^ 'REPORT
UPON THK
COAL DEPOSITS
AT
PONTIAC, LIVINGSTON COUNTY. ILL.,
BY
Prof. CUMMINGS CHERRY, Sr.,
GEOLOGIST AND MINERALOGIST.
CHICAGO:
The I). A. Cashman Pkinting and Publishing House.
1876.
NORTHWESTERN
UNIVERSITY
LIBRARY
t
EVANSTON
ILLINOIS
REPORT UPON THE COAL DEPOSITS AT PONTIAC,
LIVINGSTON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
Livingston County, Illinois, is the third county west of the
State line of Indiana, and south of LaSalle and Grundy coun¬
ties, Illinois.
The above counties are the most northeastern portion of the
great coal basin of Illinois, and is one of the most valuable and
important portions of said coal field. Its near approxiraity to the
great consuming market, Chicago, which must still increase as
manufacturing extends ; also the great net-work of railroads
which centers and crosses near this coal field, running north into
Wisconsin, and northwest into Iowa. In these States no work¬
able coal has been found, except in the middle portion of Iowa.
Said States being densely populated and scarce of timber, must
necessarily draw upon this coal field for its supplies of fuel for
all purposes.
DESCRIPTION OF COAL, SEAMS.
The lower, or No. 1 seam, ranges from two to three feet
thick, and rests upon the St. Peters or Potsdam sand stone,
which underlies the coal formations and crops out along the
northern margin of LaSalle and Grundy counties. This No. 1
strata is of more uncertain development than some of the higher
seams. It has an excellent roof of hard shale.
No.-2, or middle vein, varies in thickness from three to five
feet, and of excellent quality, as analysis hereafter will show;
it is the same as the middle vein at LaSalle and Peru, and the
lower vein at Carbondale and Nellysville.
2
No. 3, or top vein, is somewhat local in its development, and
very variable in its thickness, some places from three to four
feet, but is not reliable, thoiigh classed among the coal series.
LOCATION.
Pontiac is situated near the centre of Livingston county, 92
miles from Chicago in a southwesterly direction, on the Chicago,
Alton & St. Louis Railroad, also junction of the Paducah Rail¬
road, and contains a population of about 3,000 iiihabihints. It
is a growing and prosperous town, and surrounded by one of the
best agricultural portions of the State, with a healthy, industri¬
ous and producing people. Near the town of Pontiac a shaft of
suitable dimensions has been sunk some 355 feet. The formations
passed through are found to be in place and uniform, showing
the same to be undisturbed by faults or reverse dips.
In sinking said shaft, three stratas of coal were passed
through, which proves to be the same stratas as found at LaSalle
and Peru, and is a further proof of the great uniformity of the
Illinois coal deposits.
The first or top vein of said shaft has not been worked, as the
second vein is much thicker, being four feet six inches.
From the top of shaft to the middle of vein, I am informed,
is 175 feet, which I have every reason to believe is correct.
The principal mining that has been done in said shaft has
been confined to the middle vein. Some four acres of this veil*
has been extracted or taken out from east side of shaft, the main
entry being excavated some two hundred yards from bottom of
shaft to present brest of works. They have adopted here the
system of long-wall work, the same as at Wilmington, and find
it to work admirably. Some 800 feet of a brest is now opened.
It is but recently this plan has been adopted, and must reduce
the price of mining over the old system. There is no water in
the interior of the mine.
I am informed that the coal taken out of this mine has been
principally disposed of for home demand, the town of Pontiac
being large consumers. The country around here is prairie
3
land, and scarce of timber. No coal is mined within twelve
miles of this place. In an east northeast direction they come
some thirty or more miles to this place for their coal, I am in¬
formed. There is a home demand alone, of six months in the
season, for large amounts per day, independent of railroad
demand to other points. This coal is well adapted for locomo¬
tive and manufacturing purposes, on account of its freeness from
sulphur and low per cent, of ash.
One hundred and eighty feet from middle vein to bottom of
shaft the third or bottom vein is cut through, and is found to
be from two to three feet thick. There is a quantity of dirt at
bottom of shaft which prevented me from seeing lower vein.
The above information I obtained from Mr. Jackson, who
sunk said shaft. I found him to be a practical man, and have
every reason to believe him. It might take about one thousand
dollars to clean out the shaft to lower vein, and from its freeness
of water, easy of access and superior quality of coal for certain
purposes, I would recommend its putting in order at once, as
the working of the same must prove profitable if well managed
and practical skill applied.
The shaft and machinery iiave capacity for extracting and
handling from 300 to 500 tons per day. All being constructed
in accordance with the latest improvements. The shaft and
works are well located for doing an extensive business, situated
near the town of Pontiac, makes it an inducement for operative
labor of a better class.
The above named works are very valuable, having control of
a large coal field and with proper management would be very
profitable.
The middle vein being of a very superior quality in compari¬
son to the most of our Illinois coals, if properly mined and
cleaned must command a first place in the market among the
bituminous coals.
The mine is comparatively free from water, is well ventilated,
and with a limited outlay could be put in first class working
order for a large business.
