Vol. 1
NEW YORK, JANUARY 6, 1912
No. 13.
One mine manager recently took exception to
a statement we made that coal mines throughout the
country were operating at “such and such’”’ per cent.
of their capacity. Because a local boom had struck
his camp, he thought equally favorable conditions pre-
vailed everywhere.
So it is with many people—they think only as far
as they can see, and since each one’s horizon is the
limit of his vision, the conclusions arrived at by an
individual are often wrong because they’re based en-
tirely on a local view. For this reason, it is neces-
sary to consult figures rather than the man when we
are wanting to know the nation-wide condition of an
industry.
There’s no denying that every other person we
meet today is complaining of slack business—sort of a
depression, etc. Yet, one thousand industrial com-
panies in 1911 paid $410,000,000 in dividends, which
is $30,000,000 more than was paid in 1910 and $90,000,-
ooo more than was paid in 1909. If that doesn’t in-
dicate a healthy growth, then we’re justified in the
belief that prosperity is indicated by reduced net
income.
And how can we dispute that coal mining has re-
ceived its fair proportion of the business advance of
the age? In 1825 the United States produced 100,000
tons of coal; in 1850 it was seven million; in 1875 we
mined 50 million ;in 1900 the production was 270 million,
and in 1911, the coal output of our country totaled ap-
proximately 500 million tons, or about 40% of the
world’s production.
If prices are low and general conditions unsatis-
factory, let’s not blame business, but more properly
recognize that the trouble is within rather than with-
out. An external application of salve on the stom-
ach won’t cure pimples on the nose; it’s necessary to
swallow something that will reach the spot, cure the
indigestion and purify the blood.
We've heard for years that our summers are get-
ting hotter and: our winters milder, but the mercury
makes a new low record for some particular day each
year; most every fortnight someone discovers that elec-
tricity will furnish all needed heat as well as power,
but he forgets to tell us how he’s going to gener-
ate electricity without burning coal; then we are dis-
turbed by the fellow who has a scheme to pierce the
depths of the earth and furnish us heat; still consump-
tion increases, and it’s safe to conclude our children’s
children will be using more coal in their. homes and
factories than we ever dreamed could be mined.
Therefore, viewing the industry in the light of fact,
what is there to be discouraged about? ’Tis true wages
have steadily increased and the cost of timber and
other materials essential. to mining has likewise ad-
vanced to new high prices, but similar conditions have
prevailed at the same time in other great businesses,
and still profits in the aggregate have grown each
year. The rule of success today is, ‘‘For each added
charge, there must be an added improvement,” so if
props cost 2c. more per ton of coal output, the cutting
machines at the face, the haulage, the hoist, or some-
thing must be operated to effect an offsetting economy.
One operator recently showed me a cost sheet
which read: Total mining, 0.4612; other costs, 0.0401;
royalty, 0.05; handling, putting on cars, etc., 0.053;
total cost per ton, 0.6043c., and it’s needless to say he
wasn’t a pessimist on the situation. His philosophy
was, that the chief advantage to be derived from the
application of advanced methods and the adoption
of improved machinery is not so much the immediate
bettering of output and lowering of costs, as to
place and keep your mine in position to profit in full
when the periodic boom arrives. ,
Don’t forget that in 1904 the wail of coal men
was, ‘‘How can we remedy this overproduction?” in
1905 and1g06 the plaint had changed to, ‘‘Where can
we get cars and men?” The pendulum is still swing-
ing—a new year and likely a new era have dawned.
People. won’t wear white diamonds on their bosoms
till they’ve plenty of black ones in the cellar. Unless
aman is ready for the chance, the opportunity will
do him no good.
398
COAL AGE
January 6, 1912
The World’s Coal Production
A bluebook on colonial and foreign
statistics, prepared by the British chief
inspector of mines, and issued by the
Home Office Department, supplies what
are perhaps the most complete statistics
in one volume, relating to persons em-
ployed, output and accidents at mines
and quarries throughout the world. The
volume was issued in September and
gives the statistics for 1909, but owing
to the want of adequate official data the
figures in some cases have merely been
estimated from the records of earlier
years; those for the leading coal-mining
nations are, however, fairly complete.
PRODUCTION
It is seen that at the mines and quar-
ries of the world, 6,004,928 persons were
employed, and of these the inspector
shows that more than one-half were en-
gaged in mining coal alone. Great
Britain employed over 997,000; the
United States, 660,000; Germany, 688,-
000; France, 190,000; Russia (1908),
174,000; Belgium, 143,000; Austria,
134,000, and India, over 119,000.
These are impressive figures, and we
further learn that the coal produced was
1,113,308,386 metric tons, possessing a
value estimated at nearly 400 million
pounds sterling, or, say, two billion dol-
lars. These figures show an increase in
production for the year of 45 million
tons but a decrease in value of 46
million dollars. The three leading
coal-producing countries are the United
States, with over 418 million tons;
Great Britain, with over 268 mil-
lion, and Germany, with over 217 million.
These countries are followed by Austria-
Hungary, France, Russia and Belgium,
in the order given, representing the seven
nations having a production of 20 million
metric tons or more. Japan comes next
on the list with 15,058,113 tons; India,
with 12,060,550 tons; China, with 11
million tons, and Canada, with 9,526,784
tons.
MORTALITY STATISTICS
Taking the coal mines for which the
figures are fairly complete, it is shown
that the death rate per thousand persons
employed in the United Kingdom was
1.43; the British Empire, 1.48; Austria,
1.13; Belgium, 0.95; France, 1.17; Japan,
3.51; Germany, 2.30, and for the United
States, 3.35. The death rate for coun-
tries outside the British Empire general-
ly was 2.48.
COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA
The Commonwealth produced 8%
million metric ‘tons of coal in 1909,
nearly 86 per cent. of which was fur-
nished by New South Wales. In this
state, excluding lignite and seams of
the Triassic age, it is computed that the
Special Correspondence
A brief synopsis of the
latest available statistics
concerning the world’s pro-
duction, together with notes
on the different fields. The
total extraction is over one
billion metric tons, having
a value above two billion
dollars. More than six mill-
ton persons are employed.
*Abstract of report issued by the Brit-
ish Home Ofhce Department.
main coal-bearing rocks extend over an
area of 24,000 to 28,000 square miles
around the seaport of Sydney.
As yet, Tasmania supplies less than
70,000 tons per annum, although there
are abundant seams of marketable coal
in the country. These belong to the
Carboniferous and Mesozoic periods, and
vary from 20 in. to 12 ft. in thickness,
while brown coal and lignite occur all
along the North Coast.
The state of Victoria contributed 130,-
230 tons. Since November, 1909, this
state has owned its own coal mine on the
Powlett River, the output of which to
Sept. 7, 1910, was 93,431 tons, valued
at the mine at $203,883. At that date
coal was being raised at the rate of over
1000 tons per day and over 900 men
were employed in the mine and on the
various development works.
The following figures show the main
sources from which the fuel supply of
the world for 1909 was obtained, with
the value in pounds sterling and the
increases or decreases on 1906:
belongs to the Cretaceous age, and is
derived from collieries at Nanaimo, Ex-
tension, and Comox in Vancouver Island.
The thick seams of bituminous coal,
which exist in the vicinity of the Crow’s
Nest Pass, are now being worked on an
extensive scale, and a large quantity of
the coal mined is converted into coke
for use in the smelting industry in
British Columbia. All these coals are of
Cretaceous age.
NATAL
In this colony in 1909 about 9000
persons were engaged, the coal pro-
duced being 1,815,253 metric tons, valued
at $3,229,400. There were 25 electrical
coal-cutters and 97 worked by com-
pressed air in operation, nearly 62 per
cent. of the coal being obtained by ma-
chine-mining—perhaps the highest per-
centage for any single country in the
world.
New ZEALAND
The output here was 1,941,918 tons,
valued at 55,055,000. The most important
collieries are situated near Westport, on
the West Coast of the Midland Island.
More than one-third of the total output
is brown coal or lignite, and many of the
workings are open-cut. The coal from
the West Coast bituminous fields is of a
high class and used by the Admiralty.
From the Point Elizabeth State coal mine,
207,450 tons were produced, and the
amount from the Seddonville State mine
was 74,180 tons during the year ended
Mar. 31, 1910. The profits of both
State mines during the fiscal year
amounted to $23,900.
AUSTRIA-HUNGARY
In Austria the principal workings for
brown coal are in the Brux-Dux-Teplitz
MAIN SOURCES OF WORLD’S FUEL SUPPLY
QUANTITY VALUE
Increase or Increase or
Country Metric Tons Decrease on Dollars Decrease on
1906 1906
WOMOE ONES ow 5% 6 oo ei ers $48,038,000 + 40,788,000 554,503,000 + 22,571,000
Oo ce eee 268,007 ,000 + 2,282,000 517,187,000 —50,241,000
ONRUR MRI 5. x. nce.4is oie Gisis 6-5 217,446,000 +2,159,000 | 413,214,000 —1,119,000
Austria-Hungary.......... 18813000 —153/000 | 74/314/000 + 1/684;000
PEMMEBINN Sait ghee daa) hes ney 37,840,000 : + 456,000 | 112,110,000 —3,197,000
LON eee ae praaned ne 24,455,000 | —1,448,000 | (not stated) Ps ok oka
Belgium Sees 23,518,000 | —40,000 | 65,775,000 —%8,307,000
|
CANADA
The oldest coal fields in Canada which
have been largely developed, are situated
on the seaboards of the Atlantic and
Pacific Oceans. On the Atlantic side of
the continent, bituminous coal is being
mined from thick seams of true Car-
boniferous age at the Sydney (Cape Bre-
ton), Picton, Inverness and Cumberland
coal fields, in Nova Scotia. The coal of
the Pacific Coast, generally bituminous,
and Falkenau-Elbogener basins. In the
former, seams of Miocene age occur up
to a thickness of 98% ft. (30 m.), while
in the latter, seams of Miocene and
Oligocene* age are worked. In _ the
Schalltal district there is a seam which
in places is over 100 m. (328 ft.) in
thickness.
*The Oligocene is the transitional pe-
riod between the Eocene and the Miocene
of the Tertiary.—Editor.
'
}
January 6, 1912
Austria produced 13,713,042 metric
tons of coal in 1909, nearly one-half of
vhich was obtained from the Upper
Silesian coal basin which is a continua-
iion of the Prussian and Russian coal
field. In this basin there are numerous
rich seams of excellent coking coal.
BELGIUM
In this country, coal mining is the most
important mineral industry, and there
are six different regions; the most pro-
ductive is the Charleroi district, yielding
about one-third of the total output. The
average production per underground
worker in 1909 was only 228 metric tons,
due probably to the small size of the
seams, which on an average are only 2
ft. 1.59 in. (65 cm.) thick. In Belgium
the average daily wage per underground
worker is less than a dollar a day.
GERMAN EMPIRE
Deposits of brown coal are found in
more or less abundance over nearly the
The deposit
whole of North Germany.
COAL AGE
JAPAN
The coal-bearing formations of the
Japanese Islands range from Mesozoic
to Tertiary. The coal, which occurs in
43 of the 49 prefectures, is mainly
bituminous and most of the seams belong
to the Tertiary period. The principal
coal fields may be divided into five
groups as follows: Kyushu, Hokkaido,
Honshu (the main island), the Southern
Islands and Karafuts. More than two-
thirds of the total output is produced in
the island of Kyushu. In 1874 the out-
put was less than a quarter of a million
tons, and in 1909 it reached over 15
millions. A large part of the coal pro-
duced in Japan goes to supply the
Chinese markets.
PERU
All the different varieties of fuel exist
in Peru, viz., peat, lignite, coal and an-
thracite. Lignite is found in the Tertiary
rocks on the coast and at the summit
of the Cordillera at Cajamorca. The
true coal and anthracite are found in the
RUSSIA
The most productive coal region of
Russia is the Donets basin in the
province of Ekaterinoslav, which covers
an area of 16,000 square miles, the seams
varying in thickness from 1 to 7 ft. The
output of this basin in 1909 was 17,779,-
863 metric tons. Next in importance
comes Poland, with an output of over
% million metric tons of true coal and
brown coal. The Dombrowa Basin, in
Poland, is a continuation of the great
Silesian coal basin. Coal is abundant in
Siberia, both east and west, and even
along the line of the Trans-Siberian Ry.,
but the quality is poor. In the island
of Saghalien, coal is worked by Russian
convicts; the present output is small
and is used by steamships.
SERVIA
Most of the coal in Servia lies near
the Danube;- the workings of chief im-
portance being at Dobra. The coal oc-
curs in the Liassic formation, which be-
longs to the lower portion of the Jurassic.
* Coal Act
In Many EvropeaAN Mines, Girts ARE EMPLOYED IN THE SCREEN Houses TO PusH CARS AND PICK SLATE
of Vorgebirge near Cologne in the
Rhine Province consists of a large, con-
inuous bed extending about 25 km.
(15% miles) from north to south with an
average width of 6 km. (534 miles). A
Preparation called Kaumacit has _at-
tracted some interest. It is brown coal
rendered transportable and imperishable
by a process of dry distillation, reducing
the coal to from 35 to 50 per cent.
Kaumacit. The process yields an ad-
citional 3 per cent. of tar, 17 to 26 Ib.
of ammonia, and. 2500 cu.m. of gas, per
load of 10 tons.
There are three principal coal-mining
districts in Prussia: (1) The Lower
Rhine and Westphalian Basin, by far the
most important; (2) Silesia, and es-
pecially Upper Silesia; (3) the Rhen-
ish district in the neighborhood of
Saarbrucken and Aix-la-Chapelle. Most
of the coal is derived from seams of
the Carboniferous age; near Hanover
there are extensive workings in the
Wealden beds. In 1909 Germany ex-
Ported 23,350,730 metric tons of coal.
Cretaceous rocks in various places, and
a solid hydrocarbon which is neither coal
nor anthracite occurs in veins, and is
likewise worked and sold as mineral
fuel. There are large areas of coal in
the department of Ancachs, in the Santa
Valley, at Jatunhuasi, near Jauja, in the
department of Junin, in the neighborhood
of Cerro’ de Pasco, and in the depart-
ments of Huanuco, Cajainarca and Lib-
ertad. The bulk of the output is ob-
tained from the province of Cerro de
Pasco.
PHILIPPINE ISLANDS
Coal occurs in the Tertiary shales and
sandstones on nearly every island, with
the greatest development in the Visayas.
The most promising coal fields at pres-
ent are situated in the provinces of AIl-
bay, Cebu, Tayabas, Sorsogon, Mindovo
and Moro. Four coal seams have been
found in Cebu having thicknesses of 2,
5, 10 and 13 ft. The total output in
1909 was obtained from two mines on
the island of Batan in the province of
Albay.
True coal, said to be almost as good as
English coals, occurs and is worked in
the Timok Valley, near Urska Tschuka.
In the Boljevac district a coal basin ex-
tending over a large area has been dis-
covered. Servia is rich in mines of
brown coal and thick beds of Tertiary
brown coal occur at Senje, Sisevac,
Resava, Jelasnica, Koaljevac and _ in
many other parts of the country. The
revenue from the state mine at Senje in
1909 was $183,000 and the expenditure
$180,000. It is explained by the Mining
Department that 60 per cent. of the total
production from the state mines is de-
livered to the Servian State Ry., and
charged at their own cost price; other-
wise the working of the mines would
result in a large profit.
SWEDEN
All the Swedish coal obtained in 1909
was produced from the provinces of
Malmohus and Kristianotad in the south-
ern part of the kingdom. The seams,
which are of Rhodanian age, are inter-
400
stratified with beds of fireclay, and the
two minerals are worked together. The
thickness of the coal seams, including
the partings of shale, varies from 3 to 5
feet.
ITALY
In this country the development of the
deposits of fossil fuel, which mineral
is stated to be abundant in the provinces
of Arezzo, Pisa and Grosseto in Tuscany,
is hindered by the cheapness of im-
ported coal from the United Kingdom.
The total output in 1909 was only 555,-
073 metric tons, of which 552,136 tons
were lignite, 2055 tons anthracite and
882 tons bituminous shale. Most of the
lignite came from Tuscany; the anthra-
cite from the provinces of Cagliari (Sar-
dinia) and Turin, and the bituminous
shale from Vicenza.
TURKEY
Although coal is known to occur in
nearly all the provinces of the empire,
the only mines deserving mention at the
present time are those at Eregli. Im-
portant deposits of lignite or brown coal
exist in the region of Lebanon, and near
Lampsacus on the east side of the
COAL AGE
Dardanelles. Coarse lignite has been
found in several places near Sparta,
Karaman, and in the Bulghar Dagh which
may prove useful for smelting purposes.
Coal deposits are known to exist in the
Van district in the province of Erzeroum.
SUMMARY
The tabulated statement in the next
column shows the separate outputs, in
1909, of the various coal-producing coun-
tries of the world, as given in the report
of the British Home Office. The figures
for Brazil, China, Korea and Mexico are
estimated from those of the previous
year, and, in the case of Peru, Romania
and Bulgaria, the totals given are for
1908.
It will be noted that the United States,
with an output of 418 million tons in
1909, produced something over 37% per
cent. of the world’s coal for that year, or
1% times the amount mined by Great
Britain and 1.9 times that produced by
Germany, the two countries ranking sec-
ond and third, respectively, in point of
individual output. The annual production
of coal in the United States has since
increased by nearly 75 million tons.
January 6,. 1912
WORLD’S PRODUCTION OF COAL
Country Metric Tons
Great Britain and Ireland........ 268,007 ,257
COT RE ae ea ei res enor 3316452
SSTIGIN THOTEDO.. 56s ck sees 127,944
RMUEMIN Gc iairc-ig' at 5-6) 406) Sic. a eater ole 8-5 9,516,784
Nn REE CCE Te 93,695
Re cone Wig ac ncalig duane) ecererarecaiens 12,060,550
Natal (including Zululand)........ 1,815,253
a vere 1,941,918
OT nee 426,913
MIN a6 0 hic c sp ig a ees itera e 155,032
SS a a a eae gee ce 3,287,328
PUSETAR-EAUTGBTY . oo ccc cee eee 48, "812! 901
Bosnia and Herzegovina.......... ,114
MOONE a8 oir sie sowie Sacaiwis ara wie o ers 23,517 "550
MEET ike an aig x anielc eater ctatate weakens 15,000
PUNE os oo hes corks Gara ee areas 162,992
RSS eens Creme remie ee ea ce 898,971
SUS 6.0 oy AG ch cht cE 11,000, ~
Tose ion bcs Wea A eee a eels
ci ec vbr rat nice Sate Saha Aer 37,840, 086
ON eee eee eee "384. 053
ASOPINAT TONIPITS . ww. see ees 217,445,656
are Branly a Ree erg tee 3,873
RUE 227.2005. fee Fa ener g eg ssienne 1,120,852
Dutch East Indies ee ees 08,771
ho ee Bae ee ee 555,073
RES eecrcie noite Gs hu ent, ees ee 15,058,113
NEMS, 52h Greece canna saya stacanarete 183,412
MING 5 ioe i ao ee a RO 60,000
—_— 1 SN Dae ec eee gL AD ee en 919,338
eC en ee en aR en Or eee 313,122
Philippine ¥ ee ea eer ee 30,336
Portugal . reese See at ees ae 6,274
Roumania te CE tee eter ot rome aS 160,783
MMMM CGR oo susok aas eis eos ok bation 24,455,340
<BR Arora rarer erica 213/308
Spain. .....- Beer agnen he tere een 4,125,894
a re ree 2,316
REIN fo cre rearal porte eae 246,808
Switzerand.........5. Sra caeeemtees 5,000
INN Socks vnloreuis aw uerence ars 771,203
APRN PEBORS co ok oo ok codes ne Se 418,038,117
Total for the world. «24.066 66056 1,113,308,386
Coal Mine Mortality Statistics
The production of 514,392,000 short
tons of anthracite and bituminous coal
during 1910 involved the loss of 3051
lives in 21 states and provinces of the
United States and Canada. The loss of
life exceeded that for the corresponding
period in 1909, when, according to the
corrected returns, there were 2417 fatal-
ities. The actual excess of deaths during
1910 over 1909, was, therefore, 634,
showing an increase of 26.23 per cent.
The fatality rate for 1910 was 4.18
per 1000 persons employed, against 3.39
for 1909. The fatality rate for 1910 was
therefore, 0.79 per 1000 higher than dur-
ing the preceding year, an excess equiva-
lent to 23.3 per cent. The rate for 1910
was the highest on record during the last
decade, the nearest approach thereto hav-
ing been 1907, when the rate was 4.15 per
1000.
BUREAU OF MINES CONTRADICTED
This comparison of the record for 1910
with 1909 is upon the basis of the offi-
cial returns furnished by the mine in-
spectors of the different states. The facts
derived from trustworthy sources, there-
fore, contradict the statement made in the
program of the National Mine Safety
Demonstration under the auspices of the
U. S. Department of Mines that:
The coédperation of inspectors, miners,
mine owners and the Bureau of Mines in
the effort to reduce loss of life has re-
sulted in a decrease of 25 per cent. in
fatal accidents in 1908 and 1909, the last
two years for which figures are avail-
able, and with continued earnest codéper-
By Frederick L. Hoffman*
Carefully compiled and
accurate statistical data on
the death rate in North
American mines. The
rates are computed on the
basis of the number of men
employed, and show an
almost continual advance,
being especially rapid dur-
ing the past decade.
*Statistician, Prudential Insurance Co.,
Newark, J.
ation it is hoped that the succeeding
years will show a still further lessening
in loss of life, and a corresponding in-
crease in efficiency in mining methods
and mineral utilization.
iN
T rT ae ii
° -
Ss L nae f
b
a3
\ |
& HHA Ne
a a a} 7900 1905 10
Years Con, noe
INCREASE IN MORTALITY RATE
1886-1910
It is true, of course, that the rates
during 1908 and 1909 were lower than
during 1907, when the rate was materially
increased by a number of disasters of ex-
ceptional magnitude. The decrease, how-
ever, did not justify the assumption that
-the reduction was the result of the co-
operation of inspectors, miners, mine
owners and the Bureau of Mines, except
in certain well defined and strictly limit-
ed directions, which do not require to be
considered at this time.- The chief object
for calling attention to the glaring incon-
sistencies of the statement referred to,
and the facts which are a matter of of-
ficial record, is to emphasize the lament-
able truth that whatever has been done
during recent years to bring about a re-
duction in the fatality rate does not justi-
fy the belief that measurable results of
material importance have been thus far
secured.
As is well known, the year 1907 was
an exceptionally disastrous one in Amer-
ican mining. A comparison of 1908 and
1909 with the record of 1907 is obviously
misleading when it is assumed that the
lower fatality rate during these two years
was brought about by deliberate meas-
ures for accident prevention. Compar-
ing 1908 with 1907, there was an actual
reduction in the number of accidents
equivalent to 22 per cent., and compar-
ing 1909 with 1907, there was a reduction
of 23 per cent. But comparing 1909 with
1908, the actual number of accidents was
almost the same, and the reduction in
the rate, making allowance, of course, for
the number employed, was only 12 per
cent.
ira eee
POOR R EEE SY RIN
a
Re ate ee ee
en ape
January 6, 1912
Comparing the record for the last two
years with every other year in the his-
tory of American mining except 1907, the
actual loss of life has been greater, and
the corresponding fatality rate has been
in excess of the rate for any other year.
The record for the two years, 1908 and
1909, is not one to be proud of, or to be
referred to as showing evidence of a
material reduction in the loss of life as
the result of deliberate efforts or co-
operation between existing agencies for
that purpose. The loss was exceedingly
high actually and relatively, and the de-
COAL AGE
of fact, in the fatal accidents due to
powder explosions, missed shots, etc.
(which are particularly subject to reduc-
tion by education, improved methods of
shot firing and handling of explosives),
there was an increase from 73 in 1908 to
108 during 1909.
We may, therefore, take the two groups
of causes, which are especially related
to the present-day efforts toward accident
reduction. According to the official sta-
tistics, as published by the U. S. Geolog-
ical Survey, there were 469 deaths from
these two groups of causes during 1908
(TABLE 1)
401
on the other hand an actual increase in
the deaths from falls of roof of 111,
equivalent to 10.3 per cent. It requires
to be said that there was a reduction
in the miscellaneous causes. This may
or may not have a relation to the efforts
to reduce casualties in mining; only the
detailed analysis could bring out the
facts.
FATALITIES DURING 1901 To 1910
The number of persons killed by acci-
dents in the coal mines of North Amer-
ica during the decade ending with 1910, .
NUMBER OF PERSONS KILLED IN THE COAL MINES OF NORTH AMERICA, 1901-1910
1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 : - 1909 1910 1901-1910
PE ODER Te ere 41 50 57 84 185 96 154 108 129 238 1,142
COMMER Sits coat cc eee 55 73 40 89 ' 60 88 99 61 99 319 983
ED xv oe eae nGede con 99 99 156 |. 157 199 | 155 165 183 213 406 1,832
pi ener ere rete rarer area 24 24 55 34 47 31 53 45 50 51
NA aor oc katete tic oO eres sets 27 55 21 31 24 37 35 38 28 39 335
PR ARMMME Sos sie aes chcte eke. wie ote cant 10 30 36 16 (a) 36 30 52 31 35 25 301
fC eee core yA | 19 25 19 31 40 32 40 33 84 344
SE ARIREN 555.0 'o co 06.9 gic teres eee we 12 11 16 12 16 13 5 12 19 17 133
pp Re aA ccuret creer 6 6 8 7 8 q 6 9 6 69
MGINIDE . g arawis cee ete ce meee 15 10 Ay | 11 11 16(b) 8(a) 10 21 16 135
MEGRIGHE 2.2 s cece csee cess 7 12 5 9 8 é 14 21 12 13 114
I gion on alec gh wens 9 17 17 15 5 9 31 34 18 14 169
Me eich vowed ci asenndeuk 72 81 124 118 114 126 153 112 5 162 1,177
EE SOIR E PTC rete _44 60 33 30 44 39 32 44 23(b) 46 395
Wen GWURTACHC .... 6s csc ets 513 300 518 595 644 557 708 678 567 601 5,681
Penn. bituminous ............-- 301 456 402 536 479 477 806 572 506 539 5,074
MNGTIPRRAES 50 e oi oiace sro cio eee ae 44 226 26 28 29 33 31 34 31 38 52
TRIN, oie gine ya aie kGie chore 8 wie 0e 019 0 9 8 7 9 t 7 8 8 16 15 94
WHAGRINRION cc 5 6c ccc se ctecsieces 27 34 25 31 13 21 (i 25 39 43 295
WOME WERISSIIN 5n ecco cres die ns 134 120 159 140 194 269 356 625 364 320 2,681
British Columbia ......62ssccces 102 139 42 37 12 15 31 18 57 28 481
INOWR COUT «oes sacle toc ws mee 14 9 31 19 20 28 35 39 33 31 269
TOQUE ccc cescasc Nerusece Gor wat 1,586 1,849 1,820 2,027 2,186 2,106 2,852 2,744 2,417 3,051 22,638
(a) Six months only.
(bv) Eight months only.
(TABLE ITI)
FATAL ACCIDENTS IN THE COAL MINES OF NORTH AMERICA, 1901-1910
RATE OF PERSONS KILLED PER 1000 EMPLOYED
1901 1902 1908 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910 1901-1910
NAIA. arses 5501058 6) en arais 2.90 2.79 2.94 4.77 10.75 5.2% 7.61 5.75 6.40 10.81 6.15
GOI oes shenre cavers sus-sieiseere 6.88 8.11 3.89 8.26 5.05 7.32 7.67 4.25 7.53 21.60 8.39
pS er rior reac 2.24 2.15 3.13 2.87 3.36 2.49 2.47 2.58 2.93 5.44 3.05
RIE, oo balicewcitae ache. 1.98 1.83 3.64 1.92 2.63 1.58 2.7 2.36 2.64 2.41 2.38
ONE <0 aioe 6 ciel ree Gein esa 2.05 4.2% 1.59 1.90 1.36 2.20 2.05 2.20 1.56. 2.17 2.09
pT cere cei 1.05 3.22 3.61 3.09 4 2.97 2.95 4.35 2.74 2.83 2.26 2.92
WGA. 56 sic cis cick aches 2.15 1.58 1.85 37 2.06 2.39 1.8: 2.15 1.76 3.97 2.19
WII 66. srocciee eee 2.23 1.89 2.82 2.12 2.57 2.10 0.85 2.00 3.34 2.93 2.28
BEIGE. kon sce sas eee ees 3.26 4.24 2.54 2.58 2.16 2.83 2.43 1.94 3.04 2.43 2.62
pO ere oor 1.63 1.09 1.85 1.09 1.06 1.65 b 1.70a 1.06 2.31 1.55 1.48
REIN, 56 sao ci eie sg arereceere 3.24 6.19 2.92 3.59 3.67 5.43 5.12 6.68 3.11 3.16 4.19
INGO) WEORIOG. occ secccwss 4.81 10.11 7.26 7.61 2.35 3.82 10.13 9.26 5.57 4.89 6.71
CTT SE geek Porter arerarat a 2.15 2.16 3.00 2.57 2.58 2.71 $.2 2.23 2.45 3.32 2.66
CNRE ONO 5c. 6 «6. o:6 os 6 6 0-5, sc0ke 8.35 9.62 5.42 3.63 5.76 4.81 4.15 3.02 2.78b 5.43 4.90
Penn. anthracite ......... 3.47 2.03 3.41 3.69 3.83 3.35 4.19 3.89 3.31 3.57 3.49
Penn. bituminous ........ 2.56 3.36 2.65 3.44 2.90 2.76 4.40 8.15 ~ ake 2.79 3.09
"ROTMGHECE voc cece ceteses 5.23 25.80 2.69 2.81 2.76 3.07 ®.T 3.06 2.62 3.40 5.03
WIRE pits crn ewasoes ca5c 5.06 3.24 3.21 4.06 3.57 3.69 3.07 2.99 5.36 4.38 3.89
WISGRINZION oes ices cise 5.59 7.83 5.13 6.69 2.61 4.08 6.05 4.68 6.81 7.15 5.67
West ViRgimin ....62cc0%. 4.14 3.41 4.03 3.08 3.88 5.20 6.33 10.35 5.85 5.00 5.39
British Columbia ........ 25.67 34.65 9.85 8.31 2.72 3.12 5.12 2.95 8.88 3.61 9.21
Nova. Bcotim ..ccscccscves 1.83 2.36 2.79 1.63 1.86 2.31 2.89 3.02 2.49 2.82 2.46
PCO, 66 56s iietee ce $.2! 3.48 3.16 3.33 3.40 3.20 4.15 3.84 3.39 4.18 3.56
a Six months only.
b Eight months only.
tails do not furnish proof of a perceptible against 449 in 1909, or an actual reduc-- is shown in detail in Table I. The table
influence as the result of the agencies re-
ferred to in the quotation.
