"The great falling off in the output for 1886 is attributable mainly to
the labor troubles of that year, the mine being closed for several
months; also the abandonment of the workings from the No. 4 vein."
The slope has now been sunk to a depth of 950 feet, and the mine is
being operated entirely from this level. When this lift is finished, it
is thought that several others of equal depth can be sunk as the basin
is likely to be very deep.
[Sidenote: Misrepresentation.]
After writing the foregoing, I received a volume issued annually by the
United States Geological Survey on the Mineral Resources of the United
States for 1886; and on page 364 I read with surprise the following
statements in regard to the Newcastle mines of Washington Territory:
"Considerable iron pyrites is present in this coal, which fact, added to
the chaff-like character of the coal for igniting, causes much annoyance
and cost to the mine from fires. Coal, or the mine refuse, piled in
large quantities quickly ignites."
I knew when I was in the Territory that the mine was on fire, as I have
heretofore stated; but I heard no intimation of spontaneous combustion.
In fact, I was told that it was accidental.
I wrote at once to Mr. David T. Day, of the Government Survey, who is
the present editor of this valuable work, asking his authority for such
statements concerning this mine as had never, so far as I knew, been
made before; though the mines have been described, or mentioned, in all
the preceding volumes of the same work, and were mentioned with approval
by Bailey Willis, Goodyear, and all other writers on the resources of
Washington Territory. Moreover, that I had spent weeks in the
neighborhood of the mines, and never heard anything of iron pyrites or
spontaneous combustion.
Mr. Day replied that he had no personal knowledge on the subject; but
that those statements had been furnished him by Mr. James F. Jones, who
is connected with some mining operations along the Northern Pacific
Railway.
I wrote also to Mr. F. H. Whitworth, of Seattle, calling his attention
to the above statements, and asking what was the truth of the matter. I
received his reply just in time to insert in this Report. I copy below
all that he says on the subject, which puts a different face on the
matter.
[Sidenote: Correction by Mr. Whitworth.]
"No, I do not think there is any of any consequence of iron pyrite
in the Newcastle mines. Nor do I consider that the fires in the
mine originated in the decomposition of the pyrites. The fire in
the mine originally started in the 'gob,' close to the furnace used
for ventilation, and where the ashes of the furnace were thrown.
Therefore, I have always believed that the fire was not spontaneous
in its origin. The fire originated in the upper water level 'lift.'
But it was led down into the second and third 'lifts' by carelessly
breaking through the chain pillar, and thus letting the fire down.
Several years before the fire started in the mine, and about
three-quarters of a mile, or a mile, west of the point where it
started, by careless mining and drawing of pillars, there was a
'squeeze,' and the mine heated; the result, I think, of the crush;
but the mine did not fire. While you were out here the mines were in
danger of firing, and when the cause was not the proximity of the
present fire--but that, too, I think, was brought on by reckless
mining. Running their 'breasts' 75 feet wide and more, and leaving
only skeleton pillars, a 'squeeze,' of course, resulted, and the
crushing produced the heat, and it did finally fire. The crushing
being so great that the top work came down to within five or six
inches of the bottom, you see easily producing crushing sufficient
to cause fire.
"But the coal does fire outside spontaneously, or rather the slack
does, when it is piled in considerable quantities, and after a year
or more of exposure. The combustion in the slack piles usually
commences in the firing of the shaley cap rock, which is thrown in
with the slack as the rock disintegrates, or as that process goes on
with the 'nigger-heads' thrown into the slack pile. And yet I feel
satisfied that the slack piles fire when there appears to be almost
none of the rock or 'nigger-head' in it. Two conditions, I think,
are required: first, that the slack particles be small, and second,
that large quantities of water be present. And I have supposed the
heat and firing was caused by changing of the conditions; small
particles of slack by disintegration to much smaller particles.
"And yet it may be possible that there may be sulphur in the form of
pyrite present in sufficient quantity to do its work. Very
semi-occasionally, very seldom, I have seen in the sulphur streaks
some slight indications of pyrite; but generally the sulphur
streaks, or balls, seem to be composed almost entirely of sand, with
very little sulphur, and some coaly matter.
"The coal never has fired on shipboard.
"I remember that, several years, ago Mr. Howard, of the O. I. Co.,
had collected and stored in his yard in San Francisco, Cal., in one
pile, several thousand tons of Newcastle coal, and was carrying it
for some time in stock, and that he complained that his coal was
heating, and feared fire. Since then they [have not] stowed in such
large piles, nor carried stock so long.
"No, sir; the sulphur that we rooted [out] at Gilman was not in form
of pyrite, nor have I seen any so far. I do not fear spontaneous
combustion, because in the Newcastle, when it has occurred, it has
resulted from carelessness."
This statement from Mr. Whitworth is certainly satisfactory on the main
point, namely, that there is nothing in this suggestion which need
diminish the reputation of the Newcastle coal as a stocking and shipping
coal.
In 1884, Mr. Jones (the same man) made a special report to Governor
Squire on the coals of Washington Territory, in which he describes the
Newcastle coal, speaking of it most highly, and saying nothing of
spontaneous combustion. He uses the following language concerning the
Newcastle coal: "The coal is taken from three beds, and is commercially
known as the 'Seattle lignite,' having a bright lustre and good
fracture. It is a good and choice fuel for steam generating and for
domestic use. The condition of the coal adds much to its value."
[Sidenote: Gilman Mines.]