4
WILMINOTON MINES
are located at Braidwood, on the Chicago, Alton & St. Louis
Railroad, 58 miles from Chicago, and 34 miles N. E. from
Pontiac. Here large quantities of coal are mined for the
Chicago market.
The formation at Wilmington, contains only one single vein
of coal, averaging from 2| to 3 feet in thickness, which is over¬
laid by a heavy bed of clay, shale or soap stone.
The same is found at Morris, on the Rock Island & Pacific
Railroad, 61 miles from Chicago. The vein here is about 30
inches thick.
These two points are the extreme northern extremity of the
coal basin, and their close proximity to the Chicago market,
where large quantities are sold for steam and domestic purposes,
renders it valuable.
But the thinness of the coal vein, the exceedingly treacher¬
ous and bad roof or top above it, and the bottom under it having
a raising up, requires frequent cutting out and removing in the
road ways, also the great quantities of timber for props required,
will necessarily always make it an expensive coal to mine or
extract, and were it not for the improved long-wall system of
mining, and the most excellent Scotch mining labor applied, it
would be almost impossible to mine it at all. Efforts to mine
the lower or No. 1 vein of coal, in the ordinary old mode of
mining, have proved a total failure, as much money and labor
has been spent in the effort. For instance, the lower vein at
LaSalle, Peru, and Oglesby and many other places I might
here enumerate.
The high price paid for mining at Wilmington and Morris,
the thinness of vein, and large quantities of timber required,
must always render them expensive coals.
I was informed by one of the operatives of the Wilmington
mines, that their timber and extra labor exceeded 25 cents per
ton alone and above mining expenses. A vein of 3 feet thick¬
ness will yield about 5,000 tons per acre, which at 25 cents Jier
5
ton, would amount to $1,250, this will be seen at a glance to be
a heavy entailment upon extracting the Wilmington coal.
' The dip of the coal formation is about S. W. from Wilmingr
ton, through the Counties of Grundy, Livingston, McLean,
Logan and Sangamon, as is shown from the various openings or
shafts sunk through said formation at Pontiac, Bloomington,
Springfield, &c. The formation at Pontiac is some 355 feet and
at Bloomington, McLain Co., to . the same vein 530 feet, the
lower vein here was 3 feet thick, the middle vein 4 feet 6 inches
thick. This you will perceive, proves the dip and uniform¬
ity of strata generally throughout, and where the uniformity and
superincumbent strata are well defined and in place, we gener¬
ally find the coal also more uniform and of better quality, retain¬
ing all their constituents and being much more compact and
solid. ■
I find this to be so in the Pontiac deposit of the middle vein.
The coal is hard and compact, and roof or top above the coal is
very strong and compact, requiring almost no timber for props.
If mining operations were conducted upon the same system
as at Wilmington, there is no question but this coal can be
extracted much cheaper than at W ilmington. The excellent top
and bottom thickness of vein warrants me in coming to this
conclusion. Also the superior quality of the coal, its applicabil¬
ity for manufacturing purposes, if properly cleaned and pre¬
pared for market, its freeness from sulj)hur and low per centage
of ash, renders it more than able to compete with the Wilming¬
ton or Morris coals in the different markets.
The impurities in this coal vein are principally Iron Pyrites,
which are laminated sheets or plates, and can easily be extracted
and cleaned by the miner. The mining of this vein should not
exceed 75 cents per ton.
The expense of sinking such a shaft as at Pontiac, should not
exceed $50 per foot, total $17,750.
Engine and machine complete $6,000; top of shaft, gearings,
frame work, shoots, screens &c., $3,000 ; Railroad siding and
weigh scales, about $3,000.
6
The coal in the lands if rented for a royalty, judging from
the prices paid in the East, and other places where mines are
opened and accessible, is worth 25 cents per ton or $1,250
per acre.
The above being a calculation on the middle vein only. The
lower vein should add much to the value of the property.
I herewith accompany my report with analysis carefully made
by me:
Specific
Gravity.
Fixed
Carbon.
.fl
c/i
<
Sulphur.
Water.
Volatile
Matter.
Wilmington Coal.
1.270
41.04
12.08
3-
3-5°
40.38
Pontiac Coal, )
8-75
trace
Middle Vein, j
1.270
43.12
3-
45-13
It appears by analysis, that the middle vein of the Pontiac
seam containing such a large amount of volatile matter or hydro
carbon would make a good gas coal, containing all the équiva¬
lants or properties for such purposes. With careful purifying
through lime, it will make as much illuminating gas as many of
our Eastern coals.
I have every confidence in the lower strata being a superior
coal for many purposes. Underlying the same may be found
valuable deposits of fire clay for the manufacture of fire brick,
fire ware, &c., having found the same accompaniments in other
localities, beneath the lower coal foundation and overlaying the
Potsdam Sandstone.
Respectfully submitted.
Prof. CUMMINGS CHERRY, Sr.,
Geologist and Mineralogist.
■7
Read the following extracts from the Chicago Times:
" The Coal Trade of Chicago—Interesting Statistics.
