THE NEBRASKA INDEPENDENT
APRIL 18. 1807.
Mining Activities in Nebraska
By N. A. BENGTSON.
To a majority of people, even in the
miouio West the term Nebraska calls
up a mental picture of a smooth, tree
less expan.se of land devoted to the
raising of corn, wheat and alfalfa. Ne
braska is great chiefly because of her
agricultural and grazing industries.
Hut It may not be out of place to state
mat sne has, mineral resources of con
filderable economic importance. The re
cently discovered cbfil mine near Peru
has been given prominence in local
publication, and we hope further dis
coveries may be made as a result of
vigorous and systematic prospecting.
But whatever tho future of the coal
and gas may be, Nebraska has now a
region along tho lower Tlatte river
where there is great activity in utiliz
ing the minerals in a commercial way.
To study in the lield some of the for
mations of the lower Platte valley, a
party of eixteen young men under di
rection of Dr. G. E. Condra, professor
of economic geology in the university
of Nebraska, spent the greater part of
their Easter recess on a field trip frpm
Ashland to Cullom. On Wednesday
morning, March 27, properly equipped
with instruments, coiled in? bags,
camping outfits, and other necessary
apparatus, we started out in two
grouj p. One party,, under direction of
Dr. Cumlrn, went to Ashland to study
the exposures of sandstone, limestones,
and ji.J.les in that vicinjty and to get
data oi the different beds from theic
eastward. The other party, under direc
tion of the writer, went from Lincoln
direct to &cuth Bend and spent Wed
nesday in studying the strata exposed
along the fouth side .of the Platte river
from South liend to Louisville: We also
visited the clay pits about two miles
southwest of Louisville.
These pits are located on the east
side of a small valley, trubutary to the
Platte, where erosion has removed a j
great part of the overlying material.
called stripping. There are two pits
about a ijuarter of a mile apart. The
first Is about 200 feet long, the opening
faces southwest and has been worked
back about ir.0 feet, and to a depth of
40 to 50 feet. The strippings vary from
two feet to fifteen feet in thickness,
becoming heavier as the pit is extended
into the bank. The clay is light yellow,
very lirm in position, a little HdEuV in
.the. upper; p.irt of tho bed, ;tnd under
laid by a white sand. The clav bed is
about thirteen feet thick. Tho clay is
shipped to Omaha and manufactured
Into a very high grade of briek. There
is also found a layer of about thre
feet of highly colored red clay which -3
mit-od for use in the manufacture of
red paint. These pits have been worked
for hx years, and through the greater
part of tho year from four to six ca-.s
of day a day are shipped. This proper
ty is owned and operated by the Avery
Prick company of Omaha, Neb.
After having made a somewhat de
tailed study of these pits we returned
t'j South Bend, studying along tho rr
vhiew on the way. At Kouth liend we
joined the Ashland party and, tak'ng
advantage of the genial hospitality of
Mr. Deming pitched cur tents on thi
barks of a small stream near nls hou.-so.
At this pliiee we spent two nights.
Thursday the whole party was di-
studies and the day was spent in get
ting accurate data on the formations
exposed along the south bank of the
Platte northwest of South liend. On
Friday the same plan of study wris
carried out alonjr the north side of tho
river from the stale fish hatcheries to
Meadow where wo crossed over to
Louisville. There we camped for the
night near the Atwood sand pit. The
manager, Mr. Rands, extended every
courtesy and during the evening kindly
explained the processes of sand dredg
ing. The next day, Saturday, we
Pi lengthens tlic life of the
15 wagon eaves horse
f power, ilma nud tcui-
KuJ .ori(i contains
w22i rowOcrcJinSca
'vV-W-, which
l. j u ,, i'jj&a forms
B" a MiittU,
t -...:. .., .
reduce-- friction.
If yon want your outfit
to List an.l cum money
uile it la&ts grcas.e
the nk with VAc
Atlc (reae.
sTAJiaAsaaiccsirAW
Mica Axis Grsusc j
si
Ml
Fx
I
worked from Louisville to Cullom, and
some o fthe party went then to Ash
land. The evenings were spent in
completing and discussing the notes
taken during the day and in confer
ences regarding the industrial possi-
Diiiues or., the district visited.
