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 •*ffi ',".iH ■ .'..■•.>L-»*rr ' L'"uir, .■* 
 
 THE HISTORY 
 
 OF 
 
 THE DISCOVERY 
 
 OP 
 
 ANTHRACITE' COAL 
 
 - AT 
 
 •<?j».- ; 
 
 LEPREAtlX, 
 
 NEW BRUNSWICK. 
 
 COMPILED Vmm RELIABLE SOURCES AND PEK«ONAt OBSERVATIONS 
 
 By ROBERT ROBERTSON,. Jr., Esq. 
 
 yKFlEMBER, 1877. 
 
 
 ST. JOHN, ^. li: 
 
 JrISTJBD at ift^ BAItY tlSJ^GHAPH ''STKAM JOB «0€318. 
 
 rlM ilrtiriii illMliu|«iliii>aft 
 
 SSSSS^ 
 
 sssipsffi 
 
 1 
 
■F<f4^- '*^ >^'^ '«';i3iJ|*'J'""''^Wi!P"* 
 
 i">» .' "^ 
 
 A.' 
 
 i r 
 
 i 
 
 It 
 
J)o3*-'^ 
 
 THE HISTORY 
 
 OF 
 
 .1 1 
 
 THE DISCOVERY 
 
 1 r 
 
 !i 
 
 OF 
 
 ANTHRACITE COAL 
 
 AT 
 
 LEPREAUX, 
 
 NEW BRUNSWICK. 
 
 COMPILED FROM RELIABLE SOURCES AND PERSONAL 0BS1-:RVATI0NS 
 
 By ROBERT ROBERTSON, Jr., Esq. 
 
 SEPTEMBER, 1877. 
 
 ST. JOHN, KB.: 
 
 PRINTKD AT THE DAILY TELEGRAPH STEAM JOB ROOMS. 
 
 • 1877. 
 
vat.'''*' 
 
 
 i 
 
 The Object Ton wh.eh this History of the Discovery or 
 Anthnacte Coa, i„ Hew Brunswic. is written is to give i„ 
 as conc.se a ro.™ as possible, ai, information on the sul t 
 "uoh or Which CO.. not be wei. given in the Prospectus 
 
 ' 
 
THE HISTORY OF THf] DISCOVERY OF 
 
 ANTHRACITE COAL AT LEPREAUX, 
 
 NEW BRUNSV\/ICK. 
 
 In the year 1872 Mr. Gideon K. Hanson, one of the proprietors 
 of the lands situate at Lepreaux, on which the coal deposits have 
 been discovered, whilst digging sand on the shore, for the purpose 
 of fertilizing the- clayey soil of his farm, turned up, in excava- 
 ting, a quantity of black material, the nature of which w^is unknown 
 to him. Its peculiar lustrous appearance attracted his attention and 
 aroused his curiosity as to its exact composition. For the purpose 
 of ascertaining this he took a quantity of it to Mr. Geo. Mathews, 
 an official of the Custom House in St. John and a gentleman of con- 
 siderable repute in geological matters, asking him for an opinion on 
 it. It was pronounced to be a variety of anthracite coal, and he 
 stated that he had found small seams of it in that locality some 
 yeai-s previously. 
 
 Becoming imbued with the idea that there was coal on his orounds 
 he began "prospecting" for it after his own fashion, but as his 
 ideas of the proper w^ay of conducting such an operation v/ere vague 
 he did not meet with much success, and for the most part his 
 labor was in vain. 
 
 During the next season Mr. Harvey Stickney, purchasing agent 
 of the Eastern Railway Co., in Boston, and a connection of Hanson's, 
 came to Lepreaux for the purpose of spending his holidays, avoiding 
 the heat of Boston, among the log bound cliffs and coolness of the 
 sea shore of the Bay of Fundy. 
 
 He became much interested in the plans of his host, and spent 
 some time in endeavoring to prove the; combustibility of the pro- 
 ducts of the deep pits which had been d; g here and there in the 
 ground. Fin.ally he concluded to cast his lot in the enterprise and 
 
t:.::'^tr, -rr: ■'''»'»•■- -^ "-^ -> wmc. ,.„ ,„„, 
 
 tide. eomin:a!it:S;, ';;:':;:•, "'^'•'^, '';'^'' -" --«- the 
 the .narks of tlu.,.- Ibo^ "'>?" ^™1' 7»''«1 ^™y ami obliterated 
 -..e.>«.i„.^^^^^^^ 
 
 tions. Still they pcraoverod in their well meant l.nt fnf,'! tv \ \ 
 .success did not atton,! f1.. .. i r. "^"^''."^^"^ '^"^ tutile efforts, but 
 
 proper, ,j„:i'r°,t\:::s,ttr "^'*" "'^•- -' « 
 • 4:e:::r;i:v:i:,!:-s^^^^ tr- .. ..„.„, 
 
 many notable m-oi,.,.t« in ,!"""'" '"-^" 'ntnnately connected with 
 CaldLll, K.!r i^, 1;" H ^7*"^?"' -- ■" the office of J. A. 
 
 ofNew York. a.Kl .JZ^\C^J^T^^T^"'] "^^'^''=''^ 
 
 theres any quantity of stuff like fhnf T ', |^nowAviiere 
 
 T?ii . '^ ^ '^"^^'^- J^s it worth anvthinrr?" 
 
 -Kobertsons answer "Vmi ^li..^,. , . '"lytning ? 
 
 .subsequently inter telrt Sot ' 7^1^ ™"" '"™ ^- 
 Avith the roma-1- "S , V ' '™'"-'"'«'l '"'»>*''« at this time 
 
 report of tW ' ' "" """ ■''"•=""«"'^' ^^ ^ «hall give you a 
 
 hamr'tf'' '"•"''■^ "laped-and the promised specimen came to 
 hand. It came „, the shape of a medirnn sized ball of apparently 
 
 
• 
 
 Ijlack mufl. Ho was engaged at this ti".ie as Chief Engineer and 
 Superintendent of the Merriniac Silver Mines, at Newburyjort, 
 Mass., and the specimen was nanded over by him to Prof. Steinbach, 
 chemist and assayist to the mine, for analysis. Tt was pronounced 
 to be fifty per cent, pure anthracite ; but in view of all the facts of 
 the case, how it had been taken from the shore, and the locality, and 
 also as it was commingled with mud, and had evidently been affected 
 by salt water, he stated that his opinion was, that some time in 
 the past an anthracite coal ladened vessel had been wrecked on the 
 coast, and her cargo had been washed ashore, mixed with the mud, 
 and hence the delusion. Satisfied that this was the correct conclu- 
 sion in regard to its presence, Robertson dismissed the subject from 
 his mind. 
 
 Meeting with Stickncy at a subsequent date, he was interrogated 
 in regard to the result of the analysis. The opinion, as stated above, 
 was given, with advice to be guarded against even unintentional 
 hoaxing in the future. Stickney well knew that, in the memory 
 of the oldest inhabitant, no vessel had ever been wrecked on 
 that part of the coast, and also that, uidess the tortuous windings of 
 the channel were followed, it would be impossible for a vessel to 
 come over the shoals that lie for miles to seaward of the pla^e, even 
 if she were driven before a ship-wreckin'g Southwest gale. 
 
 Convinced by these statements, and with the fact, that fifty per 
 cent, of pure anthracite was found in the specimen that had been 
 analyzed, Robertson was forced to give a certain credit to the 
 idea that a ndne really might exist. Sanguine of success, and 
 hopeful of results, his interrogator endeavored to get him to visit 
 the scene of the deposit at once. This he could not do at the 
 '^time, and it was not till later, in che spring of 187C, when circum- 
 stances called him to the Provinces, that he was enabled to make 
 the promised inspection. In company they travelled to St. John, 
 and from thence took the route to Leprcaux. On the road down — 
 the St. Andrews road — Robertson jestingly pointed out the granitic 
 nature of the rocks and hinted rather freely his doubts of finding 
 anything more than the imported article. 
 
 When, however, they had diverged from the main road and taken 
 tlie one that leads to Lcpreaux, his attention was arrested by a 
 change in the surface indications. Olive colored shale sprang up 
 under notice, and a number of peculiarities, familiar to the practised 
 
u 
 
 ii 
 
 
 
 the .siH.ei„H,„ that l,..! C.l ,t illTT' ''^*^' P''"" ^^■''™» 
 thcousl, oxa,„inatio„ of tLr"' it ' If '"™ '"''r'' "■"' ^^■'^"" » 
 hi» an»w«- to tl,e nuestion WW > ",".'"™ '""' ''™» '»'"'«. 
 
 tho.e i. no anth,.aer:!;a7,ur tt: Ht l"" t "' ""' ^■''^•- "" 
 of it." Afto.. tl,i, opinion had 'bT e4p,«, Ttr'^'""'"'!"" 
 
 "ndcTtake the dovelopn.ont of T T v \P";>;'"f .■■'P^'«''''«™' to 
 tive. ^ "• " ^-^ 'l«"l«l in the artirnia- 
 
 hI':::;. thnr:;::!!^;?' •^■'' ^'^^•^■™ ^f-- ««'-> and o...... 
 
 iand. in the nei * o „ '^f If °'' '"'•'"''>'<" ~ of all the 
 
 and Stiolcnoy on !h " p^t thaTt, '"",• ""'' *""■ ^"^*--'-" 
 f«vni.h n,ea ,- and devot atte nt'' / T" ^'^"' S''"*'^'"'"" ""'"'"'l 
 a n,e>.chantaUe »ta Wh^" •" " the «„Jin,, of the article in 
 equally participate in „1 tlu ', acc„n,pl,.,he,i, they should 
 
 ^tan.Ii„g ,vork ,va. be , „ R , ^ ^^P"''^'^' "''* ""» "nder- 
 
 thithe., he engaged the . v f f a 'L^S::/:' ""• "'T'"'"' 
 Jnn, „,th a .nail g„„g. to n.ake th^i ul^^t ;"";;■' ^"' P'-«> 
 of a proper p-ospeetin.,- shaft constriicti.m 
 
 fove." Even those who aftentad:? '?'•"" '"' ""^ "'--»>- 
 and spirit, and who we '^ „! to,';""''; ^T'" '*""'' ™*''»---™ 
 covering of it, aln.ost by C^^^^^f "'"'■ "'^"^^ '" "- Ji- 
 of the earlier stages of the worr Wh , "T"" "" P^^"'"'^'™ 
 at la.t arrived at the period w en 'Imf f T' -^ P^'-^overed. and 
 of circnnstances, tlJintll'^^.^ t^ftt"'^, TTf°" 
 son vere enlisted in the cause ^'^' ^- ^^^^^i'<^- 
 
 Jr:LrtSh~:ir ^^^^^^ -"r:' ^-' - ^-^ -^f'- ^oot 
 
 their faith and j^ nf Zy t:ant:" "-"'^"- **»te to 
 
 gmdually coming over them which ZZ^^l ;^"'T , " '^^""« 
 
 lucieas.ea ni niagnitiide until it 
 
might l)e likentMl to i cloud encompassing and enveloping them 
 About. It was the tolling of positive succe»s to lie realized in the 
 •early future. 
 
 Many and various were the opinions expressed upon the nature 
 •of the exhumed product. By >ome it was designated ''Plumbago," 
 " Graphite ; " in fact so many names were given to it, that one listen- 
 ing to them all would fancy that it contained some of the dis- 
 tinguishing marks of nearlyeveiy known sultstance. Of such is the 
 generally thoughtless judgment of men. 
 
 The sinking of the first shaft was connnenced in the month of 
 May, 1876. Mr. Robertson having had the offer of Superintendent 
 of the "Denbo Galena Mine," near Eastpoi-t, Me., resigned his situ- 
 ation on the " Merrimac Mine," and came East in order to be near 
 the spot that was beginning to be so interesting to him. When he 
 first settled in his own mind the opinion that it was a valuaV- de- 
 posit, he was eager to get a substantial interest in it, and even though 
 he fully believed that three hundred feet, an<l more, of earth and 
 rocks intervened between the surface and the coal basin, and also 
 that a considerable sum of money would be required to effect a passao-e 
 through to the merchantalile article, yet he clieerfully undeitook the 
 speculation, feeling assured that at last he would be rewarded more 
 than many fold. 
 
 The first shaft was located directly on the shore at high water 
 mark, and on an outcrop of shale which can be readily discerned, at 
 intervals, for more than a mile, following the line of the shore. 
 The conclusion why the shaft should be sunk at this particular 
 spot was arrived at tln-ough the grades of sound syllogistic reason- 
 ing. The shore, from Mace's Basin to Point Lepreaux, is nearly a 
 straight line, and presents in many places bold and abrupt cliffs, 
 showing a cross section of the geological formation of the countiy. 
 By taking a boat and sailing along the shore, there can 'be easily 
 traced the different strutas, and a definite conclusion can be arrived at 
 in regard to their positions. Two miles South of Mace's Basin an up- 
 heaval has taken place among the rocks Avhicli form the point of land 
 known as Point Lepreaux. By following the shore to the Northward 
 the stwitas are perceived to take a more upright position, and within a 
 shoi-t distance of the prospecting shaft the mountain Ihnesione can be 
 distinguislitcl overlying the Devonian rocks, it in its turn overlaid 
 by the mill stone grit, or grey rock, as it is called in Pennsylvania. 
 
