When Seattle Was Coal Country

Coal mining is one of the chief industries of the state of Washington, and it is destined to grow in importance with the development of the Northwestern country. Owing to excellent transportation facilities and the fact that this is the only one of the Pacific coast states having any large area of commercial coal fields, Washington must of necessity form the base of coal supply for the Pacific coast and other states to the east and south. A large portion of the output is mined in King county and is sent abroad from Seattle by rail and boat. California and Oregon have no coal worth mining, and get the bulk of their fuel from this state, while coal is also sent as far east as Montana, Dakota and Minnesota.

The 'Evergreen state' has already taken high rank as a coal-producing state, the product of 1893 having been 1,208,850 tons, an increase of 51,450 tons over the previous year. The output for 1894 will probably only equal that of 1893, labor troubles having prevented the increase that was expected in the early part of the year. Coal mines are strung all through that section west of the Cascades, and openings among the mountains are found in Kittitas and Okanogan counties. Although beds of coal have been discovered in every county of the coal area, the most valuable seams of the best quality of each grade of coal have been found near the center of the field in King and Pierce counties. The product of 1894 will about equal that of 1893, which in King was 1,077,731 tons and in Pierce 408,074, making respectively 46 and 35 per cent of the total output of the state for that year.

All conditions are highly favorable for coal mining in this state. The veins dip at an angle, are readily accessible at the surface, and can be approached and mined by tunnels on a down grade, which greatly facilitates the production of the coal. Abundance of timber is at hand for bunkers, piles, trestles, planking, gangways and other needs in the internal regions. Fresh water for power, washing and other purposes is abundant nearly everywhere. Only a beginning has been made in working the coal mines of this state. New coal fields are frequently found by prospectors, and it is the unanimous opinion of experts that there are thousands of acres which the eye of the coal hunter has yet to see.

The coals of the state of Washington range in character from the partly formed carbonaceous clays to the highest anthracite. The extent of the former is of no importance, and the latter has not as yet been found in veins of sufficient size to make them of value, although the present prospecting near Port Townsend may result in something that can profitably be mined. Of the bituminous coals, that from the Wilkeson mines probably takes first rank. The coal of this class, with the exception of that in the Green river field of King county, is badly crushed, and only valuable for steam and blacksmithing fuel and for the manufacture of coke. For the latter purpose they are very fine, as the analysis of the coke made from Wilkeson coal shows, the coke being said to equal that from the famous Connellsville region of Pennsylvania.

Of the lignite coals, those from the Gilman and Newcastle mines, both being on the same vein, undoubtedly rank first. This field is probably the finest of its grade in the state, having been mined for six miles and developed at one point to a depth of 2,000 feet. The veins are very regular and free from faults, which simplifies mining and largely decreases the cost of production. The anthracite coals so far discovered are at high altitudes in the Cascade mountains. Small samples of very good coal have been found, some of them going as high as 92 per cent fixed carbon, but the coal is so mixed with slate that the veins are probably of no great commercial value. Some good belts may yet be discovered.

The coal lands of the state form a magnificent combination, and may be divided into seven great groups, viz.: the Roslyn, Kittitas county; the South Prairie and Wilkeson, Pierce county; the Green river basin, King county; Skagit river, Skagit county; Bellingham bay, Whatcom county; Bucoda, Thurston county, and Cowlitz, Lewis county. The mine inspectors' figures for the year listed Newcastle at 152,000 tons, Black Diamond at 127,442 tons, Roslyn at 241,441 tons, Wilkeson Coal & Coke at 77,549 tons, and South Prairie at 52,331 tons, among other operations.

At a meeting of the Illinois Mining Institute, T. H. Corey, superintendent of the Oregon Improvement Company mines and one of the most experienced and practical mining men in this state, furnished an elaborate paper on the mineral resources of Washington. From it is gleaned the following interesting and valuable information about King county:

This is the largest and most developed coal field in Washington. It is divided into two classes of coal, one a high grade of lignite, which has an area of about 120 square miles, the other semi-bituminous (though I think it should properly be classed as bituminous), which covers about 300 square miles. They no doubt belong to the cretaceous epoch, the lignite being in the upper and the bituminous in the lower; the bituminous coal lying in closer proximity to igneous agencies, which by their heat and pressure have driven off volatile gases and moisture, resulting in a higher grade of coal. For this reason the quality of bituminous coals improves as they approach the mountains and are often of strong coking quality, but the regularity of the seam is destroyed. The lignite of this field must not be confounded with the lignites of the tertiaries found farther to the south, from which they differ as materially as oak does from cottonwood for heating purposes. These lignites have heating qualities of great magnitude, while those of the tertiaries are not much better than 'brown coal.'