Among the side trip taken was a
visit to the scenic home of the state
fish hatcheries. In this -region two
rock series of very different size are
found. The lower and oider is called
the Pennsylvanian because the same
series is also found in the state of
Pennsylvania where it is known as the
"coal measures." The upper and
younger series called the Dakota be
cause of Its exposure and type locality
in Dakota county. Neb., was not denos-
Ited until the Pennsylvanian had long
oeen a land surface which had been
eroded into hills and valleys very sim
ilar to those now being made. - Then
came submergence below sea level, and
the sands and clays of the Dakota
formation were washed in and covered
or buried the old topography so that
the old hills and valleys were prac
tically obliterated. On the north side
of the Platte river, opposite South
Bend, one of these old topographies is
exposed. At (he state' fish hatcheries
the top of the Pennsylvanian lime
stone has an elevation of about 1,070
feet, about a mile southwest of the
hatcheries, near the north end of Old
Clarke bridge, the top of the Penn
sylvanian comes to 1,200 feet altitude.
East of the old bridge the elevation
"again becomes less, dropping as low as
1,080 feet in an old broad valley about
two miles wide. About one and one-
half miles west of Meadow Is another
Pennsylvanian limestone hill with a
maximum elevation of 1,140 feet, which
l.. only 1,060 feet above sea level. From
the state fish hatcheries to Meadow, a
distance oC about six miles, three valr
leys and two hills, the results of ero
sion of Pennsylvanian rocks, are ex
posed. These ancient topographic
forms have since been filled and cov
ered by sandstone and clays of the
Dakota formation of the cretaceous,
and these by still later deposits. At
the hatcheries the sandstones predom
inate and some of the beds are very
hard and dark colored. Near Meadow
quite an extensive deposit of clay is
found. In the Dakota formation of
this region there are several irreg
ular bean of clay.
Cedar creek lies In another Perm
syhvm'a .valley. ,, About .one and. one
half miles West of town one side of
the old valley is plainly shown. Where
(lie Dakota sands were iaid against th-3
Pennsylvania shales and limestones
small modern valley has been eroded.
The west bank of this little valley is
limestone and shale, the east bank is'
?and ftone The slope of the limestone
side is about 4G degrees and probably
marks an old bluff. From this point to
about two miles east of Cedar creek
sands pnd gravels predominate and
mark what at some time has been a
stream channel and flood plain. Thi?
old valley, three and one-half miles
wide and 120 feet deep and filled with
later deposits, is underlaid by shales
and limestones which also make up
the sides of the valley. Some beds
found at tho west bank have also been
found at the east bank of the valley,
and hence the evidence st ems eonelu
sixe proof of previous continuity.
The relation of th ancient topo
graphy of the present is quite marked.
Where the Dakota formation fills an
old valley and hence is quite thick, the
tributary streams have eroded wide
valleys and the Platte river also ha?
widened its course. Where the Da
kota overlies the old Pennsylvanian
hills end hence is shallow, the streams
have been cutting into the harder
Penn-iylvanian beds and have succeed
ed in carving but narrow gorges, and
the Platte has a narrow course. As a
result, the ancient hills and valleys arc
not now distinguished by differences in
elevation, but by different surface re
lief The Pennsylvania valleys, though
on"e obliterated, arr now imrked bv
sm.illcr undulating nills and valleys,
and t! Pennsylvania!! hills are di.;lin.
gulshcd by a topography of relatively
bull relief.
Muring the week trips were also
made to the old quarry opposite South
Peru! from which most of tho stono
erec ted Into the stato capitol taillding
was taken, to tho (Jrtcn's nuurrv
which n.s furnished a l.irge output
tin. (I
Id Stout -quarry m-ar Louls tile, I
famous in our early stato history and
which In again to be opened soon by
the Murphy Co., the Murphy quarries
Which nlnitn hvn. fnrnlhiMl Ltncotn
more than 500 carload. if crushed
tdotie a yer, the National Stf?,e Co.,
lh Atwood, and tho Cullom ouarri. :..
Thexe employ fr m 3". to ; un a eon.
Tho l.irgffit. owned by the N.i Uon.il
Stono C? was Udkd carefully and
aie party feel rry r;ratfil to the
tnni.iM-, Mr. Hull! van, ir hh gener
oas dn rlpUotiM, ThU quarry In lo
cated on tv M & M. lly., uijt two
lu'leM northeast of Lou!.vUI, The
opeiiliiK t. tho north and haa
now been worked out. so that a face
750 feet long is exposed, and has been
worked back about 150 feet, mming
out a solid ledge of limcttone 25 feet
thick. From this quarry it Is estl
mated that 260,000 tons of stone have
been taken, or about 5,200 carroacrs.