COMPARISON OF ROOF FALL AND
EXPLOSION FATALITIES
It is true that, comparing 1909 with
1908, there was a decrease in the num-
ber of deaths due to gas or dust explo-
sions. This decrease was from 396 to
341, but it may have been purely acci-
dental and not the result of the codper-
ative efforts referred to.
As a matter
tion of 20 deaths, equivalent'to only 4.26
per cent. The corresponding facts for
1910 are not as yet available.
Far more significant than the forego-
ing comparison is the fact that, while in
1908 there were 1080 deaths due to falls
of roof or coal, the number of deaths
from this group of causes during 1909
was 1191. So the actual reduction in
fatal accidents due to explosions, etc.,
during 1909, as compared with 1908, was
only 20, or 4.3 per cent., while there was
‘has been corrected for previous years
and is, therefore, not strictly comparable
with the table published in the Engineer-
ing and Mining Journal for Dec. 31, 1910.
Such corrections are inevitable in the
present state of mine inspection and the
methods which prevail in giving public-
ity to the facts.
All tabulations of this kind are !m-
paired by the lack of precise definitions
of terms. What is considered a fatal
accident in one state is not necessarily
402
considered as such in another. A uniform
definition of a fatal accident on the part
of all the mining bureaus is desirable. It
should not be difficult to come to an un-
derstanding on this point and secure, if
necessary, the required changes in the
mining laws of the several states. It
would seem a reasonable compromise to
insist that all mine accidents terminating
in death within one week after their oc-
currence should be returned as fatal,
since a longer period would involve many
uncertainties which would tend to further
impair the accuracy of the results.
During 1910 there occurred 3051 fatal
accidents in the coal-mining operations of
North America, against 2417 during the
previous year.
have been 22,638 fatal accidents in coal
mining during the decade ending with
1910, or an average of 2264 a year.
In the aggregate there
COAL AGE
West Virginia with 320, and Colorado
with 319.
FATALITY KATE PER 1UUU DURING 1901
To 1910
Table II shows the fatal accident rate
in coal-mining in the United States and
Canada, calculated in the usual manner,
upon the basis of the average number of
persons employed in mining operations.
For certain purposes it would perhaps be
more useful to calculate the fatality rates
upon the basis of the avérage number
employed underground, but since this
would require a separation of under-
ground and outside fatalities, an element
of uncertainty would be introduced in the
calculations which is eliminated by the
use of the returns as a whole.*
During 1910 the fatality rate was 4.18
per 1000 against an average rate of 3.56
(TABLE III)
FATAL ACCIDENTS IN THE COAL MINES OF NORTH AMERICA
COMPARISON OF 1910 WITH THE FIVE PREVIOUS YEARS
Number of persons Increase or
killed Rate per 1000 Decrease of
Yearly Average Employed Rate
1905-1909 1910 1905-1909 1910
UII © isc is ainus elon ee ote 134 238 7.09 10.81 + 3.72
PIED « wa ariaew sed oes saa 81 319 6.33 21.60 +15.27
SED cc LGaa cies Sis eisse a aS oe 183 406 2.76 5.44 + 2.68
fo ae eee 45 51 2.39 2.41 + 0.02
ey EoGbesihes Sane aoe ee 32 39 1.87 y Hee le g + 0.30
PN a. aS eine a ois bias 37 25 3.18 2.26 — 0.92
ee rr a 35 84 2.03 3.97 + 1.94
MIMEWENE!. o54404saw ce ~ekas 13 1% 2.4% 2.93 + 0.76
SS Se eer | 6 2.44 2.43 — 0.01
CS ERR ares pret 13 16 1.52 1.55 + 0.03
DEINE soca Weeies se O20 < Gate 14 13 4.75 3.16 — 1.59
ON MREEOD ois. sie 59.06 6 4 Wee 19 14 6.71 4.89 — 1.82
ED 4s bss wish iw e858 124 162 2.63 3.32 + 0.69
UE MINIRD Is Neus va iis fe him 0s so 36 46 3.93 5.43 + 1.50
Penn., anthracite .......... 631 601 Sate 3.57 — 0.15
Penn., bituminous .......... 568 539 3.20 2.79 — 0.41
SES SAS er 32 38 2.86 3.40 + 0.54
LS EE eR naar ee 9 15 3.79 4.38 + 0.59
Co ae eer 27 43 4.94 7.40 + 2.21
WVOGRE WEPRIOIR oo oc ssicces sie 362. 320 6.44 5.00 — 1.44
Brizish Columbia .......... 27 28 4.79 3.61 — 1.18
eS ery ia 31 31 2.58 2.82 + 0.24
OPO oop nis sens aes 2,461 3.051 3.60 4.18 + 0.58
These totals do not exactly correspond to
the figures published by the Bureau of
Mines, since for certain states, in the
present tabulation, the returns are by
fiscal years and not by calendar years.
The recommendation frequently made,
that the returns should all be for cal-
endar years, may be repeated, for unless
the returns are made on a monthly basis
it will be impossible to secure an ac-
curate and complete annual tabulation.
It is a significant fact that, during
1910, the number of reported fatal acci-
dents in the twenty-one states and prov-
inces is, for the first time in our mining
history, in excess of three thousand. The
highest previous records had been for
1907, when there were 2852, and 1908,
when there were 2744 deaths. On the
basis of actual numbers, the loss of life
was greatest in the Pennsylvania anthra-
cite region, where 601 deaths occurred,
followed by the bituminous region of
Pennsylvania with 539, Illinois with 406,
for the decade. The highest previous rate
occurred in 1907, when it reached 4.15
per 1000, and the lowest rate occurred
in 1903, when it was 3.16. Even the
minimum rate is decidedly above the av-
erage fatality rate of foreign countries,
which, during the ten years ending with
1908, was only 1.53 per 1000.
During 1910 the highest rate prevailed
in Colorado, where it attained to the ex-
traordinary proportion of 21.6 per 1000.
The only higher rates reported for any
one state and year of the decade under
review were for British Columbia, 25.67
for 1901 and 34.65 for 1902; and for
Tennessee, 25.8 for 1902. Next to the
State of Colorado the highest rate dur-
ing 1910 is reported for Alabama, where
it attained 10.81 per 1000. Other states
with rates above the average for the
year were: Illinois, with 5.44; New
*For an extended discussion of fatal
accidents in coal mining, by occupa-
tion, nativity, causes, ete, see Bulletin
No. 90 of the Bureau of Labor, Washing-
ton, D. C., 1910.
January 6, 1912
Mexico, with 4.89; Oklahoma, with 5.43; °
Utah, with 4.38; Washington, with 7.15;
and West Virginia, with 5 per 1000. The
lowest rate for the year was reported
for Missouri, or only 1.55 per 1000. The
States with the next lowest rates were:
Iowa, where the rate was 2.17; Kansas,
with 2.26; Indiana, with 2.41; and Michi-
gan, with 2.43.
The highest average fatality rate for
the decade ending with 1910 was for
the province of British Columbia, or 9.21
per 1000, followed by the State of Colo-
rado, with an average of 8.39. The low-
est averages were reported for Missouri,
where the rate was only 1.48 per 1000,
followed by Iowa, with a rate of 2.09.
(TABLE IV)
TWENTY-FIVE YEAR RECORD OF THE
FATAL ACCIDENTS IN THE COAL MINES
OF NORTH AMERICA 1886-1910
Rate per
Number of Number 1000"
Employees Killed Em-
ployed
1886 222,029 514 2.32
1887 230,834 514 2.2
1888 278,175 659 2.37
1889 278,361 681 2.45
1890 301,295 853 2.83
1891 326,684 . 959 2.94
1892 343,564 883 2.57
1893 384,249 970 2.52
1894 394,146 962 2.44
1895 404,553 1,061 2.62
1896 409,320 1,123 2.74
1897 409,830 956 2.33
1898 407,536 1,056 2.59
1899 421,489 1,250 2.97
1900 464,235 1,507 3.25
1901 494,287 1,586 3.21
1902 530,624 1,849 3.48
1903 576.365 1,820 3.16
1904 609.001 2,027 3.33
1905 613,225 2,186 3.40
1906 658,880 2,106 3.20
1907 686,460 2,852 4.15
1908 715,355 2,744 3.84
1909 712,550 2,417 3.39
1910 30,707 3,051 4.18
1886-1890 1,310,694 3,221 2.46
1891-1895 1,853,196 4,835 2.61
1896-1900 2,112,410 5,892 2.79
1901-1905 2,853,502 9.468 3.32
1906-1910 3,503,952 13,170 3.76
1886-1910 11,633,754 36,586 3.14
RATE FOR 1910 COMPARED WITH THE
PREVIOUS FIVE YEARS
Table III exhibits the fatal accidents in
coa] mining in 1910, compared with the
average for the preceding five years, both
upon the basis of actual numbers and
the rates per 1000 employed. Many of
the states and provinces show an increase
in the rate during 1910 over the average
for the preceding five years, the excep-:
tions being Kansas, Michigan, Montana,
New Mexico, Pennsylvania (anthracite
and bituminous), West Virginia and Brit-
ish Columbia.
The net increase in the rate during
1910 was 0.58 per 1000 over the average
rate for the five years ending with 1909.
The record shows that the rate increased
in 13 out of the 21 states and provinces,
but this increase was largely the result
of a few disasters of exceptional magni-
tude. However, the record for nearly all
of the states and provinces is not one
is 3
ag
January 6, 1912
which warrants the assurance that ma-
terial progress is being made in the re-
duction of the preventable loss of life in
coal-mining operations in the United
States and Canada.
STATISTICS FROM 1886 To 1910
Table IV affords a means of convenient
comparison of the fatality rate in coal
mining during 1910 with the correspond-
ing rates for the previous 24 years. The
quarter-century review is extremely inter-
esting and peculiarly suggestive, in view of
the unwarranted assertions that the rates
during the last few years have consider-
ably declined, due to the intelligent co-
operation of government and state offi-
COAL AGE
cials, mine managers, miners and ‘others
interested in the subject.
The accompanying profile shows graph-
ically the fluctuations in and gradual in-
crease of the death rate during this per-
iod. It will be noticed that the low rate
in 1887 of 2.23 per 1000 has never since
been even closely approached, with the
exception of 1897, when it dropped to
2.33. Immediately after this the profile
shows a rapid and uniform increase,
crossing the 3 per 1000 line for the
first time in 1900, since which date it has
never been below this point. The com-
paratively level line during the period
1900 to 1905 may have given rise to false
hopes, which were, however, quickly dis-
403
pelled by the most abrupt and erratic
fluctuations yet in evidence, during the
period 1905-1910. During this time the
rate has twice crossed the 4 per 1000
line, and the general average has been
higher than for any previous existing
record.
The total number of lives lost, as far
as reported, during the 25 years ending
with 1910, was 36,586. If allowance is
made for accidents not reported, and
for the small mining states not included
in the present review, it is safe to assume
that during the last 25 years not less than
40,000 lives have been lost in coal-min-
ing operations in the United States and
Canada.
American vs. English Mine Fatalities
Numerous comparisons have _ been
made, from time to time, during the past
few years, of the fatalities of coal min-
ing in this and other countries. These
comparisons have, in many instances,
shown a comparatively high death rate
in the United States. In other instances,
in spite of the modifying influences that
operate to increase the death rate here, a
comparatively lower rate of fatality has
been shown. -
Briefly stated, some of the more im-
portant influences at work in this country
and which all will admit are peculiar to
the United States, are as follows: the
large influx of foreign labor seeking em-
ployment in any capacity; the unprec-
edented demand for coal, incident to a
new and rapidly growing country of large
area and resources; the rapid develop-
ment of the coal industry in the United
States within less than half a century.
Other conditions might be mentioned that
imperil our mining and require the most
thoughtful consideration on the part of
all, in order to reduce the list of fatal-
ities in mines to a standard that will com-
port with our aims and aspirations as a
nation.
For the purpose of this article, how-
ever, the conditions named— influx of for-
eign labor; demand for coal; and rapid
development of mines—are sufficient. We
desire to be fair and make no unjust
claims for ourselves; but we feel, right-
ly, that much has been spoken and writ-
ten, in this regard, tending to cast unwar-
ranted reflections on American mine man-
agement.
American institutions have always em-
bodied the highest ideals, sought out the
widest knowledge and experience, and
Studied to adopt the most approved meth-
ods. American mine management has
supplemented its own careful study of
mining conditions here and elsewhere by
calling to its aid mining men of other coun-
tries, hoping to glean from their observa-
tions in our mines some enlightenment on
the questions mining men, the world over,
By J. T. Beard
| Conditions affecting death
rate peculiar to American
mines. Two methods of
estimating death rate. Es-
timation on a tonnage basis
more nearly approximates
what death rate should
show. Pennsylvania death
rates, 1908-1910, lower than
those of Great Britain.
Output per man double
that in England.
are studying today. Some have sharply
criticized this action as undignified and
productive of no practical good, inasmuch
as conditions in American mines differ
widely, not only from conditions prevalent
in foreign mines, but in mines in different
paris of our own country.
The study of concitions must ever be
supreme in the solution of all important
mining problems. The broadest and most
capable minds will always study closely
not only the conditions of their own en-
vironment, but that of others. History is
the only sure interpreter of the future
when the application of past experience
to present conditions is made intelligent-
ly. To consult others and study their ex-
perience does not imply that the student
or inquirer has no experience of his own,
or that such experience is any less valu-
able than that of others. It rather shows
wisdom and intelligent foresight with a
desire to improve.
But to return to the question of com-
parative death rates in mining, it has long
seemed to me that the manner of estimat-
ing the fatalities per 1000 men employed
is not an equitable basis. It would seem
that in order to make a full and equitable
comparison of the fatalities incurred in
mining, the estimation should be based
on the number of men employed in the
mine, the number of hours employed, and
the degree of danger, which varies, being
different in different mines, and for which
the mine management is in no way re-
sponsible.
A little reflection will make clear the
injustice of classifying in the same cate-
gory a mine in which 350 inside men are
putting out 1000 tons of coal each work-
ing day, with another where twice that
number of men produce but 800 or 900
tons a day. At once the question is
asked: “Wherein lies the difference; are
not these mines equally dangerous?”
According to the present accepted basis,
the mine last named, employing more
men and producing less coal, would show
a lower death rate on the number-of-em-
ployees basis, but a higher death rate on
a tonnage basis, for the same number of
fatalities, than the first mine where fewer
men put out more coal.
It will be generally conceded that, for
the same efficiency of mine management,
the number of fatalities may naturally be
expected to depend on three principal
factors; namely, number of men in mine,
number of hours worked, and degree of
danger to which the men are commonly
exposed in the particular mine in ques-
tion. The number of fatalities would in-
crease with the number of men and hours
of employment and the danger. The last
named factor—the particular danger of
the mine--though dependent on physical
conditions that are impossible to fore-
cast, may be gaged more or less correctly
by the output per man per hour, varying
inversely as such unit output or tonnage.
The hours of employment will evidently
vary as the tonnage of the mine and in-
versely as the number of men, or as the
tonnage per man.
Writing these factors out, or expressing
‘their relation algebraically, they reduce
as follows:
Fatalities vary as (men) x (hours)
x (danger)
tonnaae of mine
men employed
Hours vary as
404
tonnage of mine
men X hours
Danger varies inversely as
or
Danger varies directly as ne Rote =
tonnage
men — tonnage __ .
° tonnage men
Hence,
t
ee) .
Fatalities vary as (men) ( men
= tonnage
If the foregoing analysis can be taken
as representing with a fair degree of ap-
proximation the relative number of fatal-
ities that may justly be expected in mines
operated under various physical condi-
tions beyond the control of the manage-
ment, it would follow that the degree of
efficiency with which the mines are man-
aged would be properly represented on a
tonnage basis. In other words, the death
rate should then be expressed as the ratio
COAL AGE
former being practically double the latter.
This item alone serves to emphasize the
urgency of the demand for coal in Amer-
ican mines, or the tendency of the miner
to increase his tonnage, as it cannot be
assumed that any physical condition op-
erates in both the hard- and soft-coal
mines here to increase the average output
per man so as to make it double that in
English mines. *
It is also interesting to note, after what
we have remarked in reference to the
true basis for estimating the death rate in
mines, that, in the table, the English
death rate per 1000 men employed is
lower, for each year, than the correspond-
ing rate for the same respective years in
Pennsylvania. On the other hand, the
English death rate per million tons of
coal mined is higher, year by year, than
the corresponding rates in the American
mines. The question naturally is sug-
gested, which of these is the proper rat-
of the number of fatalities to the tonnage ..ing as indicating the relative efficiency
TABLE SHOWING PRODUCTION OF COAL, NUMBER OF MEN EMPLOYED, FATALITIES
AND DEATH RATES, AND AVERAGE ANNUAL OUTPUT PER MAN 1908-1910,
INCLUSIVE, PENN. ANTHRACITE, PENN. BITUMINOUS AND GREAT BRITAIN
EMPLOYEES DeatH RATE
Average
Per Annual
1,000,000] Output
Production ; ; Total |Per 1000] Tons of | per Man
Year (tons) Inside Outside Total Fatalities} Men Coal (Tons)
PENNSYLVANIA ANTHRACITE
1908.... | 83,543,243 | 124,233 50,270 174,503 678 3.88 8.12 672
1309......} 80,223,833 | 123,272 47,923 171,195 567 3.31 7.07 651
|): ‘ 83,683,994 121,542 46,633 168,175 601 3.57 cone 689
|
PENNSYLVANIA BITUMINOUS
1908..... | 114,937,375 152,536 29,304 181,840 572 3.15 4.98 753
1909.....| 136,205,695 152,424 33,497 185,921 506 > Me 4 3.72 893
_') Uae | 148,770,858 159,671 33,817 193,488 539 2.78 3.63 932
| GREAT BRITAIN
i er | 261,512,214 796,329 191,484 987,813 1,306 | 1.32 | 5.01 | 329
1909.. ..| 263,758,562 818,381 195,617 | 1,013,998 1,453 1.44 5.51 323
1910... ..| 264,292,588 848,381 201,026 | 1,049,407 1,769 | 1.68 6.69 | 314
of the mine, and not to the men em-
ployed. This seems to me a more fair
basis of comparison.
The following table is interesting as
showing the production, number of men
employed inside and outside the mine,
total number of fatalities, and the death
rate, per 1000 men employed below and
above ground and per 1,000,000 tons of
coal mined, besides the average annual
output per man in the mine, for the past
three years, 1908-1910, inclusive, in the
anthracite and the bituminous mines of
Pennsylvania, as compared with the same
data in the mines of Great Britain, as
compiled from the mining report of the
Department of Mines of Pennsylvania,
1910.
Referring to this table it is inter-
esting to note the large average annual
cutput per man in the Pennsylvania
mines, both anthracite and bituminous, as
compared with that of English mines, the
of the mine management; for that is
what we expect the death rate to show.
Taking the tonnage basis as the prop-
er method of estimation, which I believe
iS a nearer approximation to what it is
desired to show, the death rates for these
years are lower in the American than in
English mines. It will be observed also
that the death rate, on this basis, has
uniformly decreased in Pennsylvania
during this period, year by year, while
in English mines the rate for the same
years shows a uniform increase.
Electric cables for mine use should be
incased in iron pipes or well tarred
wooden troughs. All jointing should be
most carefully done or serious accidents
resulting in loss of life may follow. Wrap
all joints with tape and ram in with bi-
tumen. In gaseous mines all electrical
machinery should be inclosed so as to be
flame-proof.
January 6, 1912
Leased and Owned Coal
Lands
A preliminary statement of the statis-
tics of tenure of coal lands by operators
in the United States for the year 1909
was recently issued by Director Durand of
the Bureau of the Census of the Depart-
ment of Commerce and Labor.
In regard to these statistics, it should
be noted that they cover the holdings of
none but coal-mine operators, and for
these operators include no acreage but
that of mineral lands, that is, other acre-
age held by operators, some of which
may or may not contain coal, and the
surveyed lands of nonoperators are not
included in these figures. The total num-
ber of acres controlled and the total an-
thracite holdings of the United States
and of Pennsylvania are exclusive of
10,975 acres of anthracite coal land sub-
let by operators to each other and re-
ported twice.
It is significant that the only increase
in the acreage of anthracite lands has
been made in the division of lands owned
by the operator, while the number of
acres of land developed under lease has
decreased. This is explained by the fact
that the larger producers of anthracite
bought large areas of coal lands several
years ago to hold as reserve supplies.
Since royalty must be paid continuously
on coal land held under lease, whether
coal is mined or not, the leased lands are
not conserved, but are mined out stead-
ily. This, in part, accounts for the de-
crease in the acreage of anthracite lands
held under lease, and it is in part ac-
counted for by some occasional pur-
chases of leases by large operators,
thereby changing the form of tenure from
held under lease to owned property.
The increase in the number of acres of
mineral land reported as owned is due
not only to lands acquired, but also in
part to the classification as mineral lands
of lands previously held by large pro-
ducers, but not determined as coal-pro-
ducing areas.
COAL LANDS OWNED AND LEASED ‘BY
OPERATORS IN PRINCIPAL COAL-
PRODUCING STATES DURING 1909
Acres
Held
Acres Acres Under
Controlled | Owned Lease
United States.|(?) 6,906,088] 4,782,170] 2,134,893
Anthracite..|(2) 274,870} 183,144] 102,701
Bituminous. 6,631,218] 4,599,026] 2,032,192
Pennsylvania. |(?) 1,927,829} 1,509,425] 429,379
Anthracite. .|(2) 274,010) 183,044 101,941
Bituminous. 1,653,819] 1,326,381] 327,438
West Virginia. 1,147,527} 590,885} 556,642
Alabama..... 612,026} 538,122 73,904
Illinois. ...... 553,711] 398,090} 155,624
= 408,413} 260,423] 147,990
TnGianea...... 141,272} 104,938 36,334
(1) Exclusive of 10,975 acres of anthracite
lands reported twice in totals for acres owned
and acres held under lease.
ae!
January 6, 1912
COAL AGE
405
Reviews of Coal Industry for I9I]
The coal industry during the year now
closed is remarkable rather for what
did not occur, than because of any new
features developed. No important de-
partures in the science of mining or in
mining appliances have been made, nor
has the country been visited by such
an extended series of holocausts as
caused a veritable reign of terror in
several previous years. That it has met
with many troubles and disappointments
cannot be denied, but it has acquired
confidence in meeting and overcoming
these and has gathered new strength.
In common with a number of recent
years, 1911 witnessed further consoli-
dations of corporate interests in which
the coal industry figured prominently.
The economies possible to effect by
such consolidation are fully appreciated
by capital and the ensuing years will
no doubt bring forth larger and stronger
combinations along these lines. An en-
tirely new development, in this direction,
has been the organization of a National
Coal Operators’ Association, only yet in
its infancy.
Reports from state mine
inspectors, special corres-
pondents and others with
estimates of the year’s pro-
duction and outlook for
1912.
!
In production, this year has been a
good one, since the output has nearly
equaled that of 1910, but this, unfortun-
ately, does not bespeak an entirely satis-
factory business, because of the low
coal prices that prevailed. It is true also
that general industrial conditions are
all below normal, and the heavy ton-
nages, thrown on an already weakened
market, have produced a condition bor-
dering on demoralization. With the pro-
ductive capacity of our mines far in ex-
cess of the average normal consumption,
such conditions will continue to pre-
vail until some system of regulation is
inaugurated, and it is such problems as
these that have made necessary the
operators’ organization.
The export shipments for the year
show an unprecedented increase which
is, however, hardly normal because
largely due to the labor troubles in
British Columbia. That the United States
is forging to the front as a fuel exporter
is becoming clearly evident, and that this
may eventually become an outlet for
our over-production seems reasonable to
believe.
Labor troubles during the year of 1911
have amounted to practically nothing.
During the present year, however, the
industry will face the most important
wage conference in the history of the
country, when the present agreements
all expire simultaneously April 1.
The present year will inherit some of
the problems of the old one, and no
doubt develop new ones of its own, but
the confidence gained in overcoming the
difficulties of 1911 will do much to en-
gender a spirit of optimism in the coal
industry.
Coal Industry of Alabama in
1911
SPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE
The production for the year 1910 was
16,139,228 tons, but is not expected to
go so high in the present year, the chief
mine inspector estimating it at about
14,500,000 tons.
The labor supply has been fair all
year, with the exception of a temporary
shortage toward the latter part of the
summer when mines which had been
closed down were started up and other
mines put in more regular operation. The
year has been free from strikes or other
disturbances of like nature.
The production of coal was low during
the spring and early summer as the
market conditions were not as good as
during that period of .1910, for during
that year, strikes in the coal fields of Illi-
nois and Oklahoma helped conditions
here greatly. Also furnace requirements
have not been as large this year as in
1910.
In regard to the labor supply, it should
be said that as far as actual numbers
on the rolls are concerned, there is little
or no difficulty. We have usually had a
sufficient number of men enrolled to op-
erate our plants, but many of these are
inefficient workmen, who work, so irregu-
larly that it is impossible to rely on them.
Mining is rendered hazardous by the em-
Ployment of a shifting force of men, and
Profits are curtailed when tite daily out-
put is liable to be reduced by the unfore-
Seen absence of some of the men.
Colorado Coal Industry in
1911
By JAMES DALRYMPLE*
The coal business in Colorado for the
year 1911 has not been quite so lucrative
as it was in 1910, although the output has
been normal and satisfactory, all things
considered.
The larger production of last year was
due to the demand from markets which
were affected by the miners on strike in
Illinois, Kansas, Arkansas and Oklahoma;
the needed supply being drawn from the
Colorado fields.
Then, too, the adverse financial con-
dition and business lethargy of the en-
tire country have had considerable bear-
ing on the coal industry. The disturbed
industrial condition in Boulder and Weld
counties where lignite is mined has con-
tinued uninterruptedly since last year,
with no prospect of an immediate settle-
ment. Otherwise coal production has
been steady and found a brisk market.
Prices have advanced from 25 to 50c. per
ton on domestic coals.
Operators have had to cope with the
usual shortage of cars in the last four
months of the year, which always hamp-
ers the production materially and retards
the meeting of the market’s demands.
The working force for 1911, which was
13,813, shows a reduction of 955 men, as
compared with 1910, when 14,768 men
were employed. There is a decrease in
the tonnage of coal produced during 1911
of 2,029,026 tons.
*Inspector of coal mines, Denver, Colo.
The death rate is low, being 6 per 1000,
which compares favorably with other
years in Colorado. The nonfatal accidents
number 248, as compared with 146 in
1910. Surface fatal accidents numbered
six, and underground fatal accidents
totaled 82.
A dust explosion, augmented by pow-
der, occurred at the Cokedale mine, own-
ed by the Carbon Coal & Coke Co., of
Las Animas County, on February 9, 1911,
in which seventeen lives were lost. This
was the only catastrophe during the year.
The mining laws of Colorado are
faulty, but after the Governor appointed
a commission to amend and improve the
present laws, which commission worked
faithfully for five months, the Governor
felt it incumbent upon him to veto the
bill, as it was mutilated beyond all
recognition.
The following is a summary of the coal
production in Colorado in 1911:
SUMMARY OF THE COAL PRODUC-
TION OF COLORADO IN 1911
Number of mines in opera-
GREROMAC gcc ain ceca oe wre ew aeaere a 158
Tons of lignite coal pro-
UOC 65a sc. oe wiulnkowweiwe ots 1,676,975
Tons of semibituminous coal
LOS CCUG TR Seine pees 761,526
Tons of bituminous’ coal
PROQUCOU 5.6. Sek eewomcee 7,502,981
Tons of anthracite coal pro-
CU CO: DE een ee rials 64,379
Tons of unclassified coal
produced, estimated....... 70,000
Total number of tons
PEOdUCER . 6 ccc es awe. 10,075,861
Deerease tn t908.... «20%. 2,029,026
Total number of tons of coke
DWUQGGCOS 656s eres ic eccteces 946,284
Total number of coke ovens
WH OPGPACION: 2. 6c kc cc ccucs 2,764
Total number of employees
in and about the mines.. 13,813.3
Total number of days
WIOSNGO@ Fic ociess cs cdewcwas 188.7
406
COAL AGE
January 6, 1912
The Illinois Coal Industry in 191I
Special Correspondence
The fiscal year which ended June 30,
1911, showed only 53 counties producing
coal in Illinois as against 55 in the previ-
ous year. The number of mines and
openings had also reduced from 881 to
845, a drop of 36 mines. In the fiscal
year 184 mines were newly opened or
reworked, but in the same time 217 were
closed or abandoned. Though there was
a slight reduction in mines working, the
whole tonnage produced rose from
48,717,853 tons in 1910 to 50,165,099 in
1911 or 2.97 per cent. There was a re-
duction of only 3 shipping mines in 1911.
