COAL!
A MOST IMPORTANT DISCOVERY.
LARGE BEDS OF FINE COAL ARE FOUND IN THE MINNESOTA VALLEY, NEAR NEW ULM.
A Private Geological Survey Developes the Existence of a Large Deposit of this Valuable Mineral.
A COMPANY IS FORMED FOR MINING IT, AND HAVE ALREADY COMMENCED OPERATIONS.
They Expect to Deliver the Best Quality of Coal in St. Paul before July 1st.
THE IMMENSE IMPORTANCE OF THIS DISCOVERY IN THE FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OF THE MANUFACTURES OF THE STATE, AND THE INCREASE of WEALTH, POPULATION, AND RESOURCES.
A Sketch of the Preliminary Surveys Which Led to the Discovery of the Mines. &c. &c.
With great satisfaction we announce to our readers this morning, the discovery of large beds of Coal on the Cottonwood River, near New Ulm, in the Upper Minnesota Valley, a fact that will cause a thrill of pleasure to every one who can appreciate the immense – the almost incalculable – benefits to flow from such an important discovery – one that will create in our State new sources of wealth, and supply the only element which was lacking to complete the wonderful basis of natural resources on which rests the future greatness and prosperity of this State.
Before further pursuing the subject of the immense value and importance of the mines, and their effect on the future destiny of tho State, we will turn back and briefly sketch the manner of their discovery.
HOW THE COAL WAS DISCOVERED
In the month of February – 1863 – John S. Prince, Esq., of this city, was in Vincennes, Ind., on business, and one evening happened in a store, when a gentleman came in, and throwing down some fine lumps of coal on a table, said: “I told you that we would find coal there at fifty feet, and we struck it at 49.” At this Mr. Prince’s attention was aroused and he soon secured an introduction to the gentleman, who proved to be Mr. Henry H. Eames, a well-known geologist, who, in company with his brother of no less repute as a geologist, had spent his entire life, both in England and the United States in exploring for coal and directing mining operations, and who has made it a “specialty’ with great success.
Mr. Prince at once had an interview with Mr. Eames, and told him that it was believed that there must be large coal mines somewhere in Minnesota, but no thorough geographical survey by any experienced person had yet been made, and there was no doubt that if made, it would result in finding coal: adding, that as soon as Mr. Eames’ engagements in that neighborhood would allow him, he should be glad to see him in Saint Paul, where he would pledge him a sufficient sum of money to carry out a thorough survey of the State. Mr. Eames agreed to come out in the following May, and accordingly during that month made his appearance here.
Mr. Prince at once interested Gen. Sibley, Col. C. H. Oakes, Frank Steele, Esq., and others in the project, and several thousand dollars were raised and placed in Mr. Eames’ hands.
THE SURVEY
At once commenced. It began by a rapid and general exploration of nearly the entire State, to ascertain where the best indications of coal existed. Starting from St. Paul on May 20th Mr. Eames first examined the valley of Crow River, and then went to Carver, where he examined all the streams in that county flowing into the Minnesota, extending his search through McLeod county. Thence he went to the Blue Earth river and examined the whole of that stream and its tributaries to the Iowa line. On all these streams drift coal was found in abundance and of good quality — indicating that somewhere not far distant there must exist a coal formation, from which these fragments had been torn by the floods of the Diluvian period. Returning to St. Paul Mr. Eames went to Red Wing, whence he prosecuted his explorations along the valleys of the Cannon, Vermillion and Zumbro, but with no greater success.
The greatest cautiousness was used by Mr. Eames in his "prospecting," but still it was impossible to prevent persons from divining the cause of the survey. Of course he was importuned at every point by some town site speculators to be sure and find coal in their particular locality, and offered handsome bonuses in case he should succeed, and for a share in whatever discoveries he might make. The entire summer was consumed in these surveys, and several thousand dollars expended. Other valuable mineral deposits were discovered during the survey, of which we cannot now speak.
Availing himself of the hints afforded by the geology of the districts already traversed he struck rcross the country westward up the Little Cottonwood as far west as Lake Shetek, whence, moving northward, he descended the Big Cottonwood. Here late last fall his assiduous search was at last rewarded by unmistakable indications of a carboniferous formation under the deep deposit of drift which covers these whole regions.
COAL FOUND AT LAST.
A more thorough survey soon resulted in discovering a vein of coal, eighteen inches thick outcropping from the bank, and lying partly in the bed of a creek. The quality was good, but the vein was too small to pay for working it. As it was supposed to indicate a larger bed of mineral not far off, the survey went on with redoubled energy, and a spot was found about thirty miles west of New Ulm, where Mr. Eames decided to run a "shaft" down, and after procuring workmen and machinery did so. A few days since at a depth of 80 feet, a fine bed of Bituminous Coal, of good quality was struck, and proved to be nearly four feet in thickness! which is abort the thickness of the Iowa coal measures, of which it is probably a continuation.
This bed, be it understood, was found “in place," that is to say, in its natural position in the geological series, and of course indicates an extensive coal formation underlying the drift in that section of the country. The following is the series of rocks which overlie the coal stratum:
feet. inches.
