History of Utah, 1540-1886 - Brigham Young University

736 AGRICULTURE AND MANUFACTURES.
Between 1872 and 1882 about 70,000 tons of coke
were brought into Utah at a cost of $1,800,000, and
during the same period 500,000 tons of coal were
brought from Wyoming at a cost of nearly $4,000,000.
The future of the iron interests of Utah appears to
depend mainly on the question whether coking coal
can be produced of sufficient consistency for the smelting
of pig-iron. As yet it has not been produced, or
not in considerable quantity; but the coal regions are
of vast extent, have been but slightly explored, and
it would seem almost a certainty that deposits will
somewhere be found that answer the purpose. It is
well known that the best coal for coking is that which
has been subjected for ages to pressure under the ap-
plication of heat. The coal-beds of Utah are of recent
and not of what is termed the true coal formation,
but such coal sometimes makes excellent coke. At
Wales, in Sanpete Vallej 7 , in Pleasant and Castle valleys
to the east and south, on Cedar Mountain, and
elsewhere, coking coal has been found which serves
for the smelting of lead, but not for iron, 43 though it
is believed that coke will soon be produced that can
bear the weight of the charges in pig-iron smelting.
In January 1854 the Utah legislature offered a
reward of $1,000 to any resident who would open a
vein of coal not less than 18 inches thick within 40
cent of phosphorus, and of sulphur a trace. W. A. Hodges of S. L. City obtained
from a specimen of magnetic ore 62.G0 of iron, .12 of sulphur, and 4.8
of silica; from a specimen of hematite, 60.90 of iron, .08 of sulphur, and 5.7
of silica. Hollisters Res. and Attract, of Utah, 45. For description of Great
Western iron-works at Iron City, incorporated in 1873, see Deseret News,
Oct. 13, 1875; of the Ogden iron-works, at which operations were commenced
systematically in 1 S82, Hollister's lies, and A (tract, of Utah, 5 1 ; for further mention
of iron deposits in Utah, see Deseret News, Aug. 26, 1S74, Aug. 17, 1SS1;
S. L. Wkly Herald, June 23, 1881; S. L. O. Tribune, Oct. 24, 1S74, Apr. 10,
13, 17, Nov. 2, 1S79, Dec. 3, 1880, Jan. 1, 1SS1; S. F. Bull., Jan. 17, 1SS2;
S. F. Alta, Sept. 4, 1S73; Austin Reese River Reveille, Nov. 21, 1S06; Murphy's
Min. Res. of Utah, 8.
48 Fi-om an analysis of Castle Valley coal, Mr Brittan reported 4S.21 per
cent of fixed carbon, l.SS of ash, and 40.61 of volatile matter; from coke
produced from this coal, 91.05 of fixed carbon, 3.25 of ash, and 2.70 of volatile
matter. From an analysis of Sanpete Valley coal, the samples being takeu 40
feet below the surface, A. P. Bouton obtained 50.7 per cent of coke, 34.2 of
bitumen, 13.3 of ash, and 1.8 of moisture. Uollisler's Res. of Utah, 47.