_d. The Squak Creek, Raging River, and Snoqualmie Group._--These are not
all in the same hydrographic basin, but they are considered together
because they are the coals which will be reached by the Seattle, Lake
Shore and Eastern Railroad. A great outcrop of coal seams occurs in the
valley of Squak Creek in the mountain spur which lies between Squak and
the Newcastle mines. These seams are now being opened by the Seattle
Coal and Iron Company, and are known as "The Gilman Mines."
[Sidenote: Structure of Squak Mountain.]
The geological structure of the Squak Mountain and its coal seams is
peculiar. With all their local irregularities, the general trend of the
coal-bearing rocks in Washington Territory is north and south; so
determined by the line of the Cascade Mountains, which is the main axis
of elevation, with numerous subordinate and parallel axes. But on Squak
Mountain we find the whole group of rocks and coal seams whirled at
right angles to the general line. In other words, their general
direction is east and west, instead of north and south, and the rocks
lie in regular order against their central axis, dipping northward at a
high angle, and showing no fault, so far as I know, except, possibly, a
vertical fracture somewhere in the mountain, as suggested by a change of
38° in the strike at a point about one mile west of the outcrop on
Squak. If the fracture exists, it does not follow that there is any
serious dislocation. These coal seams are thus carried almost squarely
across the spur from Squak Creek to Coal Creek, or from the Gilman Mines
to the Newcastle Mines.
The simple explanation is, that, in the upheaval of the country, the
Squak Mountain was made by a cross axis of elevation which runs east and
west, or at right angles with the Cascade Mountains. Its metamorphic
core shows itself along the crest of the mountain.
[Sidenote: Peculiar advantages for mining possessed by the Gilman
Mines.]
The part of the mountain which holds the coal seams is a high spur which
puts off at right angles northward from the crest or backbone, and
continues to Lake Washington, a distance of five miles. At the point
where the spur leaves the backbone, it may be 1,000 or 1,200 feet high,
and it declines gradually to the lake, and then makes a bluff
shore-line. On the east side of the spur on Squak Creek it is steep,
whilst on the west side, next Newcastle, it drops off more gradually.
This difference of grade occasions a great difference in the economy of
mining on the two sides. On the east, or Squak Creek side, the ends of
the seams are boldly presented, showing in diagonal parallel lines
extending from the top of the spur to the creek level, an average
exposure of, say, 900 feet in elevation. Here the entries are being
driven in horizontally near the water level, and the future progress of
the mining will be inward and upward instead of downward and sidewise,
as at Newcastle. The entries will all be on the horizontal line crossing
the seams. The extreme distance, 1,300 feet. The length of the seams on
the company's land is about two miles. Depth below water level,
indefinite.
No shipments have yet been made from Squak Creek, Raging River, or
Snoqualmie Mountain, but active developing work has been in progress
since September last at the Gilman Mines (forty miles from Seattle), and
shipping will begin shortly. A switch of only 600 yards in length is
required from the main line of railway to reach the outcrop of the coal,
and there is every natural advantage for mining.
[Sidenote: Seattle Coal and Iron Company.]
[Sidenote: Seven seams.]
[Sidenote: Details.]
The Seattle Coal and Iron Company own this property, which consists of
1,300 acres underlaid by seven coal seams, five of which will be mined
ultimately, three in the beginning. I was able to examine three seams
which will be mined at first, and give the following details.
Top Seam, No. 4, descending:
Roof, rich Bituminous Black Slate,
containing streaks of-- FT. INS.
Coal 2 3
Bone 0 1-1/2
Coal 0 7
Slate, variable 0 0-1/2
Coal 0 11
Clay 0 0-1/2
Coal 2 0
Clay, variable 0 1-3/4
Coal 1 1
Clay, mining 0 3
Coal 1 1
----------
Total, good 6 ft. 3-1/4 ins.
[Sidenote: Good coal.]
This is a good seam of coal, five feet six inches of which can be
depended on for shipping. The coal is dull-black in color, and easily
mined. The bottom is soft sandstone. Overlying the roof-slate, is
sandstone. The seam here is said to be one foot thicker than it is at
Newcastle.
[Sidenote: Another good coal seam.]
Seam No. 2 has been uncovered by the diggings on the railroad, and
happens to be at an
[Illustration: COAL-BUNKERS OF THE SEATTLE, LAKE SHORE AND EASTERN
RAILWAY, ON SEATTLE HARBOR.]
unfortunate place for showing the coal. A stump, partly silicified, with
part of its bark lignified, had been taken out of the coal bed, and on
each side of it was a tapering band of "Nigger-head," tapering from
eight inches at the stump to nothing at the distance of five feet six
inches from the stump. Selecting an average place, I got the following
section, descending:
Good roof of Argilaceous Sandstone. FT. INS.
Bone 0 1
Coal 0 6
Nigger-head, local 0 5
Coal 1 10
Coal, sulphurous 0 3
Coal 1 3
Bone 0 0-1/2
Coal 2 0
Black slate floor. ----------
Total 6 ft. 4-1/2 ins.
Judging from this outcrop, which I suspect does not do full justice to
the bed, at least six feet of merchantable lignitic coal may be depended
on from this seam.
[Sidenote: And another.]
Andrew's bed could only be seen at a point 200 feet above the railroad.
It is nearest to the metamorphic axis of the mountain, and hence is the
bottom seam in the group. It is said to be wanting at Newcastle. The
coal is in two benches, descending: