The following is the annual report (1882), of M. L. Wolfe, mine inspector for Bates County, Missouri.

Butler, Missouri, January 1, 1883.
Hon. J. H. Spaunhorst, St. Louis, Missouri:
Dear Sir: Having completed my annual report of the coal mines and coal fields of Bates County, as required by law, I herewith have the honor of forwarding the same to you.

ANNUAL PRODUCTION OF COAL IN TONS.
Number of acres of workable coal lands -- 95,000
Number of mines in operation in the county -- 195

A number of these banks have been worked only a few days during the year, and many of them have been worked only by parties owning them for their own private use. The roofing of these mines in most cases, have been slate or rock. Mine, or Slope No. 1, operated by the Rich Hill Coal Company, located on the northeast quarter of section 36, township 39, range 32, employs 190 men; thickness of vein, four feet, ten inches; roofing hard slate. The immediate superintendent of this mine is Edward Fitzsimmond -- a man thoroughly acquainted with his business, and keeps more air in his mine than the law requires; he also keeps it well distributed.

Mine No. 4, operated by same company, located on the northeast quarter of section 31, township 39, range 31, shows a vein of coal in several places, where a tape line was applied, to be six feet two inches. This mine is leased and operated by T. McCombs, an experienced miner. He has the lawful amount of air in his mine, but it is not as well distributed as in Mine No. 1. He pays three cents a bushel for mining coal. A number of miners informed me that they took out and loaded in boxes on an average 110 bushels of coal per day. McCombs informed me that some of the men who had left him were making $120 a month. This mine is operated by shaft and employs about eighty men. Roofing, hard slate.

Mine No. 5, Rich Hill Coal Mining Company, is leased and operated by A. Wilson, and is located on northwest quarter of section 36, township 39, range 32. Coal four and a half feet thick; roofing, hard slate, and operated by shaft. This is a new opening, and room is found only for about twenty-five men. Boiler, engine and buildings all new and first-class. Mr. Wilson will put in a larger force as soon as he can make room for them. L. J. Birch, a thorough, practical man, is general superintendent for the Rich Hill Coal Mining Company. He is also operating with a large force, stripping and lifting coal, in sections 25 and 36, township 39, range 32, and section 31, township 39, range 31.

A large amount of coal is being stripped and lifted in section 25, township 39, range 32, by Keith & Perry, and also from sections 4 and 5, township 38, range 31. Coal four to six feet thick. This company employs about 250 men and ninety teams, paying for laborers $1.50 per day, and for man and team $3.00. The depth below the surface is one to one hundred feet, nine-tenths of the banks in operation from four to ten feet.

Amount of capital employed in mining, $280,000.

Nine-tenths of the coal shipped out of the county is mined within three miles of Rich Hill, which is located on part of sections 4, 5, 8 and 9, township 38, range 31. Town 39, range 33, shows a vein of coal three to five feet in forty-eight different places. Thirty of these places are now or have been recently worked. This is by far the finest township in the county for coal; runs more uniformly and lays with more regularity. The coal is of an excellent quality and has fine roofing. The Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad Company have made a survey for a road through the coal fields of this township.

In township 38, range 30, township 39, range 30, and township 39, range 29, there are in the aggregate twenty-one developments of coal, the vein being three to five feet and two inches in thickness. M. Cunningham, in section 29, southeast quarter, township 39, range 29, is working a vein five feet two inches; stone roofing.

Townships 41, range 32, 41, range 33, and 40, range 33, show a vein of coal thirty-six to thirty-eight inches thick, of good quality, with good roof, in thirty-seven different places, the most of them being worked on a small scale.

On the northeast quarter of section 21, township 40, range 31, is a coal bank in operation, three feet thick, eight feet below the surface, of fair quality, while in nearly every section in the township a vein has at some time been worked on a small scale, from eighteen to twenty-four inches thick.

Section 35, township 42, range 31, shows a vein of coal thirty-six inches thick, twelve feet below the surface, was mined quite extensively a few years ago by John Moudy, and found sale among the surrounding farmers and north, in Cass County.

Drilling is now in progress at Adrian, about three miles southwest of this point, on the Missouri Pacific Railroad, the purpose of which is to tap this vein and others supposed to be lower down.