Work has been begvn to extend the
opening about five hundred feet which
will give It a frontage of nearly a
quarter of a mile. About eight or ten
feet of the middle portion of the
twrenty-five foot ledge is pure enougn
to be use! in sugar refining and
hence is known as sugar stone. Most
limestone from all these quarries is
crushed and used in concrete, in bulla
ing, and in street making. From this
district Lincoln receives more than
2,000 carloads " of crushed stone an
nually.
The bluffs along the lower Platte
also contain " the most extensive
gravel pits In Nebraska. Between
Cedar Creek and Louisville are two
large gravel pits each having - a
capacity of several carloads a day.
Midway between Cedar Creek and
Culloir. is another large pit. The im
portance of this product is readily ap
prciated when we remember its use
as a roofing material. The numerous
pits in this region, many In operation,
some abandoned because- of heavy
strippings, make the source of the
acres of gravel roofs found in Nebras
ka. .The gravel in the beds is mixed
with a great deal of sand which Is
washed out before shipment.
The vicinity of Louisville and
Meadow is probably the region of
greatest sural mining activity. f ive
large clam dredges are at work there
one of which operates in conjunction
with a sand pump which lints' the
sand from the Platte river Into a res
ervoir from which a dredge loads it
into' cars. The quantity of sand which
can be taken from one pit is well il
lustrated in the case of the Atwood
Pit at Louisville, managed by Mr
Rands. This pit is located about one
hundred yards south of the channel
of the Platte river. The land, use
less for farming, leases for about
$100 per acre on account of its sand
The pit was opened five years ago by
re; evjng about one foot of tne sur
f; as- strippings. The sand is taken
out by a dredge, called a clam on ac
count of the shapj. It weighs about
3000 lbs. and operates on a double
cable, by means of a. draw cable at
tached to a twenty horse power engine
it is lowered into the pit. On account
of . its weigh and shape it sinks Into
the sand and tills, and automatically
closes when drawn up. It is, then
drawn on the double cable to the side
of the pit and against a stripping de
vice which causes it to drop its load of
nearly two tons of sand into a wait
ing car.
When operating at full speed three
f-uch loads are hauled in five minutes,
or at the rate -of a ton per minute.
This one c redge loads from elht to
fifteen cars per day during ten months
each year, regard less of rain or 'sun
shine. That process has gone on at th.;
place for nearly five years and hn"
only excavated a pit about 300 yards
long, 100 vards wide, having a maxi
mum 'depth of 75 feet. The operation
described is typical. There are five such
credges at work in that vicinity, at
about the same rate, which means an
average combined output of thirty-five
to seventy cars chilly. The upper sands
are usually rather tine and nro used
extensively for engine sand. As dredg
ing is cairied to knver depths thu sand
is coarser and at a depth ot seventy
live to eighty feet contains much
gravel. All the sand is very angular
and is well adapted fer use in plasters,
cement blocks, street making, etc. A,3
the sand is taken out clear water lakes
are formed which serve for fish and ice
lakes. Thus tho value of the land is
increased rather than dinvnisned.
When we are tempted to think of Ne
braska as a state without mineral
wealth let us bear in mind that she lies
tho best of the most important mineral
resources In the world, a fertile- soil
and excellent water. She also has al
most innumerable, sandpits, a consider
able quantity of gravel, numerous
quarries, v.iul that she has a district
cinl raci ig LcuiNvMIe and Meadow, less
than three miles wide and u-n miles
long, . In re th boom of the blast Is
.neard on pH eides In the eveninc and
where rmny tralr.la.ida of sand, clay,
grave! and f.tonc .ire i.-.hicd weekly.
. . , j
UP-TO-DATE.
Czar Nicholas is a nod hand at
"",,st rul P'ys a great deal. Lmt
year he and his intimates lined twelvo
hundred packs of cards, which eo.t
over J.V0OO. Ill cards are mad 4 of the
finest linen rags, with n water mark o?
tho Iiup-ri,tl eugle and crown. f h '
Russians, by the way, re tho Krcatest
cud player In the world, their yearly
expenditure on card being wlnit
II.lHO.OeO.