8 
 
 111 
 
 Upon this again comes the strata of coal shale. If these were found 
 in the positions resultant from the upheaval they would form a high 
 mountain extending to the Southward of Mace's Basin, but glacier 
 action, which is clearly perceptible on all the rocks, has washed the 
 upper formations seaward, and laid bare the Devonian as it appears 
 just beyond the Southern shore of the Basin. Tracing the formation 
 inland the grej/ rod: is found overlying the coal measures, and three 
 miles further to the NorthAvard the neiG red sand stone is perceived, 
 taking again a more horizontal position, thus placing it in its pro- 
 per geological place— the carhoviferoits era~a.nd showing clearly 
 and conclusively that the coal basin lies to the North of the shaft. 
 So on this shale which dljjped to the Northward, and on the very 
 edge of the water, which extends Southerly, the first shaft was begun. 
 For fifteen feet naught was brought to ligh^^ but coal shale, save now 
 and then small lumps of crushed coal, ^vhkh seemed to have found 
 their way above tlieir natural bed. Then began the crushed coal, 
 and the seam to widen, and for ninety feet, and more, the shaft was 
 sunk, showing a gradual increase in lustre and consistency. When 
 this point had been reached a more encouraging article was found, 
 that showed that gradually, though surely, they were progressing to' 
 the El Dorado of their hopes. It is probable that if this better quality 
 had not been reached the history of the enterprise Avould have ter- 
 minated at this stage of its existence. For it appears tiiat the fore- 
 man, in sinking the shaft, had not taken sufticient precaution in 
 ''timbering," and for days there could be distinctly heard, at 
 intervals, the crushing and falling of the earth and coal about it. 
 The soft nature of the seam, through which it had been sunk, ren- 
 dered it necessary that extra care should have been taken to make 
 it secure, and to guard against the surrounding earth crushing it in 
 and destroying it. The sounds became more and more ominous, and 
 the miners began to feel that working under these circumstances 
 was attended with tuicertainty and danger. One Saturday night in 
 September, &fter work had been done for the day, and operations 
 were delayed until the next night, the final crush took place, and 
 with such force that the strengtn of .-^he tindjers was insufficient to 
 resist, and the labor of months was relentlessly swallowed up in a 
 few hours. 
 
 A telegrarr; sent to Mr. Robertson, who was at the I^ibc 
 brought him by boat from Eastport, fearful that the loss of 
 
 If 
 
 up in a 
 
 M ** 
 
 
 1 ^^ 
 
 > Mine,, 
 
 m ^^ 
 
 money 
 
 
\'erc found 
 rm a high 
 •ut glacier 
 mshed the 
 it appears 
 formation 
 and three 
 perceived, 
 n its pro- 
 ig clearly 
 the shaft. 
 
 the very 
 as begun, 
 save now 
 Lve found 
 <he(l coal, 
 ihaft was 
 . When 
 IS found, 
 •essing to 
 v quality 
 have ter- 
 the fore- 
 Lution in 
 leard, at 
 about it. 
 mk, ren- 
 to make 
 ing it in 
 lous, and 
 nstances 
 night in 
 )er'ations 
 ace, and 
 icient to 
 
 up in a 
 
 )o Mine, 
 ' money 
 
 9 
 
 had been ^ supplemented by the loss of life. His fears, however, 
 were groundless; no lives had been sacrificed; but as he gazed upon 
 the ruin of this first regular attempt at scientific i^yospectinr), his 
 heart sank within him, and he departed for a time, until, with a bet- 
 ter organization, he could pro,:eeute the search. Installing his fore- 
 man in the place held by him on the Galena mine, ho went to New 
 York and there spent the winter of 1870 and 1877. 
 
 The information and specimens that had been brought to light by 
 this first shaft were very encouraging, however, and having his 
 theory of the crushed coal, and the place beyond it where he expected 
 to find the regular Anthiucito coiToboi-ated 1)}^ several gentlemen of 
 experience from the coal regions of Pennsylvania, ho resolved in the 
 early Spring to prosecute the search with redoubled vigor. 
 
 Mr. Stickne^i^ who had been building hopes of the future being 
 bright, as from time to time news reached him in Boston of the suc- 
 cess that vras attending the efforts of his partner, now began to feel 
 a despondent reaction, his belief in the prescn'^'^ of the coal did not 
 diminish but the idea thai it Avould involve more expense ' than at 
 first c(}lculated wat. his hetc. noir. He remembered though that at 
 one time in the sunmier, when tlie shaft was between sixty and 
 seventy feet deep that some samples, which were but crashed coal 
 however, had been forwarded by Mr. Geo. i!.IatheAVs, of St. Jolin, to Mr. 
 D. B. Harringtor , Mineralogist and Chemist to the Geological Survey 
 of Canada, for tlie purpose of having them anal^^sed. Months had 
 roiled on and the statement of the analysis had not come to hand. 
 His curiosity in regard to it was aAvakened, and after some corres- 
 pondence on the matter, the post brought him the following from 
 that gentleman : 
 
 "Analysis by Slow Ci;kii!g of Crushod Coal taken fmni the moasures at Mace's 
 Bay, Nuw lirunswuck : 
 
 Hygroscopic Water, 1.25 
 
 Volatile Conibnstible Matter, 4.38 
 
 Fixed Carbon, 57.49 
 
 Ash, 3G.8S 
 
 100.00 
 The amount of " fixed carbon " in this analysis was not large, and 
 the amount of ash was far in excess of what it shoidd be, but re- 
 membering the fact that it was only crushed co(d that had been 
 ottered, the result was satisfactory in the extreme. Mr. Robertson 
 was but waiting until the cold Winter of New Brunswick would 
 
 2 
 
I 
 
 10 
 
 begin to mellow in the lap of Spring, when lie intended to follow up 
 his theories and convictions in regard to the locality of the mer- 
 chantable article. His return to the scene of his labors was in the 
 the month of May, in the present year, 1877. A new shaft was 
 started about one hundred feet to the Westward ol the site of the 
 unfortunate one, and it also was placed directly on the shore and 
 upon the outcroj^ of coal shale, to which reference has before been 
 made. ^ He himself gave up his positions on other enterprises, and de- 
 voted his personal attention to the work and construction of the shaft. 
 The same experience that had marked their downward progress 
 in the first shaft was repeated in this one— coal shale and crmJted 
 coal~on\y they worked down the hanging vjall of the seam, and 
 at nitervals drifted into it. At forty feet the first drift was made, 
 and It was found that at this point the coal still was crushed. The 
 theory that the manager had in regard to its being in this state 
 instead of being hard, and exactly of the same 'nature as the Penn. 
 anthracites, was tliat in the upheaval of the edge of the hasln 
 the coal had been crushed by the pressure'of the surrounding rocks 
 among which it had been turned and force. I up. Another j-eason 
 for its softness has been given at a later date, to which reference 
 shall be duly made. However, he has the theory, and still holds to 
 It, that when once the hasln of the deposit is touched— when once 
 the upturned edge of the seam has been followed down until it 
 resumes its hori.'^ontal posi don— then shall the coal be found in its 
 normal purity and (vxcellence, and this theory has been verified by 
 the experience that has been gone through with in many mines. " 
 Everything worked in harmony with his predictions, gradually a, 
 better quality of this soft hard coal was obtained, and enthusiasm 
 once more held sway in the breasts of those whose hopes had been 
 dashed down and shattered from the high pinnacle on which they 
 had placed them. 
 
 _ Following down the hanging wall of the seam they found at 
 sixty to sixty-five feet, an article equal to that folmd in the first 
 shaft at ninety. At (>ighty feet a drift was cut into the seam, and 
 it was here discovered that the breadth of the same was sixteen feet. 
 The coal taken from here kindled readily and burned freely in an 
 open grate, and without a forced draft; it, however, though not 
 y^.riis.wd coal exactly, was yet of a soft nature and would not bear 
 being handled much in export. 
 
