LEWISTOWN    COAL   FIELD,   MONTANA.  121 
Analyses  of  coal  samples  from  Lewistown  field,  Montana — Continued. 
Coal  district. 
McDonald  Creek. 
Laboratory  No. 
Sample  as  received: 
I  Moisture 
Volatile  matter 
Fixed  carbon 
/Ash 
OSulphur 
.   Hydrogen 
~<  Carbon 
P  Nitrogen 
[Oxygen 
Calories 
British  thermal  units. 
Loss  of  moisture  on  air  drying. 
Air-dried  sample: 
.  [Moisture 
g  J  Volatile  matter 
»i  1  Fixed  carbon 
^l/Ash 
1\Sulphur 
Hydrogen 
Carbon 
Nitrogen 
Oxygen 
Calories 
British  thermal  units 
5295 
12.66 
29.62 
48.81 
8.91 
3.68 
6,061 
10,910 
6.00 
7.09 
31.51 
51.92 
9.48 
3.91 
6,447 
11,606 
5293 
12.31 
28.41 
51.31 
7.97 
3.88 
6,194 
11,149 
6.40 
6.  31 
30.  35 
54.82 
8.52 
4.15 
6,617 
11,911 
5291 
12.59 
26.71 
43.46 
17.24 
3.51 
4.84 
54.83 
.76 
18.82 
5,220 
9,396 
5.30 
7.70 
28.20 
45.89 
18.21 
3.70 
4.49 
57.90 
.80 
14.90 
5,512 
9,922 
5343 
9.84 
28.70 
42.14 
19.32 
4.63 
5,283 
9,509 
3.50 
6.57 
29.74 
43.67 
20.02 
4.80 
5,475 
9,854 
8.34 
29.87 
53.63 
8.16 
4.13 
5.10 
66.23 
.76 
15.62 
6,540 
11,772 
3.70 
4.82 
31.02 
55.  69 
8.47 
4.29 
4.87 
68.78 
.79 
12.80 
6,791 
12,224 
5473 
15.65 
27.05 
49.67 
7.63 
1.82 
5.13 
56.70 
.70 
28.02 
5,303 
9,545 
9.70 
6.59 
29.95 
55.01 
8.45 
2.02 
4.48 
62.79 
.78 
21.48 
5,873 
10,570 
5475 
7.39 
26.31 
55.46 
10.84 
2.58 
6,035 
10,863 
2.  so 
4.72 
27.07 
57.06 
11.15 
2.65 
6,209 
11,176 
5476 
7.98 
26.63 
56.05 
9.34 
4.39 
4.86 
64.  85 
.76 
15.80 
6,394 
11,509 
4.74 
27.57 
58.02 
9.67 
4.54 
4.64 
67.13 
.79 
13.23 
6,619 
11,914 
Comparison  of  the  foregoing  analyses  shows  that  there  is  a  consid- 
erable variation  in  the  samples,  especially  in  moisture  and  ash  content, 
the  range  of  the  former  being  from  2.84  to  18.88  per  cent,  and  of  the 
latter  from  7.31  to  21.85  per  cent.  Sulphur  is  relatively  high,  the 
average  being  4.25  per  cent. 
CONDITIONS    OF   MINING  AND   TRANSPORTATION. 
The  Spring  Creek  mine  is  the  only  one  in  the  Lewistown  field  which 
has  direct  railroad  connections,  a  spur  having  been  extended  from 
Lewistown  up  Big  Spring  Creek  to  the  workings.  The  coal  from 
other  mines  in  the  field  is  hauled  by  wagon,  the  greatest  distance 
probably  being  from  the  McDonald  Creek  mines  to  Lewistown,  about 
12  miles.  Not  more  than  one  or  two  men  are  employed  in  any  of  the 
mines  except  in  that  on  Big  Spring  Creek,  where  about  40  are 
engaged,  and  this  mine  is  the  only  one  to  use  power.  A  steam  and 
air-compressor  plant  are  operated  to  pump  water  from  the  workings, 
and  air  drills  are  used  in  the  entries.  Only  one  other  mine,  the  Brew 
&  Parson,  needs  more  than  natural  drainage,  and  in  that  mine  <\\cess 
water  is  removed  by  siphon.  There  is  no  trouble  with  gas  in  the 
field  and  no  fans  are  in  operation. 
Practically  all  the  mines  in  the  district  are  opened  directly  od  the 
dip,  which  is  nowhere  excessive,  and  cars  are  hauled  from  the  entries 
by  mule  or  more  commonly  pushed  by  hand.  The  abandoned  New 
Year  mine  and  the  Nevin  mine,  in  Warm  Spring  Creek  basin,  are 
opened  on  the  strike,  the  coal  bed  dipping  at  a  rather  high  angle. 
