[Sidenote: Mr. Whitworth's testimony.]
"At Cedar River the coal is all hoisted from a slope, and the
gangways run at right angles to the slope, and the 'brests' at right
angles to the gangways, or parallel to the slope, or nearly so. The
angle of the pitch is about 18°. And the cars are run up to the
'brests' to the working face of the coal, and coal shoveled into the
cars. A movable windlass or drum allows the loaded car to haul the
empty one up to face of coal.
"At Black Diamond the coal is all hoisted from a slope; gangways at
right angles to slope, and 'brests' at right angles to gangways, and
parallel to slope. This pitch is a little steeper, about 20° or 22°,
but not sufficiently steep for the coal to run. Therefore it has to
be shoveled down the slope of the 'brest,' or the 'brest' floor
temporarily ironed; and is loaded into car from 'brest' chute.
"Franklyn has both systems, hoisting up a slope, and working on a
water-level gangway. They have two slopes, one outside and one
inside. This pitch is 45° and more. Gangways run on the strike of
veins, and 'brests' up the pitch. Coal runs freely on the floor of
'brests.'
"What it costs now to mine at Newcastle I do not know. The cost of
coal above the water-level gangway put into the railroad cars varies
from 85 cents (one month only) to $1.50 per ton; $1.10 about the
average. For the first six months I do not think we (at Gilman) can
calculate less than $1.25 per ton.
"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.
The minimum of cost is reached when the seams are of good thickness and
comparatively free from slate, and can be entered on the end by a level
entry above water and be mined upward; to which may be added natural
pitch enough in the seams for the coal to be self-loading; that is, to
run by gravity from the upper gangways to the cars on the main entry.
And to these conditions may be added a number of different parallel
seams close together with their bluff ends all coming up to a line in
the most convenient way for entry and delivery. It is rarely the case
that such an assemblage of favorable conditions can be found, and where
they exist the successful future of the property is absolutely assured.
[Sidenote: Cost at Gilman Mines.]
In my opinion, the Gilman coal seams combine all the advantages above
mentioned, and if allowed ordinary rates of transportation, can always
be mined at a profit. As long as the Newcastle seams could be worked
above water-level the average cost per ton was $1.10, but they never had
the same advantages there as at Gilman, and most of their mining has
been downward. $1.00 per ton is certainly high enough for Gilman after
the entries are driven in sufficiently for large operations. If Mr.
Whitworth succeeds in putting out the coal at $1.25 for the first six
months, as he thinks he can, there need be no fear as to the future.
[Sidenote: Prices of coal.]
The selling price of coal on Puget Sound has ranged from $3.00 to $5.00
a long ton in former years, averaging $4.00--the price being the same
for the product of all the different mines. Mr. Whitworth reports the
price this winter at $6.50 a ton for all (including Newcastle), except
Cedar River, which is $5.00. The distances from Puget Sound to Portland
and to San Francisco, the principal markets, are: to San Francisco,
between 800 and 900 miles by water; to Portland, 450 by water, and 150
by rail. There is now rail connection all the way to San Francisco. The
average cost of sending coal to San Francisco, either from Puget Sound
or Vancouver's Island, is $2.00. The usual price in San Francisco and
Portland has been from $4.25 to $6.00 for coarse, and from $2.75 to
$3.75 for small. On the 1st of February, 1888, the cargo price in San
Francisco was--for Coos Bay coal, $9.50; Seattle coal, $10; South
Prairie, $10; Nanaimo (domestic), $10; Nanaimo (steam), $12; Lehigh,
$18; Cumberland, $12.
These figures make it evident that a good margin of profit may be
calculated on from the Gilman coal. Mr. Whitworth will not be able to
get his bunkers up until he has his road in operation to the mines; but,
with temporary chutes, he can load 100 tons a day from the time the road
opens, say March 15th. In six weeks after beginning he expects to
increase to 300 tons a day, and one month later he can make the output
600 tons a day. As the headings are driven in the product can be
increased to almost any desired amount.
The Washington Mines, on Squak Creek, I did not see; and concerning the
Raging River Mines I have no settled convictions. As to the coking coal
on Snoqualmie Mountain, we may expect important developments.
Undoubtedly the new road will promptly enter upon a large and increasing
coal business.