Of the mines operating 458 engaged
in local trade only. There were 33 less
of these mines operating in 1911 than in
the year before, the tonnage from them
declining from 1,492,652 to 1,406,442.
The total tonnage shipped in railroad
cars was 44,578,400 tons as against
43,007,015 tons in 1910, but this gain was
not equal through the range of sizes.
Thus the amount of mine run gained
largely. In 1910 only 10,220,456 tons
were shipped; in 1911 the tonnage was
13,025,663 tons. There was. conse-
quently a loss in many of the sizes
of screened coal. Lump coal declined
from 20,769,930 to 19,588,409; nut, from
2,845,693 to 2,425,712 tons; slack, from
1,372,038 to 1,131,784. On the other
hand, two sizes much shipped from IIli-
nois mines showed increased use. Egg
mounted from 3,334,059 tons to 3,725,073
tons, and pea coal similarly from
10,174,677 to 10,268,458.
The locomotive tender trade as sup-
plied to the tenders at the mines fell with
the decreased railroad business from
886,217 tons to 877,793 tons. The local
trade also fell from 2,867,871 to 2,617,-
977 tons. There were consumed or
wasted at the plants 2,090,929 tons
whereas in 1910 the amount reported
aggregated only 1,956,750 tons. The
average operating days of shipping mines
declined from 179 to 169 and all mines,
shipping and domestic averaged pnly
165 days of work as against 171 days
on the previous year.
PRICE LITTLE CHANGED BY WAGE
INCREASE
The price per ton rose from an average
of $1.016 to $1.101, or $0.085. The gross
selling value at tipple totalled $56,064,494
as against $50,204,207, an increase of
11.7 per cent. Motor haulage took a fur-
ther advance. There are now 316 motors
used, whereas in 1910 there were but 229,
Note—From report of State Mining
Board.
a significant increase of 38 per cent.
Mining machines were used in 126 mines,
whereas in 1910 there were 114 mines in
which they were to be found. The min-
ing machines accordingly increased in
number from 1289 to 1430. The number
of tons undercut by machines was 19,-
998,259, whereas in 1910 it was 18,176,-
254 tons. In 1911 the number of tons
hand-mined declined from 30,541,599
tons to 30,166,840 tons.
MEN EMPLOYED
In 1911 the miners employed num-
bered 39,912, having increased since
1910, when the number was only 39,069.
In Illinois the number of other employees
underground is large. In 1911, 30,052
persons other than miners worked in
the mines and the number increased
more than the number of miners. In
1910 there were but 28,137 not actually
engaged in the mining of coal. The
number of boys working underground
dropped from 1154 to 1009. Above
ground the boys employed rose from 47
to 71. The number of other employees
above ground in 1911 was 6366; in the
previous year there were 6227 of such
operatives. The total number of em.
ployees above and underground increased
from 74,634 to 77,410 persons. Thus
the employees may be divided up as fol-
lows roughly: Miners, 51.6 per cent.;
other underground adult employees, 38.8
per cent.; boys underground, 1.3 per
cent.; boys above ground, 0.1 per cent.;
adult employees above ground, 8.2 per
cent.; total, 100 per cent.
Of the whole number of adult em-
ployees, 74,508 were employed at ship-
ping mines in 1911, and 71,520 in 1910.
The local mines employed 2902 in the
last fiscal year. In 1910, 3114 men were
thus employed. There were 70,973 work-
ing below ground in 1911 and in the year
before, 68,360 were thus employed. The
corresponding number for workers above
ground in the coal mining industry of
the state were 6437 and 6274.
MINING RATES AND CONSUMPTION OF
POWDER
The average rate for hand-pick min-
ing in the shipping mines per gross ton
was $0.627, an increase over the year
before of three cents. Machine mining
also cost 3.2 cents more, the price so
advanced averaging $0.494 per gross ton.
The number of kegs of powder used
for coal blasting was 1,240,293; in 1910
1,254,095. Powder was used for other
purposes to the extent of 3568 kegs last
year; in the previous years, the use
reached 3128 kegs. Permissible ex-
plosives were used to the extent of 243,-
099 Ib.
FATALITIES AND INJURIES NOT
DECREASING
The Cherry mine disaster was so ab-
normally severe that it does not seem well
to include it in making comparisons be-
tween the two last years. That disaster
is omitted therefore from the 1910 cal-
culations. Last year 157 men were ac-
cidentally killed, 7 men more than in the
previous year. Of these 149 men were
killed inside and 8 outside the mines.
The deaths made 87 wives, widows, and
left 245 children, fatherless. Injuries
entailing the loss of a month or more
totalled 709. In the previous year such
accidents were more numerous, 742 men
being so incapacitated. There were 319,-
523 tons mined for every life lost. In
1910 the record was a trifle more favor-
able, 324,786 tons. The number of em-
ployees per life lost was 493, whereas
in 1910 the number was 498, so that if
it had not been for the Cherry mine
disaster, 1910 would have had a little
better record than the past year.
For convenience in figuring, it may
be well to add that deaths per thousand
men employed ran 2.03 in 1911, and
2.01 in 1910, with the reservation re-
ferred to. In 1911, 70,754 tons were
mined for every man severely injured
and in 1910 only 65,657 were produced
at the same loss and suffering. Out of
every 109. men last year one man was
injured. In 1910 that proportion was
only 101 to 1. The number killed for
each million tons produced was 3.1 in
both the years considered. The number
injured for every thousand men em-
ployed was 9.9 in 1910 and 9.2 in 1911.
It will be observed that the figures for
tonnage, activity and injuries, fatal and
otherwise, are not materially changed.
The compensation to labor has increased
5 per cent. for hand-pick work and about
6 per cent. for machine work.
The increase in the price of coal is
probably due to the conditions obtaining
after the strike and that price may de-
cline in the following fiscal year. It will
be seen that the operator made an in-
creased gain of about 5c. on an increased
product of 2.97 per cent.; not such a bad
record for the year 1911, which has not
appeared bright in other states. More-
over, improved haulage methods and in-
creased machine mining should have
added largely to that profit.
A i ac
January 6, 1912
COAL AGE
407
Indiana Coal Industry in 1911
—
By Frank I. Pearce*
———
Beginning with January, and slightly
before, the demand for coal became less
brisk and many of the mines that had
been operating nearly full time, previous
to and for a considerable time after the
settlement of the strike in Illinois, were
unable to work more than half time dur-
ing January, February and March.
With the approach of milder weather,
market demands grew weaker, compe-
tition stronger and selling prices took a
drop. As a result of this condition many
mines that had been working about half
time were unable to operate more than
one or two days a week and a number
were closed down indefinitely, or to make
repairs.
This condition continued through April,
May, June, July, August and the first
half of September resulting in consider-
able suffering among hundreds of idle
employees depending upon the mines for
their livelihood, and in many instances a
considerable outlay of money to the com-
panies to keep their mines in repair.
Even where this was done property in
many instances suffered a certain de-
preciation in value, that is, a fixed loss.
DEMAND FOR COAL IMPROVED
The latter part of September the de-
mand for coal began to improve some-
what and from this period until Dec. 15
the mines averaged about half time, and
a number that were closed down earlier
in the year resumed operations. Market
conditions grew a little stronger and sell-
ing prices advanced.
The coal production of any state is
governed by the demand, number of days
*Deputy Inspector of Mines, Indianapolis,
Ind.
worked and number of persons employed.
The demand for coal has been poor for
the year 1911 as compared with 1910 re-
sulting in a greater loss of time, a larger
number of employees being idle, and the
production proportionately reduced.
PRODUCTION
The condition of the coal trade being
somewhat similar to that of the year
1909 the production will be about the
same, or possibly 14 million short tons,
slightly in excess of what it was that
year. However, this is only an estimate
as the state’s production has not yet been
compiled for the year.
There were a number of strikes during
the year but most of these occurred at a
time when the demand for coal was such
as to not seriously affect the state’s out-
put.
Coal
Industry in
By L. E. Stamm *
lowa
nn ———
— ———
In reviewing the coal industry of this
state for the year just drawing to a close
I am pleased to note that the conditions
for the most part have been good and
that the tonnage has reached the highest
mark in production since coal mining first
began in this state during 1840. In re-
cent years the annual coal production of
Iowa has increased steadily, except in the
years 1908 and 1910, when a slight fall-
ing off in the production was rfeted,
caused possibly by a suspension of the
mines for a period of thirty days during
each of those years, pending an agree-
ment between the miners and operators
relative to a wage agreement.
LARGEST TONNAGE EVER PRODUCED
Under the laws of the state of Iowa,
statistics relating to the production of coal
in the state are gathered for the fiscal
year ending June 30. These statistics
gathered for the last fiscal year show a
production of coal amounting to 7,574,919
tons. This is the largest tonnage ever
produced in this state, and while these are
figures for the fiscal year, it would be
safe to say that they will approximate
those for the calendar year. In the pro-
duction of the tonnage noted above, 16,-
571 persons, both miners and others, were
employed in and around the mines, and
the work of mining was fairly good dur-
ing most of the year. The coal industry
of Iowa, while not of such magnitude as
in a number of states, still has much
————=
to do with the general prosperity of the
state.
Coal was first discovered and mined in
Iowa in 1840, and at that time was mined
in but one other state west of the Miss-
issippi river. Only 400 tons were pro-
duced in 1840, while in 1857 the produc-
tion had reached 1,231,547 tons. In 1882
it had reached 3,920,000 tons, while for
the year 1899 more than 5,000,000 tons
of coal were mined. Since then the out-
put has steadily increased. As stated
above, the tonnage for the fiscal year of
1911 was 7,574,919 tons.
COAL MINED IN 22 COUNTIES
Coal is mined in 22 counties in Iowa.
The product is bituminous and of good
quality. Some coal is shipped from this
state into Nebraska, Minnesota and the
Dakotas, but most of the coal produced
is consumed within the borders of the
state. Its manufacturing industries pro-
vide a market for most of the coal pro-
duced in Iowa, and on account of the ab-
sence of friction between the miners and
operators of the state the coal industry
has made a steady growth. Owing to the:
mild weather which has prevailed in
Iowa from September onward, the coal
production has not been quite so good as
is usually the case at this time of year,
but with the coming of cold weather we
look for a steady demand for coal; one
*Secy. to Mine Inspectors, Des Moines,
Towa.
that will keep the mines of the state
running on a fairly steady basis.
Owing to the extension of the Rock
Island System from Des Moines south, a
new coal field will be developed in Ma-
rion County during the coming year. Al-
ready the Rock Island company is starting
the development of a new mine near Dal-
las, Marion County, and this mine will be
equipped for a daily capacity of two
thousand tons or more. Other mines will
be developed in this section, so the out-
look for the year 1912 seems at this writ-
ing to be bright for an increased coal
production. However, the coming April
marks the time for a new agreement be-
tween the operators and miners of the
state and, judging from past years, there
is likely to be a suspension of mining
for thirty days or more at that time. This
will affect the output for the coming year
to some extent.
BuT Few Lasor TROUBLES
There have been but few labor troubles
affecting the production of coal in Iowa
during the past year. A few local strikes
have occurred, caused by a difference of
opinion as to the terms of agreement be-
tween the operators and miners. For the
most part these disagreements or strikes
were of short duration, and did not affect
the coal output to any great extent. Judg-
ing from past years, it would seem at
this time that there will be an increase
po the coal production of this state in
1912.
408
Coal Production of Kansas 1911
By LEoNn BESSsON*
The coal production for the year 1911
will be approximately six million tons.
It will be greater for the year 1911, than
it was for the previous year, owing to the
fact that in the year 1910 there was a
long suspension of work, extending from
April 1 to Sept. 22. On the other hand
there have been few local labor troubles
in the present year, and these not of any
importance. An average of about 11,-
500 men were employed in the mines
of the state. There have been a few
mine explosions this year, causing the
death of five shot-firers and two rescuers.
I am of the opinion that the coal pro-
duction will be steadily on the increase,
for there is a tendency to go back to coal,
as natural gas seems to be approaching
exhaustion.
Maryland Coal Statistics
for 1911
By J. H. DONAHUE+
From all the available data at hand,
it appears that the coal production of
Maryland for the year just closed will
show an appreciable falling off. The
production for 1911 as estimated, will be
4,500,000 short tons, as compared with
nearly 5,000,000 tons in 1910 and 4,524,-
112 tons for 1909.
*State mine inspector, Pittsburg, Kans.
{Chief Mine Inspector, Frostburg, Md.
COAL AGE
Maryland was particularly fortunate
during the past year with respect to labor
troubles, having experienced no incon-
venience from this source whatever. It
is estimated that the average days worked
will be about 240, and the number of
fatal accidents during the year will not
total more than 15. The non-fatal acci-
dents have not yet been reported.
North Dakota Lignite in
1911
By J. A. Buiss*
During the year 1911 there were nine-
ty-eight coal mines in operation in North
Dakota, producing about 395,000 tons
of lignite. Over a thousand men were
employed during the busy season which
begins in October and closes in January.
During the summer months the demand
for lignite falls off, and as a result part
of the mines are closed down. North
Dakota mines are entirely free from ex-
plosive gases, and the list of fatalities
and injuries has been low during the
past year.
The demand for lignite is gradually in-
creasing and several new mines have
been opened up, while some of the larger
operating mines have added to their
equipment. Although the estimated
amount of lignite within the state exceeds
that of any other state in the Union, the
demand for it is largely of a local nature,
*Asst. Mine Inspector, Bismarck, N. D.
January 6, 1912
and because of its abundance the selling
price is so low that the margin of profit
is small.
The question of timbering the mines is
a serious one, as dependence has to be
placed on timber shipped in from Minne-
sota, largely, though some is obtained
from the Western states.
The state legislature has wisely seen fit
to lend active support to the furthering of
its lignite industry, and all public insti-
tutions are required to use coal mined
within the state. An appropriation has
been set aside for the purpose of estab-
lishing and maintaining an experiment
station. This has been located at Heb-
ron, where a mine has been purchased
by the state and an excellently equipped
building erected. This station is under
the direction of the State School of Mines
at Grand Forks, and its efforts are largely
directed toward perfecting the briquet-
ting process and of making commercial
use of the volatile gases which run high
in all lignite.
The successful development of a pro-
cess of briquetting on a commercial basis
and of making use of the volatile gases
for illumination, heat and power would
create at once a demand for lignite and
open a large field for investment.
The recent advent of several new
branches of railroad in the western part
of the state has made accessible a new
portion of the coal fields, and a greater
gain in production is anticipated for the
ensuing year than heretofore.
Montana Coal Industry in 19Il
Montana is the third largest state in
the Union and contains more square
miles area, than New York, New Jersey,
New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts,
Maryland, Rhode Island, Connecticut,
Delaware and Vermont combined. It is
underlain with coal, ranging in quality
from lignite to sub-bituminous, semi-
anthracite and anthracite; the latter has
not,been found in workable quantities.
PRODUCTION FOR 1911
Legislative action, in creating the
county of Musselshell out of portions of
Fergus, Meagher and Yellowstone Coun-
ties, has not decreased the production of
coal, but Fergus and Yellowstone are, for
a time, reduced from large producers by
the change of county lines.
The following is the production by
counties in short tons for year ending
Cet. 31, 41011:
PRODUCTION BY COUNTIES
Tons
SRP. iiss Howe keaweseeee 1,226,783
RNID 5325s ce iw otin > arme eeeee 948,823
LE LS | a a ee ea 643,648
Ll ae ere eee eee 54,760
RUEMESERD:. iig:4 60 G59 BW nis) recat ewe leeleta 14,127
RUERMUREERED, 2 6.5 lalip orp, wie o's 406! revit wee 10,801
ENE. ice eG tered 6ie ws Oi SURVRlS Ae Oe 6,670
PED Sikes oib-o woe enews wise 5,044
MUM,” 6-sr5:b:5 4&5: gts- sam tele wis-otelecelons 2,741
GRAS). ccesnesc3 O NK hek eee 2,913,397
By J. B. McDermott *
The capacity of Mon-
tana’s mines has been ma-
terially increased during
the year now closed. The
first coal dust explosion in
the history of the state oc-
curred and important laws,
governing the operation of
mines, were enacted.
*State Coal Mine Inspector, Helena, Mont.
The new county of Musselshell, in-
cludes the rapidly growing camps, Round-
up and Klein. This county is now the
third largest producer in Montana.
There has been an apparent dullness
in the Montana coal trade during the
year just closed due to a heavy increase
of capacity and consequent overproduc-
tion. At Stockett, in Cascade County, the
Great Northern Ry. Co., coal department,
have installed independent haulage en-
gines for each of their new Nos. 5 and
6 mines. The Northern Pacific Ry. Co.,
at Red Lodge, in Carbon County, have,
under their new management, increased
their output from 1500 tons per day to
5000 and have even reached as high as
6000 tons. In Musselshell County, the
Republic Coal Co. have increased the
capacity of their No. 2 mine at Klein
from 1500 tons, the record last year, to
2000, now their average daily run; this
mine is now sufficiently developed to pro-
duce 3000 tons in 8 hours. In this same
county, at Mine A, of the Roundup Coal
Mining Company (subsidiary of the Chi-
cago, Milwaukee & Puget Sound Ry. Co.,
at Roundup, the production is now 1500
tons per day. Mine B of. the Davis Coal
Co. is producing from 500 to 700 tons
per day. Mines in the Bearcreek dis-
trict are also doing considerable develop-
ment in anticipation of a heavy future
output.
Dust ExPLOSION
The first dust explosion in the history
of the Montana coal industry occurred on
Apr. 15, 1911, at the No. 2 mine of the
January 6, 1912
Republic Coal Co., Klein, Musselshell
County.
The coal seam here is between 5 ft. 9
in. and 6 ft. thick, has a hard sandrock
roof, and the coal is friable and frozen to
both the roof and bottom. An average
analysis of the coal is: Moisture 12.7 per
cent.; volatile combustible, 28.7 per
cent.; fixed carbon, 50.9 per cent. and
ash, 7.7 per cent.
Mining is paid for on the mine-run
basis and is mined by shooting off the
solid, tamping being done with fine coal
and slack. The mine generally is wet,
although dry in places, and fuses are
used in both wet and dry holes. Shoot-
ing is restricted generally, although not
entirely, to the periods between shifts.
The trouble occurred in a series of five
rooms, in three of which there had been
no crosscuts driven. From the testi-
mony offered, there appears to have been
about 50 in. of black powder fired at
practically the same time in these five
rooms. In the No. 3 room one shot had
been laid parallel to the face of the room
and pointed toward the left-hand rib, and
another on the right-hand rib, parallel
with the room pillar, and directly op-
posite the mouth of the other hole. It
appeared that both holes were over-
charged and the result was that windy
shots occurred.
After the explosion No. 3 room was
the only one which could not be entered
until some provision was made for re-
moving the smoke and gases. The flame
burned the sight-strings in front of all
five rooms, and also scorched brattice
cloth on the entry further out, travel-
ing against the intake air current some
500 ft. Fortunately, the brattice between
the intake and the return (a board-stop-
ping) gave way which short-circuited the
flame into the return airway where con-
ditions for propagation were less favor-
able.
No one was seriously hurt, although
some where scorched slightly. The prop-
erty damage was practically nothing, al-
though this cannot be credited to good
judgment or management. At present all
the miners use their own discretion as
to the placing of their holes, the number,
and the amount of powder to use. Will
we, like many other mining states, re-
quire the usual disaster and consequent
loss of life, to force us into the adoption
of safe laws for the blasting of coal?
Labor troubles in Canada proved of
considerable help to Montana operators
during their usually dull season in the
spring and summer. Some coal was also
Shipped into Canada later in the season.
ACCIDENTS IN 1911
During the year just closed there have
been 13 fatal and 50 non-fatal accidents
in the Montana coal mines, as follows:
COAL AGE
TABLE OF MINE ACCIDENTS
Causes of accidents Killed Injured Total
Falling roof ...... Bede ceus uc BES cs ckG3
Ballina COG) .cciccecevces yore +. Sean ©
MGOVIN@ CAFE ccccccesccscs G.. 1c. DNS
Powder burned and blasted 0... 5. S$
All other causes ......... t: 7;
OCCUPATIONS OF VICTIMS
Occupation Killed Injured Total
PIGh TINGE nc ce occeuewe ce 12... OR. «483
BIMVOE. Scsicacawene, wesees« err: Sears (! t
Be CRONE Beccckctsnwoennss Pee 8G a ROE
During 1911 the Montana State Legis-
lature enacted a law providing a fund
for the relief of miners injured in coal-
mine accidents. The law required all
operators to contribute one cent per ton
of gross tonnage mined toward the sup-
port of this fund. Due to the fact that
the miner, besides deriving the benefits
from this fund, also retained privilege
of bringing action at law for additional
damages the act was declared uncon-
stitutional by the Supreme Court of the
State. ;
The growing sentiment in favor of
some form of compensation for the de-
pendents of those injured or killed in
mine accidents, has made desirable the
enactment of some such law, and it is
with regret that we record its failure.
From the inquiries received, applications
for copies and comments made upon this
law, together with words of commenda-
tion spoken at different institute meetings
I have attended in Scranton, Chicago and
Charleston, W. Va., I feel that this law
would have come nearer filling the bill
than any previous efforts along this line.
In common with all new departures,
the law met with opposition from both
operators and miners, which was, I think,
due to a misunderstanding of its pur-
poses. The funds were to be handled by
the State Auditor, who, on proof of death
or total disability, was required to make
payment of $3,000; loss of eye, arm, leg,
etc., was compensated for _ propor-
tionately.
EXAMINATION OF MINE OFFICIALS
Since the law requiring the examina-
. tion of mine. foremen and firebosses be-
came effective (in the year of 1909)
there has been issued 62 certificates.
Twenty-six of these were issued without
examination to parties presenting like cer-
tificates issued by competent authorities
in other states. Forty-five were given
service certificates without examination
for having served continuously in the
capacity as foreman for one year prior to
the enactment of the law.
Prior to the meeting of the twelfth
session (1911) of the Montana State
Legislature, the operators and miners, at
a joint meeting, agreed upon what laws
they wished enacted. They were passed
as presented and have now become a part
of our statutes.
It is interesting to note that fully 20
per cent. of the coal produced in Mon-
tana during 1910 was mined on a royalty
409
basis. The prices varied from 5 to 25c.
per ton. In some of the Western States,
as for instance Colorado, large revenues
are obtained from this source. During
the last two years Colorado has derived
$50,000 annually from approximately
18,000 acres.
Review of Coal Trade in
Ohio
The coal trade in Ohio during 1911!
was not as active in many ways as that
of the previous year which was the best
in the history of the Buckeye State.
Advance reports from the several mining
districts indicate that there will be a de-
crease of from three and a half to four
million tons in the year’s production as
compared to that of 1910. In some of the
districts the loss was oniy slight and may
even be turned to an increase but other
districts have to report a suspension of
from four to six months.
While there was a decrease in the ton-
nage mined, the most important feature
of the coal trade was the unsatisfactory
and unremunerative prices which pre-
vailed during the greater part of the past
twelve months. Prices as a whole were
unsatisfactory and did not respond to the
influence of weather as much as in
former years. The large tonnage of 34,-
424,951 in 1910 was partially caused by
the long lay-off in Illinois and the in-
creased demand for lake tonnage. Tak-
ing it all in all the tonnage of about 31,-
000,000 in 1911 was not a bad output
and if it had not been for the low prices
that prevailed would have been fairly
profitable to the operators.
DoMEstic GRADES
During the year, prices did not advance
above the $1.50 mark for domestic grades
excepting in rare instances. Of course,
the prices in the Pomeroy Bend district
were higher because of the differential
in freight rates but in that district $1.75
@1.85 was the highest point reached.
Generally speaking the circular figure re-
mained at about $1.50 during the entire
time but: this was not well maintained
during the late winter and early spring
months. The year opened with prices
rather firm( somewhere about the $1.50
mark) but they remained at that point
only a short time.
Under the influences of warm weather
and poor steam trade,prices slumped soon
after the first of the year and it was not
until the middle of July that they were
again pretty well maintained at the cir-
cular quotations. The stocking period
produced considerable business for a
short time and then followed another pe-
riod of inaction during the fall months
although prices did not slump to any
great extent.
During the winter period weather con-
ditions were not at all satisfactorv. Up
410
until Christmas there was no cold
weather to cause a flurry in the trade with
the possible exception of one week. It
has been a sort of a hit and miss proposi-
tion during the greater part of the year
and will continue to be so unless con-
ditions change to a radical degree. The
Chicago market has not been such as to
absorb any great amount of coal and
this has had the effect of causing con-
gestion in the domestic trade.
RETAIL BUSINESS,
Retail business has not been as active
as formerly. Dealers stocked up con-
-siderably early in the fall and the first
run of orders was fairly satisfactory.
Second purchases were not as numer-
ous as usual and this caused the dealers
to cancel their orders with the oper-
ators and jobbers. Good roads in the
country districts of the state have had
the effect of steadying the retail trade
because farmers are enabled to haul
coal at almost any time during the winter
and consequently need not buy in large
quantities in the fall.
COAL AGE
The steam trade has been rather quiet.
Requisitions on the part of manufactur-
ing establishments were not as large as
usual and business conditions in man-
ufacturing circles have not been the best.
There was a falling off in fuel require-
ments for iron and steel plants and also
in fact in many other lines. However,
prices on steam business have probably
been more satisfactory than in any other
branch of the trade and renewals of con-
tracts have been made at about the same
figures that have prevailed for some time.
In the department of railroad fuel the
worst situation is seen. Railroad con-
sumption fell off hundreds of thousands
of tons from previous years. One large
producing company reported a drop of
over 400,000 tons in railroad fuel alone.
Neither have prices for railroad fuel
been satisfactory, as one large contract’
was taken at 85 cents, an extremely low
figure.
LAKE TRADE
The lake trade was fairly active al-
though a number of things interferred
with an increased activity in that direc-
January 6, 1912
tion. The slack ore movement caused a
falling off in lake shipments early in the
season, which had opened auspiciously.
This feature had the effect of making
the boat supply rather short and later
a freeze-up in the early fall caused
many boats to put in for the winter
sooner than usual. But on the whole the
tonnage was rather satisfactory even if
the prices were not the best. Congestion
on the docks of the upper lake ports also
interfered with a free lake movement.
In the fine-coal market peculiar con-
ditions prevailed. The removal of de-
murrage charges on track storage cars
permitted Ohio operators to hold up the
prices to a considerable extent. The low-
est price of the year was probably 30c.
and the average was above that figure.
The active lake season caused a large
production of the small sizes.
The outlook for 1912 is not particu-
larly promising. The one great un-
certainty is the renewal of the wage
scale which expires April 1, 1912. Bus-
iness conditions generally are not bright
and the tonnage will probably remain
comparatively small.
—
———
The Ohio Coal Industry for 1911
According to advance reports from the
various coal-mining districts of Ohio for
the year just ended, the production in
this state will be materially reduced as
compared with that for the year 1910,
which reached a total of 34,424,951 tons,
the greatest amount ever recorded in the
history of the state mining department.
While there are no official figures at
hand on which to base a correct estimate,
it is believed the year’s tonnage will
show a decrease of from 3¥% to 4 million
tons. Although the loss may not be so
great as at present indicated, it is true
that in many districts work was unusually
light during the year, while in others
there was a suspension amounting to
from 5% to 6 months. Several causes
led to the large tonnage in 1910 that will
not obtain for this year, notably the long
strike in the state of Illinois and the sus-
pensions in other districts; also, the in-
creased demand for lake shipments.
DisTRICT OUTPUT
The tonnage of the Hocking Valley dis-
trict as a whole, will fall off about 15 per
cent. as compared with 1910, and that of
eastern Ohio will probably show a loss
of 10 per cent., or a total decrease of
about 1,000,000 tons. The loss in Jack-
son County will be about 40 per cent.; in
Meigs County, the same; in Mahoning
County, 10 per cent.; Columbiana County,
20 per cent.; and in Tuscarawas County
the decrease in tonnage will amount to
about 200,000 tons, this being due to the
enforced idleness of from 5% to 6
months on account of the 1910-1911
strike.
By George Harrison*
The year’s production
will fall several million
tons short of that for 1910.
A substantial decrease is
reported in the number of
fatal accidents. The new
state mining laws are in
successful and satisfactory
operation.
*Chief mine inspector, Columbus, Ohio.
LABOR AND WORKING TIME
No, shortage of labor has been noted
during the year; in fact, it will probably
develop that the number of men em-
ployed was smaller than during the year
1910. While the decrease in the number
of employees may not be particularly
evident, the average working time per
man will be seen to have been perceptibly
reduced, with a consequent loss in earn-
ings. The larger coal-producing counties
will show no appreciable loss in the time
worked, although the splendid record for
the year 1910 will by no means be
equaled. Other counties will show the
working time as being about two-thirds
and in some cases only one-half of that
for the previous year, while in the dis-
tricts of smallest production, the work-
ing time will scarcely reach half of that
for 1910.
Prices for Ohio coal during the year
were not particularly high and were sub-
ject to considerable fluctuation. A short-
age of cars was reported on the Toledo
& Ohio Central Ry. in the Hocking Val-
ley. This is, however, usually the case
during the latter months of the year when
there is an increased demand for fuel.
The lake trade for the year, it is be-
lieved, will not compare favorably with
that for 1910, when the greatest tonnage
ever shipped to the Lakes was recorded.