Among those elements of national wealth which the Almighty
has lavished so profusely upon us, there is not one perhaps so great,
or apparently so exhaustless, as are those vast coal deposits that are
almost commensurate with the geography of our country, and that
furnish to every American such an occasion of congratulation and
wonder. Indeed when we undertake to estimate their importance,
when we remember it as the parent of manufactures, as the power
that put all the wheels of our industry in motion, we find it impos-
sibe to place even a proximate value upon an interest so vast and so
bewildering. Coal is, indeed, as some writer has very properly
termed it, "The mainspring of our civilization." It is the very
angel of all our progressive development, and although its aspect
may not be of that picturesque stamp we have gathered frôm our
scripture-reading, though it comes to us with begrimmed hands,
and locks dusky with toiling in the caverns of the earth, it is none
the less the minister of comfort, of luxury, and of wealth. But
while we have not the time to take that more comprehensive view
of the question we could wish, some facts and figures connected
with our immediate coal interests may not be wholly "profitless or
unentertaining.
In reviewing the coal trade of Chicago for the past two years,
we find that the amount received during the year 1873
1,602,005 tons. Of this, the receipts by lake were, of anthracite,
538,837 tons, and of bituminous, 199,107 tons; received by rail,
846,943 tons, and by canal, 17,118 tons. At the reopening of the
shipping season for 1874, it was found that there were 100,000 tons
in the various yards at that date. Up to December 31, 1874, the
amount received by lake was, of anthracite, 495,688 tons, bitumi¬
nous, 261,790 tons, making the total tonnage received 757,478
tons, or a balance of 19,534 tons in excess of that received by lake
in 1873.
We are indebted to the freight agents of the several railroads
mentioned below for the statistics of coal received over their re¬
spective lines at this point during the past year. They are as
follows :
8
Roadä.
Tons.
Chicago and Alton
Chicago, Danville and Vincennes
Pittsburgh, Cincinnati and St. Louis
Pittsburgh and Fort Wayne
Illinois Central
Chicago, Burlington and Quincy
Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific
Baltimore and Ohio (since Nov. i8).
279,037
185,000
133^233
65»2I7
50,006
27,649
20,769
3-679
Total
764-590
The several companies have only kept a record of the coal re¬
ceived by dealers, and not the amount consumed in connection with
their respective roads, which would swell the amount many thousand
tons, and including that received by canal would increase the
general aggregate to an amount far in excess of the figures of last
season.
But while this general summary is thus gratifying, there is also
much in the healthy condition of our home enterprises to impress
us with a kindred feeling of satisfaction, and although the coal
fields of Ohio and Pennsylvania are the means of supplying us with
vast quantities of excellent fuel, it is a fact perhaps not generally
known that. Illinois in her coal-bearing strata comprise a larger
area than can be found within the territory of any other state in
the union, and while this species of wealth is scattered up and down
through her borders, there is no section to which the state can point
more proudly than to the coal deposits that lie in such pleasant
proximity to our city, and which embraces fifty square miles of
territory underlaid with workable coal."—Chicago Times, Jan. 17,
"Chicago consumed, in 1869, 754,373 tons of coal, and in 1875,
1,622,000 tons, being an increase in six years of over 117 percent.
Of this amount, there was mined from Indiana and Illinois bitumin¬
ous coal fields, 216,440 tons in 1869, and 683,840 tons in 1875, an
increase in six years in the consumption of home coals of over 215
per cent. Notwithstanding this very rapid increase in the use of
our home fuels over the natural ratio of increase in other fuel
1875-
9 »
demands, which tends to show how baseless are many of the objec¬
tions raised to their use, it appears that we drew 938,160 tons of our
supplies from eastern mines, 350 to 600 miles distant from our doors,
or an increase in this particular of nearly eighty per cent, in six
years. This too, in face of the fact that two hours' ride from our
busy city we strike an almost exhaustless coal field extending thence
in unbroken order southward to the Ohio river and from eastern
Indiana west to the Mississippi river.
so PROFITABLE ARE THE RESULTS
to the operators where the business is conducted with skill, system,
and energy, as evidenced by the large fortunes amassed by those
men of enterprise and business tact who have identified themselves
with coal mining, and so constant and progressive is the demand for
the product of such mines, that wherever a coal field can be found
having all the elements of a good and economical fuel, with facili¬
ties of development and production at a cost equal to or below other
competing sources of supply, capital can in no other instance be
employed with greater safety. There undoubtedly are many loca¬
tions in our western coal fields awaiting development at the hands
of science and capital, and their ultimate importance to Chicago
and the attention they deserve from Chicago business men may be
fully realized only by the examination of her enormous and rapidly
growing fuel demands. While it is not to be anticipated that Chi¬
cago will become entirely emancipated from a dependence, in some
degree, on eastern fuels, it is very certain that, in justice to her man¬
ufacturing interests and the vast stores of cheap and adaptable fuel
in near proximity to her doors, each succeeding year the percentage
of her consumption of Indiana and Illinois coals will rapidly
increase."—Chicago Times, Feb. 17, 1876.
553.2 C52
3 5556 005 155 049
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