martin.] COAL IN CONTROLLER BAY REGION. 31 
Owing to the general northerly dip throughout the coal field, the 
northern portion of it, as at present recognized, is underlain by a far 
greater number of seams than the southern. But the northward 
extent of the field, the nature of its structure, and the manner of its 
termination remain unknown. 
The features to be considered by the mining engineer embrace 
faults and their attendant problems, steep dips, the proportion of 
the seams above water level, accessibility, and the physical properties 
of the coal as affecting its shipment and market value, a tendency to 
crush being especially noticeable. 
The lands within the region noted above as known to be coal bear- 
ing have for the most part, if not entirely, been located, and it is 
understood that some of the holders are about to secure patents. It 
seems probable that there are unlocated coal lands in the unexplored 
area to the east and northeast. 
The work which has been done in the development of this field is 
entirely pioneer development work. Land surveys have been made 
of most of the larger holdings. Several railway routes have been 
surveyed. Many miles of good trails have been built, and a large 
number of cabins erected. A large number of prospect openings 
have been made and several more extensive tunnels dug. There is a 
tramroad and a gravity plane from Shepherd Creek to a tunnel 
on the hillside to the westward. A small amount of coal is being 
mined for local use in stoves and as blacksmith coal at some of the 
neighboring oil wells. 
More extensive mining will be delayed until shipping facilities are 
provided at Controller Bay or elsewdiere, and a railroad is built from 
the harbor to the mines. 
Character of the coal. — The physical properties of the coal are very 
much alike in all the seams and in all parts of the field visited by the 
writer. The coal resembles the harder bituminous coals of the East 
more than it does anthracite. It is doubtful, too, if much of the coal 
could be sized so as to compete with anthracite coal for domestic use ; 
and again, under ordinary handling it will probably crush to almost 
the same extent as the harder grades of semibituminous coal, which 
will not, of course, impair its value for steam purposes, but will 
necessitate careful handling if it is to at all compete with Pennsyl- 
vania or Welsh anthracite as a domestic fuel. 
The following table includes all the analyses and calorimetric 
tests which have been made of the Bering River coal. The first 
nine samples were collected by the author and represent the composi- 
tion of the entire seam; that is, coal was cut evenly from the seam, 
from roof to floor. 