Mr. llobwitson had become a. lintcd with quite a number of 
 the people of St. John, which city is situate but a distance 
 of twenty-six miles from the scene of opei'ation, and the theme of 
 having an anthracite coal deposit so near became quite a subject 
 of conversation and speculation among the inhabitants. The fact 
 of it being there was not generally known until May and Jui^e, and 
 then was discredited for the roost part ; but the repoi'ts of those 
 who had visited Lepreaux, and who Ivid not only seen the coal 
 hoisted up from the pit, but had handled it, and had also seen the 
 performance it gave as a combustible, became more widely circu- 
 lated, and a greater inquiry into the facts of its presence began to 
 take place. Visitors came to inspect both by land and water, and 
 it became a favorite route for those who wanted a day's " outing." 
 Tug-boats and steam yachts doing the duty of carriage by water, 
 and on the land pleasant little parties of four or five behind a fast 
 span of horses, soon rolled over the intermediate distance tliat lay 
 between the city and the mine. 
 
 On the ever to be remembered 20th day of June, that " black 
 Wednesday " for the people of St. John, quite a large party had 
 departed, in the oirly morning, on a tug-boat for Lepreaux. The sun 
 shone brilliantly out of the heavens flecked with fleecy clouds ; the 
 wind blowing coolly from iue; North west, dispelled the heat of the 
 day from the party pleasure bent. Tlio bow of the little steamer 
 dashed the water, meeting it, merrily aside, and caused a cheerful 
 sound of progress to be heard. The white crested tips of the wave- 
 lets lingered for a moment and then vanished in the circuurfluent 
 green. Tlie sea gulls soared on high on breezy pinions, and all 
 nature seemed to lend its influence to make the day one of pleasure. 
 The mine was Leached, inspected and admired. Those who de- 
 scended the shaft gave testimony to the thickness of the seam, and 
 of the appearance of the prospect hdoio. Then came the hour for 
 departuj'e. Before leaving some one's attention was attracted by 
 the dense clouds of smoke that arose in the direction of the city, 
 but the reason " flre in tlie woods " seemed to satisfy any holding 
 doubts as to whether the smoke did not emanate from flames nearer 
 their homes. The pai'ty steamed swiftly homeward, and joke and 
 ]p„ngh passed lieartily nnx.iug the passengers, though stdl tlie smoke 
 rose liigher and denser <>\'er the city, unheeded for a time; but 
 grave conjecture began to usurp the place of light speculation. 
 
i 
 
 m 
 
 [III 
 
 12 
 
 Wlioii at last, witli roundino- tlio point that brought the doomed 
 city, clotlied in its shroud oF ilauu s and sniolvc, in view, tho awful 
 trutli l>nist upon tlu>m ; tlio hearts of all woro filled with terror for 
 an instrnt, and tlu>n an overpoworin*,' desire to fly to the rc'scue of 
 loved ones and home eair.e over tlunn. 
 
 The eahunity that had befallen the eity so (!nn;rossed the atten- 
 tion of its poopl(! that.eoal mines and other schemes were for<^'()tten 
 for a time, yi«t still the work was bcin^- pushed rapidly on, and the 
 results of tlu'ii- Iabt)rs wcw. becomin<^- mv)re sati.'i'aetory. At one 
 hundred and ten feet the eoal assumed a better appearance and 
 seemed to api)r(>ach the ri^ht ai'tiele, with an inereasiui,^ ratio. At 
 one hundred and twenty feet the shaft was snidc into the Hcaiih, .still 
 goin<^- downward, and still ilipplvg to the Ncu'th. 
 
 A word about tlu^ iudimt/ioH of the seam. It has been .stated 
 that hoiKjlnij ,r,?//* had been followed in sinking the shaft. In 
 following it, it was innuediately noted that it dlpi)ed to the North- 
 ward, eon,se([U(^ntly the shaft (/'ijipnl towards the North also. Fif- 
 teen degi-ees was about (he angle of the dlj> at the start. This 
 clippiuif MWH observed to increase its angle ns progress was made 
 <lownward, anil this stvenj.?;theni>d tlu^ theory of i'eachin<r the eoal 
 bitsin in a certain length, and escaping from the crushed or soft 
 coal into tho hard. 
 
 As stated before, tlu> .shaft was made to diverg-e frt)m the Juiiiglng 
 v'(dl into th.e s(>am at one hundred and twenty feet, and a largo 
 <(;'//? was cut across it, disclosing its br(>adth to be twenty feet ,six 
 inches, sixteen feet of wliieh was fairly hard coal. A descent into 
 th.e ^haft at this stage was particularly reassuiing. 
 
 The iollowing, taken from the Glohe newspa})er of the 27th July, 
 gives a fair description of the appearance of the lands above and 
 hclow: — 
 
 " !''or luiiiiy years tliu outiTops and coal imlicatioiis in tlie neighborhood of Mas- 
 quash and Point Lcproaux havo givon foundations for tlic belief that tliis vahiable 
 articlo existed in quantities in tlio^e hiealities. Hut owing to no exertions having , 
 been made to determine the truth of its existcnee, beyond merely digging deep holes 
 in the ground, no satiafaetory oonelusion was arrived at, although some of the old 
 inhabitants state that burning coal was obtained in small quantities from the outcrops 
 as long ago as sixty years. Within the last two years, however, tho proprietors of 
 land iu tho noighborhoad of I'oint Leprcaux havo been sinking a prospecting shaft. 
 
 *Tho hnnying xmdl is tho upp.T surfiico of a soatn tliat i/i/w or inclines. If it were iwrpcndicular there 
 •would be no haiijing or foot walls, Ijut botVi would bo tho snaue, \\z ; vcrtiotvl walls. 
 
13 
 
 Jicular tbera 
 
 md an invit/ition having l)oen oxtou.le.l uh to visit it, v/c iiccopto.l of tho Hani« and 
 havo hiul our cxixictations u'ore than cxcoodwl l>y what we saw. 
 
 " It haa been generally bolicvod tlmt the Hurface in.licationB .lo not in.lientu the earho- 
 niforoua period of geological frjmiation in this locality, hut thiH i« n(.t true, for shales, 
 san.lstone, conglomerates and linio-".tones ahoiind, ar.d foBwilii of leaves and vegetable 
 matter havo been found in the name in i,rofusi..n an.l it is acknowledged that theao 
 un(h)niably indicate tho true carboniferous fornuttion. 
 
 "The situation of the shaft is on the North side of tho arm of Maee's Bay into which 
 the little l^eprcaiix river em])tic3. The formation r,f the land t(. tho Southwanl across 
 tho intervening watei-.iias the aia-earanco wluc.h characterizes the Devonian penod, 
 and it .Ui.M downward and underlies tho land to tho Northward, and this a-am is 
 another proof of the (uirbonifen.us fonnati..n of tlie land tlmt is being prospected, for 
 it {.'ives itn proiier gi'-dlu/icil [xisition. 
 
