The Seattle Star Newspaper, July 23, 1920, Page 24

* THE SEATTLE STAR Seattle the Center of Vast Coal Resources Enough Fuel Still in the Ground to Last 7,000 Years at the Present Rate of Con- sumption PLENTIFUL SUPPLY ATTRACTS INDUSTRY AND COMMERCE OAL is the backbone of industry. In Issaquah Coal Mine, Owned and Operated by the Pacific Coast Coal Company, a Short “Distance Southeast of Seattle. commerce, in manufacturing — in almost all human activities — coal plays a vital part. It is a basic re- source upon which some 6fthe greatest industrial cen- ters in the world have been built. Seattle is peculiarly fortunate in having the only commercial coal fields on the Pacific Coast of the United States at its door. Through this city tie bulR of this coal is marketed. All up and down the Coast, citiés and towns are supplied with coal from Seattle. Vast Quantities Available Washington has enough last 9,000 years at the present rate of consumy is estimated the coal fields in this state con re than 63,854,000,000 tons of this fuel. For the last few years the mines of this state have produced about 4,000,000 tons of coal annually. Unlike fuel oil, Washington coal is available to the consumer in almost unlimited quantities. The growing scarcity of petroleum is causing an ever-increasing de- mand for all kinds ofcoal. For this reason the Pacific Coast Coal Company, the largest producer of coal in the Pacifie Northwest, has had experts studying the coal situation for years. These experts have devised many new ways of utilizing coal to advantage where hereto- fore it had been inefficient or inadvisable. Mines Developed Years Ago “The Pacific Coast Coal Company has been mining and selling coal for the last half century,” said Wylie Hemphill, general sales manager of the company. “It has always been the aim of this concern fo aid in the development and growth of Seattle and the Northwest through the efficient use of coal “A few years ago the Pacific Coast Coal Company erected a large briquet plant at Briquetville and there, by means of modern machinery, the coal from some of this company’s mines is crushed, mixed with a high grade petrolastic binder, pressed and stamped under pressure of 4,000 to 5,000 pounds to the square inch— finally emerging on a conveyor as the finished product and loaded on cars for Seattle. Several Mines Developed “This concern mines Issaquah, Newcastle, Hyde, Black Diamond, Franklin and South Prairie coals. All these are found in large areas a short distanée from Se- attle, and are brought to tidewater here by the Pacific Coast Railroad, a sister corporation, and by the North- ern Pacific Railway, “At Seattle large coal bunkers are maintained from which vessels of all nations and many ports are sup- plied with steaming fuel. Because of its proximity to the rich coal fields to the south and east, Seattle is the most favorably located port on the Pacific Coast for the coaling of vessels, Growing Demand for Coal “From the tidewater bunkers and from the large yards of the Pacifie Coast Coal Company, coal for sup- plying the local trade also is taken, “The big mine at Issaquah produces an exceptionally superior domestic and industrial fuel and is now oper- ated almost to capacity. “Powdered coal is another product of this company that is meeting with favor among large consumers of coal. This form of coal is economical, efficient and easily handled. It is fast taking the place of fuel oil in industrial plants, apartment houses, hotels and other publie buildings. .The Pacifie Coast Coal Company employs special machinery for making powdered coal and special trucks for delivering it. Industries Depend on Coal “With the development of new industries in the Pa- cific Northwest the demand for coal from the Seattle market will increase, and the fact that such large fields of valuable fuel are available here will serve as an added attraction to industrial establishments, “The steel industry depends on a liberal supply of coal near at hand. With the large quantities of coal nearby and ore that can be used for making iron and steel, it is expected a great steel industry will be located in the vicinity of Seattle before many years. This means other allied industries, depending on iron and steel for their basic materials, will spring up in this city. These in turn will need vast quantities of coal, which the mines of this region will be prepared to furnish.” NORTHWEST INDUSTRIAL EDUCATIONAL BUREAU