BARTON COUNTY REPORT.

LAMAR, Mo., Dec. 26, 1885.

Zo the HON. O. KOCHTITZKY, Commissioner of Labor Statistics and Inspection, Jefferson City, Mo.:

DEAR SIR: I hereby inclose you my report as mine inspector of Barton county, Mo., hoping you will excuse me for being so late in getting it in, as I have been waiting for reports of those operating coal mines in the western part of the county.

I have requested them to furnish me with the full amount of coal up to date, but they have failed to give report as required.

I have written to Kansas City to parties there. They have failed also to make any returns.

I have endeavored to obtain all the information I could, and in order to do this I took with me G. E. Root, coal expert and prospector, as my assistant. Mr. Root has had five years experience as prospector in this field, and the information he has furnished is worthy of consid eration.

In my next report, however, I shall be able to give you a far more extensive one, as there are several coal banks that I did not deem worthy of reporting at this time that will appear in my next.

I have requested all parties operating mines in this county to furnish me with the actual amounts of coal taken out, so as to show full amount in my next report.

Yours, very respectfully,

F. M. BARRETT,

Inspector of Barton Co., Mo.

GENERAL STRATA.

Minden, the center of the Barton county coal field, is situated on the divide between the Missouri and Arkansas rivers. It is the highest point in the field. There are three coal veins to be reported from this district, but only one is being worked; therefore I will confine myself to that strata in my report. I give description of the other coal seams at the end of my report.

This coal is found in the lower or productive measures, and is known as the Cherokee coal. I ranges in thickness from twenty-nine to forty-three inches. Its sou hera outcrop is on Sec. 31, T. 31, R. 33. It dips from the crop to a depth of seventy feet below the surface. The

deepest point is on Sec. 31, T. 32, R. 33, on the Kansas State line. There are 7,000 acres of continuous, workable coal in this field, averaging thirty-three inches in thickness. The coal is of ordinary good quality and when taken from a depth where the disintegrating forces have not acted upon it, it is very compact and lustrous, and when mined from the clay a very small per cent. is wasted.

The coal lying north of the Minden field belongs to the same deposit, but crops high up in the hills. From the dip of the coal-bearing strata to the northwest would indicate that this coal lies at least 100 feet below the coal being mined on the Maries des Cygne at Rich Hill. The northern crop of the coal in this part of the field is on Sec. 7, T. 32, R. 33. To the north and southeast of this point the Cherokee coal is wanting, it being a low point. Its first appearance on the north is on Sec. 30, T. 33, R. 33. At this place it does not crop but cuts out within twelve feet of the surface, with a heavy dip to the northwest. On section 20, the same township and range, the coal rises and gets thin, five inches being the thickness at this point.

The land to the east of section 30 is owned by Hon. C. H. Morgan, situated on Sec. 29, T. 33, R. 33. This coal is about twenty-eight inches in thickness and covers about one-half of the section and comes to light on the east. There are about 2,000 acres in this part of the field.

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Going east from this point we again get coal on Sec. 3, T. 32, R. 33, at the bank of E. Gilkey. This is the western out crop of the Mound coal. It follows this range of hills to sections 2, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 23 and 24, all in township 32, range 33. Its eastern crop is on the land of Capt. R. J. Tucker, in the west half of sections 19, townships 32 and 33.

North of Liberal the coal again appears in the mounds. At Barton City the coal is thirty inches in thickness and of a very superior quality. This is the southern crop of the coal in Long Mound. This is located in sections 28, 29, townships 32 and 33.

In going west from this point, in section 16 of the same township and range, the coal comes to light and crops out high up in the hills, and is twenty-four inches in thickness. This point is known as Round Mound. The extent of this coal, as nearly as can be ascertained, is 1,000 acres. This is the northern crop of the Mound coal, or as far as it has been developed by the prospect drill. At this point I will close on this strata.

Overlying the Cherokee coal we find a small seam of coal, known in the field as the Williams' coal seam. This seam locally attains the thickness of from six to ten inches and is mined extensively for local purposes. This coal covers part of four sections. Its eastern crop is on Sec. 29, T. 32, R. 33.

The coal seam lying below the Cherokee strata (known as No. 17 of general section) is fifty feet below the coal mentioned above. This attains a thickness of sixteen inches of ordinary quality. This coal is being worked at Nashville in township 31, range 32.

With these few notes I will close my present report, hoping to have more extensive ones in my next.

Yours most respectully,

F. M. BARRETT,

Inspector Barton county, Mo.

APPENDIX.

THE W. M. SHARP SHAFT, BARTON COUNTY, MISSOURI.