 •'' Having anive.1 at tl.o mouth of the shiif t we i.repared for descent by donnuig over- 
 hauls to protect our ch.tldng fn.m the .Irip and dirt iMeident to such an undertaking, 
 and under tho gnidanc,- of the alVablo manager, Mr. Hugh U. Robertson, we Ht<i, on 
 to the ladders and begm. Tlie first leu to liftoen fe.,t is through dialc and the upper 
 crust overlying the Beam, from tlionco begins the crushed coal which crum},les m the 
 hand when brought in contact with tbo air. So.m all light is siiut olf fn.m tho mouth 
 of tho shaft by a slant that it takes to the Northward, and we are .lei-cn.Uvnt for light 
 on tho iitfid gleam of the oil lamp that is canied in the hat of (mr guide. After a few 
 turns fr<nn onte side to the adjacent on tho lad.lers we are told tl.at wo havo descended 
 forty foot, and arc at the mouth of the lir.t drift that has been made. It exten.ls but 
 a few feet from the wall and defines the brea.Uh of the seam. At this point au exami- 
 nation shows that we have pas.se.l through tlic crushed coal and that the seam is 
 assuming tho appearance of a true Anthracitb. Aiiothcr descent of forty feet ami we 
 are at the mouth of another drift, eighty foot from the surface of tho ground, ihe 
 seam hero is broa.ler an.l the coal, though not an pivo a. it will be when the shaft has 
 been sunk well into the bed, i:* a merchantable article. 
 
 "Aminer detachea a bucketful to be taken to tho surface arid burnt under <mr nispec- 
 tioii We went down thirty f.^et furtlie)- but our lamps going out we ascended to the 
 surface and prepared for a descent to the bottom of the pit in the «'tub," which tra- 
 verses the other section of the shaft. With (me foot in an.l one out wo are lowered away, 
 one hundred and eighteen feet, and when wo regain our siglit wo Im.l that the "black 
 diamonds" on every si.le in a solid wall .,re sending back in gl.aneing KcintiUations the 
 rays of die lamp. Here the coal is almost a pure Anthracite an.l the indications are 
 that tho supply is unlimited. We are struck by the line appearance of the four solid 
 walls that surnniml us and cannot resist the feeling that is forced upon us that tho 
 future market of supply for tho Dominion of Antliracite coal is New iirunswick. 
 
 "Stepping int.. the tub a few moments brings us to the light and heat of tne sun. 
 Tho coal when burning had all tbo .lualities of the or.linary Pennsylvania Anthracite, 
 having a light blue ilame r.nd biraing very freely in an ordinary grate Its heat- 
 giving .pialitlcs are large, and it V. vca a regxilar ash. When first kindled the odor of 
 sulphur marked the presence of pyrites, but it soon passed -away. his is ,lue to the 
 fact that the samples burnt were taken from tho upper surface of the seam and from 
 a close proximity to tiie crushed coal. There is no doubt i.ut that this wdl not be 
 a-.jpa'-n'it i" tho conl from tho heart of tho seam. ' 
 
 ' Time was now dovotf;.! to excavating and bringing to the sui-face 
 the coal from this depth. It was of a much superior quahty to any 
 
Hi 
 
 III 
 
 14 
 
 that ha,l precetel it, thou^* for' forty feet im.necUately above, the 
 coa that had been sent up had burnt well and given a good renort 
 of Itself It was used in the forge for heating iron for welding, 'and 
 the blaeksnuth boasted that he could get a welding heat quiekor 
 than with charcoal, and it would produce heat enough to weld iron 
 and steel together, and he talked in an interested manner about its 
 many good qualities-in his eyes it hadn't a bad one. 
 
 One of the first Jays in August wa.s devoted to a visit and a day's 
 sa.1. The. steam yacht "Effort" was chartered for the occasion. It 
 was the first trip by water since the 20(1, June, of unhappy m.n,- 
 ory and as .t has been chronicled by one of the leading gentlemen 
 m the medical profession who helped while away the pleas^t hours 
 his vei-sion, as it appeared in ih^ D„a,j Tdcp-oph of the 4th Auo-„,t' 
 IS nci'o given : — " 
 
 r^2'nL:^tlZt'T''7^ " r'' '''':''' f *^^^ '""'^^^^ ^^ *^- ^^'^-^ *« --^ the Hanson 
 lull buicht of the sea. She pegged away a.s if she meant to be in a luirry but Lcle 
 
 any ai,tJir.Kit<, ooul,! l,e. Tl,„3 ,„ ^, j„f„i„ .jcvo, and with a moderate drvft tl,. 
 
 wiueuea to 16 feet. Ihe appearance and liardiiem nf tjia ■no.- i- I"- V - f 
 fo'htr™ °"°='""'"^» "-" FobaMy Wne 10. friatieand bet^: ^^t^d 
 
 11 
 
15 
 
 above, the 
 jood report 
 elding, and 
 sat quicker 
 > VvTeld iron 
 r about its 
 
 nd a day's 
 ^asion. It 
 ppy mom- 
 gentlemen 
 ant hours, 
 bh August, 
 
 ■ the Hanson 
 ioinpjiiiy the 
 y, but made 
 ne filled the 
 311S time, as 
 ! sweltering 
 made up in 
 started the 
 At mid-day 
 rvalkijig the 
 iomacli try- 
 e Dominion 
 n the l)uild- 
 lander who 
 
 our Avharf 
 iss of black 
 tever name. 
 
 r springing- 
 ise. 
 
 g brightly, 
 no decep- 
 oor closed, 
 as clear aa 
 draft, the 
 ot as any 
 leptli has 
 5 that of 
 r adapted 
 
 "An Amerienn is now developing this New Brunswick property, the value of wliich 
 ,«hould be ca'refully tested. 
 
 "Before leaving we had three barrels put on board and two were used to help us 
 
 steam back to town. 
 
 "The night was lovely and as twilight deepened, the evening hour was pleasantly 
 passed with songs which under such conditions partake of the sentimental. It may be, 
 because the brain active all day naturally drops into the dreamj quietness of rest, and 
 like the flowers exhales its sweetness as the daylight passes. I will not say what hour 
 we reached our homes. I have my suspicion that some of the delay arose from one or 
 two of our numljer who preferred being 'rocked in the cradle of the deep' to rocking 
 the cradle 'at our house at home.'" Prospector. 
 
 Some of the coal, as stated by him, was taken from the dump, 
 screened, and used to steam home with. It did its woik only fairly 
 Avell, and did not evince that steam generating power that was after- 
 war('ls produced by it on board the steamer " New York." The 
 reason of it acting in this way is that when anthracite coal is used 
 for steaming purposes, it is necessary that the grate bar sui-face 
 be broad and expansive, and also that the fire be kept shallow in 
 orde-r to burn freely and well. The "Effort" has a vertical cross 
 tubed boiler, and the furnace is contracted and deep, and not at all 
 adapted to burn anthracite. 
 
 . One barrel that came up to the city in the "Effort" was reserved 
 for future experiment, and was handed over to Mr. Levi Young, the 
 enterprising proprietor of the New Brunswick Bolt and Nut Fac- 
 tory, situated on Waterloo street. This trial was made on the 7th 
 day of August, in the presence of quite a number of the leading 
 citizens, professional gentlemen both of the medical and legal 
 branches being present. It was noticed in the colunms of the Tele- 
 Uraph the following morning, as follows: — 
 
 "A trial of the coal recently discovered at Mace's Bay, was made yesterday in the 
 Bolt and Washer Factory of :Mr. Levi H. Young, Waterloo street. The test was 
 purely practical, and established the fact that in heating and clear-burning qualities, 
 the samples in question were equal to any American anthracite l)rought to this city. 
 Its appearance in the furnace was identical with that of first class anthracite, and Mr. 
 Young expressed himself fully satisfied with it in every way. The proprietors of the 
 •find' are having the coal put to a series of tests to ascertain its smelting and steam 
 generating value°as compared with other hard coals ; and positively .^sert that it is 
 nothing more or less than genuine anthracite." 
 
