INTRODUCTION.  9 
Wyoming. — In  Wyoming  seven  parties  were  engaged  in  studying 
and  mapping  the  coal  fields,  which,  if  area  and  tonnage  are  con- 
sidered, are  probably  more  extensive  than  the  fields  of  any  other 
State.     The  fields  examined  by  the  various  parties  are  as  follows: 
1.  A  party  under  the  direction  of  Elmer  G.  Woodruff  made  an 
examination  of  the  southwest  side  of  the  Bighorn  Basin  from  the  Mon- 
tana line  through  Cody  and  Meeteetse  nearly  to  Thermopolis,  on  Big- 
horn River,  as  shown  by  area  No.  11  on  PL  I.  For  a  long  time  these 
fields  have  been  practically  inaccessible  on  account  of  lack  of  railroad 
facilities,  but  recently  a  branch  of  the  Chicago,  Burlington  and  Quincy 
Railway  has  been  built  up  Bighorn  River  to  the  south  end  of  the  basin, 
and  the  country  is  being  rapidly  developed. 
2.  Chester  W.  Washburne  with  a  party  of  geologists  made  an 
examination  of  the  northeast  side  of  the  Bighorn  Basin,  from  the 
Montana  line  to  a  point  south  of  Basin,  as  shown  by  area  No.  10 
on  PL  I.  The  coal  on  this  side  of  the  basin  is  not  so  promising  as  that 
described  by  Mr.  Woodruff,  but  there  are  a  few  fields  where  coal  min- 
ing doubtless  will  be  carried  on,  at  least  to  supply  the  local  demand. 
3.  A  party  under  the  direction  of  Joseph  A.  Taff  studied  and 
mapped  a  coal  field,  in  the  vicinity  of  Sheridan.  This  field  includes 
the  mines  at  Dietz,  Carneyville,  and  Monarch,  and  probably  equally 
productive  territory  to  the  north  and  east.  The  area  mapped  by  Mr. 
Taff  is  represented  by  No.  8  on  PL  I.  This  field  is  part  of  the  great 
Fort  Union  coal  region,  which  includes  a  large  part  of  northeastern 
Wyoming,  eastern  Montana,  and  western  North  Dakota. 
4.  A  party  under  the  leadership  of  E.  Wesley  Shaw  examined  and 
mapped  the  extreme  south  end  of  the  Fort  Union  coal  region  near 
Douglas,  on  North  Platte  River.  This  is  known  as  the  Glenrock  coal 
field,  and  is  represented  by  area  No.  9  on  PL  I.  Mr.  Shaw's  report 
seems  to  show  that  the  coal  beds  of  the  southern  point  of  the  Fort 
Union  region  are  of  little  value  away  from  the  present  centers  of 
production  at  Glenrock  and  Big  Muddy. 
5.  A  party  under  the  direction  of  Max  W.  Ball  made  an  examination 
of  the  Little  Snake  River  coal  field,  which  lies  south  of  the  Union 
Pacific  Railroad  and  west  of  the  Encampment  mining  region,  and 
which  is  represented  by  area  No.  13  on  PL  I.  The  examination  of 
this  field  was  incomplete,  Mr.  Ball  not  having  time  to  extend  his  work 
to  the  eastern  margin  of  the  coal  field,  nor  to  the  Yampa  coal  field  on 
the  south,  surveyed  by  Messrs.  Fenneman  and  Gale  in  1905. 
6.  A  party  under  E.  E.  Smith  examined  the  northern  part  of  tin* 
great  coal  region  along  the  Union  Pacific  Railroad,  from  the  railroad 
northward  to  the  mountain  rim  which  marks  the  limit  of  the  field. 
This  field  occupies  almost  the  entire  area  of  the  Great  Divide  Basin, 
which,  although  situated  on  the  Continental  Divide,  has  no  outward 
drainage.     The  field  is  represented  by  area  No.  12  on  PL  I. 