This shaft is located on the N. E. qr., Sec. 7, T. 31, R. 33; opened August 1, 1882; thickness of vein from thirty-two to forty inches. The roof is composed of blue clay shale with two feet of hard shale immeately above the coal. There is one air shaft; at the time of inspec tion there was no stack, and the air shaft was the downcast and the main shaft the upcast. Orders were given to put up the stack at once. As soon as this is done the air will be all that is required. The main shaft is twenty-seven feet deep; the coal is hoisted by a gin power. Six miners is the greatest number that were employed in these works at one time. These works are operated at the present time by Mr. Sharp and his four sons. The output of this mine since opening has been 40,000 bushels, as near as can be ascertained.

MINDEN SHAFT.

This shaft is located on the S. E. qr. Sec. 6, T 31, R. 33 ; was opened September, 1883, by Capt. R. J. Tucker, and operated by Frank Orr for the space of five months. There were 15,000 bushels of coal taken from this mine during that time. The shaft is forty feet deep, hoisted by gin; the vein is three feet thick; roof good; mine is not being operated at the present time. During the time of operation of this mine one accident occurred by an explosion of powder through carelessness of the miners. There were five men slightly burned; no one was crippled and but one disfigured. This accident occurred March 4, 1884. No blame was attached to the operator of the mine for the same.

C. S. VAN PELT STRIP BANK.

This bank was pre

This is surface mining, situated on the N. W, qr. Sec. 28, T. 32, R. 33; operated by R. T. Day; opened March, 1884. This bank has produced 28,000 bushels under Mr. Day's supervision. viously operated by G. McDermott & Bro. Owing, however, to the absence of any records I cannot tell how much coal they took out, but 25,000 bushels would probably be a safe estimate. A drift has been started here. The entry is twenty-five feet back from opening.

H. C. P. Flack owns a strip pit in the N. W. qr. Sec. 29, T. 32, R. 33 ; opened in 1882 by Bovard & Dickson, of Kansas City. The amount of coal taken from this bank cannot be ascertained by itself but will be given in the full report of the amount of coal mined by Bovard & Dickson.

MOREROD STRIP.

This was opened in 1881 by Bovard & Dickson; owned by Dr. Morerod of Schell City, Mo.; situated in the W. hf. of Sec. 19, T. 32, R. 33. This bank has been worked quite extensively, but owing to lack of information I cannot give the amount of coal taken from it alone. The amount will be in B. & D's full report.

MOREROD DRIFT.

Opened in August, 1882, operated by Bovard & Dickson; owned by G. H. Walser, Liberal, Mo.; situated in the S. W. qr. Sec. 18, T. 32, R. 33. At the time of inspection this drift was not in operation. The roof is composed of ten feet of slate and blue shale, capped by sand rock. The roof near the opening is bad. This drift has been closed down for the purpose of obtaining better drainage and air. When started again it will be in good shape and will be under the supervision of M. B. McHugh, a practical miner. The thickness of vein is thirtyfour inches. The amount of coal taken out could not be ascertained.

MORGAN STRIP BANK.

Opened in August, 1882; operated by Keith & Perry, Kansas City, Mo.; J. H. Hunter, Superintendent; situated in the N. W. qr. Sec. 18, T. 32, R. 33; owned by the Hon. C. H. Morgan, of Lamar, Mɔ. These works are closed for an indefinite time. The amount of coal mined will be given in Keith & Perry's full report. Vein from thirty-four to forty-two inches thick.

LAST CHANCE STRIP BANK.

Opened in 1881; situated in section 19, township 33, range 33; operated by Keith & Perry and Bovard & Dickson; thickness of vein, 28 inches. Several other parties have shipped from this point, but from want of records, cannot ascertain the amount of coal taken from this bank.

BARTON CITY DRIFT.

Owned and operated by J. Foote; was opened December, 1884; situated in the southwest quarter, section 29, township 33, range 32; thickness of vein, from twenty-four to twenty-eight inches. Roof is blue shale from six to ten feet thick; one air shaft, sixty feet from the opening; main entry, 160 feet, with a butt entry, 120 feet. There are five miners employed. The output of this mine is 35,000 bushels.

GILKEY STRIP BANK.

Opened in 1877; owned and operated by E. Gilkey; located on northwest quarter, section 3, township 32, range 33. The vein is twenty-eight inches thick, and is from four to ten feet below the surface of the ground. The production of this bank has been about 50,000 bushels.

One accident-August 13, 1885,—by which A. Epperson lost his life. He was robbing bank from strip pit at the time, and the bank fell in on him.

LIBERAL DRIFT.

Opened March, 1885; owned and operated by G. H. Walser; situated in the southeast quarter, section 2, township 32, range 33; thickness of strata, twenty six inches; roof is composed of blue shale, fourteen feet thick, capped by twelve feet of sandstone. The air is good, the miners stating at the time of inspection that they were satisfied as to the quantity and quality of air. At present there are seventy-one men employed. There has been one accident in the drift, whereby John Tathem had his hand b dly crippled by a large piece of coal falling on it. The output of coal, as far as I could learn, has been 102,408 bushels.

On section 2, township 32, range 33, there are two other strip banks that have been operated by R. B. Adams and J. Curliss. These