THE LIGNITE deposits of WILLIAMS COUNTY AND VICINITY 57 Lignite from the Dahl mine gave the following analysis: Volatile matter... * 42.65 52.78 4.57 Crazy Man's Creek and Cedar Coulee extend back from the river to the north, in this and adjoining sections, and along them lignite outcrops at a number of points. Three miles north of the Dahl mine in the bed of Crazy Man's Creek a spring which fills a three inch pipe with a strong stream of good drinking water rises out of a lignite seam, three feet of which are exposed. The lignite seems to be of good quality, though no mining has been done at this point.. Its depth below the average prairie level is about that of the Dahl mine, and very possibly it represents the same seam. Observations made at many points within the lignite area, however, show that such a deduction is not safe. It may represent an entirely new seam, or by the rising of the seam become coincident with the upper seam, number 15, in the Dahl mine section. In the adjacent Cedar Coulee one of the finest lignite seams seen in the northern part of the state is exposed. It appears as the lowest number in the following section: The thick seam in number 1 of this section is excellent in quality. Considerable quantities have been mined by stripping, and preparations are being made to utilize it on a large scale. Analysis by Prof. E. J. Babcock. It is shown in the frontispiece with part of the overlying clay. The exposure of this seam is continuous for 3,000 feet near the bottom of the coulee, the amount of good coal demonstrated being very great. Its distance from the railroad is three miles. Along Stony Creek, between Avoca and Williston, lignite outcrops at a number of points. Three miles from Avoca is the old Taylor mine which for one year supplied fuel for Fort Buford. It is illustrated, with overlying clays and thinner lignite seams in figure 3; the formations illustrated being as follows: * Fig. 3. Section from the old Taylor mine near Williston. Analyses of two samples from this mine gave: *First Biennial Report North Dakota Geological Survey, Prof. E. J. Babcock. THE LIGNITE DEPOSITS OF WILLIAMS COUNTY AND VICINITY 59 Along the creeks north of Williston a number of mines have been opened for local use, the coal being won by stripping. Among them are the Pettis mine on Red Bank Creek, in Township 153, Range 102, Section 9, and the Cow Creek mines, and the Metzgar mine. The seams worked are from four to six feet thick. In central and northern Williams county, Mr. J. C. Field, county surveyor for Williams county, reports that lignite is very abundant, outcropping at a great many points along the coulees thirty or forty feet below the surface. This region abounds in springs which probably rise from the lignite. Their number in Township 156, Range 102, is said to be nearly sixty. In the central and western part of the county, in Township 158, Range 104, Sections 6 and 7, coal six feet thick is reported as outcropping continuously for 300 feet. The Three miles southwest of Williston, on the south side of the river, is a cut bank which shows a number of coal seams. series given at this point is illustrated by the section: Plate VII. A shows seams 7, 9 and 11 of this section plainly; 5 is barely invisible on the left. Plate VII. A shows the complete section; Plate VII. B being a nearer view of the lower cut bank on the left. In addition to seams 7 and 9 of the section, the three foot seam number 13 is conspicuous, and above it, near the top of the bluff the two foot seam number 15 in the section appears. The lignite outcropping at the water edge is very solid, and makes excellent fuel. It persists along the river for some distance at this level, outcropping at the foot of the bluffs six miles up the river, where it has been mined by drifting into the pluffs, the entry extending 100 feet. Across the river about Stroud, ten miles southeast of Williston, lignite is said to be abundant. At McArthur's sheep ranch on Red Wing Creek, in Township 151, Range 100, ten miles south of Stroud, a seam from ten to sixteen feet thick is reported by Mr. J. C. Field as showing at nearly every bend in the creek for three miles. The lignite about Hofflund, Grinnell and Nesson was studied by Mr. L. H. Wood, and the results of his investigations are given in connection with his report on Ward County and adjacent territory. LIGNITE DEPOSITS OF BURLEIGH COUNTY. FRANK A. WILDER. The Washburn Mine at Wilton.-Wilton is situated near the northern boundary of Burleigh County, in the center of an area stretching north into McLean County and across the Missouri river into Oliver and Mercer Counties, which has long been known to abound in lignite coal. In reality this area is but a portion of the great lignite area, this being somewhat better known than the large region just west of it. Later study will doubtless show that western Oliver and Mercer Counties are as richly endowed with lignite as the eastern portions along the Missouri river, and the section outlined above will appear as but a small fraction of the eastern edge of the great lignite area. The coal about Wilton was first brought into special prominence by the opening of the large Washburn mine, the largest mine up to this time operated in the state. Work on a large scale in this region was rendered possible by the building of the Bismarck, Washburn & Great Falls Railroad, which developed a region with large mineral and agricultural resources. Although opened only two years ago the Washburn mine would be regarded as a large mine, judged by the standards recognized in the older coal producing portions of the country. The topography of the region about Wilton is that of the moderately rolling older drift. Drainage is complete and the surface conditions for farming admirable. At the Washburn mine, which is a mile southeast of Wilton, the lignite lies sixty feet below the surface. No lignite is known to occur between |