THE GREEN EIVER COAL BASIN. 469 



and a short distance still further up the ravine are two mines which occupy 

 opposite sides of the creek. That on the left is the Chrisman ; that on the 

 right is the Johnson. The two right-hand claims, belonging to Robertson 

 and Johnson, have but a small area of coal. The ravine marking their 

 northwest limits, and a sharp eroded bluff 500 or 600 feet to the southeast, 

 limit them in that direction. The Chrisman claim occupies an entire section 

 and is of very great value, since its downward continuance is of indefinite 

 extent. The lower opening of their claim is a tunnel going in upon the 

 strike of the vein about 150 yards, communicating with an air-shaft and 

 securing ventilation from above. 



The vein, as developed by this tunnel, has an average width of 13 feet, 

 and the coal appears to be of a denser, more coherent variety than, the mines 

 nearer Coalville. The same company has attacked the vein about a hundred 

 yards up the ravine by sinking an incline on the dip of the bed about 300 

 feet. The vein, as exposed here, does not differ in any important respect 

 from the other openings. From the position and character of the bed and 

 its relation to the strike, it seems absolutely certain that this vein is the same 

 one which is found in the Allen and Sprague's. It shows a remarkable con- 

 formity in dip and strike, an almost unvarying thickness, and a great persist- 

 ence in all the characteristics of the coal. 



The method and scale of opening of this little group of mines is hardly 

 worthy the name of engineering ; it is more properly a rough system of 

 prospecting by which simply the existence and mode of occurrence of the 

 beds has been demonstrated. It is utterly inadequate to all large yield and 

 radically faulty in method. That the deposit is comparatively uniform, widely 

 extended, and of very great value, there is no doubt, and careful modes of 

 engineering will make this locality one of the most important and productive 

 near the line of the Pacific railroad. The Mormon people have already con- 

 nected Coalville with Echo City by railroad, and might, in a very short time, 

 compete favorably with any other district in supplying the railroad system 

 west of this point. 



In Grass Creek Canon, the next valley north of Chalk Creek, there are 

 some half-developed coal claims, prominent among which is the "Church 

 mine ;" not enough work, however, is yet done to demonstrate their value. 