ACCIDENTS
The number of fatal accidents in Ohio
will show a great decrease as compared
with the preceding year. In 1910, 161
accidents were recorded, while up un-
til Dec. 15, only 107 accidents have been
reported for this year. Of this number
81 were due to falls of roofs; 10 to falls
of coal; 7 to mine cars; and 3 to elec-
tricity. Particularly gratifying is the not-
able decrease in the number of persons
killed by mine cars, from 19 in 1910 to
7 in 1911; also the decrease from 97 to
81 in the number killed by falls of roofs,
and from 7 to 3 in the number killed by
electric shock. So far no fatal accidents
have been reported from the use of min-
ing machines since the new law has re-
quired that the machines shall be proper-
ly shielded and has imposed a fine as
penalty for removing such shields.
Belmont County reported the greatest
number of fatal accidents, 36 in all, of
which 32 were due to falls of roof; Jef-
ferson County reported 21, of which 16
were due to the same cause. In these
two counties the No. 8 seam of coal is
January 6, 1912
worked. This seam has a dangerous top,
and in many instances the miners become
careless and neglect to take it down; the
result is seen in the large number of
deaths from this cause. Guernsey County
reported 16 killed, 10 deaths being due to
falls of roofs. Three other counties each
reported only two fatal accidents. Seven
counties had but one fatality apiece, and
‘thirteen counties reported no accidents at
all which resulted fatally.
VIOLATIONS OF MINING LAws
The number of violations of the mining
laws shows a decrease from 52 cases in
1910 to 37 in 1911. This latter number
includes two prosecutions which were not
‘reported to the state mine inspector’s office
last year until after the year’s record had
been closed; it also covers one case car-
ried to a higher court and disposed of
during the year. So far as it is possible
COAL AGE
to learn, all the prosecutions instituted
both by the state mining department and
employers of labor, have resulted in con-
victions. These results seem particularly
favorable in view of the fact that the new
code did not go into effect until June,
1910, and it required some considerable
time for all persons connected with the
mining industry to familiarize themselves
with its provisions and the penalties for
non-compliance. On the whole, operators
and miners alike show a commendable
disposition to respect the laws.
PROSECUTIONS WERE UNDERTAKEN
The fines for violations of the state
mining law amounted to $400 and prose-
cutions were undertaken for the follow-
ing causes: Burning impure oil, 10; em-
ployment of a minor, 1; violation of the
breakthrough law, 5; not properly shield-
ing a mining machine, 2; crossing a
danger signal placed by a fireboss, 2;
411
entering a mine before it was examined
by a fireboss, 2; entering a mine gen-
erating firedamp, with an open light be-
fore mine was examined by a fireboss, 1;
failure to supply sufficient ventilation, 1;
failure to provide safety catches on a
mine cage, 1; using acetylene lamps, 2;
failure to supply proper timber to min-
ers, 2; riding on haulage trips, 6; and
selling inferior oil, 1.
OUTLOOK FOR YEAR 1912 NOT PROMISING
The outlook for the year 1912 is not
considered to be particularly promising,
and it is not expected that any material
improvement of conditions will be shown
over the present year. One reason for
this is the expiring wage contract, which
will have to be considered. and renewed.
Nevertheless there seems to be no rea-
son why 1912 should not be a reasonably
prosperous year for both employer and
employee.
The Coal Industry of Oklahoma, 1911
Oklahoma’s coal deposits are exten-
sive, but the state has labored for many
years under serious difficulties in. connec-
tion with the production of her natural
resources. The coal-mining industry has
been retarded for a number of reasons,
and the first among these is the fact that
practically all the mines of the state are
worked under lease from the Federal
Government. For several years past the
Interior department has refused to lease
any coal land in the belt segregated by
the U. S. Government, and consequently
there have been no new developments in
the Oklahoma field, except such as have
taken place on an extremely small scale,
where coal has been discovered on the
lands allotted to the Indians. These lands
have, in some cases, been leased by in-
dividuals or small companies, and, in the
aggregate, have added materially to the
total output.
MINING CosT AND COMPETITION
The coal in Oklahoma outcrops on the
prairies with a pitch of from 5 to 45
deg. The seams are usually worked by
slopes in the vein and where development
was Started a number of years ago these
slopes have, in many instances, now
reached such a depth that mining has be-
come much more expensive than it was
when carried on closer to the surface.
Along with this condition, coal produc-
tion has been retarded by the competition
of cheaper fuels, such as oil and natural
gas, of which there seem to be inexhaust-
ible supplies in this state. The only
system by which Oklahoma coal can be
put on the market at a price to meet the
competition from adjoining coal fields
and other fuel supplies, involves sinking
shafts to reach the vein which is being
worked at present. These shafts would,
By Ed. Boyle*
Suspension of work,
competition and other in-
fluences have combined to
restrict the year’s produc-
tion in Oklahoma to less
than half what it normally
should be in view of exist-
ing developments. The
coke industry is at a stand-
still. Accidents are grati-
fyingly few.
*Chief mine inspector, State of Okla-
homa, McAlester, Okla.
in many instances, have to run down to
a depth of 500 or 600 ft., and, under
present conditions, the coal operators do
not feel disposed to undertake any meas-
ures which will require so large an out-
lay of money or capital as would thus
be involved.
CoKE INDUSTRY
There are a number of seams of coal
in Oklahoma, varying in thickness from
24 to 72 in., which are of exceedingly
good quality. Some of this coal makes
an excellent grade of coke and a large
number of ovens have been built in this
field. At one time large quantities of
coke were supplied to the smelters of
Mexico, but this trade has been lost on
account of the prohibitive duty, since im-
posed by the Mexican government. It
has been found unprofitable here to at-
tempt to manufacture coke in competi-
tion with the Colorado field for furnish-
ing this grade of fuel to smelters
throughout the West, and, therefore, the
coke ovens of Oklahoma now stand idle
almost without exception.
The total coal production of Oklahoma
for the year 1911 will reach approxi-
mately 2,800,000 tons, which is an ex-
tremely small output for this field. If
there was a market for the coal, the pres-
ent openings and development should be
producing, with steady work, 6,000,000
tons per year, but it seems that during
a suspension of work in 1910, the oper-
ators lost most of their contracts to com-
petitive fields and have been tunable to
regain them up to this time.
WASTEFUL METHODS
The system of mining in general use
in Oklahoma is criminally wasteful.
Leases have usually been secured with
but one object in view, which is that of
getting out the cheapest coal and leaving
the balance to go to waste. It is now time
that the people should become aroused
over this unwarranted waste and demand
mining methods and conditions which will
conserve the resources of the state.
Mining conditions in this state differ
from those found elsewhere, chiefly by
virtue of the peculiar character of the
roof. This contains a large proportion
of limestone, which is easily slacked by
the air current and requires great care
and an unusual amount of timber to
keep it secure. Nearly all the mines of
this field are generating large quantities
of gas and have to contend with a par-
ticularly combustible form of dust, but
thanks to competent management and
supervision and a strict enforcement of
the mining laws, there has been a great
decrease in the number of fatal accidents,
which is especially gratifying when com-
pared with the number reported in other
fields operating under similar conditions.
412
COAL AGE
January 6, 1912
Bituminous Mines, Pennsylvania, 1911
There has not been a large amount of
development in the bituminous regions
during the past year owing to the small
profits in recent mining. The great ad-
vances of the past few years have been
in the center of the state, where large
developments have ben made in Indiana
and Armstrong Counties. ;
The Buffalo, Rochester and Pittsburg
Railway has not been slow to realize that
the depletion of the resources in Jeffer-
son and Clearfield Counties must be met,
and more than met by developments else-
where, in order to provide traffic for the
road on which they are continuing to
make large and expensive improvements.
These developments, their allied interests
have sought to make in Indiana, where
the same beds which they have
mined in the past, to wit, the Lower and
Upper Freeports are situated so far be-
low the water-level, that the area they
cover is almost co-terminus with the
boundaries of the County. These coals
are situated about 75 ft. apart, and are
therefore both workable, the extraction of
the one not interfering with the later ex-
traction of the other.
This year large developments have
been made at the Lucerne plant including
the placing of steam turbine generators,
and the erection of a large steel tipple,
capable of handling several thousand tons
a day. The mines are in the Upper Free-
port, as are those also at Ernest, but at
both mines it is the intention to sink to
the lower bed, so that a large tonnage
will be available. A branch has been
built to Jacksonville, and a big mine is
under development at this point.
ARMSTRONG COUNTY DEVELOPMENT
The receivership of the Buffalo & Sus-
quehanna Coal and Coke Co., has pre-
vented any important developments, and
the main interest has been centered
around the abandonment of a_ well-
equipped shaft at Onondaga near Big
Run. The Allegheny River Mining Co.,
has profited by the extension of the
Pittsburg Shawmut & Northern R.R. from
the village of Knoxdale in Jefferson
County to the Allegheny River. This ex-
tension has a low gradient for a road
which crosses several summits and it is
well fitted for handling a large tonnage.
The Allegheny River Mining Co., an al-
lied corporation, has two mines locally
known as Oakland and Tidal Mines. The
latter is ready for operation and has been
renamed Chickasaw. The Oakland opera-
tion will also soon be shipping coal.
The extension of the “Shawmut” line
down to Nicholson Run below Kittan-
ning, has been largely graded and can
easily be prepared for traffic. Several
mines have been opened and much work
Editorial Correspondence
The operators of the
northern part of the bitum-
inous coal field are being
driven southward by the
rapid depletion of lands in
Mercer, Tioga, Elk, Jeffer-
son and Clarion counties, .
and have invaded Indiana
and Armstrong.
Improved extraction
methods are not spreading.
New mining law subjected
to much criticism.
done on Limestone, Brunner and Nichol-
son Runs. It is understood that what
little work remains to be done to com-
plete the extension to Nicholson Run will
be completed, to the end that a large
acreage of coal lands lying adjacent tu
the proposed route, and owned by the
Allegheny River Mining Company may
be developed. It is proposed to erect a
large central power station at Glade
Run for the use of these mines. A line
of road has been surveyed toward But-
ler, and if this line is completed a large
undeveloped part of Butler County may
be open for operation.
ALONG THE ALLEGHENY RIVER
Travellers passing along the Allegheny
Valley by the Pennsylvania R.R., for-
merly the Buffalo & Allegheny Valley
Ry., have long wondered that the left
bank of the stream was well developed,
while the right bank showed few houses
and no mines. The work of the “Shaw-
mut” interests give assurance that the
right bank will now be well occupied and
even more prosperous than the other, be-
cause the mines will be in the hands of
larger and more adequate financial con-
cerns, having a steady market for their
coal.
From Parkers Landing southward, the
coal measures are continuous, yet to the
point (Kiskiminetas), where the West
Penn R.R. crosses the Allegheny River,
no shipping mines were formerly to be
seen, though just over the ridge rear Red
Bank an exception might be found in the
mines of the Great Lakes Coal Company
at Caylor, these mines being tributary to
the Allegheny and Western R.R., an ex-
tension of the Pittsburg, Bessemer &
Lake Erie R.R.
CHANGE OF WORKING SEAM
The bituminous area under operation
will soon be measurably constricted un-
less coal is discovered in the Kittanning
measures over a large area where it is
now believed to be of little value
But little coal remains in Elk County.
The two principal holders of coal in that
county, the Shawmut Mining Company
and affiliations, and the Northwestern
Mining & Exchange Company, have both
made their more recent extensions in oth-
er counties, owing to the restrictions in
their home .county. Clearfield County
may hold its own for a while, and per-
haps even increase, but this increase will
largely come in the lower measures espe-
cially in the Lower Kittanning Bed in
which—and in a lower seam—nearly all
the operators along the Moshannon and
its branches are now working.
The Lower Freeport Bed, the stand-by
seam of Jefferson County, and an impor-
tant seam in Elk, Clearfield, Clarion and
Armstrong is marked by extensive
“wants,” sometimes reaching a width of
two miles. These wants which are
erroneously called faults, and which are
the channel beds of streams existent in
the carboniferous period, have reduced
the available area of Freeport coal con-
siderably. As the beds lie high on the
hills, modern erosion has combined with
ancient to make the area to be mined
limited. In Elk County, no Freeport coal
is being mined, and in Clarion County
but few mines are working it. In Jeffer-
son County the depletion is very rapid
and exhaustion is drawing near. In Arm-
strong and Butler Counties a _ large
amount still remains.
The ratification of the plan by which
the Pennsylvania Coal and Coke com-
pany was reorganized promises a new life
for that company in Cambria and Clear-
field counties. The slack watering of the
Allegheny River beyond the mouth of
the Mahoning, as recommended by Major
H. C. Newcomer, if completed, will en-
able coal to be loaded in barges and
shipped south from many mines, which
have so far been tributary entirely to
the Buffalo market. This overstocked
mart should feel this relief, should the
much desired plan ever advance beyond
the Newcomer report.
METHODS OF COAL EXTRACTION
Though as far as the United States is
concerned, careful and conservative meth-
ods of coal extraction originated in the
Connellsyille region of Pennsylvania, yet
it cannot be said that Pennsylvania is
leading other states in this matter. Other
sections seem prepared to let Connells-
ville have proud preeminence, and min-
ing is generally by the primitive ad-
vancing room-and-pillar methods pro-
viding a great number of short, unre-
liable lines of root fracture. There does
January 6, 1912
not seem any. disposition to improve
methods except in the leaving of larger
_ pillars and in more speedy pillaring. In
the Freeport beds there seems to be no
great loss apparent from such primitive
methods,: because the roof breaks easily
and the cover is light. But in the Lower
Kittanning mines, the roof is quite strong,
and the cover heavier. The coal and
development lost in this bed is often
large, and in Cambria county an attempt
has been made to avoid this by strength-
ening the weak spots which, unfortunate-
ly, may be expected to occur in headings
on that side where the rooms are turned
off. This is effected by driving rooms with
long distances between centers, in fact
double the ordinary distance, other rooms
being started from the cross cuts out
of these first rooms as soon as a suffi-
cient pillar, of about 100 feet, has been
left to support the heading. Thus every
room approaching the heading serves as
the roadway of two other rooms.
First Costs OF COMPLETE PLANTS
Operators have, for many years, been
of the opinion that as coal was cheap
there was but little economy in saving
steam by any of the approved methods
recommended where coal costs $5 per
ton delivered. Till recently all econ-
omies have been directed solely to saving
labor by the use of coal-feeding de-
vices at the furnaces with the commend
able idea of reducing labor costs ana
making-steam with inferior coal. Some
COAL AGE
still argue volubly for the belief that
coal which is a drug on the market, as
is slack most of the year, should not
be saved at the expense of any outlay
on equipment.
For this cause, uncovered pipe lines,
leaky furnaces and bad pipe joints re-
main unregarded at small plants, Even in
larger plants, noncondensing and recipro-
cating engines still hold their own. But
there is gradually working the idea that
it is cheaper to conserve fuel not for
its own sake, however cheap it may be,
but because the conservation saves la-
bor in firing, makes a better plant, and
above all one that costs no more. It
is an undesirable practice to increase
boilers and engines in size and number
of units above the call of prudent neces-
sity, when with economy in using steam
by means of superheaters, feed water
_heaters, turbines, condensers, electrical
high pressure transmission, and careful
upkeep of details the plant could be
kept down to normal size. It is being
realized that a good plant burns less
and poorer fuel, gives a steadier power
delivery, saves labor the year around
and costs at the first outlay but little
if any more because the price of eco-
nomical devices is offset by the reduc-
tion in size and in number of the large
units. These factors, whilst they do not
make great headway at the older plants
are receiving more consideration where
new mines are opened. The older mines
413
must eventually be reequipped and it is
not infrequent to find the dates of power
development marked plainly by the new
mechanical designs in the power house.
THE New MINE LAW
The new Pennsylvania Bituminous
Mine Law was approved June 9 of th's
year. It has occasioned no little un-
favorable comment. Before it was final-
ly framed a vigorous protest was made
to all the new provisions, but at length
the law was enacted and the whole
Code fills 136 pages. It is one of the
most complete mining codes on record.
Its principal fault is its obscurity. There
is evidence of the stress of conflict out
of which it emerged, but it is probable
that the conflict alone is not responsible
for its illogical arrangement. Article XI
is entirely new. It deals with the in-
stallation of electricity in the mines at
length, devoting 24 pages to the subject.
The uncertainty of the meaning of the
law made some operators make the dec-
laration that they would remove their fire-
bosses from the mines. This was per-
haps not stated in real earnestness. But
the Chief of the Department of Mines
wrote a strong letter to them urging the
retention of all the firebosses employed.
It remains to be seen whether a code
specifying exactly what shall be or shall
not be done is as good as one leaving
larger power of control in the hands of
the inspectors.
The Pittsburg District in 191]
By B. E. V. Luty*
The financial results of the year 1911
in the Pittsburg district coal trade were
unsatisfactory. Demand was lighter than
in the previous year, but with ample car
supply and increased capacity the pro-
duction was only a few per cent. less
than in the previous year, with the re-
sult that prices suffered throughout the
year,
In 1910 the $1.15 price for mine-run
was maintained practically throughout
the year, but there was an advance to
$1.20@1.25 after the wage increase ac-
corded for the biennial period beginning
Apr. 1. In 1911, on the other hand, the
$1.15 price scarcely prevailed at any
time, and was frequently shaded by as
much as 10c. per ton on important con-
tracts, while occasionally odd lots forced
on the market brought less than a dollar.
Large operators were slightly helped in
their year’s average, however, by the ex-
istence of long-term scale contracts, based
on the mining rate. These, while on the
whole calling for low rates gave a fixed
Price equal to that of the last nine
months of 1910, and above that of the
first three months of that year. The
average realized price on all the coal
mined in the district probably fell be-
tween 5c. and 10c. below the average of
1910, which with a slight decrease in
the total tonnage made the year an un-
satisfactory one.
Definite steps were undertaken in the
year to improve the position of the Pitts-
burg district in the lake coal trade, the
case of the 88c. rate from the Pittsburg
district to the lakes being brought forci-
bly to the attention of the Interstate
Commerce Commission. The contention
was based on a comparison of ton-mile
rates with West Virginia.and other dis-
tricts having much longer hauls but only
slightly greater total rates to the lakes.
A reduction to 50c. was asked, and the
Commission is expected to order some
redress, though hardly as great as asked.
Early in June the United States Steel
Corporation purchased the entire coke
*Bessemer Bldg., Pittsburg, Penn.
operations and coking coal holdings of the
Pittsburg Coal Co., involving about 7000
acres and 956 ovens, paying a flat price
of $1450 per acre. Making allowance
for the value of ovens and other im-
provements the price was computed at
about $1,000 per acre for the coal land
alone. At the same time the steel cor-
poration purchased the coking coal of
the Monongahela River Consolidated Coal
& Coke Co. paying $850 an acre for
about 9000 acres of undeveloped land.
In each case payment was made by bonds
on the properties, guaranteed by the steel
corporation. These operations put the
.Pittsburg Coal Co. in position to retire
some of its debt, at the same time under-
taking to absorb the outstanding stock of
the River Coal Co., in which it had
previously owned only a controlling in-
terest. The intention is probably to ulti-
mately absorb the properties and divert
much if not all of the output to the rail
instead cf the river trade.
Production of coke in the Connellsville
and lower Connellsville region was
abeut 16,000,000 net tons, a decrease of
414
about 15 per cent. from the preceding
year and of 20 per cent. from the record
year 1906. This was partly due to de-
creased consumptive demand, due to les-
sened output of pig iron, but it was also
due in part to development of other fields,
and in part by reason of the adoption of
byproduct ovens. The Connellsville re-
gion shows no indication of ever adopt-
ing byproduct practice, though if has
rapidly been making improvements in re-
cent years by the adoption of the rectan-
gular push oven, involving a slight de-
crease in cost of operation.
Coke prices in 1911 were altogether
COAL AGE
unsatisfactory. The market price for
spot furnace coke occasionally ranged
above $1.50 at ovens, but as frequently
below, and an average of monthly quo-
tations indicates an average for the year
of $1.50. Contracts made for the year,
chiefly in December, 1910, were mostly
at from $1.55 to $1.65, a number of scale
contracts (coke to be settled monthly at
a stated fraction of the prevailing price
of pig iron) being made with minima of
ebout $1.60, the minimum prevailing
throughout the year. Contracts for
1910 had been made quite largely dur-
January 6, 1912
ing the boom in the closing months of
1909, and showed a much higher average.
The monthly prices for Connelisville
coke during the year just closed were as
follows:
PRICES OF CONNELLSVILLE COKE.
Furnace. Foundiy.
0 eG era eee erat as, 8 $2.60 $3.05
MMMM 6.20 ioe: glocc ie siecaie! «Roi 2.25 2.75
LS Reema ae anna amar 2.00 2.60
ot SERS aa rae eae eerie 1.80 2.40
AE are 1.70 2.25
RS lanes Px. Ge Reales 1.65 2.20
tend eee He menses 1.65 2.15
MNES eso: o-4. 3-0 nasin 8s ote os auaere 1.65 2.15
IST) ar rae 1.60 2.15
a ee ree an 1.55 2.10
DIOVOIRDET 6. occ cece sows 1.45 2.00
POGGRTANER . oc oc 6 os ac css 1.50 2.00
Coal and Lignite in Texas
By William B. Phillips *
The production of coal in Texas will
be about the same as last year and
may be taken at a million tons, an equal
amount of lignite also being produced.
The coal producing counties are:
Erath, Jack, Palo, Pinto, Parker, Wise
and Young in the North Central coal
field and Maverick and Webb in the Rio
Grande coal field. The north central
coal field is of the Carboniferous and
the Rio Grande coal field of the Upper
Cretaceous or Tertiary period.
Most of the coal mined in Texas is
for railroad purposes, not much of it
being sold for domestic use. The total
coal area is probably about 13,000 sq.
miles, with an original supply of 8 bil-
lion tons. As a rule the seams of coal
are comparatively thin, less than 30 in.,
and the usual ash content is 16 per cent.,
with sulphur 2 per cent. The heating
power of these coals is, on the average,
11,000 B.t.u. and the weight per cu.ft.
87.5 pounds.
LIGNITE
The production of lignite will be about
one million tons, or nearly the same as
last year. Workable beds of lignite oc-
cur in 43 counties and the total area
is about 60,000 sq. miles, or one-half
of the total known lignite area in the
United States. The deposits run in thick-
ness up to more than 15 ft., and every
variety of lignite is represented.
PRODUCTION OF GAS FROM LIGNITE
There is now much interest being taken
in the production of gas from lignite,
especially for power purposes. There
are 56 gas producers in Texas and 47
were in active operation during the year.
some of them, however, only intermit-
tently. There are 23 establishments mak-
ing producer gas from lignite and the
consumption of lignite for such pur-
poses is about 80,000 tons a year.
In this state 11,490 engine horse
power is derived’ from lignite gas. Most
of these installations are of small size,
as two establishments alone represent
*Director Bureau Economic Geology and
Technology, Univ. of Texas.
7,700 horse-power. Producer gas made
from lignite is in successful competition
with natural gas. No briquets are made
in the state and there seems to be but
little interest in this matter. Some of
the Texas lignites make an excellent
briquet without artificial binder.
A CENTRAL POWER STATION
Certain interests have considered the
practicability of making producer gas
from lignite at some central station, near
regular supplies of this fuel, and trans-
forming the power into electric current
for distribution to cities and towns. In
this direction there might be opportunity
for a considerable business, as the price
of lignite, at the mines, is about SQc. a
ton. From a ton of good lignite there
can be produced from 60,000 to 70.000
cu.ft. of producer gas, with a heating
power of from 125 to 150 B.t.u., per cu-
bic foot. As byproducts, there would be
tar and ammoniacal liquor, the former
yielding light oils and paraffin, the latter
yielding sulphate of ammonia.
Utah Statistics for 1911
By J. E. Pettit*
The production of coal for this state
for 1911 is 2,501,472 short tons, a de-
crease of 24,622 tons when compared
with production for 1910. The reason for
decrease is attributed first to the open
winter of last year and the falling off
of orders during the first three months
of the year. Later during the fall a con-
tinual shortage of railroad cars has been
experienced.
The production of the hydrocarbon
mines is 37,050 tons, an increase of 9501
tons over 1910. The production of coke
was 212,368 tons, an increase of 66,304
*State coal mine onpenier. 501 Dooly
Block, Salt Lake City, Utah.
over 1910, attributed to the fact that the
Utah Fuel Co. secured some of their old
- contracts from the Amalgamated Copper
Co. that were rescinded two years ago.
The amount of explosives used was: -
Black powder, 398,285 lb.; giant powder,
301,792 lb., which includes Monobel,
Bental No. 2 and other permissible pow-
ders, a total of 700,067 lb., or one pound
of powder for every 3.57 tons of coal
mined. This shows a decrease in the
amount of black powder used during the
year, and a corresponding increase in
the permissible powders.
NEARLY 4000 MEN EMPLOYED
The total number of men employed in-
side and outside in both the hydrocarbon
and coal mines and coking plants was
3798, an increase of 499 over the preced-
ing year. The average number of days
worked at the various mines was 252,
and the average amount of coal produced
per man was 712 tons.
There were 84 accidents in and around
the coal and hydrocarbon mines, of
which 16 were fatal, 18 serious and 50
nonserious. There was one fatal accident
occurred outside of the mine. Seven wives
were left widows and 21 children father-
less. The per cent. of fatal accidents for
the year 1911, both inside and outside,
was 4.21 per 1000.
The amount of coal mined for each life
lost was 156,342. The causes of the fatal
accidents were: Falls of rock, 4; falls
of coal, 8; runaway cars, 2; boiler ex-
plosion, 1; loaded trip of cars, 1.
sented 's ieee ian hie
<a
q
é
a
z
ht ome ies =
January 6, 1912
Virginia Coal Output in-
creasing
Coal mining in Virginia has made im-
portant increases within the past genera-
tion. Although not a great coal State
Virginia produced over six and a half
million tons in 1910. The State is one
of the earliest producers, the figures of
the United States Geological Survey
showing a small output as far back as
1822. In 1850 the production was 310,-
000 tons and at that time only two States
stood above Virginia. While other States
were forging ahead the increase in Vir-
ginia was slow until about 1895, when
1,368,324 tons were produced. In 1900
the production was 2,393,754 tons; in
1905 it was 4,275,271 tons; and in 1910
it was 6,507,997 short tons, the greatest
in the history of the State.
Washington State Coal
Statistics
The table shown below gives the de-
tailed statistics of the coal industry in
Washington for the fiscal year ending
COAL AGE
Coal in West Virginia
With the close of the present year and
the coming of a new one the coal men of
West Virginia find conditions greatly im-
proved over those of a year ago. In fact,
it was only at the close of the year that
conditions changed and brought hope for
better things. The spurt in prices, of
course, is the real blessing the holiday
month brought, and even something a
little better is predicted for the months of
January and February.
For the calendar year the output has
been above that of any previous year, but
it is believed that statistics will show that
the cost of production will be greater
than previous years, while the price re-
ceived for coal has been exceedingly low.
These estimates are based on facts as
found by some coal men in their own op-
erations and are believed to hold gen-
erally throughout the state. With the
increase in the price of smokeless and
the expected increase in other coals, the
new year presents a cheerful outlook as
compared with the beginning of the one
415
Imports of Coal in i911
The total imports of coal for the first
ten months of the year just closed
amounted to 998,795 tons, as compared
with 1,628,111 tons for the same period
in 1910. The total’ estimated imports
for the current year will be about 1,198,-
500 tons as compared with 1,991,943 tons
for 1910. By far the largest percentage
of this coal comes from Canada, only
about one-tenth being imported from
other countries, of which Australia and
Tasmania are the leaders. The imports
are confined almost entirely to bitumi-
nous coal, no anthracite being imported
in 1910 and only 42 tons during the first
ten months of 1911.
Because of labor troubles in the Brit-
ish Columbia field, the figures for 1911
are not representative of the normal con-
dition of this trade. Canada is by far
the largest exporter into the United
States and the shut-down of the Brit-
ish Columbia mines during two-thirds of
the year, has made an appreciable dif-
June 30, 1911:
now closing.
ference in these figures.
COAL STATISTICS FOR THE STATE OF WASHINGTON, FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 1911
Compiled by D. C. Botting, State Inspector of Coal Mines, Seattle, Wash.
: Days Inside Outside
; Tons of Coal} Sold to Used for | Total Coal | Oper- Em- Em-
Name of Company Name of Mine Town Shipped Employees} Power Production | ated ployees ployees
Kine County
Carbon.vtoal and Clay Co.jCarbon Boyne 13,058 207 1,416 14,681 128 28 31
Carbon Coal and Clay Co.|Daly : Boyne GAM To Sbeewee (IE | cen ee eee 15,062 150 34
Central Coal Co......... Grand Ridge Issaquah 17,472 614 1,242 19,328 114 29 19
Denny Renton C.and C.Co.}] Kummer mummer Ff vccecese 59 1,630 ,689 119 3 1
Denny Renton C. and C. Co./Renton Co | A Sere Mare 12,825 12,825 150 20 2
Denny Renton C.and C.Co.|/Taylor mavige. i £§ sccscecs 1,102 41,679 42,781 148 60 8
Fleet Coal Co........... Fleet Cumberland FAO f ocecas Pf ccenee E 1,400 22 2 1
May Creek Coal Co...... Coalfield 550 252 675 1,477 140 8 7
Northwestern Imp. Co. . .|Ravensdale Ravensdale 85,670 1,078 5,712 92,460 127 223 58
North Coast Colliery Co.. .|Danville Ravensdale [| .ese--.. | sooese | -eeees fae Pere or Sn Serre 14
Occidental Coking Coal Co.|No. 1 Occidental 5,216 69 235 5,520 60 45 13
Pacific Coast Coal Co... ./Gem Franklin 19,965 319 2,507 22,791 98 70 15
Pacific Coast Coal Co... ..|B. Black Diamond MRCRD EL Saeeces 51 1,667 171 16 6
Pacific Goast Coal Co... .|/No. 11 Black Diamond p31 © eee er 10,055 124,069 129 240 91
Pacific Coast Coal Co... .|No. 12 Black Diamond Wee) ccenean 60 502 163 14 13
Pacific Coast Coal Co... .|No. 14 Black Diamond 61,679 1,633 2,992 66,304 135 145 29
Pacific Coast Coal Co... .|New Castle New Castle 111,895 419 5,821 118,135 132 128 8
Rose Marshall Coal Co.. . Cumberland ,638 79 505 10,212 126 32 19
Superior Coal and Imp. Co.|/Superior Issaquah 2,443 107 122 2,672 6 13 9
The Independent C. and C.