King Ldward ha nanctIoned the ap
pointment of Henry Held f,f Windsor
n bombardier to fire rojul satutr In
tho Lonif Walk, Windsor park, on th
birthday anntversufiert of the royal
finilly and other tpeciai orcajuoiiN.
'I he office la an Bnclent one. Th can-
YOU: GA! klELY
ON THE BITTERS
Past experience has taiurht thousand.
of persons that in all cases r,f sin,
ach, Liver cr Bowel disorders the Bit
ters can be relied on to give relief even
when other medicine? have fMod.
HOSTETTER'S
STOMACH BITTERS
should therefore be the first thought as
soon as you notice an attack of Sick
Headache, Dyspepsia, Indigestion. Co.
tiveness, Heartburn, Malaria or Female
ins. it is absolutely pure..
non which are used In firing the sa
lutes are ths bombardier's own nnin.
erty, which he keeps stored at his
dwelling house, together with powder.
This he provides out of the sum paid
for firing the salutes of- twenty-one
guns.
Achilieion. the beautiful xaace hniit
for the latft T1mnrp. TMivaVoH c
Austria at Corfu, at a cost of $5,000,300,
has been nurrhajserl nv n Kwiuu.c'oi.m.,,,
" .7 ' ' ' . . - I j I II 1 '
syndicate, which will convert St into a
noiei aou t.anatoi nirn.
The palace, which is of pure white
marble, was designed iw th tcum
architect S. Canto.' It contains 12S
rooms and a chapel, situated in fine
grounds planted with 25,000 rare rose
trees.
Xotiee of Petition.
Estate No. 2234 of Margaret Men! man,
ueeeasru, m i;ouiuy uourt of Lancaster
County, Nebraska.
The State of fehrask.i TYi nil r.ar?nn.
interested in said estatp taU-A nrHr.o
a petition has been filed for the appoint-
liitiH ui junn j. Lieawith as administra
tor of said estate, which has been set for
hearing herein, on Ma a a a
o'clock a. m. '
Dated April 3, 1907.
ja FRANK R WATKliS,
(Seal.) County Judge.
By WALTER A. LEESE, Clerk.
Notice.
Notice is hereby given, that the under.
signed have formed a corporation, the
name of which is Big Four Transfer com
pany; principal place of transacting busi
ness is Lincoln, Nebraska; nature of busi
ness is drayage, storage and transfer
business including buying, selling and
dealing In merchandise and real and per
sonal property: the capital stock' Is fir,..
000,00, of which $3,000.00 is to be issued
before commencing business, all stock to
be fully paid up before issued; corpora
tion to commence November is, 190G, and
to- terminate January 1, 1956; the affairs
of the corporation to be managed by a
board of directors from whose number
shall be elected a president, vice nresi-
dent, secretary and treasurer, the under
signed incorporators to be the iirst board
of directors.
Dated this 4th (lav of March. 13i7.
HARVEY E. PIM,
TIIKODORE C. RCTTMIDT, .
KASPER GOLDSTEIN.
om
Wear Out
Dr. Miles' Anti-Pain
Pills relieve pain not
only once, but "as many
times as it is necessary to
take them. .Many persons
who suffer from chronic
ailments find in them a
source of trreat relief from
the suffering which they
would otherwise be corn
polled to endure. Their
ii .
soouunff mtiuenje upon
the nerves' sti-.'-iurthcn
rather than weaken them '
For jhis reason they sel
dom lose their cficHive-
ness.
"I rim t!2 year old and have sutlVred
. - - until ilN.
rheumatism i, ti.l n.-m 1-, i , ,,.,,;,.,;..
or tlie lie; rt. KhortriHjw ,,f j.n-aih
jue.!ein.rts. and piu ai.nin,! tlx
heart. I'do Dr. MtU-.s Antl-paia Pel
have ,een ti lilMnini iy f.... I
know what 1 h.ulddo mi'thin tVnV
nd they ure the only rein-dy I Juiu
eer uwl that either did u,.t wear
out In lean t.m than I have b n n.
Jtijf them, ur th Injari, , r.K ilt
wer mi h umt 1 uv!U be i.; to
re their ie,"
.i7,r 1m,n.i. 'lean.
Dr. Mi iV Anti'Patn PHI r ,)! t
your Hn.qdiu, who will cuaitr.tot- trtal
the firs P3ckj will betmnt. If it
falle. tin will return voia rniv
tS doc. 23 cnt. Nevr m.ic In bo!k,
Miles Medical Co., Elkhart, Intl