In section 22, township 42, range 32, on the lands of W. R. Marshall, a fine article of oil is found, pronounced by experts to be genuine kerosene oil. It is used in the Butler mills for lubricating purposes, and indicates large coal deposits.

In section 9, northeast quarter, township 41, range 30, J. H. McCombs has worked a vein of coal three feet thick, eight feet below the surface, with good roofing of slate.

Mr. G. Inyard, in digging a well on the north half of section 5, township 41, range 30, passed through three feet of coal; also on the lands of Mrs. E. Toddy, section 29, township 42, range 30, is a vein of coal three feet thick. The entire county seems to be underlaid with this three foot vein, while above it, in many places, is a vein running from eighteen inches to two feet, and below it is the five foot vein.

M. E. CHURCHES.
The following churches of the M. E. Church are located in Bates County: Mount Carmel, membership of 60; Virginia, membership of 65; Mount Oliver, membership of 30; Orear's School House, membership of 50; Adrian, membership of 15; Liberty School House, membership of 48; Walnut, Hume, Rich Hill.

CHRISTIAN CHURCHES
are located as follows: Butler, Rich Hill, Sprague, Walnut, Virginia, Johnstown, Burdette, Double Branches, Redman's School House, Altona.

M. E. CHURCH, SOUTH.
This denomination has a church edifice at Butler and one at Rich Hill, with organizations in different parts of the county. The entire membership of the county will reach about 350.

CUMBERLAND PRESBYTERIAN.
There are organizations at Butler, Adrian, Rich Hill and a church edifice called Salem, in Walnut Township, which was built by the Cumberland Presbyterians and M. E. Church, South.

PRESBYTERIANS (OLD SCHOOL)
have church edifices at the following places: Butler, Rich Hill, Willow Branch.

UNITED PRESBYTERIANS.
Two organizations and one church edifice at Mulberry.

DUNKARDS.
One organization in the county.

The following is a list of Post Offices and Postmasters:

BATES COUNTY.
Adrian -- A. J, Satterlee.
Altona -- Dr. Hudson.
Burdett -- J. H. Tinsley.
Butler -- O. D. Austin.
Cornland -- M. A. Condra.
Cove City -- James Shaw.
Dana
Hudson -- David Connell.
Hume -- D. H. Hill.
Johnstown
Lone Oak -- David Laskey.
Marvel -- J. M. Byfield.
Mayesburgh -- L. Carleston.
Mulberry -- W. M. Robinson.
New Home -- W. W. Morlan.
Papinville -- J. W. Anderson.
Pleasant Gap -- I. N. Mains.
Prairie City -- John Durand.
Rich Hill -- George P. Huckeby.
Rockville -- W. W. Cook.
Rosier Shobe -- Judson Shobe.
Sprague -- James W. Bobbitt.
Vinton -- David Martin.
Virginia -- H. H. Flesher.
Walnut Creek -- P. Y. Morse.
West Point -- George C Burns.

CASS COUNTY.
Archie -- H. T. Carr.
Austin -- T. P. Shadowens.
Belton -- Charles Haven.
Brosely
Dayton -- P. P. Moreland.
East Lynne -- D. P. Kenagy.
Everett -- L. T. Dorsett.
Freeman -- J. Q. White.
Garden City -- Morlan.
Gunn City -- R. H. Kenagy.
Harrisonville -- W. T. Brison.
Index -- Cy. Lotspeich.
Main City -- H. C. Main.
Peculiar -- C. W. Fisk.
Pleasant Hill -- J. A. Woodmancy.
Raymore -- T. B. Hanna.
Strasburg -- Oscar Bailey.
Wadesburg -- W. A. Wade.
West Line -- R. E. Karr.
West Union -- George W. Foster.
Ore -- Henry S. Berkstresser.

Cass and Bates Counties, like other settled portions of the United States in 1849, were afflicted with the gold mania and so prevalent was the disease that fully one-half of the adult male population caught the infection, and took up their line of march for the distant gold fields of California. Day after day and month after month the papers were filled with glowing accounts of the discovery of the precious, saffron-hued metal until it became the one great subject of discussion around the firesides of the pioneers.

