatins mankind to the stage OF
civilization he has attained today.
Should our access to minerals be
denied US today. we would be com.
pleteiy reverted to snvnsery within n
hundred years. Where would wo be
without our railroads. telegraph and
telephone lines. automobiles. or othor
method OF transportation except TO
walk or rid n horse? What would
We do without all that stands between
W. and tho ~ who stlll uses his