 Mr. Young was much surprised, and in an agreeable manner, at 
 the perfornrance of the article. His report, which is strong and 
 conclusive, and which emanates from a clear-headed, and practical 
 man, is subjoined : — 
 
16 
 
 "Mr. Hugh R. llobertsou, niiinager of the coal mine at Mace's Bay, requested me 
 to make a trial of aomo of the coal taken from that mine. Having sent a barrel of the 
 same to my factory, on Waterloo street, on Wednesday, 7th August, I tested the 
 same in regard to its qualitica as a Avelding and forging coal. 
 
 "A fire was started in the bolt funiace, a small quantity of wood was first lighted 
 and several large pieces of this coal placed upon it ; with a gentle draft it kindled 
 readily, and when in full blast it gave proof of its clear-burning qualities. 
 
 ".Several bars of iron, bolts, &c., thiust into the furnace, were brought to a white 
 heat, in scarcely more time than it would take the Lehigh coal to accomplish the same 
 thing. 
 
 "A decided proof of its licating capacity was noticeable, in the fact that after the 
 fire was well under way, and had increased in size, it began to melt the cast iron front 
 of the funiace, and the drip of the melted iron could be easily distinguished as it 
 descended into the ashes. 
 
 "Another quality, v/orthy of remark, wa:^ its durability ; the fire was kindled about 
 four o'clock, p. m., and after burning with a forced draft for nearly two hours, was 
 allowed to die down ; at six o'clock the next morning the smouldering ashes were 
 again forced into a flame, by bringing the draft to bear upon them, and this after aii 
 intermission of twelve hours. The coal left considerable ashes, mixed with a brownish- 
 red clinker. In conclusion I would state, that I was much surprised that the coal 
 sent me evinced such remarkably good qualities., for its appearance was very much 
 against it, it being softer than the usual Anthracite and more easily broken. The 
 most of the lumps, however, had that Ijright appearance -which characterizes that kind 
 of coal. Mr. Ilobertson wished me to understand that ho did not ofl'er this coal as a 
 final sample of the mine, but irerely as a sample of the coal taken from the shaft that. 
 he is sinking down to the^coal basin. Ho is sanguine of reaching a harder and better 
 article wiicn the sliaft has been sunk to the depth of SOO or 400 feet. If he does so, 
 he v.'ill have a coal unsurpassed by any ; as these imperfect samples b.avc given a Avon- 
 derful performance, giving more boat than any coal I have ever used." 
 
 L. H. Young. 
 
 When testimony sucli as this, coming from a man of uniuipeacli- 
 able character, and whose successful bu^nness career is only an 
 index of his general ability, is, it might be said, demanded by 
 the natui e of the article itself, little more need be said except that 
 in order to convince a doubter of its merits, it would only be neces- 
 sary that the tests take place under his personal inspection. 
 
 The month of Augast had been nearly reaped by the harvester 
 of time when another practical trial brought fresh and valuable 
 evideuce of its povf ers as a heat giving and valuable combustible. 
 Over one ton and one half had been headed up in barrels, and sent 
 to a discerning any practical Scotchman, a man of all men who 
 would cannilly "stick to his opinion, and whose opinion would be 
 based purely upon the merits of a case, and who would not allow 
 the sopldstry of any extraneous matter to deceive him into a wrong. 
 
17 
 
 , requested me 
 a barrel of the 
 , I tested the 
 
 IS first lighted 
 raft it kindled 
 
 33. 
 
 ght to a white 
 [)lish the same 
 
 that after the 
 cast iron front 
 iguisiied as it 
 
 kinelled about 
 vu hours, was 
 ig aslies were 
 . this after aii 
 h a brownish - 
 that the coal 
 as very much 
 broken. Tlie 
 izes that kind 
 this coal as a 
 ;hc shaft that . 
 ler and better 
 [f he does so, 
 
 H. Young. 
 
 nil n peach - 
 5 only an 
 anded by 
 sccopt t]iat_ 
 ' be neces- 
 n. 
 
 liarvestei" 
 
 1 valuable 
 
 mbustible, 
 
 3, and sent 
 
 men who 
 
 would be 
 
 not allovr'- 
 a wrong. 
 
 
 i 
 
 conclusion. The gentleman referred to is well known in St. John 
 and in the engineering world. Mr. Andrew Taylor, chief engineer 
 of the steamer "New York," of the I. N. S. Co. He tells his story 
 in his own quaint way, and his impressions of what he saw at the 
 mine, and his report of the test of the coal in the furnaces of the 
 steamer, both bear the stamp of honest conviction: — 
 
 " On Saturday, August 18th, an opiiortunity was offered me to visit the coal seams 
 at Mace's Bay. 
 
 •'On arriving at high-Avatcr mark, uidioations of coal were to be seen all over the 
 North side of the bay. 
 
 "The seams of coal and shale lie dippii'tf to the North and crop out on the surface, 
 washed by the tides. The searas can be plainly traced along the shores of the bay at 
 many places for more than a mile in length. On arriving at the exploring shaft, sunk 
 by the miners, I found they had selected the middle one of three seams for their starting 
 point and sunk their shaft there. I was desirous of descending the shaft, and through 
 the kuidness of Messrs. Robertson and Hanson I was allowed to do so, and fitted out 
 with every necessary for the trip. Before going down I took a good look round to see 
 what kind of tackle was going to lower me down and get me out again. I found the 
 motive power to be a good white horse, whose power to lower me down and hoist me 
 up I doubted not, for Tam O'Shanter's good mare Meg need not have been ashamed 
 of any relationship that might exist between tliem. On a vertical shaft of wood 
 there is a wheel built, with a very broad rim, around which the rope winds— on at 
 one side and off at the other— and to a horizontal arm of the shaft the horse is hitched, 
 and as the horse travels round the rope is wound up on one side and paid out on the 
 other. This rig is called a Miner's Ciin. It is a gin, but there is no Holland about it. 
 I had now doimed the suit of clothes, examined the horse, the gin, and the rope. Mr, 
 Robertson assured me it was all right and witli that assurance I was willing to proceed. 
 I took a good hold of the rope and stepped into the tub. I heard the words, ' git up 
 thare,' and saw the v.'hite horf>e get a prod in the ribs with the end of a stick, and the 
 next moment the earth rose up above my head. Twenty or twenty-five feet down and 
 the bottom of the tub took the side of the pit and turned partly up. I found from 
 the tub grinding on the side of the shaft that I was not travelling downwards in a 
 vertical line, and wishing to keep some reckoning of mj geographical position in the 
 earth, I took a look upwards and came to the conclusion that if a very large dog was 
 standing facing South I was sliding down his hind leg, for the miners, when construct- 
 ing the shaft' had ignored the law of the plumb and followed the rock on one side of 
 the seam. A few more angles passed, and I was at my journey's end. 
 