Wonderful sights were seen, when the emigrants began to pass westward -- sights that may never be seen again in the country. Some of the wagons were drawn by cows; some of the gold hunters went on foot and took their worldly goods in hand-carts. From east to west, as far as the eye could see, there was one continuous line of wagons moving steadily forward, and like a cyclone, drawing into its course on the right and left, many of those along its pathway. The gold seekers of Cass and Bates crowded eagerly into the gaps of the wagon trains, bidding farewell to their nearest and dearest friends and many of them never to be seen again on earth. Sadder farewells were never spoken. Many of these men left their quiet, peaceful homes only to find in the "Far West," utter disappointment and death. Among the many who wended their way thither from Cass County, braving the dangers of the long and lonely route were: William Parker, William H. Parker, James Hamilton, Logan McReynolds, James Allen, Green E. Story and two sons (George and Middleton), Thomas Clayton, William Buster, John Tully, Isaac Smith, David Myers, David Rice, Thomas Fristoe, Jacob Lesher, Josiah Keeran, Joseph Porter, John Finch, Henry Ousley, Henderson Wilson, Silvester Wilson, William H. Moore, Robert Prine, Andrew Allen and others.

Among those going from Bates County were: George Requa, Addison Glass, James Coe, Henry Patent and family, Dudley Meyer, John Beard, Jackson Berry, Jackson Blair, Thomas G. Cockerell, William Cockerell, William Glass and others.

A few of the emigrants from Cass and Bates Counties returned to their former homes; a few died on the way; a few realized the object for which they went, but the larger number perhaps remained away because of their pecuniary inability to ever return.

While looking over the records of the county court of Bates County, we came across the following order, which was made by the court on the third day of January 1859:

Whereas, It has been represented to the county court of Bates County, that an organized band of robbers, murderers and midnight assassins, from the Territory of Kansas, have made a descent into the county of Bates, and have stolen the property, burned the houses, threatened the lives, and in some cases have actually taken the lives of some of the most worthy citizens on the border, committing their houses and goods to the flames, and driven them and their families from home, from their firesides and hearthstones;

Now therefore, be it ordered, That the sheriff of Bates County, is hereby authorized, directed and empowered to call to his aid the entire force of the county to repel any invasion from said land of robbers upon our citizens, if so many should be necessary, or to call to his aid, any number of men that may be necessary to the full and complete protection of the citizens of our county in their homes, their lives and their property.

And be it further ordered, That the said sheriff shall keep a strict account of the amount of time and number of days that each individual may serve, and make report of same to the court for allowance.

And be it further ordered, That the county court will make and pay a reasonable allowance to each individual for the time which the sheriff may report that he has actually served.

Immediately after the presidential campaign of 1860, the following poster was found upon trees, fences and houses in different portions of Bates County. It was headed in large letters:

LINCOLN ALLIES,

And said: "The following distinguished persons supported Lincoln for president. It might conduce to their health to take refuge in Abraham's bosom:

Boone Township. -- G. W. Shark, Irwin Walley, J. A. Boyers, V. Martin, Yates Forbes, J. G. Williams, Silas Smith, Jacob Zinn, John Zinn, George Zinn, Stephen R. Reed, Jeremiah Reed, Samuel Park, Samuel Ruble and Merritt Zinn.

Lone Oak Township. -- S. Hawkins, J. Bean, E. D. Woolfinger, W. T. Smith, S. Woolfinger and James Woolfinger.

Charlotte Township. -- C. F. Saum, J. N. Saum, Thomas Kern, L. M. Wilkins, W. F. Speece, G. C. Speece.

Deer Creek Township. -- William Gooden.

Mount Pleasant Township. -- Vincent Dye.

Since completing the history of Rockville Township we have been given the following concerning the secret orders in Rockville.

The charter members of the lodge at this place were, J. L. Vicken, J. F. Ward, N. Johannes, A. T. Lowery, J. M. Boring, W. C. Shaw, George Mayse, M. D., J. O. McBride, James Simmon.

The present officers are, M.W., C. F. Manchester; P.M.W., A. T. Lowery; Overseer, James Simmons; Receiver, J. L. Richardson; Financier, W. D. Lanier; Guide, J. L. Vicken; O.W., J. Langworthy; I.W., J. N. Fisher.

Bates County Missouri MOGenWeb