At Gilman there are five seams of coal varying in thickness from 3 to 7 1/2 feet between walls, dipping at an angle of 13 degrees. At present there are only two seams worked. The coal is a lignite and a ready market is found for all of its production. The mines are being developed in first-class shape and the output is gradually increasing. The same trouble applies to this as to all lignite deposits—the tendency to spontaneous combustion—and the greatest care has to be exercised to guard against this trouble. These mines are forty-two miles from Seattle by rail and fifteen miles in a direct line.

Newcastle is four miles west of Gilman. This mine has been in operation for about twenty-five years and probably more coal has been taken from it than from any other mine in the state. There are here five distinct beds, three of them workable, varying in thickness from five to twenty feet. This is one of the highest grade lignite deposits in the state, if not in the United States. This seam is what is known as the No. 2, and varies from 10 to 12 feet in thickness, with a floor and roof of sand rock. It dips about 43 degrees north, and runs very regular. There was never a better roof. It is a common expression in speaking of the roof to say, 'the roof is almost like steel.' In fact there are places where there are acres of it mined out without a prop, pillar or anything to support it. This seam splits into two distinct seams as it goes west. The slope, which is now 2,000 feet down, is the longest slope in Western Washington, and arrangements are being made to extend it another 500 feet. This coal is very friable, runs about 20 per cent slack, 15 per cent nut, and the balance lump. The latter grade is chiefly used for domestic purposes and a splendid coal it is, too, for this purpose; kindles easily, makes a hot fire and is almost as clean to handle as wood. The nut and slack are used for steam purposes. No. 4 seam is mined only to a limited extent. This coal is used as a locomotive coal.

Cedar Mountain, eight miles southeast from Newcastle, is also a lignite coal which dips at an angle of about 17 degrees. This seam is about 12 feet in thickness. The strike of the seam is irregular. The original opening to the mine has long since been abandoned owing to the trouble heretofore mentioned attending a lignite vein—mine fires.

At Renton there are four beds of lignite, dipping at an angle of 18 degrees and varying in thickness from 3 to 15 feet. It was at one time operated considerably, but owing to labor troubles some years ago the owners became disgusted, shut down the works and have never started again. One mile south is Black River Junction. There is a fair seam of lignite here and it is partially developed, but nothing has been done yet in the way of shipments.

Southeast from Cedar Mountain is located the Black Diamond mine. There are here five seams, three of which are workable. The angle of dip of these seams varies from 12 to 40 degrees. The strike is changeable. The coal varies in thickness from 2 1/2 to 7 1/2 feet. All of the beds worked furnish excellent steam coal, most of its production finding a market in San Francisco.

Franklin coal mines, which are three miles further east, practically belong to the same field as the Black Diamond. There are four seams here; the dip varies from 17 degrees to 55 degrees; strike of seam varies and joins in with the strike at Black Diamond. There is without doubt a basin existing between these two places. Only one seam, No. 14, at this place is at present operated. The coal here, as at the Black Diamond, is bituminous; it will take (but a poor polish), and is a splendid steam coal, with very little ash, and makes a very hot fire. The surrounding country here is very broken. Altitude, 700 feet.

Beyond this and further out lie Ookedale, Kangley, Alta and Durham. The measures through this field are all broken up by synclinals, antisynclinals and dykes. Quite a number of beds have been discovered and some of them will no doubt prove valuable.

Scattered all along from one mile south of Palmer to as far north as Grand Ridge are dozens of holes and tunnels, on some of which considerable work has been done, especially at Sherwood, St. Louis Creek and Niblock. The St. Louis Creek coals are good, but belong to shallow basins and are much disturbed. At Niblock there has been work done and the owners are about ready to commence operations. They have some seven or eight seams of coal. The No. 3 is considered the best; it is about 13 feet between walls, of which eight feet is workable. It is dirty and will have to be washed. It makes an excellent coke which will be in demand by smelters which are in course of erection. This mine is only three miles from a raft road and arrangements are being made to build this road.

At Penny Mine, on Green River, about two miles south of Black Diamond, the roof is sewer-pipe clay; coal, 14 inches; clay, 11 inches; coal, 10 inches; dark, slaty rock; dip, N. 70 degrees at 22 degrees.

The coals of Washington are comparatively unexplored, and many predict a good grade of anthracite will be discovered. Prospecting is going on in various parts of the state. Coal mining promises to become in the near future one of the leading industries of the Evergreen State.