 "At the surface the seam was about one foot in thickness, and at the bottom of the 
 shaft, one hundred and thirty feet down the seam, had obtained a thickness of about 
 twenty-one feet. At the surface the coal had a crushed, soft and wet appearance, and 
 atthe bottom of the shaft the cnished appearance had not diminished, but the coal 
 was harder and much drier than near the surface. The crushed appearance was 
 probably caused by the upheaval As far as I sav/ the seam it was still dipping to the 
 North. About eighty feet from the surface there is a drift cut through the seam to 
 determine the thickness at that point. The seam is about fourteen feet thick. From 
 the eighty foot level, 1 brought away "' nt half a bushel of the coal and ascended 
 to the surface. Messrs. Robertson & xs ..mi sent about one and a half tons of the 
 
18 
 
 
 coal he liad saved on Ijoani the steamer Xew York to Ije liurnt in the furnaces of the 
 boilers as a trial of its merits as a steam coal, and on Monday, August 20th, it waa 
 used in one of the furnaces from the time the fires were lit at 4 a. m. until the steamer 
 was near Eastport at noon. When the coal was first put in the furnace on top of the 
 wood it took fire veiy rapidly, was of a very free Ijurning nature, and burnt like An- 
 thracite coal, with a bluish flame without any smoke, and for some time gave a great 
 heat. The furnace was fired with that coal until such time as the ton and a half was 
 used up, when the furnace was cleaned out. There was a good deal of partly con- 
 sumed coal in the furnace, mixed with a thin red clinker. The other specimen I burnt 
 in an open grite, and I thought it burnt even better there than it did in the furnace. 
 The furnace had a strong draft and partly melted the coal ; in the grate the draft was 
 much more moderate, and tlie combustion slower, under which circumstances it did 
 not melt together so much. Upon the whole the coal performed as well as I expected 
 to see a surface coal do. 
 
 ' ' If the main coal basin was reached, I expect there would l^e just as much difference 
 in the coal as there would be in the lumljer taken from the top or the but of a tree, 
 —one almost worthless, the other of excellent (juality. 
 
 "The coal is undoubtedly of the Anthracite class, and that there must l)o a large 
 quantity of it is plain from the seam thickening up as it does, over 18 feet in about 
 125ieet in depth. -The field for operation is on a nearly level peninsula, one side of 
 which is a good harbor and deep water ; the side the prospecting sliaft ia on is a shal- 
 low bay, but with very little expense schooners could load at the pit head. 
 
 "I hope those interested in the enterprise will push it along. They are already 
 partly rewarded, for tlicy have a i/rate coal which l)urns very well, and which is im- 
 proving in quality as they go doMU. Good Anthracite is frequently found at depths 
 varying from 500 to 1000 feet below the surface. The question may be asked, Well, 
 Avhat do you think of it ? .Since I have seen the chance there is to strike something 
 better than they have, I think the seam should be followed down until it was defi- 
 nitely ascertained what was below, and for tliat purpo ;e I have personally subscribed 
 to the sinking of the shaft."' 
 
 Andrew Taylor, 
 
 Chief EiiQineer SUamcr New Yorlc. 
 
 Mr. Robertson accoiupanit.'d the coal on this trii^, and was an eye 
 witness to the method in which it was treated. Arriving in Bos- 
 ton, he proceeded froin thence to Newburyport, in the same State, 
 and there found Mr. John C. Karsten, in the position of 'jenei-al 
 Superintendent of the Gilbarg- Silver Mining Co. Mr. Karsten was 
 well known by repute to the manager. He had been officially 
 employed in more than one of the large anthracite mines of Penn- 
 sylvania, and his opinion on such matters is valuable. He was 
 persuaded to accompany him back to New Brunswick to inspect 
 the mine and report on it. This he did. His report comes semi- 
 officially, and he presented it as follows: — 
 
19 
 
 r New Yorlc. 
 
 mes semi- 
 
 "To H. R. Robertson, Esh., CLicf Engineer & Sii;K"nntcndci>t Lepreaux Coal Miuo. 
 ««,SXR,— I herewith have the honor of suhniitting to j )U and others interested in the 
 80-c:illetl ' Lepreaux Coal Mine,' my report of examination of it :~ 
 
 " 1st. After a thorough and exact, aa well aa practical, examination of the formation 
 surrounding yoitr shaft : of the general inclination of the ground :' of the appearance 
 of the •■^tmta on botli the East and West sides of the said shaft, as well as the vegetation 
 now upon the lands, and also tho <U,> ol the veins, I can conlidently assert that in 
 almost every particular they agree with tho fonnation in the Anthracite regions of the 
 State of Pennsylvania. The rocks that have been cut through give clear conclusive 
 evidence that the region abounds in pure Anthracite coal, of tlio same nature as tliat 
 which is mined hi Pennsylvania. 
 
 "2nd. The shaft situate on Mace's Basin and now )?.0 feet deep, slunvs evidence 
 of a gradual increase in quality, and every foot sunk will, in my opinion, give further 
 eviduuce of this gradual increase to a better (piality. 
 
 ".3rd. The coal, that lias been and is now being taken out, is of a pure anthr.icito 
 nature, has a shining lustre, and has the fracture and cleavageof anthracite coal, and 
 equals it in weight. It is of a partly soft nature and is covered with a coating of a 
 black compound which reseml)lcs graphite, but which still in my opinion is or has been 
 caused by tho chemical action of tlie salt water for the past ages upon tho carbon of 
 the said coal, and alth(jugh it ha« tins imperfection, it to-day burns freer and briglitor, 
 and gives a greater heat tlian poor ordinary anthracite. 
 
 "4th. Having made two thorough trials of its burning (lualitics I am convinced 
 that it is a pure anthracite coal. 
 
 "The tirst test was made on the open hoartii at the blacksraitlfs shop, and I found 
 that after a small quantity of wood had been consumed the coal ignited easily and 
 burnt freely. After the interim of twelve minutes from the time of kindling, the fire 
 was burning bright and clear, \\\i\\ no clogging or coking. A fresh supply was then 
 T)ut on and in lifteen minutes afterwards I distributed the tire and found the coal clear 
 and but very little burnt. The tire wms again heaped tog"ther, and when one hour 
 and one half had elapsed was again disturbed, when no slate, or clinkers, or coking 
 couhl bo found, but merely a red ash and partly unconsumed coal. 
 
 " The scccjnd test was made in a large open front stove and gave the same convincing 
 e\'idence of its being good and pure anthracite coal. The heat imparted by this coal 
 is live per cent, in excess of that from tlic States, and the trials were in a most general 
 manner satisfactory. 
 
 "5th. The fossiliferous formation near the bed of these scams is of the grandest 
 that I have seen North of the State of Pennsylvania, and bears a strong resemblance 
 to that of the Middle States. Some fossils found of splendid fenis, leaves and stenis 
 and grasses, now'in my possession, pU evince the anthracite formation. (The analysis 
 of the coal I have taken with me I shall submit at a future date.) 
 