Mg cot ere, sete eke Gre era eo PEA EWECAMINGEER cSaceces | «casas | sstenca Do eaceees. cea, (E caceus 2
Seattle Electric Co.......]Renton Renton 70,218 2,305 5,456 77,979 134 234 51
Krrrtas County
Busy Bee Min.and Div.Co.|Busy Bee Beakman 9,500 304 110 9,914 188 30 13
Northwest Coal Co.......| Lakeside Pager b. ckeoue. § tictoues 1,454 61 10
‘Northwestern Imp. Co. . .|Cle Elum : Cle Elum 91,471 1,868 5,248 98,587 81 328 39
Northwestern Imp. Co.. .|No. 2, 6 and Dip. Roslyn 114,608 3,902 8,015 126,525 74 429 92
\orthwestern Imp. Co...|No. 3 Roslyn 76,254 234 1,331 77,819 76 285 13
‘\orthwestern Imp. Co... .|No. 5 Roslyn 71,997 151 1,495 73,643 78 211 20
rthwestern Imp. Co. . .|No. 7 Cle Elum 79,554 287 1,813 81,654 78 293 15
-lyn Cascade Coal Co...|Patrick McKay Ronald 28,318 138 188 28,644 73 55 31
os yn Fuel Coal Co..... Buckman Slope 1 Roslyn 119,015 520 3,067 122,602 144 181 45
Kosiyn Fuel Goal Co... .. Beekman 2 Beekman 645 Gel waceaes 42 te 13
Lewis County
East Creek Coal Co...... No. 3 Ladd 30,745 69 904 31,718 129 64 15
Mendota Goal andCoke Co.|No. 1 Mendota 22,988 79 714 1781 7 53 11
Superior Coal Co........ No. 2 Cheholis 1,181 2,228 336 3,745 138 7 6
Wilson Coal Co.........- Wilson Kopiah 19,603 104 1,455 21,162 114 7 27
Carbon Hill Coal Co..... Carbon Carbonado 161,373 756 10,612 172,741 149 368 216
Coast Coal Co........... 7-10—-11-12 Spiketon 26,31 161 635 27,112 153 143 84
Northwestern Imp. Co. . .}Melmont Melmont 36,172 379 1,448 37,999 142 7 21
Pacific Coast Coal Co... .|Burnett Burnett 63,145 615 2,800 66,560 121 204 55
Tacoma Smelting Co..... Fairfax Fairfax 1,449 156 119 16,178 149 39 33
Wilkesan Coal and Coke
620 GA eRe ae Wilkesan 27,145 162 1,810 46,979 91 130 105
West Tacoma Coal Mine :
OD org cre terse gers Gale Creek Wilkesan 12,797 218 2,072 15,087 131 44 13
THURSTON COUNTY
Washington Union Coal
1 ili AN All A Hannaford Tono 19,761 110 463 20,334 79 38 18
Wuatcom County
Whatcom Co. Coal Co....|Blue Canyon Blue Canyon 3,345 | ...... 48 3,393 141 15 4
2,549,174 20,781 137,666 1,739,927 | 4,772 4 418 1,366
NorEe—21,688 tons of coke were produced in Pierce county.
416
COAL AGE
January 6, 1912
West Virginia during 191]
West Virginia has at least made prog-
ress m three directions during the past
calendar year—in production, in price of
coal and in the methods of mining with
a view to the greater safety of men and
property and a reduction of costs. In
other words, the practical side of mining
has been sought and practiced, where for
years the mining department of the state
has struggled in vain to change policies.
PRODUCTION AND New DEVELOPMENTS
The new development during the year
was, briefly, the establishment of 18 new
coal plants, the construction of 55 new
power plants, the erection of 25 mine
fans, 15 tipples and about 25 additional
openings to old mines. This, however,
does not mean that the above number of
mines have been added to the number
that existed on Jan. 1, 1911. On the
other hand, a number of mine openings
have been closed. In fact, a much great-
er rumber were closed than were opened,
so that the number of mines, or openings,
is much less at the end of the calendar
year of 4911 than at the beginning.
The official statistics in the office of
the Department of Mines show the total
net ton output for the calendar year of
1910 was 60,099,239. While it is not
possible, at this time, to get the exact
tonnage for the calendar year 1911, the
department of mines has sufficient infor-
mation to form the belief that it will
be at least 60,500,000 net tons, or an in-
crease over 1910 of something like a half
million tons. The fiscal year in the mine
department in this state ends on June 30,
and therefore to secure the calendar-year
Statistics it is necessary to go into the
statistics of two years, and to the fact
that the mine year does not end with the
calendar year is doubtless due the many
conflicting statements relative to the sta-
tistics in this state.
EARLY STATISTICS
The first statistics on mining in West
Virginia began with the year 1863, when
the output was 444,648 net tons. Since that
time there has been an increase in output
e\ery year, with the exception of the
years 1876, 1881, 1895, while the output
in two years is given as the same—it
not being possible to secure the exact
tonnage. The biggest advance, however,
came in 1910, when the output increased
from something below 50 million to a
little over 60 million net tons.
The output for the first six months in
1911 was not encouraging, when com-
pared with the last six months in 1910,
as a decrease of a little over three million
tons was found to exist, but the output
the last six months has been so great
that the decrease was wiped out and an
increase shown.
Special Correspondence
= saiead
The production of the
West Virginia mines for
1911 will probably exceed
60 million short tons, the
largest output the state has
known. Conditions gener-
ally have been satisfactory.
PRICE IMPROVEMENT
One of the greatest improvements in
conditions is the increase in price. Al-
though small, and most of it due to the
increase during the last month or two,
it indicates a better outlook for 1912.
The authority for this statement is the
present head of the mining department,
John Laing. Speaking about output and
price, he said:
I think the output for 1911 will reach
54 million gross tons, provided the Christ-
mas holidays do not make a greater de-
duction than usual. The price of coal,
f.o.b. cars at the mines, from such in-
formation as we are able to gather will
be 96c. a short ton, on the mine-run
basis, which is about one cent better
than for 1910.
While the production of coal in this
state is rapidly increasing the prices at
the mine stand about the same, which
shows conclusively that the quality of
West Virginia coal is superior to that
of our competing states which are more
favored in the question of freight rates.
The difference in freight rates for West
Virginia coal, you might say, is added
to the cost of coal to the consumer, or,
in other words, our competing states
receive practically the same price that
West Virginia receives. I believe the
price of coal to West Virginia operators
has gone as low as it will ever go and
I can see no reason why it should not
gradually increase until it reaches what
we might call a fair return for our pro-
duct. The operators of West Virginia
are not receiving the same interest on
their investment as the operators of
other industries on theirs and at the
same time the coal business is re-
sponsible for other industries in West
Virginia.
The production of coke has decreased
about 50 per cent. during 1911, and will
not greatly exceed two million tons. The
operators find it almost impossible to
manufacture coke at the present market
price, especially while the price of West
Virginia coal is near normal. The ovens
are gradually being closed all over the
state. The price of coke this year has
been about $1.80, net, at the mines,
against $1.83 in 1910. It is the belief
of Mr. Laing that if all the ovens in the
state were closed, the production of coal
would not show any considerable fall-
ing off.
The state has been free of labor
troubles during the past year. Several of
the mines had trouble with their men, but
the difficulties lasted but a few days. In
fact, these occurred at only four or five
mines. The statistics show that about
72,000 men were employed in and arourfd
the mines, exclusive of superintendents,
mine foremen, managers, store and office
forces.
ACCIDENTS
Unless there should be additions for
the closing days of December, of which
the mine department has received no in-
formation, the total fatal accidents for
the year will be 325—a slight. decrease
over 1910. The nonfatal accidents
totalled 770—also a slight decrease over
1910. The state had two explosions dur-
ing the year. At the Ott mine, of the
Davis Coal & Coke Co., at Thomas, 20
lives were lost, due to a gas and dust ex-
plosion. At the Bottom Coal & Coke
Co.’s mine, at Vivian, 18 lives were lost,
caused by men entering an abandoned
section with open lights. In 1910 there
was but one, causing the death of three
men. Speaking of the accidents in mines,
Chief Inspector Laing said: :
I regret that reports received by this
department show that 80 per cent. of the
fatal accidents were caused by careless-
ness on the part of workmen themselves
by going in dangerous places after be-
ing warned not to do so.
One thing that entered into, and prob-
ably made possible the increase in output
in 1911, was the supply of cars. There
was, in fact, no serious shortage of cars
at any time during the year—a condition
that has never before prevailed in West
Virginia, in the opinion of some of the
oldest miners. The railroads have made
great improvements in equipment and fa-
cilities for handling coal, and their inter-
est in trying to handle the output has
received codperation from the operators,
and instead of.being at “outs,” the opera-
tors and railroads have been -working in
harmony and friction was little known.
One of the greatest changes in the in-
dustry has been in requiring every mine
foreman and fireboss to hold a certificate
obtained at an examination held under
the supervision of the chief of the De-
partment of Mines. These examinations
have been held during the year, and be-
ginning with Jan. 1 no mine was per-
mitted to be operated that did not em-
ploy a mine foreman and fireboss (if
one was necessary) that did not hold a
certificate. The department has also laid
down other important rules in mining, all
leading to the one thing—efficiency of the
persons holding responsible positions—
and the operators have agreed to co-
Operate with the department in carrying
out the instructions.
January 6, 1912
COAL AGE
417
Coal and Coke Exports in 1911
According to the Bureau of Statistics
of the Department of Commerce and
Labor, the coal exports from the United
States have trebled in value in the last
dozen years. The total value of the coal
exported in the year of 1911 is in round
numbers, 80 million dollars, as compared
with 65 million for 1910.
The United States now ranks third
among the coal exporting countries of the
world, being exceeded by the United
Kingdom and Germany, who exported in
1910, 179 million and 104 million dollars
worth of coal respectively, while the
United States exported only 45 million,
exclusive of bunker coal. However, the
growth of the United States export trade
is increasing much more rapidly than that
of any other country, as may be shown
by comparing the export figures of 1900
and 1910. During this period the export
coal trade of the United States has in-
creased practically 100 per cent., Ger-
many 60 per cent., while that of the
United Kingdom has suffered a slight de-
crease.
The principal destination of our ex-
port coal is to‘Canada, as shown by the
figures for the first ten months of 1911,
during which period our total exports
of bituminous were valued at $28,732,888,
of which $21,510,604 was shipped to
Canada. Because of the strike of about
eight months duration in the British Co-
lumbia fields our exports to this trade
have been abnormal during this period.
The next four important export markets
are Cuba, Mexico and Panama, each
taking between one and two million dol-
lars worth annually.
As compared with our other exports,
coal now ranks seventh in importance,
being exceeded by cotton, iron and steel,
meat and dairy products, copper, wood
manufactures, wheat and flour.
QUANTITIES OF ExPORTS
The total exports of anthracite for the
irst ten months of 1911 were 3,016,127
tons, aS compared with 2,483,413 tons
for the same period last year, showing
an increase of approximately one-fifth.
This trade is almost entirely with Canada,
only a very small portion going to other
countries. An approximate estimate of
the total anthracite exports for the year
of 1911 places this tonnage at about
3,620,000 long tons, as compared with
3,021,627 tons for the year of 1910,
showing an increase of nearly one-third
in the export anthracite trade.
The total exports of bituminous coal
for the first ten months of the year just
closed were 11,643,931 tons, as compared
with 9,105,787 tons for the same period
Editorial Correspondence
| The export tonnage of |
the United States is in-
creasing rapidly as com-
pared with that of other
countries. During the past
12 years this trade has treb-
led in value and for 1911
will amount to more than
80 million dollars. Exports
are largely to Canada.
Alaska is buying more coal
each year. |
in 1910. These figures do not include
bunker or fuel coal laden on vessels in
the foreign trade which aggregate
5,578,497 long tons for this period in
1911.
Of the total bituminous exports,
8,933,044 tons were shipped to Canada,
and, for the same period last year, this
amounted to 6,432,632 tons, showing an
increase of approximately one-third in
this trade alone.
The total export bituminous trade for
the year of 1911 is estimated at about 14
million long tons, as compared with
10,784,239 long tons for 1910. The total
bunker or fuel coal laden on vessels in
the foreign trade will be approximately,
6,700,000 long tons, as compared with
6,445,593 long tons in 1910.
Gross ESTIMATES FOR 1911
The total shipments of both bitumi-
nous and anthracite coal, including that
laden on vessels in the foreign trade
will, for the year 1911, be approximately,
24,320,000 long tons, as compared with
20,251,459 tons for 1910.
The total exports of coke for the first
ten months of 1911 were 777,861 tons,
as compared with 715,196 tons for the
same period in 1910, showing a material
increase in this department. The total
exports of coke for the entire year are
estimated at 933,400 tons, as compared
with 879,073 tons for the year of 1910,
showing a material increase in the coke
trade for the year just closed.
While the figures in our export trade
for the year now closed show heavy in-
creases all along the line it should be re-
membered that conditions have not been
normal during this period. The British
Columbia mines during about two-thirds
of 1911 were practically closed down and
since Canada is the destination of fully
three-fourths of our export coal this has
necessarily caused a heavy increase in
shipments to that market.
ExPORTS TO PANAMA
As a natural result of the activity at
the Panama Canal, exports of fuel to
that trade has shown a steady and heavy
increase during the last few years.
In 1908 the total exports to Panama
amounted to 345,464 tons valued at
$909,512. In 1909 this trade increased
materially, the total tonnage for that
year being 427,462 tons valued at
$1,168,774. An increase was still evi-
dent in 1910, but not of such proportions
as that for 1909. The total tonnage for
1910 was 497,316 tons, valued at
$1,321,378. The total tonnage shipped to
this trade for the first ten months of 1911
was 417,476 tons, valued at $1,071,494
end it is estimated that for the year of
1911 these exports will amount to
slightly over a half a million tons.
PHILIPPINE ISLANDS
For the first time in a number of years
no coal has been exported to the Philip-
pine Islands. In 1909 there were ex-
ported to this point, 155,655 long tons
and in 1910 the exports amounted to 118,-
389 tons, while for the present year the
Islands are apparently drawing on their
own supply.
Exports TO Porto RICO
Our Porto Ricoan export trade is not
well established yet and a review of this
market over the past three years shows
considerable fluctuation in tonnages. In
the main, however, this trade appears to
be on the increase. In 1908, the total
shipments of both bituminous and an-
thracite to Porto Rico amounted to
88,624 tons. In 1909 this trade fell off
to 75,927 tons, valued at $232,679. In
1910 another heavy increase was ex-
perienced, the total exports for that year
being 108,105 tons, valued at $333,547.
The total exports for the first ten months
of 1911 were 86,745 tons, and the total
tonnage for the year is estimated at
104,000 tons, or about 4000 tons less than
for 1910.
ALASKA
Exports to Alaska, while compara-
tively light, continue to show an almost
uninterrupted increase.
For 1908 the total of both coal and
coke amounted to 21,509 tons valued at
$137,567 and for the year following the
tonnage was 29,684 tons valued at $191,-
420. During 1910 the tonnage fell off
slightly amounting to only 28,833 tons
valued at $177,127.
The total shipments for the first ten
months of 1911 were 28,277 tons valued
at $158,224. For the entire year it is
estimated the shipments will total niore
than 30,000 tons the largest tonnage yet
recorded.
418
COAL AGE
January 6, 1912
Coastwise Trade Conditions in 191]
In New England, 1911 was a year of
large tonnages. Receipts at the port of
Boston were well in excess of 1910, both
in anthracite and bituminous, and had
soft coal yielded better prices, the
dealers generally would have called it
a fairly good year. The early months
were favorable to coal consumption, and
were followed by a prolonged dry season
cutting down the supply of water power
for the mills. Then in August began
the most unusual succession of fogs
and gales that prevailed through the fall
months and sent freights up to more than
double the summer figures.
THE BITUMINOUS TRADE
The bituminous trade has been the
despair of the larger agencies. A weak
situation early in the year gave little
hope for fair prices, but for a time it
seemed the West Virginia operators
might settle their differences. All ef-
forts, however, proved futile, for no
sooner had the season opened strong
with a contract price of $2.70 f.o.b.
Hampton Roads, Va., or $3.63 gross tons
weighed on cars at Boston for inland de-
livery, than an open cut was made March
31, to $3.30 on cars for the year, a price
based on the water freights then cur-
rent and netting less than $1 at the
mines for the best brands of Pocahon-
tas and New River.
MARKET SETTLED INTO DULLNESS
For awhile the low values of 1909
looked certain to be duplicated, but at
length, after all sorts of efforts to save
the season, the market settled into a
summer dullness at a range of $2.40 to
$2.50 f.o.b., less selling commission, and
$3.10 to $3.20 on cars at Mystic Wharf.
Buyers were encouraged to hold off
until minimum prices were to be had,
and all the shippers were not cnly long
on coal, but most of them were forcing
supplies on the market rather faster than
they could be absorbed. This con-
dition held until late in August or Sep-
tember whcn large consumers began to
worry over the slow movement of water
transportation and pressed for deliveries
on their low-priced contracts.
Bottoms were making but three trips
when normally they would have made
five and six, and with several heavy losses
besides, by wreck and partial damage,
a serious shortage became apparent late
in September. Water freights advanced
on big vessels, Virginia pcrts to Boston,
from 60c. to $1.25 within a few weeks,
and at the end of the year there was
only a slight recession to $1.10 and
$1.15. Coal at the loading ports is now
reported to be in short supply, and for
By J. J. Wolkins*
_——S!2
Coastwise tonnages for
the year have been unusu-
ally heavy, particularly in
anthracite. Some new
high rates on water freights
were recorded. |
*50 Congress St., Boston, Mass.
spot shipment would command a higher
price than was secured on any contract
business the year through. Current
prices on cars Boston are around $4.00,
and most of the shippers have been
obliged to buy outside at present prices
in order to tide over customers until
they could make deliveries of their own.
A LEssON TO WEST VIRGINIA OPERATORS
The year’s experience should be valu-
able to the West Virginia operators for it
must have shown how easily a big ton-
nage can be thrown away, with no ade-
quate return. In a word, the trouble
has been an over anxiety on the part of
too many sales agencies to place ton-
nages in this market, without apparent
regard to the returns that would have to
be made later. If there was one feature
worse than another, from April to July,
it was the practice of sending cargoes
here unsold, and them hammering prices
to attract small buyers. So long as
“protection” is guaranteed the buyer,
the slow season can never be improved
until the “auction hazard” is eliminated.
The principal Georges Creek shippers
have apparently enjoyed a satisfactory
year. They have an advantage of 15c.
in rate to tide over West Virginia mines,
and with an ample fleet of steamers, tugs,
and barges have been able to live up
to contract obligations and have coal for
sale besides at lucrative figures.
Bituminous all-rail hes been heavy
all the year. The low prices at tide
diverted a large tonnage that would or-
dinarily be railed from the Pennsylvania
districts, and it was to be expected that
the mines with less well established sell-
ing connections would suffer most. The
better known shippers have had to make
low prices to keep up anything like
a normal output, and prices have ranged
down to 85c. on coals higher in ash and
volatile. The better grades from Somer-
set and Cambria counties have lately ad-
vanced from $1.20 to $1.35, in response
to a slightly better demand.
At tide-water most of the Pennsyl-
vania shippers have been in straits all
the season. When Southern prices moved
up in October there seemed an opening
for a large tonnage from Philadelphia,
but rates were soon advanced for ship-
ment in anthracite transportation in
sympathy with, those from Hampton
Roads, and a promising outlook faded
away. The retail price of bituminous
in Boston was advanced from $4.25 to
$4.50, net tons, Dec. 1.
Generally, the 1912 prospect is good
for bituminous. The mills and corpora-
tions all over New England are -enjoy-
ing fair business, and each year seems
to mark requirements up to a new high
figure.
ANTHRACITE
The year of 1911 was a record one for
anthracite. The cold easterly weather
from January on made stocks unusually
light when the shipping season started
and the months from March to June a
very heavy tonnage was taken on. The
usual April demand, both at tide and all-
rail, lasted well into the summer, and
there was a notable shortage of free
stove and hard egg. Indeed the com-
panies are still behind on orders for
stove, and there was no apparent slack-:
ening in the demand at the end of the
year. Early in September a cool wave
brought in an extra business and it was
not long before the anthracite com-
panies had requests for prompt ship-
ments on all sizes. The slow movement
of barges had the effect of shortening up
supplies and during October, November,
and December the shippers were swamp-
ed with orders and there has been any-
where from three to six weeks’ delay.
THE SITUATION GREW ACUTE
In December the situation grew really
acute; for the first time in years certain
of the producing companies allowed their
Eastern storage depots to go practically
bare of stock, and with no early replen-
ishing in sight. Warm weather before
Christmas relieved the situation some-
what but the last days of 1911 saw the
big cities in the market again and eastern
shipments as slow as before. Chestnut
size has continued in strong demand all
the year, and the 25c. advance over the
usual circular Apr. 1, has been easily
maintained.
The end of 1911 saw another an-
nouncement, this time a similar ad-
vance in the contract price of broken
coal, to $5.00 alongside. These advances,
together with those in pea and the steam
sizes within a year or two leave stove and
egg the only sizes that have not been ad-
vanced since 1903. The anxiety over
strike possibilities in the spring no doubt
accounts in part for the increased ton-
uy
*
January 6, 1912
nage in this section, but that does not
deprive 1911 of its position at the top
of recent years in anthracite.
A LARGE CONTRACT
The latest “big news” in 1911 was the
purchase by the New York, New Haven
& Hartford R.R., through its Boston of-
fices, of about 3,400,000 tons of steam
coal for delivery during five years for the
New England lines of the so-called “Mel-
len System,” including the New Haven
Road proper and subsidiary companies
COAL AGE
like the Boston & Maine and the Maine
Central. The contract was made with
the Virginia Iron, Coal & Coke Co. of
Bristol, Va.-Tenn., operating mines on
the Clinch Valley Division of the Norfolk
& Western Ry., as producer, and the
Coastwise Transportation Co. as carrier.
The bigges. steam collier in the trade,
the “Suffolk,” has been chartered to bring
part of this coal to Boston and to Port-
land, and it is understood that the Coast-
wise Transportation Co. will at once
build a sister ship to the “Suffolk” to
419
assist in carrying the coal. It is believed
that the construction of such ships as
the “Suffolk” and the “Newton,” launch-
ed in September, carrying upwards of
7200 tons, and making quick and regular
trips, means the passing eventually of
the large sailing vessels that have hither-
to had most of the coastwise carrying
trade. There are now seven of this larg-
est type of steam collier, and some of
them have made four round trips from
Hampton Roads to Boston within a cal-
endar month.
Review of Year’s Coal Trade
The coal tonnage in the United States
for 1911 will nearly equal that of 1910,
which was slightly more than 500,000,-
000 tons, or about 10,000,000 tons in ex-
cess of the entire production in this coun-
try from the time the first ton of coal was
taken from the earth up to and including
the year 1871. Not more than 60 years
ago, the yearly production of the country
did not exceed 7,000,000 tons; comparing
this with the more than 500,000,000 tons
of 1911, will give some idea of the won-
derful strides which the coal industry has
made and is making. That the production
in 1911 has not shown a decrease over
1910 is accounted for mainly by the fact
that while many of our largest manufac-
turing plants have not operated as fully
as in years past, there is a steady in-
crease in the use of coal for gas making,
the production of electricity, railroad fuel
and domestic consumption.
PRODUCTION OF COMING YEAR TO BE
LARGE
While the production in 1911 has been
rather unsatisfactory, 1912 will show
(from present indications) the largest
production in the history of the coal busi-
ness, with an increase of from 10 to 20
per cent., or a total of from 550,000,000
to 600,000,000 tons. This, of course, will
come from a simultaneous increase in
other lines of industry. That increase will
\rought about by the willingness of the
st corporations to comply with the
| and their desire to codéperate with
fhe government to bring about better busi-
ness conditions by legislation which will
eliminate as far as possible the discontent
on the part of capital caused by the at-
tacks which have been made from time
to time.
! think we should urge upon the gov-
ernment the appointment of commissions
to settle such questions as monetary and
tariff conditions, and, moreover, urge the
establishment of a federal corporation
law, which would be regulated in such a
manner that capital would have a fair
return upon its investments and at the
Same time the consumer be assured of
the lowest possible prices for his pur-
chases,
By John H. Jones*
Coal production in 1911
while reduced by industrial
depression is upheld by in-
creasing domestic uses.
Advanced legislation is fav-
ored in order to clean the
slate and give capital, assur-
ance of stable conditions.
Present liability law in case
of a severe explosion with
proved liability, would fail
because of bankruptcy of
the corporation involved.
*President, Pittsburg - Buffalo Co.;
Pittsburg, Penn.
The lake tonnage from all districts, for
the 10 years ending 1911, is as in the
following table:
LAKE TONNAGE FROM ALL DISTRICTS
Pittsburg Ohio W. Va.
District District District Total
1902 4,704,093 2,689,974 965,769 8,359,036
1903 6,092,047 2,458,265 1,539,435 10,089,747
1904 6,058,383 2,138,247 1,279,876 9,476,506
1905 7,443,883 2,062,692 2,109,262 11,615,637
1
1906 9,287:272 2°560,906 2°743.732 14,591,910
1907 10,549,993 4,074,296 3,420,941 18,037,232
1908 8,700,000 3,600,000 3.450.000 15,750,000
1909 8,687,305 3,002,815 3,874,570 15,364,690
1910 11,911,900 4,297,300 6,629,500 22,838,700
1911 10,611,941 4,019,544 7,151,200 21,782,685
Employers of labor and their employ-
ees should endeavor to get closer togeth-
er. Union labor should not be criticized
for the acts of certain of its officials.
The labor unions should discourage, col-
lectively and individually, violence by
their members. They should select from
their ranks the most conservative and effi-
cient leaders. Capital and labor must
recognize that their interests are mutual.
Where treating with union labor, capi-
tal should insist that the union offi-
cials be honorable and intelligent men, in
order to deal honorably and intelligently
with them. Where labor is not organized,
capital should get closer to the men and
treat them, as is already done by a large
number of companies, in the way it would
like to be treated. Capital should do
everything possible to disarm labor,
whether union or nonunion, of the belief
that it is its desire to make every dollar
possible from its toil, regardless of its
welfare. This is certainly not true of
capital in most cases.
THE EQuiTy OF A COMPENSATION LAW
A compensation law, which will provide
for a man and educate his family in case
of accident or death, will be a step in the
right direction. Let us hope that Congress
will recommend to the several states that
such a law be passed. Let us also hope
that no state will hesitate to pass a law
which will bring about conditions which
mean so much to the workingman and
his family. A compensation law which
means individual liability for the differ-
ent companies, to be recovered through
the courts of our country, is simply an
encouragement to “ambulance chasers,”
and only pays compensation to the work-
ingman where it can be proved beyond
doubt that it was not through his own
negligence that the accident happened.
Why not pass a law which will pay a
fixed amount to those families as long as
they are dependent upon the income of
the injured or deceased employee? For
instance, in coal mining there are not 20
per cent. of the companies engaged in
business today who would be able to pay
the required indemnity under the liability
law in case of a serious accident, requir-
ing them to pay from $100,000 to $1,000,-
000. In connection with this liability law,
the strictest kind of laws should be
passed by the states to minimize the
number of industrial accidents as much
as possible and protect the lives of the
workers.
More tonnage will be moved in the
early part of 1912 than has ever before
been moved in the history of the country.
Consumers have been postponing the
buying of necessities as long as possible,
and supply houses have been postponing
the stocking of their warehouses. They
are now ordering ahead, and the mills
and manufactories have orders to keep
them going for the first six months of the
vear. The possibilities of the last six
months will depend to a large extent upon
the political situation.
420
COAL AGE.
January 6, 1912
Baltimore and Vicinity in 1911
By Leslie Rawles *
The year 1911 has been one of reduced
sales and small profits for Baltimore
operators. Yet when an impartial view
is taken of conditions as a whole, and
the depression which has existed in so
many industrial lines throughout the en-
tire twelve months is considered, the Bal-
timore dealers feel they have no cause
for complaint.
MARKET CONDITIONS
It is true that when the present year
made its advent, the hopes of the coal
trade in Baltimore ran high. There was
every evidence that there would be a
general revival of business the country
over. Operators had visions of pro-
longed activity in the steel industry,
which would necessarily bring about a
constantly increasing demand for their
product; they saw an unprecedented traf-
fic for the railroads, and these same rail-
roads purchasing freely, thus stimulating
the trade of the car manufacturing and
supply companies, and adding zest to the
coal market.
These hopes have not been realized to
the extent that Baltimore operators had
expected. Among the overly enthusias-
tic ones, the disappointment over the
failure of the coal market to exhibit the
life that was expected of it, is keen. But
the conservative view taken by the trade
here as a whole is that the year has been
as good as one could expect in the face
of the adverse business conditions which
prevailed.
