Pioneer history of Ingham County, compiled and arranged by Mrs. Franc L. Adams, secretary of the Ingham County pioneer and historical society.

226

PIONEER HISTORY OF INGHAM COUNTY

the place, organized into a sort of stock company to carry on the
work.
The names of the stockholders are as follows: John Dunsback,
Dr. M. McRobert, Dr. C. H. Sackrider, Peter Lowe, Perry Henderson, Frank White, Stanley W. Turner, F. T. Albright, Elza
Flora, O. W. Halstead, H. H. Parker, L. C. Webb, and M. A.
Sweet.
The assessment made on each member up to the present time is
about $35.
About the 20th day of October the company obtained the
services of James Jenkins, an experienced miner from the Porter
mines in Jackson, and commenced prospecting for coal. They
first bored on Old's addition, directly west of the Union School
building, and eight or ten rods west of the bank of the creek.
They went down thirty-three feet, going through sand rock and
slate, and finding eight inches of coal. Each time they went
down they found a rich vein of fire clay averaging four feet in
thickness, which would supply an extensive pottery.
The next hole they sunk was one on the Noble property some distance south of the first. This they abandoned before going very
deep on account of a lack of tubing. From there they went onto
Mr. Wightman's farm, but had no particular success except in
striking a splendid vein of fire clay. Last week they sunk another
hole on Old's land, about twelve rods west of the first hole, and
found a vein of coal two feet and eight inches thick. Northwest
of this hole, twelve or fifteen rods, last Tuesday they found the
vein to be forty inches thick. They are now boring about twentyfive rods southwest of the last hole, and if they find as good indications as in the other localities, they will believe they have as
good a vein of coal, from thirty to forty feet underground, as can
be found in this part of the State.
The coal is hard, of excellent quality, containing but little
sulphur. An experienced miner who visited the place this week
claims it is a better quality of coal than that found at Jackson or
Williamston.
The stockholders of the company feel highly elated over the
present prospects, and if they find the vein reaches greater depth
will feel justified in floating shares in the company, feeling assured