214 COAL FIELDS OF THE COLORADO RIVER. 



easily be worked far back along the dip. Assuming the average thickness of 

 the coal to be 12 inches (decidedly an underestimate), in order to allow for 

 places where coal may be locally absent or for some cause unworkable, and 

 taking the linear extent of the belt to be 40 miles, and an average width of 

 two miles, there would be over 90,000,000 tons of coal — enough to supply 

 Texas for many years. 



As to the good quality of the coal there can be no doubt, nor can there be 

 any doubt as to the possibility of working it. Generally there is a solid roof, 

 and beneath the coal is almost invariably an easily worked bed of fire clay, 

 which can be removed at slight cost, which may in time be more than repaid 

 by utilization in brick manufacture. The gentle dip is also favorable to ex- 

 tensive coal mining, and there is practically no danger of faults. The country 

 has been but slightly disturbed since the coal was formed. One chief trouble 

 which has previously prevented any development of this coal has been the 

 absence of a market. The Finks mine, at Waldrip, is nearly 25 miles from 

 the railway, and is separated from it by the Colorado River, which, with 

 other bad places in the road, effectually prevents the profitable marketing of 

 coal at the railway. This mine, after taking out one hundred tons, or there- 

 abouts, suspended operations, not from lack of coal but absence of market. 

 The only other place where coal has been mined in the Waldrip beds is at 

 the Silver Moon mine, just opened. One or two tons are taken out per day, 

 and hauled either to Santa Anna or Coleman, each of which is more than 

 ten miles distant. There is undoubtedly coal nearer the railroad than this, 

 but it has never been developed. 



The question of quality is a serious one to be considered. For domestic 

 purposes and for use on the railroad this coal is undoubtedly well suited ; but 

 in order to develop an immense deposit of coal some other market must be 

 found. 



At present there are no manufactories which could be relied upon to use 

 any quantity of coal, and we all naturally look to the possible future of this 

 coal in connection with the development of the valuable iron deposits of Llano 

 and adjacent counties. Of the value of much of this coal in iron working I 

 have grave doubts. The question of the quantity of sulphur contained must 

 be carefully considered. Most of the analyses show good coking qualities, 

 not a large percentage of ash, but considerable sulphur. (See analyses). The 

 coal of the Silver Moon mine, which I have visited, can not be used in iron 

 smelting unless its quality greatly improves. Sulphur in the form of iron 

 pyrites is abundant in such quantities as to be plainly noticeable on all the 

 pieces. A careful search in the coal cars at Santa Anna, and again on the 

 dumps of the mine, failed to find any good sized pieces of coal without streaks 

 of iron pyrites. When burned a strong sulphurous odor is emitted. It is 