The steel industry did not have the
boom expected and as these industries
are looked upon as large consumers, the
coal trade has felt keenly, the lack of
orders which usually come from this
source. The railroads in the East, and
especially those which are closely as-
sociated with the business at this port,
have had a fairly good year, but their
policy of purchasing equipment and steel
rails has been what might be termed a
hand-to-mouth one and consequently the
equipment and car specialty manufactur-
ing concerns have been idle a greater
portion of the time.
As a result of such conditions in the
business world, the coal trade has been
depressed. It is true that during some
of the months of the year, coal has
moved freely, representing shipments
made under contract by Baltimore opera-
tors. And it might be said that nearly
all the coal shipped in the past few
months was called for under contract,
*Baltimore, Md.
Apr. 1.
but under slightly reduced prices when
compared with last year. In this section,
renewals of contracts take place around
When this time arrived, some of
the consumers came in under prices
quoted by operators. Others did not,
preferring to hold out and take their
chances of getting the product cheaper
by spot purchases. Later they did agree
to take coal under contract, but,
according to authentic reports succeeded
in getting a slightly lower price quoted.
THE Spot MARKET
The spot business, which plays so
prominent a part in the Baltimore mar-
ket, has been extremely disappointing.
In January this was somewhat brisk,
and again in February, operators reaped
satisfactory profits from this business.
There was an easing off in the demand
for coal in March, and during the com-
plete slump which followed, the spot
business disappeared. Contract ship-
ments also eased up.
The early spring and summer months
brought no improvement in the demand
for coal. Inquiry at many of the offices
elicited the information that consumers
were entirely out of the market, and in
many instances, operators disposed of
coal at a price below the cost of mining
it. Such stagnant conditions prevailed
until the advent of October, when there
was a slight improvement, as evidenced
by the freer movement on the railroads
over which Baltimore operators ship their
product. The latter part of October
found the demand not quite so brisk, and,
while considerable coal moved in Novem-
ber, it was mostly under contract. The
spot business was lacking, and the
market bordering on stagnation.
Operators predict that the tonnage from
Maryland and West Virginia mines op-
erated by local companies will probably
reach 19 or 20 million tons for next year,
providing trade conditions get no worse.
The opinion is that business is going to be
better, and that the coal trade will share
in the’ general improvement. .
NEw DEVELOPMENTS
The improvements which are to make
possible this increased output of coal,
were, for the most part, started during
1911. Probably the biggest development
inaugurated by any company through-
out the United States, was that of the
Consolidation Coal Co. in the Elkhorn
Valley of Kentucky. This company owns
a tract of 100,000 acres of high-grade
coal, and is spending millions of dol-
lars in developing their property. It be-
gan the opening up of between sixteen
and twenty mines at various locations
on the tract, and expects to begin min-
ing coal within the next two or three
months. In addition, the Cé6nsolidation
has practically completed the construc-
tion of the Sandy Valley & Elkhorn
Ry., from the Chesapeake & Ohio Ry.
at the mouth of Shelby Creek to Jenkins,
Ky., the new town built by the company.
It is expected that the Consolidation will
be shipping 1500 tons of coal daily from
this property by April first.
The Consolidation also started con-
struction work on its big electric power
station at Hutchinson, W. Va., which is
to supply electric power to all the com-
pany’s mines in West Virginia. It is to
be one of the most modern plants in the
world, and will have three, 1500 h.p. en-
gines driving three 1000 kw. generators.
It will be constructed so an addition
equal to one-third of the original plant
may be added.
The Davis Coal & Coke Co. did con-
siderable work in the way of opening up
additional mines in the Davis vein ter-
ritory at Thomas, W. Va., four in all be-
ing opened. These new mines will be
operated under the contract which the
company has with the Bethlehem Steel
Co., and which runs for 20 years. De-
livery of coal under this contract will be-
gin May 1, 1912. An additional mine
was also opened up -by this company at
Dartmoor, W. Va., in the Beaver Creek
district.
Three mines were opened up by the
Georges Creek Coal Co., Inc., in the
Tyson vein in Allegheny County, Md.
This company was formerly controlled by
the Georges Creek Coal & Iron Co., of
Baltimore. The headquarters of the con-
cern are now at Lonaconing, Md.
Of particular interest to Baltimore is
the construction of the Buckhannon &
Northern R.R., which was begun this
year, from Rivesville, W. Va., to the
Pennsylvania state line. This road is
owned by the Baltimore & Ohio, the
Pennsylvania and the Pittsburg & Lake
Erie R.R., a subsidiary of the New York
Central system. When completed, the
new line will tap about 60,000 acres of
coal land which heretofore had no rail-
road facilities. The Little Kanawha
Syndicate, which is controlled by these
three roads, owns 60,000 acres of coal
land to be traversed by the new line,
and will open it up for development. It
is expected that a large portion of the
coal mined on this property will be ex-
ported through Baltimore.
PO a
January 6, 1912
COAL AGE
River Shipments at Pittsburg
Special Correspondence
Figures compiled by the United States
Engineers for the first 11 months of 1911
of the amount of coal arriving in the
Pittsburg harbor and also that shipped
to down-river points, indicate a banner
year in the river-coal business of the
Pittsburg district. The estimate for De-
cember has not yet been completed but
already a record breaking shipment has
been sent on its way to Southern ports.
Were it not for the fact that during
the summer the down-river boats were
forced to tie up on account of low water,
the coal shipments through Davis Island
Dam this year would have greatly ex-
ceeded those actually made. During the
summer of 1910 good stages of barge
water prevailed at frequent intervals and
the effect of thiS on the river shipments
can be seen by glancing at the tables
given below. But in spite of all this,
taking the shipments for the first 11°
months of 1910 and comparing them with
the same period for 1911, it is found the
shipments for 1911 are greater by 485,-
638 tons. When the December shipments
have been tabulated this figure will be
yet larger.
The .table in next column shows ship-
ments for the first 11 months of 1910
and 1911 in short tons. This table indi-
cates a total tonnage of coal handled
through the Pittsburg Harbor for the
first 11 months of 1910 of 10,374,055, and
for the same period of 1911 of 10,-
859,693.
The aggregate of the coal tonnage on
the Monongahela River is arrived at by
taking the coal shipped up through Lock
No. 1, plus the amount shipped down
through Lock No. 3 and to this sum is
added the amount mined and shipped in
Pools 1 and 2 on the Monongahela River.
The river tonnage on the Ohio River is
obtained by adding the amounts shipped,
both up and down that river, passing
through Davis Island Dam.
to local points. An example of such a
company is the Jones & Laughlin Steel
Co., operating mines near California,
Penn., in the Fourth Pool of the Monon-
gahela River. Most of the coal mined
and shipped by this concern is used at
its mills in the Pittsburg Harbor, al- .
though of recent years much has been
OHIO RIVER SHIPMENTS, 1910-1911
1910 1911
Monongahela Ohio | Monongahela Ohio
MN Se ome ashig ire ate haararaecs 796,046 451,350 973,861 574,170
WAGNIMURIR ooo 5 eee cei cde uo) Supe se wl ee oes 902,832 138,680 1,005,741 448,160
WRN 8 5c cedar ran a Drab rele wiere-e acer eal 1,083,251 245,150 1,010,871 271,210
PE sa ie ee Cia as ai eae taal 34,884 61,950 814,724 430,090
WME Cr or churesal teh eta cree hi te ne ena fare So a 936,308 102,275 826,093 102,320
tis,” CUR aA Saigo ae RON, it gee Prem tee, Saeco ere §89,343 378,280 481,412 55,040
CRUMNII eet igh ea ee ie ree oleracea ca a HES 867,504 80,520 486,752 27,865
To OTe Sele ern eee rete | 763,262 47,940 556,413 160,930
Bo 0 ee ret re rere e arene 754,130 36,770 610,985 157,955
GIN Io3 2 onc ep ei dies piaper tee eke Re wane | 701,713 37,380 727,113 159,530
ARR ENONI So. cr cr cere etch eo eo keri ag 684,287 80,200 811,588 166,870
NINO o nce A re rie a Ga tena genase 759,275 BEGeet! csccssoes | lendcesae
| 9,472,835 1,774,760 | 8,305,553 2,554,140
MOOTANG@N 0:6) oe aioe ee 6 le rk SON 759,275 BEG 2G fo wc cecesic > Ph ceewweves
No cece oa ibenues | 8,713,560 1,660,495 8,305,553 2,554,140
Less than 10 per cent. of the coal
shipped and mined on the Monongahela
River is sent South, the larger portion of
it being used in the local steel and other
mills. According to the Monongahela
River Consolidated Coal & Coke Co., one-
third of all the coal they mine is shipped
to the Southern trade, one-third to the
Pittsburg Harbor for local consumption
and one-third by rail to the Lakes and
the Northwest. However, this company
is the largest coal shipper to the South,
most of the others confining their trade
sent through Davis Island Dam to its
new plant at Aliquippa, Penn., on the
Ohio River.
‘Despite the fact that the Monongahela
River is slack-watered almost to its head-
waters, the frequent stages of low water
on the Ohio River, preventing continuous
navigation, reacts on the former stream.
This is caused by the inability of the
operators to bring back the empty barges
and coal boats to the local harbor, event-
ually resulting in a shut down at the
mines.
The Missi
ssippi Val
By E. J. Wallace*
ley in 191]
ith the close of 1911 the operators of
Illinois have put the year down as one
of the most unsuccessful in their his-
tory. At no time during the past year
has the price of Illinois coal gone be-
yond normal, and for the greater por-
tion of the year the actual selling price
of coal was around and below the cost
of production.
The principal reason for this is the
fact that the strike of 1910 caused much
business that heretofore came to the IIli-
nois field to be diverted to other fields,
Principally Indiana and West Virginia,
and the Illinois operators have been un-
able to recover this lost ground. | Again,
the production of Illinois coal is grow-
“The Dealers’ Fuel Co., St. Louis, Mo.
ing twice as fast as a logical market for
it is being developed, and the result is
that today Illinois can produce twice as
much coal as there is any natural demand
for in its territory. The development of
new mines has not been as extensive in
the northern field as it has in the south-
ern, where several new mines have been
started or completed in the counties of
Williamson and Franklin, and also in that
great coal field adjacent to East St. Louis,
including the counties of Madison, Ma-
coupin, Montgomery, Bond and St. Clair.
In contrast to this a few mines have
been abandoned, but they were of small
tonnage, and the closing up of these did
not affect the market in the least. The
operators in the Illinois field have been
hampered considerably by the taking up
in a serious way by the miners of petty
grievances, and perhaps one important
change that would help better conditions
was the effort made’ to use a new explo-
sive in the mines of Franklin County in
place of the ordinary black powder. In
some mines the operators were success-
ful, and in other instances strikes were
local and long.
CosTs AND PRODUCTION IN ILLINOIS
The cost of coal in the Franklin County
field has been increased considerably on
account of the operators taking the pre-
caution to guard against coal dust ex-
plosions by installing sprinkler systems,
and by putting on additional fire runners
to guard against fires after the shot firers
are through. The “wild-cat” sinking of
422
“=
mines has been put a stop to by the law
that went into effect over a year ago,
which requires all shafts and air shafts to
be constructed of concrete, and this has
had a tendency to stop almost entirely
the promotion of speculative mines. In
the coal field adjacent to St. Louis there
has been no change of note during the
past year, unless it be that the operators
are poorer as a result of trying to do bus-
iness in a shrinking market.
In the central- and northern-Illinois dis-
tricts there has been no ‘great develop-
ment to any extent, and the tonnage here
as in the southern field has always ex-
ceeded the demand. The low coal in this
section offers many serious problems that
are usually met with locally.
The production of Illinois coal for 1911
will not exceed, it is believed, the produc-
tion of other years, under normal con-
ditions. It is true that at the present time
the state of Illinois, without opening an-
other mine, can produce fully 100 mil-
lion tons, while the market for Illinois
coal cannot absorb more than 50 million
tons. It is figured that Illinois coal, dur-
ing the year 1911, brought between 3 and
5c. per ton less than in the previous
year. There are no complete figures at
this time to show what the tonnage for
the year 1911 has been, but it is esti-
mated at between 50 and 65 million tons.
There is practically no coke produced in
the state of Illinois, excepting at two or
three points, and this production is in-
significant when compared to the produc-
tions of other states.
COAL AGE
Missouri
The year 1911 marked the beginning of
the downward trend of coal operations in
Missouri. There have been practically no
new mines sunk in the state and several
of the small older mines have been
abandoned. As a whole, there were few
mines in the state that made expenses,
as the demand for Missouri coal is lim-
ited, as well as its market. This, chiefly
on account of the higher grade coals pro-
duced in the other states surrounding.
The Missouri coal market has been lost
chiefly to coal from the Carterville and
Springfield districts in Illinois, and there
seems to be no hope of recovering this
lost ground.
There is a feeling against the develop-
ment of any more coal lands in Missouri
on account of the low vein, and the high
mining scale, and it is expected that from
now on every year will show a lower
figure in the coal production for this
state. No coal produced in the state of
Missouri reaches the St. Louis market,
although a fair tonnage from the central
western portion gets in to Kansas City
and St. Joseph, and the market in the
former city is limited on account of the
use of natural gas.
ARKANSAS
The situation in Arkansas is a peculiar
one, and it has developed so during 1911.
In the semi-anthracite field of Arkansas
there has been a good demand for the
coal, and the market has been widening
to some extent. This coal is gradually
January 6, 1912
growing in favor on account of its su-
perior quality, although it is produced
under difficulties that are experienced in
but few other mining sections. However,
the cost of production is so great that
only by the aid of favorable railroad
rates can this coal compete with the
higher-grade coals of other fields, but
where these rates are practically the
same, Arkansas coal is almost eliminated.
In the bituminous mines there has
been no notable increase in the produc-
tion as this coal is not of that superior
quality where it can win its way into
foreign markets. However, as the state
of Arkansas is developing fast it will
continue to create a growing market,
which will no doubt take care of the pres-
ent tonnage for the next few years, but
if further development of the coal is con-
templated, the condition in Arkansas will
be much the same as it is in IIlinois.
During the past year three of the largest
cities in the state have practically aband-
oned the use of coal, for natural gas and
oil. Every city and town on the main
line between Little Rock and Texarkana
are now using natural gas from the
Louisiana fields, and the same condition
exists at Pine Bluff. In sections iso-
lated from the gas mains the steam
plants are looking with favor upon fuel
oil, and there is nothing promising for
future steam-coal production in this state.
The encroachment of oil and gas, while
affecting Arkansas production, is also
hurting the operators of Illinois and to a
greater extent in the southeastern portion
of Missouri, and northern Louisiana.
Great Britain’s Coal Industry, 191]
Special Correspondence
—_———
—
The British coal industry was con-
siderably affected during the past year by
labor troubles, especially in South Wales,
and by the recent railway strike. Yet
in spite of these difficulties, the pessi-
mistic utterances of the president of the
British Association, and the lamentations
of the statisticians, to the effect that coal
mining is not profitable below a certain
depth, the industry, as a whole, is cheer-
ful at the beginning of the year 1912.
YORKSHIRE
The various coal fields are producing
up to their maximum output except in
Yorkshire, Nottingham, and a mine or
two in South Wales. It has been re-
ported during the year that Yorkshire is
underlaid by a vast coal field which was
previously unknown and that in the
course of several years 40,000 miners
would be given employment in this re-
gion. But such is not the case. On the
contrary, signs are not lacking to in-
dicate that the remarkable development
begun in South Yorkshire in 1900 has
already reached its climax. This fact
is due to the geological conditions that
make shaft-sinking extremely expensive;
the coal measures being overlaid by
Permian and Triasic formations which
contain quicksands and large volumes of
water.
At Thome colliery as much as
$1,250,000 has been spent the past year
in sinking two shafts to a depth of 600
ft. each, owing to the fact that it was
necessary to pump out 9000 gal. of water
per min. The ultimate depth of these
shafts is to be 2760 ft. At the Halfield
main colliery, near Doncaster, the ‘‘Fran-
cois” system of injecting cement into the
strata as a preliminary to shaft-sinking
was tried for the first time in Great
Britain.
THE MIDLANDS
During 1911, six new colliery compa-
nies started shaft-sinking in the Midland
coal field, each mine being designed for
an output of at least 1,000,000 tons per
year, and altogether there are now 12
shafts being sunk in this locality. The
increase of production in the Midlands
has overtaken and exceeded the export
trade with the result that a number of
the older mines closed down when the
newer and better equipped operations
dumped their surplus output on the mar-
ket. The erection of large central power
plants and the consolidation of various
groups of collieries in this region have
both been in evidence during 1911.
In the Lancashire coal field, at Astley
Green, the deepest colliery shaft in Great
Britain is expected to be completed early
in the coming year. This shaft will have
a depth of 3360 feet.
During November, this year, much in-
terest was aroused by the discovery of
coal at Calvert, in Buckinghamshire,
about 50 miles north of London. The
geological conditions are here similar
to those in Kent, yet owing to the thin-
ning out of some formations, the coal
January 6, 1912
measures were found about 540 ft. from
the surface, and three small seams have
been encountered.
Coat MINE BILL
The coal mines bill for 1911, although
a non-party measure, has been discussed
even more than the Eight Hour act of
1908, which latter is now giving satis-
faction. The chief discussion has cen-
tered around the use of electricity in
gaseous mines, the abolition of naked
lights, employment of female laborers on
the surface, the provision of baths and
wash houses and in connection with the
COAL AGE
rescue and ambulance equipment. The bill
was not opposed in regard to its provi-
sions for insuring the safety of mines and
miners, but because of the increased cost
which will devolve on some of the older
collieries as a result of its being passed.
The Great Central Railway has just
completed at Humber, a coal dock which
is said to be the largest in the world.
This dock has a capacity of 12,000,000
tons of coal per year on the basis of
working 12 hours a day. Its eight hy-
draulic hoists can each handle 320 loaded
cars a day. The cost of handling is much
less than was heretofore possible.
CoAL OUTPUT
The output of coal in 1910 was 264,-
337,786 tons, and for 1911 will prob-
ably exceed 270,000,000 tons. The num-
ber of workers employed in the mines
has passed all previous records, -and
shows an increase over 1910. In 1851
nineteen persons were killed for every
1,000,000 tons of coal mined in Great
Britain; in 1910 the death rate was 6.37
per million tons, whereas for 1911
the rate has been reduced below 6,
there having been no serious explo-
sions.
Chronology
JANUARY
Jan. 3—Explosion and fire at the Syd-
ney No. 3 mine of the Nova Scotia Steel
& Coal Co. killed 8 men.
Jan. 4—Strike of 12,000 coal miners
in Belgium was declared.
Jan. 10—A cave-in occurred at the
Natia mine, Castro Urdiales, Spain; 190
men were entombed and 40 killed.
Jan. 20—An explosion and fire in the
Casimir mine at Sosnowice, Russian Po-
land, killed 40 miners——The Executive
Council of the American Federation of
Labor granted a charter to the Western
Federation of Miners on the same basis
as to the United Mine Workers of Amer-
ica.
Jan, 25—Explosion at the Hughestown
No. 10 colliery of the Pennsylvania Coal
Co. at Pittston, Penn., killed 6 and in-
jured 5 men.
FEBRUARY
Feb. 6—Three men were killed at mine
of Independent Coal & Coke Co., Kenil-
worth, Utah, by Greek miners on strike.
Feb. 9—Explosion at Cokedale Mine
of American Smelting & Refining Co.,
near Trinidad, Colo., killed 15 men.
Feb. 17—Ninth annual meeting of
western branch of Canadian Mining In-
Stitute.
Feb. 26—Fire was discovered in the
Hazel mine of the Pittsburg-Buffalo Coal
Co., near Cancnsburg, Penn.
MARCH
March 9—Lehigh Coal & Navigation
Co., announced plan to build large elec-
tric plant at mines in Pennsylvania for
high tension distribution of power over
extensive area.
March 18—Explosion in Mine No. 16
of Missouri, Kansas & Texas Ry. Co., at
West Mineral, Kansas, killed 6 men.
March 22—Fall of roof in Hazel Mine
of Pittsburg-Buffalo Coal Co., East Can-
onsburg, Penn., killed 9 men.
APRIL
April 1—Coal miners of Crows Nest
of Coal Mining tor 191]
A record of important
happenings arranged for
ready reference. Also inci-
dents and events of more
than passing interest.
Pass region of British Columbia and AIl-
berta inaugurated strike.
April 3—U. S. Supreme Court upheld
commodity clause of Interstate Com-
merce Law which prevents a railroad
from owning stock in a coal corporation
shipping over its lines.
April 7—Fire in the Throop mine of
the Price-Pancoast Coal Co., Lackawan-
na County, Penn., killed 73 men.—
Miners in British Columbia and Al-
berta agreed to submit wage dispute
to arbitration.
April 8—Explosion at Banner mines
of Pratt Consolidated Coal Co., Jef-
ferson County, Ala., killed 128 men,
mostly convicts.
April 11—U. S. Steel Corporation
opened $5,000,000 coke-oven plant at
Gary, Ind.
April 24—Explosion in Ott mine, No.
20 of Davis Coal & Coke Co., near Elk
Garden, W. Va., killed 10 men.
April 28—Gypsy Grove breaker of the
Pennsylvania Coal Co., at Dunmore,
Penn., burned down, killing 2 men and
seriously injuring four. The total loss
was $50,000.
May
May 11—Fire at the Boston colliery
of the Delaware & Hudson Co., Larks-
ville, Penn., suffocated 5 men.
May 12—Mine tipple and buildings of
the Pierson colliery near Jasonville,
Ind., were destroyed by fire.
JUNE ™
100th meeting of the
June 6—The
American Institute of Mining Engineers
opened at Wilkes-Barre, Penn.
June 19—Summer meeting of the West
Virginia Coal Mining Institute opened
at White Sulphur Springs, W. Va.
June 21—Dissolution of the E. T.
du Pont de Memours Powder Co. was
ordered on account of violation of the
Sherman anti-trust act.
June 28—Summer meeting of Coal
Mining Institute of America opened af
Indianna, Penn.
JULY
July 6—Suit was filed by the U. S.
Government against the Lehigh Valley
R. R. Co. under the commodities clause
of the interstate commerce act.
July 15—Explosion in the mine of the
Cascade Coal & Coke Co., at Sykesville,
near Du Bois, Penn., killed 21 men.
July 17—U. S. Government filed suit
to compel separation of the Reading R.R.
from the Reading Coal Company.
: AUGUST
Aug. 1—Explosion in the mine of
the Standard Pocchontas Coal Co., at
Shannon, W. Va., killed 3 men.
Aug. 4—Suit was filed by the Govern-
ment at Columbus, Ohio, against 6 rail-
roads and three coal companies charg-
ing combination in restraint of trade.
Aug. 10—A four-deck cage dropped
in the Krupp-Hannibal mine near Bo-
cum, Germany, killing 25 men.
SEPTEMBER
Sept. 8—Death of F. B. Robbins,’ for
sometime president of the Pittsburgh Coal
Co., and of the Monongahela River Coal
Company.
Sept. 9—Merger effected at Cleve-
land of several independent steel com-
panies into the Great Republic Steel
Co.; Capitalized at $36,000,060.
Sept. 16—First-aid meets were held
at Shamokin, Penn., Inkerman, Penn..
and Trinidad, Colo.
Sept. 21—Death of John Bond Atkin-
son, president of Kentucky Mining In-
stitute.
424
Sept. 30—H. C. Frick Coke Co. se-
cured title to about 16,000 acres of cok-
ing coal from Pittsburg Coal Company,
and Monongahela Consolidated Coal
Company, the transaction involving about
$18,000,000.
OCTOBER
Oct. 3—Fire destroyed the Fast Bos-
ton breaker of the Payne Coal Co., near
Wilkes-Barre, Penn. Loss $100,000.
Oct. 5—Fire destroyed the Cuckoo
mining plant of the South Chandler Coal
Co. near Canon City, Colo. , Loss $25,-
000.
Oct. 6—Cage fell 80 ft. at the Pea-
body mine, Nokomis, IIl., injuring 8
men.
Oct. 10—Control of the Monongahela
River Consolidated Coal & Coke Co. was
absorbed by the Pittsburg Coal Co.—
The 101ist meeting of the American In-
stitute of Mining Engineers opened in
San Francisco.
Oct. 14—Reorganization of Peoples
Coal Co., of Scranton, Penn. was ef-
fected.—Small fire occurred in the No. 9
mine of the Lehigh & Wilkes-Barre Coal
Co. at Sugar Notch, Penn.
Oct. 18—Explosion in coal mine, Bar-
dot, France, killed 26 men.
Oct. 20—Fire in the No. 8 mine of
Brazil Block Coal Co. threatened the
lives of more than 100 men.
Oct. 23—Explosion in O’Gara mine,
No. 9 at Harrisburg, IIl., killed 8 and in-
jured 10 men.
Oct. 24—The 14th annual conven-
tion of the American Mining Congress
opened at Chicago.
Oct. 30—The National Mine Safety
Demonstration opened at _ Pittsburg,
Penn.
Oct. 31—The tri-district convention of
the United Mine Workers of America,
opened at Pottsville, Penn.
NOVEMBER
Nov. 9—Explosion in the Adrian mine
of the Buffalo, Rochester & Pittsburgh
Coal & Iron Co. near Punxsutawney,
Penn., killed 8 men.
Nov. 10—Reorganization of the Penn-
sylvania Coal & Coke Co. was effected
with a capitalization of $7,500,000.
Nov. 15—Freight reductions went into
effect between Salt Lake City and Mis-
souri River points.
Nov. 17—Canadian coal strike was
settled by agreement signed at Hosmer,
B. C., under which miners returned to
work, Nov. 20.
Nov. 18—Explosion in mine of Bottom
Creek Coal & Coke Co., at Vivian, W.
Va., killed 18 men.
Nov. 20—Serious cave-in occurred at
‘Scranton, Penn.—Coal Miners of British
Columbia and Alberta resumed work.
Nov. 21—Hearing of Pittsburg-Lake
coal rate case was started by Interstate
Commerce Commission.
COAL AGE
Nov. 28—Non-union Miner was shot
at Louisville, Colo., in conflict with
strikers.
DECEMBER
Dec. 4—Winter meeting of West Vir-
ginia Coal Mining Institute opened at
Fairmont, W. Va.
Dec. 9—Explosion in Cross Mountain
Mine No. 1, of Knoxville Iron Co., at
Briceville, Tenn., killed 84 men, 5 en-
tombed miners being rescued alive.
Dec. 11—Mid-winter Meeting of Ken-
tucky Mining Institute opened at Lex-
ington, Ky.
Dec. 12—Fire destroyed the top works
of the Northern Central Coal Co.’s mine
at Higbee, Colo.—The United Mine
Workers of America balloted for their
national officers.
Dec. 13—Eastern Ohio Coal Operators
Association entered complaint before the
Interstate Commerce Commission against
three railroads, regarding freight rates to
Lake Erie ports.
Dec. 18—American Federation of Bi-
tuminous Coal operators was organized
at Chicago.
Dec. 19—Mid-winter Meeting of Coat
Mining Institute of America opened at
Pittsburg.
Dec. 23—Pit of Cross Tetley Coal
Mine at Wigan, England, was flooded and
the lives of 200 miners endangered.
Dec. 23—Six miners were killed by
firedamp explosion at Teutoburgia col-
liery, Dortmund, Germany.
Dec. 24—Ohio and _ Pennsylvania
operators declined to enter into inter-
state agreement with Illinois and Indiana
operators.
Lake Tonnage for 1910 and
1911
According to the reports of the Hock-
ing Valley docks at Toledo for the lake
season of 1911 there was an increase of
175,455 tons over the amount handled
by the docks in 1910. During the season
of 1911 the docks handled 2,253,069 tons
as compared with 2,077,614 tons in 1910.
The tonnage secured for the lake trade
from the various mining districts in Ohio
and West Virginia was as follows:
Hocking district; 662,388 tons as com-
pared with 666,218 tons in 1910;
Kanawha & Michigan district, 886,405
tons as compared with 885,562 tons in
1910; Chesapeake & Ohio district, 651,-
205 tons as compared with 492,101 tons
in 1910; Kanawha & West Virginia dis-
trict, no tonnage as compared with 12,239
tons in 1910; Coal & Coke district, 816
tons as compared with 13,449 tons in
1910; Norfolk & Western district, 50,781
tons as compared with 6367 tons in 1910;
Wellston district, 1443 tons as compared
with 1678 tons in 1910.
January 6, 1912
Coal and Coke Production in
the United States
The following table has been compiled
largely from data communicated by the
several state mine inspectors, estimates
having been made only where no such
statistics were available, but in all cases
upon the basis of good information:
PRODUCTION OF COKE IN THE
UNITED STATES
; 1910, 1911,
States Short Tons | Short Tons
BIGDOIOD «6 555 6 oe 00% 3,249,027 2,784,880
Colorado . ...} 1,190,901 946,284
NONI. 660s eee 0 08 ,000 25,000
RE Sas. kca o ais tea.cvets 390,000 375,000
Sere 10,000 10,000
WOGROUCKY 0 65 ees seis 58,700 60,000
CS 5,000 5,000
SS ee eee 58,200 52,300
New Mexico......... 510,000 450,000
a ae Pe ere 260,000 240,000
Oklahoma........... 30,000 30,000
Pennsylvania........ 22,875,000 | 19,403,750
‘SOMMCHBEE . . .. 2. aes 240,000 210,000
REGIS Sea 141,050 140,000
pee 1,264,300 901,000
Washington.......... 40,000 35,000
West Virginia........ 3,803,881 2,200,000
Other states......... 1,890,000 1 *470, 000
MNOS: baked wees 36,056,059 | 29,338,214
PRODUCTION OF COAL IN THE
UNITED STATES
1910, 1911
States Short Tons | Short Tons
Bituminous:
Alabama. ...... 16,139,228 14,500,000
Arkansas...... 1,870,000 |(a) 1, :700, :000
California...... 10,000 5,000
Colorado...... 12,104,887 10, 075, 861
Georgia....... 180,000 68 ‘000 .
