A Report on Washington TerritoryRuffner, William Henry
History
A Report on Washington Territory
Ruffner, William Henry
Washington (State)
"The veins which they work or have worked at Newcastle are No.
4--No. 2, as it is called, which is really Nos. 1 and 2 united--and
Bagley vein. No. 4 is worked out on two lifts, the water level, and
the one below. The third lift they have not cross-cut to it, as the
slope is on No. 2. No. 2 is almost closed on third lift east of Coal
Creek. First two lifts, of course, are worked out. And west of Coal
Creek the working has progressed nearly to the boundary of their
land, and passed the division of the vein into Parts 1 and 2; so
that they are getting but little coal out of it. But most of the
coal comes from Bagley. Bagley is never worked, or but slightly,
when the others are furnishing plenty of coal. Bagley there consists
of two portions of about seven feet each, with one to two feet of
rock and slate between. In the lower bench there is about four or
four and a half feet of good coal; the rest is bony. And in the
upper bench there is from three to four feet of good coal, and the
balance bony. When they are pressed for coal there is a strong
temptation to mine and ship the entire fourteen feet of coal, and
bony coal, as it all looks quite well. This temptation, I know,
under the old administration, was sometimes yielded to, and I have
supposed such was the case now. In fact, in getting that coal some
time since for home use, I have several times seen the straight
Bagley from top to bottom in the ton. No. 2. The united vein at its
best is ten and a half feet, between splendid walls, about one and a
half inch mining on the bottom, and a parting near the centre one
inch thick. That never disappeared, but increased both ways until
the veins were finally separated. No. 2 separate was about five feet
clean, at least with no permanent partings. No. 1, about four and a
half feet of coal with a three-inch streak of fine clay eighteen
inches from the top, the balance clean."
So much from Mr. Whitworth.
[Sidenote: Cost of mining coal.]
Governor Semple puts the prime cost of the coal of the Puget Sound basin
generally at from $2.00 to $2.30 per ton, delivered at tide-water; which
is, I suspect, below the fact. James F. Jones, in charge of mines on the
Northern Pacific Railroad in the Puget Sound basin, reports the cost per
ton at the mines delivered on the cars as ranging from $1.00 to $2.50
per ton, averaging $1.75.
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