 "6th, What is most needed now is depth, and at the distance of three hundred feet 
 I feel sure that you will be rewarded for your faith and perseverance by striking the 
 hard and unaflFected anthracite coal. I would suggest that as your shafts are situate 
 too near the margin of the river or bay, and in consequence the action of the tide 
 upon the Southern wall or bank is very dangerous, and may cause a serious inconve- 
 nience in the future, that you start your working shaft either to the North of your 
 present prospecting shaft, say 100 to 12.') feet, or else on the second or third vein. 
 This would, no doubt, be more expensive in the commencement, but in the end would 
 be the cheapest. 
 
so 
 
 •i , 
 
 '"\\ 
 
 "III concluaioii I tcudor you my best wishes, aiul trust that your entorijrisc may lie 
 rowarded. If the work is inodorately pushed, l)y Si)ring I feel sure you will he jible 
 to produce 'black diamonds,' mined in your own country, and unsurimssed by thoso 
 from abroad. 
 
 "Lot mo again wish you success, and reujaiai, gentlemen, your obedient servant," 
 
 John C. Karstex, 
 
 Gtaer^A Sup*, of the Gi'.bein Siloer Mining Co. 
 August 2, 1877. 
 
 Mr. Karsten is a gontlumcn who has had great and varied expe- 
 rience in the niinin-,' world, wlio is now liolding a very responsible 
 position in a large mining enterprise, and whose reputation is at 
 stake in making a report of a partly developed deposit. His re- 
 port, as published above, has no uncertain sound, and is reliable in 
 every particular. His theory of the coal Ijeing covered with a 
 "coating of a black compound which resembles gi-aphite" agi-ees 
 with the report of Prof. Steinbach which was given about tv/o yeai-s 
 previously, viz: "that It ■/« tlic chemkdl ddlon of the salt water upon 
 the carbon of the coal." Prof. Steinbach noticed that the mixed 
 specimen of mud and crushed coal which he analyzed had been in 
 contact with the salt water, and hence his theoiy of the wrecked 
 vessel and the distribution of anthracite along the beach from her 
 cargo. Mr. Karsten thinks that Avhen taken froni a position to 
 which the salt water has not penetrated, the coal Avill be found un- 
 affected and free from any delel ^rious compound either as regards 
 (piality or appearance. 
 
 Dr. Bailey, who occupies tlie chair of natui-al science at the Uni- 
 versity of New Brunswick, has stated that a very small quantity 
 of graphite could be found in the coal, causing it to "rub off" and 
 rendering it softer than is usual with anthracites, aiid yet not affect 
 its burning qualities, nor its value as a combustible. Fe r marked 
 that the opinions of scientific men on the subject »>oxv; but secon- 
 dary to its giving a good account of the qualities that were sought 
 in it, and a practical opinion regarding a test was more valuable 
 than any theoretical one could be. In other words, if the coal can 
 do the work V :,.t is claimed it can, it of itself demands and occupies 
 a position il^.r lo ' heory can give it. 
 
 Regarding the reports of Messrs. Young, Taylor, and Karsten, 
 there is a singularity in the unity of the testimony of the burning 
 and heating qualities of the coal, and this singularity is redoubled 
 
81 
 
 when it is noted that these gentlemen are unknown to each other 
 foi-the most pai-t. and could not hy any possibility have exchanged 
 ideas on the subject. 
 
 The next phase in which to view this discovery, providing that 
 the foregoing reports arc reliable, and tliat the existence of the 
 article is^'not a myth, is in the position it assumes as a 'product of 
 Canada. 
 
 Wo have in years past been exchanging that representative of 
 wealth— inoJit'?/— with our American cousins for anthracite coaL 
 The exact amount that has been paid over yearly, for this one 
 article, cannot at this moment be stated, but an estimate that 
 reaches among the upper hundreds of thousands, towards the mil- 
 lions, cannot be an exaggerated one. Think then, for a moment, of 
 the vast amount of money that will be kept in the countiy by our 
 possessing a supply, within our own confines, of that which hereto- 
 fore has-been supposed to be a monoply to Pennsylvania and the 
 adjacent states. 
 
 In her present position New BrunsAvick' has but few articles of 
 export. There are but few commodities that we can exchange for 
 the wealth of other countries. The discovery of anthracite coal has 
 given us another article of barter, and Ave are in proportion so much 
 the wealthier as to the size of the deposit. Judging from the breadth 
 of the seam at the distance that the shaft has been sunk, its prob- 
 able breadth when the coal basin is reached, and also the fact that its 
 upturned edge can be distinguished at intervals for more than a mile 
 along the shore, there is sufficient data on which to base a calculation 
 whidi will give eight to ten millions of tons in a circumscribed 
 area, without taking into consideration the probability of its ex- 
 tending some six to seven miles back -to where the granitic forma- 
 tion commences. 
 
 With these facts prominently in view it becomes— one might 
 almost say— the duty of every well meaning citizen of sufficient 
 means to lend his aid in a substantial manner to the developing of 
 this— it might be called— national resource of w^ealth. In so doing 
 he not only assists to the increasing of the importance and standing 
 of the community, but he also benefits himself in a material manner. 
 It is understood that the proprietors are now about placing the 
 properties in the hands of competent and well known men who will 
 
22 
 
 be empowered to sell a portion of the same. The money obtained 
 from ,':ueh sale will be guaranteed to be expended in developing Ihe 
 mine. In a short time a 'prospectus will be issued, which will fully 
 explain the intentions and plans of the Stock Company about to 
 be formed. 
 
 If this discovery hacl been of bituminous instead of anthiucite 
 coal, it would bear no comimrison in value to what it is. Simply 
 because bituminous coal mines mio-ht almost be desiccated as beino- 
 a glut in the market. As it is, it is the first discovery of anthracite 
 in any country over which the "Red Cross of old Englg.nd" waves, 
 and, as such, should bo met with an "All hail " echoing from every 
 heart. 
 
 I 
 
 t 
 
 //. 7i 
 
 Si 
 
 80 fe 
 ovei' 
 
 .4 
 
 V 
 
ADDENDA. 
 
 V 
 
 Alburtes, Pa., Sept. 1st, 1877. 
 
 //. It. liobertivn, Esq., Gensrcd Sapenntendent Xeio Brunsvnch Anthracite 
 
 Coal Mining Co., St. John, X. B. , 
 
 Sir, — Subjoined i)lease find Analysis of Samples of Coal taken from the 
 80 feet and 130 feet levels, Tiiat of tlie latter indicates a valuable inci-ease 
 ovei' the former. 
 
 SO IFEEIT XjE'VEL. 
 
 Moisture, 1.27 
 
 Volatile Combustible jNIatter, 3.78 
 
 Fixed Carbon, 73.52 
 
 Impixrities, 21.43 
 
 100.00 
 
 ISO :feet le^vel. 
 
 Moisture, 1.32 
 
 Volatile Combustible I\Iatter, 3.60 
 
 Fixed Carbon, 81.36 
 
 Impurities, 1 3.72 
 
 100.00 
 
 Yours most i-espectfully, 
 
 JNO. C. KARSTEN. 
 
 ir:-,.-.