Soil and drift, 7 3
Iron stone 2
Nodular carbonate of iron 1 6
Bituminous shale, 1 6
Fossiliferous sandstone 8 level of river.
do 19
Pyrites, 9
Fine sandstone, 4 6
Gray shale, 5
Sandstone and shale alternating, 27
Slate, 6
Coal, 4
Fire Clay, 2
Total, 88 feet
THE EXTENT OF THE COAL FORMATION
This discovery settles the question of an extensive coal formation in Western Minnesota and Dakota. This fact has been long suspected, and was thus alluded to in the first annual report of the Commissioners of Statistics for this State:
According to all analogies, coal ought to occupy the geological interval between the limestone of Minnesota and the cretaceous formation on the Upper Missouri, and Featherstonaugh says that the cretaceous rocks of the Missouri rest upon the carboniferous limestone of the Big Sioux. The coal formation, then, doubtless exists in Dakota, but probably overlaid with superficial deposits so as to be of little economical value.
Mr. Owens says that upon hearsay that the carboniferous limestone crops out in the northern part of Iowa. Mr. Eames doubts this, and thinks the coal fields of Western Minnesota discovered by him are an unbroken extension of those of Iowa, but that if Mr. Owens statement be correct, the Minnesota coal fields "form an anti-clinal axis," that is, a line from which the strata dip downward, a geological ridge, and he has no doubt that it extends northward to Red River, and that the coal found on Mouse river, one of the tributaries of the Red, and at Lake Jessie is a part of this great formation.
THE SECRET LEAKS OUT.
In the meantime – despite the precautions to prevent it – it had leaked out in that region, which is near New Ulm, that mine had been discovered, and as unprincipled men are always ready to step in between the pioneers of an enterprise, who have spent time and means on any discovery, to snatch away the prize from their hands – the original company associated with them Judge Flandrau and Messrs. Shillock, Benke, and Rudolf of New Ulm, H. M. Rice and others of St. Paul, and formed a Mining Company under the “General Law for the Incorporation of Companies for Mining or Manufacturing purposes” and took measures to protect their rights, by pre-empting and locating at the land office in that district, sufficient land to carry on their mining purposes.
THE COAL REGION.
Of course the announcement of the discovery af these Mines on the Cottonwood will cause a rush to that locality, and soon we may expect to see every quarter-section in that District pre-empted by settlers, each of whom are after a coal mine and a fortune. Some may find the first, and thus get the latter, but nine out of ten will never secure either, as it requires considerable capital to sink shafts and carry on mining operations. It will result, however, in the rapid settlement of Brown county, and here and there, on the rich prairies and along the fine streams of that region, villages and towns will soon spring up, under the impetus of the Coal Trade.
THE NEW MINES.
The original company have a gang of miners already employed, and are about commencing to “work” their shaft, and open others. The mines are situated on the Cottonwood River, where the Coal can be emptied into barges, and in high water floated down to the Minnesota River, and thence to Saint Paul, or on down the Mississippi, at a very low price. Steam engines and other machinery, and necessary barges for the trade are already contracted for, and the company expect to commence delivering coal in Saint Paul before July 1, if the stage of water in the Minnesota River next summer renders it possible! The arrival of the first ark of coal from the Cottonwood mines at our levee, will indeed be an eventful incident in our history. The price cannot now be ascertained, but is will undoubtedly delivered at a low rate.
THE QUALITY OF THE COAL.
“Cannel Coal” says Appleton, “is a dry, highly bituminous coal, of very close texture, and but little lustre. It is obtained in clear rectangular blocks of smooth and perfectly clear surface, which break with a large conchoidal surface. It is remarkable for the readiness with which it kindles, being lighted at once in the flame of a lamp, and continuing to burn with a clear yellow flame without melting and running down. This property renders it very well adapted for illuminating purposes, and has given to it the name of cannel in Lancashire, where the name was first applied. In Scotland, it is said, that it has long been the custom for farmers to lay in a stock of this Coal to be used as a substitute for candles. It is also extensively used for producing Gas.”
CHEAP GAS AND FUEL.
Even considered in its last mentioned quality, it will prove a valuable discovery. Now, all the coal used in our gas works is brought from Pennsylvania, at a great expense. Henceforth we have at our doors a supply for that purpose, which will greatly reduce the coast of gas, while for household purposes we can have roaring hit fires in bright cheerful grates – so much more sociable than air-tight stoves – at a cost far less than is possible at the extortionate prices asked by swindling wood dealers.
ITS EFFECT ON OUR STATE.
But the effect of this discovery on our manufactures especially will be incalculable, as it reveals a broad foundation for the development of this interest which has been heretofore lacking.
Plentiful and cheap supplies of coal are indispensable to the prosperous growth of manufactures, in which iron is to play an important part. Henceforth this essential want is supplied to us, and in a few years, we hope, the coal of the Minnesota Valley will meet the iron from Lake Superior and the lumber from the Upper Mississippi at Saint Paul, which must inevitably become the Cincinnati of the Northwest. Iron, Coal and Lumber — three
indispensable raw materials we have — now, by sensible and practical laws let us draw hither that other desideratum – MEN— with strong arms and skilled hands, to be our operatives, our artisans, our fabricators — the Tubal-Cains of our new orders of industry, to make the hammer ring and the forges glow and smoke, and the loom hum with cheerful music.
— The people of this State owe a deep debt of gratitude to Mr. Eames for this important discovery, and we trust that the energy and enterprize of this gentleman and of those associated with him in the development of this longhidden element of wealth and prosperity, may be amply rewarded. Good bye to wood! Adieu to Peat!