186 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF THE TERRITORIES. 



Per cent. 



Carbon 47.04 



Ash, yellowish, brown 4.56 



100. 00 



It contains 1.38 per cent, of sulphur, which is equal to 2.59 per cent, of pyrites. 



A determination of the caloric power of this coal showed a reduction 22.20 parts of 

 lead from the oxide, by one part of coal, while pure carbon reduces 34 parts of lead. 



2. Coal from Point of Rocks Station, North Pacific Railroad, Wyoming Territory, 

 gave: 



Per cent. 



Moisture 8. 54 



Volatile matter 30.60 



Carbon 52.34 



Ash, white 8.52 



100. 00 



It contains a very minute quantity of sulphur, only 0.04 per cent., which is equal to 

 0.075 per cent, pyrites. One part of this coal is capable of reducing 21.80 parts of lead 

 from the oxide. 



The following notes present the results of actual experiments on our 

 different western coals, by Mr. Samuel Purnell, superintendent of the 

 Omaha Gas Works. It will be seen at a glance that their practical 

 character renders them worthy of attention. It is my wish to include 

 in these reports all the information possible that will be likely to prove 

 of practical interest to the West : 



The results of the working of one ton of lignite, or Rocky Mountain coal, from 

 Evanston, Utah, in the Omaha Gas Works, are as follows : 



Weight of coal used, 2,000 pounds ; gas made, 7,400 cubic feet ; time of charges 3£ 

 hours; tested in clay retorts, at bright orange heat, (21 90°;) candle power of the gas 

 at the works, 7 to 8 ; but will not carry its carbon in the street mains, burning blue in 

 the town ; water produced from the coal, 20 gallons ; tar produced, 1 gallon. 



The gas possessed a most offensive sulphurous odor, which neither lime nor oxide of 

 iron purification would remove, and which was neutral to test papers. The residue in 

 the retorts, as coke, consisted of 12 bushels of earthy breeze, in small cubes, which, 

 when put in the furnace fires, smothered them. The coke is worthless for heating pur- 

 poses. The coal is worthless for gas purposes. 



Coal from Rock Springs, Wyoming, was also tested, and it is precisely similar. 



I have carefully analyzed a sample of coal taken from a bed seven inches thick, nine 

 miles below Omaha, on the Omaha and Great Western Railroad. 



Per cent. 



Volatile matter 42. 62 



Coke 54.88 



Ash 11.00 



Sulphur 00.50 



100. 00 



The coal is black, bituminous, and contains in small quantity sulphide of lime, sul- 

 phide of iron, and oxide of iron. The coke is good, of moderate firmness, and of bright 

 luster. By the sujoined table of comparative analyses, the coal is found to be almost 

 identical with the Missouri and Iowa coals. 



Coal. Volatile matter. Coke. Ash 



Omaha 42.87 46.13 11.00 



Des Moines, Iowa 44.00 47.50 8.50 



Ottumwa,Iowa 44.50 44.57 10.93 



Frederick, Iowa 47.67 42.33 10.00 



Osage River, Missouri 43.50 51.16 5.34 



Rock River, Illinois 44.50 45.50 10.00 



Clarksburg, West Virginia 41.66 56.74 1.60 