Hino... ... .. - 47,064,500 |(a) 48, rite 000
Indians. ....... 18,125,244 4 /070, 000
ee 7,260,000 |(b) 7,574, "919
OTS eee 5,100,450 ,000
Kentucky..... .} 14,750,092 {(a) 15,000,000
Maryland....... 5,009,600 4,500,000
Michigan....... 1 '620.000 1,500,000
Missouri........ 2,980,700 {(a) 3,000,000
Montana....... 3,050,000 |(d) 2,913,397
New Mexico.... 3,616,665 3,440,022
North Dakota... "385, 882 395,000
MOIS svec0 6-5. 6-060 33,876,400 30,500,000
Oklahoma...... 2; 840, 000 2,800,000
OPBRONR ... <6... 6: 000 50,000
Pennsylvania. ..} 148, 47 1 '826 143, 978,671
Tennessee. ..... 6.750.000 5 9: 50,000
Ji ar 1,940,000 1,875,000
Lo) rarer 2,526,094 2,501,472
WaPEIID 53 so 3: «is 5,750,041 5,490,000
Washington., ...|(b) 2 yee 047 (db) 2, 371, 481
West Virginia...| 59, 690 ,300 60,500, ‘000
Wyoming....... 7,469,452 7,027,000
Total bituminous; 411,126,408 396,296,823
Anthracite:
Colorado....... 70,586 64,379
New Mexico.... 8,000 |(a) ,000
Pennsylvania...) 82,591,649 86,823 686
Totalanthracite.| 82 670,235 86,896,065
Grand total...| 493,796,643 483,192,888
(a) Estimated.
(b) Fiscal year ending June
30. (c) Includes output of byproduct coke for
Massachusetts, Maryland, Minnesota, New York,
(d) Year ending Oct. 31.
Michigan, Wisconsin.
The State of Indiana produced 18,125,-
244 tons of coal in the year 1910, an in-
crease of 4,433,155 tons, or 32 per cent.
Of this total 17,249,785 tons was bitum-
inous and 875,459 tons was block coal.
The proportion of machine-mined coal
was 10,888,367 tons, while 7,236,877 tons
was mined by hand.
January 6, 1912
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CIRCULATION STATEMENT
Of this issue of Coal Age, we will print
6500 copies. No copies will be sent free
regularly. There will be no back num-
bers. The figures shown here each week
represent live, net circulation.
This journal is interested solely in mat-
ters relating to the fuel industries, and is
designed to be a medium for the free in-
terchange of ideas, the detailed descrip-
tion of coal-mining practice, and the ex-
pression of independent thought calcu-
lated to benefit both operator and miner.
Contents _
PORGWORO oo ics Rihat wero ce wneeees 397
The World’s Coal Production........ 398
Coal Mine Mortality Statistics.
Frederick L. Hoffman 400
American vs. Fatali-
English Mine
ties J. T.. Beard 403
Reviews of Coal Industry for 1911:
PRUE Sg.c 5 wisi ohh orsse we oo Came ee eres 405
CONSUR GE 65a ciicais so meee melee eues 405
DERE seal oic is aco a hawt ee a Soe mead 406
ENMGREIDIGE, 5. 65-056) oes se ice erelale cares 407
BOW coer arc srek rial arin @ econ Gitta pias Hcie area 407
NEC cs coer esearene. «ores cere ererem ene ate 408
MERU RIAE correc ket ae canewneecnee 408
NGPth DOHOUS ccs nnn caceseswras 408
ROUSE co ele ceri eos ol wmewe we enees 408
CURERONE os occa cu advo) ara 6) iat aver) ends Oa: Si he cee TO RS 409
CHES ORME ore Siig cd palin wisieu wh orclaet 411
PONNAVEGANIG. 6.6. ce cc neeteee esses 412
OR are oa 0'6) cheer viel ond Beer w ewes 414
NVSIGHIMSROR 55. < 5 occ cuinsisine ame eer 415
. WHORE WHERE Gs ooo. e: 5 cinema ave es.siere!s 416
Coal and Coke Exports in 1911..... 417
Coastwise Trade Conditions........ 418
Review of Year’s Coal Trade.
ae John H. Jones 419
Baltimore and Vicinity.
: Leslie Rawles 420
i EE HR 421
The Mississippi Valley.............. 421
Great Britain’s Coal Industry, 1911.. 422
*hronology of Coal Mining for 1911. 423
Coal and Coke Production in U. S... 424
mortal:
eG RN AL Ut fino 0h 5 alse icrat si eteverericars 420
BIRO GIN oc cc 5) osc os 6 «cid pdiwrerce 426
_Reversing Ventilation ........... 426
Examination Questions and Answers 427
Inquiries and Answers.............+ 428
Jiscussion by Readers.............. 429
Coal Trade Reviews................ 431
COAL AGE
L
425
AG
The Year 1912
The year just commenced is likely to
prove an eventful one to coal men.
Notwithstanding the much talked of hesi-
tation and caution that is supposed to ac-
company each presidential year, there are
good indications that the wheels of in-
dustry are beginning to turn a little faster,
and it is posible the coming
months will be a period of marked pros-
twelve
perity.
Much heralded events seldom fulfil ex-
pectations. We have been told so often
that 1912 (presidential year) is to be a
time of lethargy in business due to the
activities of politicians who desire to
manufacture campaign material, that
companies and individuals have prepared
to withstand a siege, and repulse any at-
tack that may be precipitated.
The past two years of curtailment in
business expansion has healed many sore
spots. Weak links have been eliminated
and the commercial chain is stronger than
ever before. Best of all we have entered
a period of growth based on no less
solid foundation than the provision of
necessities for a rapidly increasing pop-
ulation. We have been taught that pros.
perity does not necessarily mean inflation,
and that the utterances of a few rich men,
who temper their words according to the
state of their indigestion, cannot block the
advance of the great body of industrial
workers in America.
As a nation, we have unlimited natural
resources, great visible wealth, and the
willing hands and restless brains nec-
essary to the development and increase of
these valuable assets. Too many people
mistake the meaning of an occasional
drawing-back; they think it is a retreat,
when it is but a preparation for another
and greater leap ahead.
There has been no unusual advance in
coal mining this last year, but the growth
has been healthy. Innovations have been
rare, however, more attention than usual
has been given to perfecting present
methods and to safeguarding the men un-
derground. Prices have been rather un-
satisfactory, but most operators have
made both ends meet, and have brought
their mines to a point of efficiency that
will enable them to take advantage of
the coming upward swing in business.
Legislation, especially with reference to
employer’s liability, will occupy the prin-
cipal attention of coal-mine owners in
1912. It is also to be hoped that the
year will witness a closer understanding
between operators, not only in each dis-
trict, but in each State. Competition is
to be desired, but not a business war
that will destroy all and fail to benefit
even the consumer.
That consolidations are to be desired is
proved by the distory of recent events. In
1904 and 1905, mines in several states
were organized into a number of large
companies and the beneficial result was
clearly shown in an immediate bettering
of conditions for the men; an improve-
ment in mining methods, and the install-
ation of modern machinery. The large
companies were able to do things the
small fellows could not attempt. Coal
does not grow like fruit or grain and a
pound wasted is a pound lost forever.
The talk of an extended strike in April
should not be taken too seriously. The
men will, of course, demand an increase
in wages, shorter hours, etc.; however,
there is little likelihood but that a fair
settlement of differences will be reached.
A strike will probably occur, but we hope
and expect it will be of short duration,
and be more in the shape of a temporary
suspension that will injure no one.
By April 1, anthracite operators will be
well stocked with coal. Mines in West
Virginia, Alabama and other unorganized
states will be able to supply fuel to meet
any deficiency. Last and most import-
ant, coal miners are already receiving
wages higher than ever before in the his-
tory of mining, and the slack between the
“increase in the cost of living” and “an
equal advance in wages” has been taken
up. The chief labor leaders do not de-
sire a serious conflict, knowing from late
history that the time is inopportune, and
the few minor officials who have assumed
a belligerent attitude will probably be
overruled.
426
Blackdamp
Many nontechnical words have an in-
definiteness which serves a useful pur-
pose for a while. And this commendable
breadth of purview is often their com-
plete undoing because they are liable
later to be submitted to a narrow defini-
tion covering only a part of the ground
they formerly. covered, and thus their
meanings become uncertain and obscure.
Those scientists who cater to the un-
scientific will try in vain to save the life
of the word “blackdamp” as a specific
scientific entity, though it might be left
to live a long and useful life as a roughly
generic word. It would be well con-
stantly to revert to the fundamental
meaning of the word. When a light is
brought into an atmosphere in which it
tends to expire or when a light in an un-
ventilated atmosphere dulls in the air
it has befouled, then blackdamp is pres-
ent. The light deadens or actually dies
out and the black darkness resulting
causes the agent of that darkness to be
termed appropriately “blackdamp.”
This definition seems satisfactory. It
is not technical and we need a non-
technical word which will cover the con-
dition in a noncommittal manner, leaving
it open to later investigations perhaps
to determine what the nature of that
particular blackdamp may be.
But blackdamp has not been permitted
to remain the name of a flame-extinguish-
ing gas per se. It is said that afterdamp,
though it may dull or quench flame, is
not blackdamp because carbon monoxide
is present. So, according to some defin-
ers, we cannot distinguish blackdamp un-
less we know either the cause of its ex-
istence or its analysis and the term be-
comes needlessly exact and by that token
less useful.
Some years ago blackdamp was de-
clared a nontechnical term for carbon
dioxide. A new use of the colloquial
word was advocated as that word was
less technical in appearance’ than that
which indicated the definite chemical
combination. But this twist i:. the recog-
nized meaning of a familiar word nearly
destroyed its value, because it was soon
discovered that an extinctive natural at-
mosphere, which is a true “blackdamp,”
was always depleted of free oxygen
whether rendered extinctive by the burn-
ing of lamps, the respiration of animals,
or by the action of the mine walls.
COAL AGE
So blackdamp has been twisted a sec-
ond time to mean the mixture of carbon
dioxide with an excess of nitrogen and
its allied gases dbove their standard
presence in common air. But this is
clearly a technical definition; it does
not represent an actual, existing gas nor
even the full sum of the impurities of
any actually existing gas, nor yet the
change due to a certain single chemical
or physical action.
It is a fact that “air” is still “air” and
will be styled “air” though we now know
it contains argon, krypton, xenon, helium
and neon, as well as carbon dioxide and
a little hydrogen. Nevertheless, the mean-
ing of the word “air” is still definite be-
cause it includes all normal elements and
gas compounds in an existing mixture—
the atmosphere. But blackdamp only in-
cludes, we are now told, part of a mix-
ture, to wit—carbon dioxide and nitro-
gen. Some would say moisture, if pres-
ent, might be accounted a part of the
blackdamp.
But some would declare that if methane
is present, it cannot be considered a part
nor can carkon monoxide or hydric sul-
phide. Yet others might even permit
methane to be rated as blackdamp if the
oxygen were low in percentage because
a large percentage of methane extin-
guishes flame. All air vitiated by seclu-
sion in the mines contains methane. And
secluded air is the most common form
of blackdamp, of which methane might
under a new definition be said to be a
part. If the word discussed is to be
limited by all the artificial restrictions
by which technicists would hedge it, it
has become a narrow term, which only
a technical man can use aright and which
we may confidently assert many tech-
nical men of long training are grievous-
ly misusing. Hence the need to retain
the word in its pristine value, neither
adding nor subtracting from the original
definition.
The word “blackdamp” as _ recently
constrained, redefined and newly con-
ceived by Dr. Haldane, is the excess of
inert gas above that in normal terrestrial
air. The suggestion occurs that we
abandon the “blackdamp percentage” of
Dr. Haldane and describe the natural
air as containing 79.1 per cent. of inert
gas; then graduate his tube for “testing
hlackdamp” so as to give not “blackdamp
percentage,” so called; but the “gross
January 6, 1912
inert-gas percentage” in the air of the
mine.
And this is advocated because it is a
chemical device almost unheard of here-
tofore to group part of a constituent of
a mixture under a different heading to
that under which another part of the
same constituent in like condition and
of like qualities in the same mixture is
grouped. And as it is true that the
action of moisture and carbon dioxide by
volume is not exactly equivalent to the
action of nitrogen by volume, would it
not be well to replace the words “gross
inert percentage” by a more indefinite
expression which would not indicate that
the percentage was definitely indicated.
We would suggest that this form of
words should run “chemical index of
inertia” or conversely ‘oxygen index,”
leaving the word “blackdamp” to express
an atmosphere depressive of flame.
In conclusion it may be truthfully as-
serted that chemists of light and lead-
ing, do not know how to define black-
damp and will ascribe it to entirely dif-
ferent concepts in the course of a single
Sometimes it will be an inert
diluent of air. Sometimes it will be the
diluted air itself. Even the context will
be no guide. Nothing but the good judg-
ment of the reader can follow the vagaries
of the text.
article.
Reversing Ventilation
Though the advisability of reversing
the air current after an explosion or mine
fire is a hotly debated question in this
country, the English mining men seem’
definitely to favor that reversal. The
Royal Commission of Mines as far back
as 1906 considered the matter of such
importance that it strongly recommended
the provision at every mine, of means
whereby the reversal of the air could be
effected. The commission quoted several
instances both of explosions and under-
ground fires, wherein many lives might
have been saved had it been possible to
reverse the air without delay.
In this connection were instanced the
fires at Hamstead, Whitwick, and the ex-
plosions at the Thornhill and Great West-
ern collieries. Since then the explosions
at the West Stanley and Whitehaven
mines have strengthened the former con-
clusions. As a result, the new coal mines
bill, which has just received the ap-
proval of both Houses of Parliament, re-
quires that all fans shall be reversible.
hie eee
woe
January 6, 1912
COAL AGE
427
Examination Questions
Selected from State Examinations, or Suggested by Correspondents
Some Pennsylvania Questions
BLASTING IN GaAssy MINE
Ques.—In what way is blasting dan-
gerous in a mine giving off marsh gas?
Explain fully.
Ans.—The flame of the blast may ig-
nite a body of gas that has accumulated
in some pocket in the roof or in a void
place in the gob and escaped the notice
of the fireboss. The explosion of this gas
may stir up and ignite the dust and cause
a disastrous mine explosion. A windy
or a blown-out shot is always more dan-
cerous in a gassy mine, because even a
small percentage of gas greatly assists
the ignition of the dust that is thrown
into the air by the force of the blast, and
the result is more apt to be a mine ex-
plosion. The firing of a shot in a gassy
mine is unsafe unless the place is first
carefully examined for gas, and reported
safe.
COAL-MINE GASES
Ques.—(a) What are the gases pro-
duced in coal mines? (b) Where are
they to be found? (c) What are their
relative weights ?
Ans.—(a) The common _ coal-mine
gases are marsh gas (CH,), carbon mon-
oxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO:), hy-
drogen sulphide (H.S), and olefiant gas
(C:H,). Hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen,
though occurring, at times, in mines, are
not classed as mine gases; the two last
named occur chiefly as air.
(b) In a well ventilated mine, outside
of the return air current, these gases
when present will be found at or near
the place where they are generated.
Marsh gas, being lighter than air, tends
to accumulate at the roof or in rise work-
ings at the face of steep pitches, where
the air current is not sufficiently strong
to sweep away the gas. Carbon monox-
ide is but a trifle lighter than air. It is
principally found in close or poorly ven-
tilated places, where shots have been re-
cently fired or where combustion (oxi-
dation) in some form has been taking
Place. Carbon dioxide, being half again
as heavy as air, tends to accumulate at
the floor or in dip workings, in swamps
or other low places in the mine. Hydro-
‘gen sulphide is somewhat heavier than
air, but does not occur in large quantities
in coal mines. It would be found mostly
'n seams where pyrites occurs in the coal
or the underclay, in low wet places or
Swamps where the air is dead. Olefiant
£as never occurs in large quantity as a
separate gas, but is often associated with
marsh gas and found under similar con-
ditions.
(c) The relative weights of these gases
are shown by their several specific grav-
ities. They are as follows: Marsh gas,
0.559; carbon monoxide, 0.967; carbon
dioxide, 1.529; hydrogen sulphide,
1.1912; olefiant gas, 0.978.
SAFETY LAMPS
Ques.— (a) What is a safety lamp?
(b) Where and by whom should they be
used ?
Ans.—(a) A safety lamp is any lamp
in which the flame is surrounded by a
gauze or glass-and-gauze chimney in
such a manner that it is completely iso-
lated from the outside atmosphere sur-
rounding the lamp.
(b) Safety lamps should be used at
the working face and in all parts of a
mine generating marsh gas in dangerous
quantity. The condition of the mine
with regard to dust, and the inflammabil-
ity of the coal will determine the relative
danger and the percentage of gas that
may be considered as safe for open
lights. In many bituminous mines 1 per
cent. of gas, in the mine air at the face,
would demand the use of safeties; while
in hard-coal mines open lights are used
with safety in 2 per cent. of gas; and 2!%
and even 3 per cent. cause no particular
alarm, in many cases.
Safety lamps should only be intrusted
to those fully acquainted with their use
and who know how to handle them. A
safety lamp is very unsafe when handled
in gas by an inexperienced person.
IMPROPER USE OF SAFETY LAMPS
Ques.—What are the dangers arising
from the improper handling and care of
safety lamps by workmen?
Ans.—When a safety lamp is tipped
or canted to one side so that the flame is
directed toward the glass or gauze chim-
ney, the glass may be cracked by the heat
or the gauze become hot and the lamp
pass flame. When the lamp is allowed
to smoke continually or the gauze not
thoroughly cleaned after each shift, or
exposed to dust and dirt falling from roof
and timbers, the mesh may become clog-
ged so that the lamp is unsafe in gas.
When a lamp is swung or allowed to fall
or exposed to a strong current of air or
the force of a heavy blast or carried rap-
idly against the air, the flame is liable to
be blown through the gauze and ignite
any gas that may be present. When a
lamp is improperly put together, or any
of its parts omitted or the lamp not prop-
erly examined, cleaned and trimmed in
the lamp room, there is danger in its use
in gas. When a lamp is exposed too
long to gas or is allowed to flame badly,
especially if moved quickly at the time,
the flame may pass through the gauze.
QUALIFICATIONS OF A FIREBOSS
Ques.—What qualities, moral, mental
and physical, are or should be considered
essential in a fireboss?
Ans.—The moral character of a good
fireboss must be unquestionable; he must
be sober, honest, conscientious and fully
trustworthy. Mentally, fe must be ob-
servant and possess good judgment, alert
to what is going on about him and quick
to decide and act. He must be physical-
ly strong and possess in a marked de-
gree the senses of hearing, seeing and
smelling.
SAFETY-LAMP SHIELDS
Ques.—What are the advantages of
having safety lamps shielded ?
Ans.—tThe shield of a safety lamp is
a small piece of sheet metal attached to
one side of the lamp to protect the lamp
flame better against a strong air current.
The shield is sometimes fixed, but more
often is movable and arranged to slide
up and down, according to need. It has
the advantage of giving added protection
to the lamp when required without ob-
structing all of the light. It is very use-
ful when traveling an airway with an un-
bonneted Davy or other lamp. The bon-
net of a safety lamp is sometimes im-
properiy called a shield.
DANGER SIGNALS IN MINES
Ques.—-When, where and by whom
shall danger signals be used ?
Ans.—The_ revised bituminous-mine
law requires the fireboss to place a dan-
ger signal across the entrance to every
working place or other place where ex-
plosive gas is discovered or any danger
found to exist. The law requires that the
superintendent furnish the signals, at the
request of the mine foreman, and that
they shall be uniform and of a design
approved hy the Chief of the Department
of Mines and kept in good condition and
distributed by the mine foreman or his
assistant to points in the mine convenient
for the use of the fireboss. Danger sig-
nals must be placed immediately on the
discovery of the danger.
428
COAL AGE
January 6, 1912
Inquiries of General Interest
All Questions Must be Accompanied by Name and Address—Not for Publication
Is Carbon Dioxide Black-
damp?
Will you kindly explain what carbon
dioxide is, and whether it is the whole of
blackdamp or only a part. Please ex-
plain fully, as this question is the result
of a discussion of five first-grade mine
foremen and three firebosses located at
the Eclipse mine, Elco, Washington
County, Penn. I have claimed that car-
bon dioxide is not blackdamp, but is a
part of it. I am taking CoAL AGE.
CuHas. C. CRAWFORD.
Newell, Penn.
In early mining, when little was known
of the nature of mine gases, and much
less of their properties and composition,
miners called all mine gases by the gen-
eral term “damps,” derived from the
German dampf, meaning vapor. Later, as
the different natures of the gases became
known, the terms “firedamp; whitedamp;
blackdamp; chokedamp, or stonedamp;
stinkdamp; afterdamp, etc.,” came into
general use by the miner.
Still later, as mining conditions have
been carefully studied by chemists and
other scientific men it has been found that
what miners have been calling firedamp
is any inflammable mixture of gas and air
that gives a flame cap. Before the use of
the Davy the cap was observed on the
open candle flame.
What was called whitedamp, in the
mines, was found to be carbon monox-
ide (CO). The term blackdamp, like-
wise, was found to refer to any unknown
mixture of gases that dimmed or ex-
tinguished a light and caused headache,
nausea or suffocation.
While this mixture generally consisted
largely of carbon dioxide (CO.), it was
found, in many cases, to contain much
nitrogen and naturally the oxygen con-
tent was below the normal percentage in
air.
Mining textbooks, based largely on the
early writings of Atkinson, Fairley and
other pioneers in mining literature, have
been prone to describe blackdamp as
carbonic acid gas (carbon dioxide, CO.).
The error of calling blackdamp carbon
dioxide is therefore pardonable; but in
reality the term, as. used in the mines,
refers to variable mixtures of carbon -
dioxide, nitrogen and oxygen, the two
last-named gases being a residual at-
mosphere resulting from the various
forms of combustion (oxidation), both
_ slow and rapid.
Use of Brattice Cloth in
Mines
What is brattice cloth and how is it
used in mines? Is it used as much in
metal mines as in coal mines?
New York. KA C.AG.
Brattice cloth is any heavy canvas used
as a curtain or a temporary wall or par-
tition, in a mine airway or passage, for
the purpose of directing the air current
or deflecting it from its natural course,
so as to ventilate certain rooms, head-
ings, or void places that would not other-
wise be reached by the air. The plain
canvas or duck is frequently treated with
tar, creosote or other preservatives to
lengthen its life or render it incombusti-
ble. The canvas is furnished in rolls by
mine-supply houses, or in larger quanti-
ties by commercial dealers in ail kinds
of asbestos cloths and packings, canvas,
etc,
Brattice cloth finds its most important
use in development work in mining, and
in recovery work for reaching lost coal,
or in mine-rescue work after a cave-in
or an explosion. It is much used in driv-
ing prospect entries or headings or push-
ing rooms or chambers, for a time, ahead
of the air.
The demand for brattice cloth is not
as great in metal mining as in coal, only
because the question of ventilation in
metal mines is of minor importance.
There is little or no gas, in these mines,
that would prove a hindrance or a menace
to the work.
Percentage of Grade
(a) I have two slopes, one dipping at
an angle of 44 deg., and the other at an
angle of 48 deg.; what is the per cent. of
the grade in each slope? (b) How is
the per cent. of grade determined for
any angle of dip? .(c) What is the
angle of dip or pitch corresponding to a
grade of 100 per cent. ?
H. B.
Burgettstown, Penn., Dec. 4, 1911.
(a) The per cent. of grade, referred to
the horizontal, in each slope, is as fol-
lows:
1. 100 x tan 44 deg. = 100 x 0.9657
= 96.57 per cent.
2. 100 x tan 48 deg. = 100 « 1.1106
= 111.06 per cent.
(b) The per cent. of grade, referred to
the horizontal, for any dip or pitch, is
always 100 times the tangent of the
angle of inclination. If, however, the
grade is referred to the pitch distance in-
stead of the horizontal, as is the custom
of some engineers, in steep pitches, the
sine of the angle of inclination must be
used in place of the tangent.
(c) To find the angle of dip or pitch
corresponding to a given percentage of
grade, referred to the horizontal, divide
the given percentage of grade by 100, and
find the angle whose tangent is this
amount. For example, the angle of in-
clination corresponding to a grade of
100 per cent., referred to the horizontal,
, a
is the angle whose tangent is o—-
or an angle of 45 degrees.
Ventilation of Airway
In an entry 7 ft. 6 in. wide and
6 ft. 8 in. high, the air is traveling at the
rate of 120 ft. in 12 seconds. (a) What
is the quantity of air passing per min-
ute? (b) If the water-gage reading is
2.5 inches, what is the horsepower on the
air?
Pittsburg, Penn. RR. FA.
(a) The sectional area of the air-
way is 7.5 x 674 = 50 sq.ft. The ve-
locity of the air current is
120 X 60
£2
The quantity of air passing is then 50 x
600 = 30,000 cu.ft. per minute.
(b) The ventilating pressure due to a
2.5-in. water gage is 2.5 x 5.2 = 13 Ib.
per sq.ft. The horsepower on the air is
then
== 600 ft. per min.
30,000 X 13 — 11.818 hp.
33,000
Weight of Motor Required to
Haul Trip up Incline
What weight of traction motor will be
required to haul a trip of 10 loaded cars,
weighing 3 tons each, up a grade, the
tangent of the grade angle being 0.02619,
and assuming a coefficient of friction of
‘ 0.03, and a coefficient of traction of 0.18.
South Fork, Penn. B. H.
The weight of the loaded trip is
10 x 3 x 2000 = 60,000 Ib.; and the
weight of the motor car required, under
the assumed conditions, is calculated as
follows:
0.03 + 0.02619
0.18 — (0.03 + 0.02619)
= 27,230 lb.
w= X 60,000
January 6, 1912
COAL AGE
Discussion by Readers
Comment, Criticism and Debate upon Previous Articles, and Letters from Practical Men
A Speedy Coal Dump
The readers of CoaL AGE may be in-
terested in the coal dumps much used in
the Georges Creek field. The amount of
coal dumped over them is remarkable.
The dumping device, as shown in the ii-
lustration, consists of a movable plat-
form which stops and supports the car
as it tips over for dumping. There are
two stationary guide plates on either side,
outside the rails. These plates are of
3xl-in. iron, mounted on _ longitudinal
timbers. Two lengths of 40-lb. T-rail are
bent to form horns for engaging the car
wheels on each side and just outside the
the dump has a capacity of at least
6000 long tons (6700 short tons) when
the coal is kept ready on the sidetrack all
day long. The following records have
been made: Nine long tons per minute
for 10 hours, 934 long tons per minute
for two hours, 11 long tons per minute
for one hour and 16.9 long tons per min-
ute for short periods. The approaching
grade is 3 per cent.
The mine cars, with uormal topping,
carry a net load of 2 tons 2 cwt. to 2
tons 6 cwt. (4704 to 5152 Ib.) The di-
mensions of the cars are as follows:
Length inside, 8 ft.; width inside at
bottom, 25 in.; height inside, 2 ft. 10
._ Center _ Line
” a“
3x/ ODE
as Yer
aed
iS
©
Ss
~
Seiad eect conti ccna a ine Des centage
COAL AGE
SPEEDY MINE-CAR DuMP USED IN THE GEORGES CREEK DISTRICT
rails, 1x4-in. roller bars are carried by
the same plates, which act as spreaders
for the rails.
In operation the carriage is held to its
Oroper position by tapered studs which
oroject from the guide plates and engage
orresponding holes in the rollers. The
orce and the angle of the tip is so great
iat the car is pitched forward until the
‘ind wheels leave the track, the car bal-
incing on its front wheels. This com-
plete tilt makes the car clean itself rap-
idly of all its coal.
The dumps are set close up to the
Switch of thé track for empty cars, so
that the car on being dumped immediately
Switches out of the way of the approach-
ing loaded car. The distance of the heel
of the rocker from the point of switch is
2 ft. 2 in. and the lead of the switch is
9 ft. 4 in. As much as 5403 long tons
(6061 short tons) have been dumped in
10 hours over one tipple of this sort, and
in.; length over all, 9 ft. 6 in.; width out-
side at top, 36 in.; height over all, 4 ft. 4
in. Running to the dump at a good speed,
they would jerk the tipple considerably
were it high or long, but this is not the
case at any of these tipples; they are all
low and short. The tipple shown in the
accompanying illustration (Elkhart mine)
is in every way typical, though it hap-
pens to be one of the oldest in the dis-
trict. I am indebted to R. A. Walter,
chief engineer, Consolidation Coal Com-
pany, for this information and cut.
Chicago, III. R. O. Burt.
Mine Workings Contiguous
to Oil Wells
A gas or oil well may be considered
one of the most dangerous features of
its kind encountered in the operation of
acoal mine. The ordinary dangers of the
most gaseous mine do not compare with
that which would result from workings
tapping a producing gas well.
It is even possible that a serious acci-
dent could happen in working a mine
some distance away from a well due to
gas escaping through cracks, crevices or
fissures in the coal seam. I have known
oil to seep through pillars of solid coal
when the nearest well was from 50 to 80
ft. away. It is also reasonable to assume
that when drawing pillars, cavities or
reservoirs of gas are formed which any
disturbance of the overlying strata may
force out with disastrous results.
