PORTLAND  CEMENT   MATERIALS    IN  EASTERN 
WYOMING. 
By  Sydney    II.  Bali 
INTRODUCTION. 
In  1900  the  writer  examined  shale  and  limestone  beds  in  the  vicinity 
of  Newcastle  and  Cheyenne,  Wyo.,  in  order  to  ascertain  the  possibility 
of  establishing  a  Portland  cemenl  plant  in  eastern  Wyoming.  At 
presenl  there  is  no  Portland  cement  plant  in  Wyoming  (see  fig.  8),  the 
cement  used  in  the  State  being  shipped  either  from  the  Middle  West 
or  from  Colorado,  Utah,  or  South  Dakota.  The  demand  for  Port- 
land cement  in  the  Western  States  is  growing  enormously.  The  Gov- 
ernment is  using  large  amounts  of  cemenl  on  its  reclamation  project! 
in  Wyoming  and  adjoining  States,  and  the  mines  in  Montana  and  in 
the  Black  1  [ills  of  Soul  h  1  )akota  use  large  (plant  ities  in  installing  theij 
plants.  Further,  the  railroads  musl  soon  use  cement  or  masonry  for 
culverts  and  bridges  or  cease  to  use  as  fuel  western  coal  of  poorer 
grades,  which  being  lighl  blows  oul  of  the  smokestacks  and  startB 
fires  thai  burn  wooden  bridges.  The  consumpl ion  of  Portland  cement 
in  the  towns  in  Wyoming  is  increasing  at  a  rapid  rate  and  with  the 
introduction  of  cheaper  cement  the  demand  would  increase.  The 
conditions  would  seem  to  justify  the  establishment  of  a  Portland 
cement   plant   within  the  Slate. 
In  connection  with  the  preparation  of  this  paper,  Mr.  E.  C.  Eckel, 
of  the  United  States  ( Jeological  Survey,  has  given  the  writer  the  benefit 
of  his  experience,  and  Prof.  J.  A.  Holmes  has  furnished  analyses  made 
in  the  structural  materials  laboratory  of  the  United  States  Geological 
Survey  at  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  the  analysts  being  A.  J.  Phillips  and  P.  II. 
Bates. 
NEWCASTLE. 
SITUATION. 
Newcastle  is  situated  in  Weston.  County.  Wyo.,  near  the  South 
Dakota  line,  on  the  southwestern  slope  of  the  Black  Hills.  Jt  is  on 
the  main  line  of  the  Burlington  and  Missouri  Valley  Railroad,  a  spur 
of  which  runs  from  the  town  to  large  coal  mines  at  Cambria.  The 
country  naturally  tributary  to  a  Portland  cemenl  plant  at  Newcastle 
232 