In development work, when approach-
ing a gas well, a pillar of solid coal equal
to one-third of the thickness of the over-
lying strata should be felt for protec-
tion. In a mine, where pillars are being
drawn, much more coal should be left
=
TIPPLE IN GEORGES CREEK FIELD
and the same rule applies to a mine that
is subject to a squeeze or creep. If the
well is surrounded with old workings, I
would suggest that a 12-in. hole be drilled
into these workings at a distance not to
exceed 15 ft. from the well; this will
tend to relieve the rock pressure incident
to the accumulation of any large reser-
voirs of gas. The pipes should be raised
at least 10 ft. above the surface in order
to allow any gas, which might be liber-
ated from the workings, to readily escape.
No doubt we all can recall instances
where havoc has been wrought in homes
and business houses through a small leak
in a gas line. So we can readily under-
stand that it would not require the en-
tire production of a gas well to cause a
serious destruction of life in a mine. The
gas pressure in houses varies from 2 or
4 oz. to 1 Ib. per sq.in., while rock pres-
sure, as recorded in wells in the Mc-
Donald and Oakdale oil and gas fields,
430
varies from 25 to 600 Ib. per square inch.
The term rock pressure, as used in
connection with oil or gas wells, signi-
fies the force which the confined gas ex-
erts in an effort to free itself. We have
no guarantee that the casing itself will
prevent the escape of gas, and even if it
did, the life of the casing will not, in all
probability, be equal to the life of the
well.
To determine the size of pillars that
may be depended upon, one must rely
on his own personal observation and
judgment. The following notes, however,
should be carefully considered: (A)
the thickness of the overlying strata; (B)
the nature of this strata; (C) the char-
acter of the bottom; (D) the thickness
and nature of the coal seam, whether
hard and compact or soft and brittle,
and (E) the inclination of the measures.
C. C. Mac. GREGOR.
408 Main St., Carnegie, Penn.
Narrow Work vs. Wide En-
tries—Relation to Operat-
ing Expense
I notice, in your issue of Dec. 23, page
354, a superintendent of mines, Marion,
Ill., is interested in the opinion given rel-
ative to the driving of wide and narrow
entries in mines; and the comparative
expense of paying more yardage and get-
ting less coal per yd. of narrow-work
driven, or having to bear the lasting ex-
pense caused by roof falls and the tim-
bering of wide entries, as long as the
mine is a mine. Of course, much de-
pends on the kind of roof you’ have to
support. Some roofs will not allow you
to drive anything but narrow entries.
I will state some facts that I have seen
proven beyond a doubt, in regard to this
matter. First, while top may be good at
the start, it often gives way later, some-
times even years after the time of driv-
ing the entry. The cause may be due to
a slight movement of the roof, owing to
the removal of the coal in the rooms
driven off the entry or the extraction of
the coal in nearby workings. In some
cases, there are peculiar roof conditions
and the overlying slate or stone seems to
give way suddenly from no apparent
cause whatever.
Under such conditions as these, if the
entries have been driven narrow, the ex-
pense of maintaining the entries is re-
duced to a minimum, as narrow-work al-
ways stands better than wide openings.
The Ohio-Valley coal seams are mostly
all hard and the roof and coal, alike, are
not badly affected by the action of air
and moisture. Crossbars can be put over-
head, in narrow entries, by hitching one
end of the bar into the coal straight and
making a sliding hitch for the other end.
This method when it can be used saves
much timber, as no legs, or only short
ones at the most, are required for timber
frames.
COAL AGE
Narrow-work also does away with the
heavy timbers that would be necessary on
wide entries in order to avoid the setting
of center posts in the entry, under the
collars. Center posts not only increase
the cost of timbering, but are dangerous
to drivers and persons who must travel
the entry. They are liable, also, to be
knocked out and cause a heavy fall of
roof in case a car jumps the track, which
is by no means an uncommon occurrence
in a mine.
My experience in overcoming a heav-
ing bottom by driving narrow entries when
opening a shaft mine, in a region new to
me, at Cleaton, Ky., in 1905, was valu-
able. I found on investigation that quite
a few of the mines in that region were
troubled with heaving bottom, which ne-
cessitated the continu.! lifting of bottom
on the roads and its removal from the
mine. This work, in that region, was ab-
solutely necessary.
It occurred to me that the difficulty
could probably be overcome by driving
only narrow entries with heavy entry
pillars and making the room-necks about
five times as deep as had been the custom
there. The result of adopting this system
was that I never had any heaving bot-
tom. It saved the company many thous-
ands of dollars. Another bad feature in
regard to heaving bottom on entries is
that it makes much mud in wet entries,
and if the entry is dry it causes quantities
of dust.
E. W. tieet.
Central City, Ky.
Danger Periods in Mines
Regarding your recent editorial about
“Danger Periods in Mines,” will say that
there are undoubtedly such periods both
in a general and specific sense, but I
cannot believe that seismic disturbances
are responsible for the occurrence of
mine explosions. It seems to me that
the problem is perplexing enough with-
out indulging in speculation as to whether
the Courriéres explosion caused the sub-
sequent Formosa earthquake or whether
the latter was responsible for the prior
disaster in France.
I believe the reason why mine explo-
sions, and especially dust explosions, are
as yet so imperfectly understood is largely
due to the fact that the laws governing
them have not been established. A mine
cannot be successfully ventilated unless
the laws relating to mine ventilation are
properly applied; neither can the dan-
ger from explosions be_ successfully
averted unless the underlying principles
regarding them are thoroughly known
and understood. It may be said that dust
explosions are erratic and subject to no
law, but it can be readily proved that this
is a mistake and that the occurrence and
action of these explosions are controlled
by well defined laws.
I do not know anything definite about
conditions in the Briceville mine, but I
January 6, 1912
am confident you will find when all the
facts are known that the mine was not
only well ventilated, but that draft facili-
ties in it were exceptionally good, highly
favoring what Mr. Hall terms “the ad-
vance (of air and dust) toward the cen-
ter of the disturbance.” According to
the brief statement in the Dec. 16 issue
of CoAL AGE it appears that the air shaft
was located in an ideal spot on the sum-
mit, nearly in the center of the mine;
the main entries for at least 4000 ft.
were exceptionally high (8 to 14 ft.);
while at least one other opening to the
surface besides the main entries and air
shaft is mentioned and probably others
exist leading either to the surface or into
adjacent mines. Furthermore, I think it
will be found that butt entries were
more or less connected by rooms being
driven through and that butt headings,
not connected with others or with the
surface or adjacent mines, will be found
the least affected by the explosion.
The facts regarding conditions in the
Briceville mine will also show that the
conclusions presented in my article on
“Towa Mine Explosions,” which you ex-
pect to publish in one of your January
issues, are fairly sound.
JOHN VERNER.
Chariton, Iowa.
[If Mr. Verner will read carefully
paragraphs 5 and 6 of the editorial
he will see that we have merely drawn
attention to the periodicity of both
these phenomena, and their clearly evi-
dent synchronism in numerous instances.
—EDITOoR. ]
Danger in Gassy Mines
For the benefit of some of the fwre-
bosses, I send you the following note
showing the danger that may be caused
by sudden fall of roof or open door in a
gassy mine.
Suppose, for example, there is a cur-
rent of 50,000 cu.ft. of air passing per
minute, in a certain section of a mine,
and the safety lamp shows % of one
per cent. of gas on the return current, in
this section. The quantity of gas given
off is then % (0.01 x 50,000) = 250
cu.ft. per min. Suppose now a door is
left open on the airway, so as to short-
circuit the most of the air-current; or
suppose a cave-in occurs on the main in-
take, so as to block the circulation and
reduce the current to, say 3000 cu.ft.
per min. This will render the return air-
current highly explosive, and only the
prompt and decisive action on the part
of the fireboss will avert a serious cat-
astrophe.
Red Ash, Va. A. T. WADE.
[The percentage of gas in the return
air would be, in this case,
250
= ° x 100 = 84 per cent.
3000
which is not far from the maximum ex-
plosive point.—Ep!Tor.]
January 6, 1912
COAL AGE
Coal Trade Reviews
Current Prices of Coal and Coke and Market Conditions in the Important Centers
General Review
The new year has opened with the coal
trade stronger than it has been at any
time during the present season. More
seasonable weather has appeared and
brought with it heavier domestic con-
sumption and a general improvement all
along the line.
The market in the East has been rather
quiet as a result of the holiday cessa-
tion of. the industrial plants. While
not active it has, however, been steady,
with heavy movements on contract, and
some demand for spot. The possibility
of a shut down next April is being al-
ready anticipated in some instances by
storing. Colder weather is reported
from the South but as yet not of suffi-
cient duration to effect conditions or
prices.
The middle West has experienced it’s
first heavy blizzard of the season and
there is a decided improvement in market
conditions there. This trade has been
on the verge of complete demoralization
and the drop in temperature has appre-
ciably strengthened the market, and
checked any further shrinking in prices.
Trade in the Rocky Mountain states
continues active and heavy tonnages
are being moved. On the Pacific Coast
the weather is mild and the market
heavy.
New York
Business has not been as active this
week as last. The market however, is
steady as contract movement continues
in excellent volume and although there is
only a limited spot demand the tonnage
noving on contract is sufficient to ab-
sorb the coal arriving at the piers with-
‘ut much delay. Railroad movement has
seen unusually prompt for this season of
‘i€ yeaf which has resulted in a good
supply of coal at the piers so that ship-
ders have been able to take care of their
obligations with less difficulty than has
often been experienced in the past, at
this season of the year.
Strike talk is beginning to have con-
siderable effect on consumers and ship-
Pers report that many of their customers
‘re cognizant of the possibility of labor
‘roubles in the spring and that those con-
Sumers who are in a position to stock
up in anticipation of a suspension in the
mining regions are making arrangements
‘0 store as much coal as is practicable.
Marine transportation is still short and
vessel freight rates are up.
Spot prices for steam coal f.o.b. New
York are unchanged from those reported
last week, West Virginias being quoted
at about $2.40; ordinary Pennsylvanias
$2.55@2.65; best grade Pennsylvanias
$2.80@2.90. No accumulations at the
piers of demurrage coal are reported.
Hampton Roads, Va.
The year closed at Hampton Roads un-
usually active in the coal business. Never
in the history of the port has there been
so great a tonnage put over the three
coal piers. In round figures it may be
reliably stated that ten million tons have
been dumped at Hampton Roads during
1911. Official figures place it at 9,981,-
431 tons, divided among the three rail-
roads as follows: Norfoik & Western, 4,-
393,353; Chesapeake & Ohio, 3,585,592;
Virginian, 2,002,486. The optimism does
not cease here, but it is predicted by those
in close touch with large interests in the
coal business that this figure will be
boosted to 15,000,000 tons within the
next three years. The exporting of coal
from this port has risen from the exper-
imental stage and is today a factor worthy
of serious consideration. The prospects
along this line for 1912 are unusually
bright.
Owing to the customary let-up in min-
ing in the New River Pocahontas fields
between Christmas and New Years, the
tonnage moving to tidewater is rather
light. Nevertheless, the heavy shipments
made in anticipation of the shut-down
during the holidays is arriving and is be-
ing promptly dumped. There is practically
no free coal at Hampton Roads this
week, but that on hand is more evenly
divided than it was last week. Prices
are firm, possibly the best they have
been throughout the year. Vessels appear
to be more plentiful and rates are some
easier.
Louisville, Ky.
This vicinity was visited by a belated
cold snap within the past few days and,
as a result, there is a better feeling
among the dealers. Retail business im-
proved, to an appreciable extent, al-
though the increased trade was not suffi-
cient to cause any change in the prices,
which have prevailed locally for about
three weeks. As it looks now, there
will be little change before March, when
*a drop will come.
In Louisville, and
throughout Kentucky and southern In-
diana the worst winter weather comes
usually after Jan. 1. As a rule, how-
ever, most of the coal is ordered in ad-
vance of the new year, at the prices pre-
vailing when the orders are given, and
this accounts for the quotations fluct-
uating but little during January, Febru-
ary and early March.
One dealer is queting Bannar lump
at $3.25 per ton of 2000 tb. New
River smokeless is quoted at $4.50 per
ton and Pocahontas smokeless at $4.75.
Reports from the mines are rather pes-
simistic, the producers insisting that the
demand is not nearly what it should be
at this time, and the prices hardly as
good as last year.
Nashville, Tenn.
There is practically no change in the
coal situation in this district. The usual
dullness prevailed ‘over the holidays,
which together with the spring weather,
made everything extremely quiet, although
there is a good demand for screenings,
which is always the case when orders are
slack on domestic lump.
Prices are unchanged, as most of the
shippers realize that cutting in order to
get business, accomplishes little. It does
not help moving the coal and has a tend-
ency to place prices back to a low level.
The strike situation for the coming
spring is being watched closely over
the nonunion field, for it takes just
such conditions as this every two years to
keep a great many of our mine opera-
tors from going into bankruptcy.
Prices as quoted by the majority of the
operators at present are as follows per
short ton: 2%4-in. lump, $1.50; nut, $1@
1.10; pea and slack, 30@35c.; mine-run,
90c.@$1.
Chicago
An upward trend is noticeable in the
Chicago market. A cold wave, accom-
panied by snow and a general cleaning
up of surplus stock, have tended to
strengthen the position of coal dealers
and to check the recent fall in prices.
A closing down of the Illinois mines
for several days also had its effect.
Smokeless coal, which was at 80 to 90c.
for mine-run, is now established on a
basis of $1, and higher prices are looked
for. Some observers predict that the
same. price for mine-run as is being ob-
tained in the East—$1.20—will soon be
secured. Lump and egg is firm at $1.75.
432
Prices direct from the mines in net
tons to retail dealers and steam users
on spot shipments are as follows:
Sullivan County Chicago F.0.b. Mines
Dom stic Jump.... $2.35@2.50 $1.50@1.65
IO sn nce o'eis 6s i806 2.30@2.40 1.45@1.55
Steam lump...... 2.10 . 1.25
Screenings........ 1.37@1.52 0.50@0.65
Springfield
Domestic lump.... 2.07@2.32 1.25@1.50
Steam Jump...... 1.92@1.97 1.10@1.15
Mine-run......... 1.82@1.87 1.00@1.05
Screenings........ 1.32@1.42 0 50@0.60
Clinton
Domestic lump.... 2.12@2.27 1.35@1.50
Steam lump...... 2.00@2.20 1.25@1.45
MESON... 05-00-00 1.82@2.02 1F.05@1.25
Screenings........ 1.42@1.52 0.65@0.75
Pocahontas and New River
Mine-run......... $2.95@3.05 $0.90@1 .00
Lump andegg’... 3.65@3.90 1.60@1.85
Coke—-Coke is quoted at: Connells-
ville, $4.500@4.65; Wise County, $4.50
4.65; byproduct, egg and stove, $4.95;
byproduct, nut, $4.55@ 4.65; gas house,
$4.85.
Minneapolis—St. Paul
The coal business this past week has
greatly improved over the previous weeks
of this month. The weather turned cold,
beginning on Christmas day, and has
beer hovering around the zero mark all
week, ending with a good old-time bliz-
zard. Abundant snow has fallen and has
changed the Indian summer into real win-
ter. Better sleighing could not be wished
for. Wholesalers claim that the reason
domestic trade from the country has been
so slow this month is due to the fact that
the dealer has been well stocked up, and,
that the farmer has not been able to haul
any coal home with him on his return
from town, owing to the bad condition of
the roads.
During the last week in December the
average maintained was as much as any
week during the record-breaking month
of November. This
weather was largely responsible for the
heavy movement into the country during
that month. It is quite probable that the
final figures will show that the tonnage
for December, 1911, will be greater than
for the same month in 1910, although the
shipments will be less than for Novem-
ber. Dock men report that about 40,000
carloads of coal were removed from the
head of the Lakes last month, and it is
not probable that the December shipments
will’ exceed 30.000 carloads. From now
on till spring the market in this territory
will be a weather proposition.
Prices on mostly all grades of coal
have stiffened up and with continued fa-
vorable weather there is no reason why
list prices should not prevail. Youghio-
gheny dock screenings are scarce, only’
two or three docks reporting any supply.
Illinois prices are a great deal better
than formerly. The dealer trade in the
Twin Cities is reported as good and re-
tailers are rushing out all orders while
the sleighing is favorable, as teams are
not any too plentiful.
indicates that the-
COAL AGE
The new briquetting plant of the Ber-
wind Fuel Co., at the head of the Lakes,
will soon be in operation and shipping
briquets. They are also building an ex-
tension to their dock, which will give it a
storage capacity equal to any of the
other docks.
St. Louis, Mo.
With the first of the year came a
change for the better in St. Louis prices.
As a matter of fact, the demand has been
considerably better than several antici-
pated, both for the city and country. A
great many of the stocks that were run
down are being replenished, and factory
stocks that were slim, on account of the
year-end inventory, are being laid in to
the fullest capacity.
However, with this increased demand
prices are not what they should be un-
der present conditions. Two years ago
this time, with the threatened strike, lump
coal of Carterville grade sold for $2 per
ton.
The chances are, however, that from
this time on the coal market will continue
to improve unless abnormal conditions
set in
rather open and predictions are that from
now on the weather will be more severe,
and this, of course, will stimulate the
demand. St. Louis prices are:
Franklin County
.40@1.50
BAIN ORO WE god 6 65sec $1
SES ener 1.25@1.35
bike) a On ean te ares 1.20@1.30
RUE MMME S555 5 (Stas 1e55s pico aie ies 1.05@1.15
DAN, POPOOMINGY., 6.5 os eis sects 0.65@0.75
Carterville
Biro V2: 2 eae $1.25@1.35
RN Meh ot G Sci o!e vis aio bree 1.15@1.20
OEE a ee ena aree 1.05@1.10
Eg RR Se rena eer nee ere ee 0.90@0.95
LT eo eee 0.60@0.65
NURSERIES cece iG aisSis's @ wis Ses are ais 0.95@1.00
rhs er MMR 5 wana! soca. s 523 0.5078 1.60@1.75
CLOSE 2 a a meee ee 1.30@1.40
ES ES a ean eee eee 1.20@1.39
BO St oe a h.k 6s ucwiia eng. cecaues 0.80@0.85
BND; PTE eis nie! save gi e'sinisio at 0.40@0,.45
Standard
Wea iS La ... $0.985@1.00
BRERA ONNENEEND <a 5 ac, bis 9.4 aisia-oncee 0.90@0.95
ee MINN aig ooo sisiein Wal siacaige'e 0.80@0.85
OS DS i a ee 0.70@0.75
OS aera Srna se 0.60@0.65
SR INII 5 56.6 5 25's sls sce ier ere 0.40@0.45
Mt. Olive
MR MNINES se 673.0 cso s:rrecoa aisle wate $1.35
ONS Seen nese 1.25
INNIS 8h hcl gh ie atasale. WOR 1.00
a), ee etna eer yaar. $0.85@0.90
BE NG sone d oa G oo oe oceisienues . 0.75@0.80
There are no other coals coming into
the market from the Illinois field, with
the exception of Big Muddy, which is
strong at $2.20 for 6-in. lump. High-
grade coals from the inner district, such
as Trenton, etc., are in good demand at
about $2 per ton. Since the first of the
year there has been a fair demand for
anthracite of all sizes, principally chest-
nut, at the current circular.
There is also an increased demand for
smokeless, which retails lump and egg at
$6, f.o.b. bins, St. Louis. A fairly good
volume of byproduct and gas-house coke
is moving at $4.75 for the byproduct and
$465 for gas house.
The winter thus far has been -
January 6, 1912
Spokane, Wash.
The prices for coal in Spokane and
the surrounding territory have remained
unchanged during the past week, and al!
indications are that there will not be any
material changes until spring. The prices
for the week ending Dec. 27 are as fol-
lows:
Kind Wholesale Retail
WRB SOTHIGS. «<< 5s .6s 55. bh oiare $7.20 q
MTC So neces. 5 oie) aheig arate 7.20 =
err ecrers es 7.20 9.00
NUMRIIMN soi ni05. cine YotscveracNviel Gea leke es 6.70 8.50
SE eer 6.35 8.25
MROGIGR SECA. 4.6 o:5:65:60% 005:0.0 5.25 6.25
Canadian steam.............. 5.25 6.25
The cold snap, which has been prev-
alent for the last week, is drawing on
the supply of coal in the local yards, but
the supply is being continually replen-
ished by shipments from the Canadian
mines, and is equal to any demand that
might come.
Portland, Ore.
Christmas trade was fine in all lines
excepting fuel and the reason for the
poor fuel trade was mild weather. Coal
dealers look for no great volume of bus-
iness until colder weather sets in. Jan-
uary, February and March are the cold-
est months in this territory. It is ex-
pected, however, that if cold waves sweep
over the country for a couple of weeks
during these months the rush for fuel
will be so heavy that it will be difficult
to fill orders promptly. The mild weather,
while not making a heavy demand on the
fuel stocks, has a tendency to make
people forget that colder weather may
follow and if it comes suddenly many
will find their supplies short. A large
number live here as in many of the
larger cities, from a paper bag.
Foreign Markets
GREAT BRITAIN
The labor outlook is regarded with
much anxiety in view of the ballot of
members of the Miners’ Federation, of
Great Britain, to be taken about Jan. 10.
If further efforts to effect a settlement
prove abortive and the result of the bal-
lot is favorable to a strike, the men are
to come out at the beginning of March,
provided they observe their contracts and
give one month’s notice.
With the Xmas holidays at hand, the
market is very quiet. Quotatlons are ap-
proximately as follows:
Best Welsh steam coal............0....- ¥t.20
RRRPER Re cc ova co cart ot pak ara era Gvalar onsen 4.02
NINN Sa a. Ge Aas SaaS oiais ee Rte A arelelens 3.78
PE Pe OE, kn... Sse eae nk es OOS COS 4.02
Best Monmouthshire........ bias aleve ansvecie ye .-o
OS RRR eae ere mien aren ier. Cerner eer .60
Best Cardiff small coal...... Bieta shah cracls 3.16
a eco hen AR A 1.92
The above prices for Cardiff coal are
all f.o.b. Cardiff, Penarth or Barry, while
those for Monmouthshire descriptions are
f.o.b. Newport, both exclusive of wharf-
age and for cash in 30 days, less 2' per
cent. discount.
January 6, 1912
COAL AGE
Coal and Coke News
From Our Own Representatives in Various Important Mining Centers, Affecting the Coal Industry
Washington, D. C.
An important joint meeting of the
American Economic Association and the
American Association for Labor Legisla-
tion was held here on Dec. 30, 1911,
during sessions of the conventions of the
two bodies. The U. S. Bureau of Mines
had prepared an exhibit of mine rescue
apparatus containing the familiar equip-
ment usually on view at the Bureau of
Mines itself and this was available for
the inspection of the members and guests.
Secretary Fisher opened the meeting
with a general discussion of the condi-
tions under which the Bureau of Mines
has been organized and the work it is at-
tempting to do. He outlined the policy of
the United States with respect to mining
and the safety of miners in substantially
the same way that he has on former oc-
casions. Ex-President John Mitchell of
the United Mine Workers who had been
expected, was unfortunately detained
away so that his address was not pre-
sented.
DISEASES OF THE MINE
Dr. S. C. Hotchkiss discussed the
general subject of occupational diseases,
gave the results of work he has been
doing for the Bureau of Mines on that
topic, and reviewed such questions as
diseases of the lungs due to damp and
cold, and diseases like the hook-worm
malady due to the presence in the soil of
parasites which are probably propagated
by faulty methods of disposing of excreta,
etc. He then turned to the question of
preventing such diseases and showed
what had been done in Europe and what
might be done here.
Dr. Holmes gave an interesting outline
of the work of the Bureau of Mines
and pointed out the particulars in which
there should be an extension of activity.
He said that the Bureau of Mines has
been in existence one and one-half years.
During that time its most important work
has related to the causes and prevention
of coal-mine disasters. This work con-
cerns some 30,000 coal-mine officials, and
more than 700,000 coal-mine workers, the
majority of these latter being unfamiliar
with the language, the laws, the institu-
- tions, or the policies of this country.
AN INTERSTATE MINING CoMMISSION
Dr. John H. Haynes, of Los Angeles,
in his address, urged the establishment
of an Interstate Mining Commission with
Power to enact and enforce regulations
for the protection of the 700,000 coal
miners now working in the privately
owned coal mines of the United States,
and to have direct charge of the coal
lands owned by the nation, whether oper-
ated by the government or under private
lease.
He showed that the national regulation
in European coal mines had enormously
reduced the percentages of fatalities in
the last 18 years: in Prussia from 2.54
deaths annually per 1000 miners em-
ployed, to 1.94; in Great Britain from
1.49 to 1.29; in France, from 1.07 to
0.84; in Belgium, from 1.40 to 0.94;
while under state regulation in the
United States during the same period,
the rate has steadily increased from 2.67
in 1895 to 4.86 in 1907.
The death rate in the several states, too,
has varied all the way from 2.25, the
average rate in Illinois for a term of
years, to the frightful figures in the case
of ‘Colorado for the year 1907, when 21
out of every 1000 miners lost their lives
in the single year, more than 20 times
the rate of fatality for Belgium or France.
STATE VS. FEDERAL CONTROL
Continuing, Dr. Haynes said that the
national government has saved the lives
of thousands of railroad employees by
enforcing the use of automatic couplers
and other safety appliances; why should
it not protect the lives of coai miners by
enforcing in the case of mines producing
coal for interstate markets such regu-
lations as have been proven efficient in
the saving of life? State regulation has
failed wofully in the past; and it is al-
together unlikely that it will improve in
the future, for the following reasons: 1.
Each state fears to impose regulations
upon its own coal operators more burden-
some than those to which their com-
petitors in other states selling to com-
mon markets are subjected. 2. Each in-
dividual state cannot for itself make the
scientific investigations, or maintain a
body of experts, of the efficiency easily
attainable by the national government. 3.
State ‘inspectors owing to political in-
fluences are notoriously less efficient than
federal inspectors.
According to Dr. Haynes three Eu-
ropean experts, invited by our national
government to inspect our mines, agree
that American mining, now so fatal, can
be made as safe as any in the world, and
at a small increase, if any, in the
cost of production. Even if the last state-
ment is called in question by coal pro-
ducers, no broad minded and humane
operator will object to efficient safety
regulations, provided, of course, they
shall apply equally to all of his com-
petitors, including those of other states;
so that the increased cost of production,
if any, can be charged up to. the general
cost and added with other expenditures
to the sales price.
Alabama
Birmingham.—The Pratt Consolidated
Coal Co., with headquarters in Birming-
ham, will open an office in Mobile about
Jan. 1. This company is one of the
largest coal companies operating in the
South, owning its mines and having a ca-
pacity of 10,000 to 12,000 tons a day.
Offices have just been opened in Pensa-
cola, Fla., also. The purpose of the
establishment of these two branch offices
is to develop the bunker and export coal
business. The step is regarded as sig-
nificant of the bearing that the opening
of the Isthmian Canal is expected to have
on the Alabama coal trade.
It is the genera! understanding that the
underwriting of $2,600,000 of the pro-
posed bond issue for the merged Ala-
bama Coal & Iron Co. and Southern Iron
& Steel Co., has been definitely. arranged
for, and that the way is now compara-
tively clear for the early announcement
that the merger and reorganization plan
is in effect. This will probably come
when Cecil Greenfell returns from Eng-
land.
Colorado
Denver—A plan to unionize the
200,000 miners of Mexico was consid-
ered by the executive committee of thc
Western Federation of Miners which met
here Jan. 4.
If the state land board incorporates a
clause in its coal leases that was dis-
cussed recently and probably wiil: be
adopted, all danger of any combination
of coal operators controlling the price of
coal in the state will be forever done
away with, for the clause will provide
that the lessee shall sell all coal mined
from state land at a certain price. With
thousands of acres of coal still in pos-
session of the land board, this clause will
be sufficient to regulate the price of coal
in every industrial center in Colorado.
Walsenburg.—The reports that a
strike is imminent in the southern coal
district are branded as being absolutely
434
false by B. P. Manley, of the Colorado
Fuel & Iron Co. in a recent interview.
Central City—The coal dealers of Cen-
tral City and Black Hawk are unable to
get any coal from the Routt County
fields, claiming that the Colorado &
Southern R.R. will not bring up coal de-
livered to it by the Moffat road. Sev-
eral cars have been turned over to the
Colorado & Southern road, but that road
has ordered them returned.
Illinois
Springfield—Turning out 4,200 tons
of coal a day, a force of 500 miners em-
ployed in mine No. 3 of the Superior
Coal Co. at Bend, is straining every
minute of the day to maintain that aver-
age and beat the record of a same
amount for 1314 days held by miners of
the Livingston mine at Livingston. The
record established by the Livingston
miners was made recently when for 13%
days the output of the mine averaged
4,200 tons a day. The Superior mine is
one of the best equipped in the state and
the miners are confident of being able to
beat the record.
Returns from the recent state election
of the Illinois Mine Workers indicate
that John Walker of Danville has been
returned to the presidency of the or-
ganization by a large majority over
Groce Lawrence of Herrin and Joseph
Pope of Bellville.
The new coal washer which the Chi-
cago, Williamson & Vermilion Coal Co.
has been building at Thayer is now com-
pleted and will soon be put in operation.
Peoria—The state mine inspector has
strongly advocated a yearly service for
the Fulton County mine inspector, be-
cause of the extent to which coal in-
terests in this county have developed.
Belleville-—Work has been resumed by,
the Star Coal & Mining Co. and the St.
Clair Coal & Mining Co., which operate
mines south of Belleville. Both mines
will employ a full force of men.
Edwardsville.—Parties whose identity
has been concealed have been making
large purchases of coal lands northeast
of Edwardsville. Recently options on
2300 acres in Olive Township, Madison
County, were closed. All the land lies at
the junction of the Illinois Central and
Chicago & Eastern Illinois tracks.
Indiana
Terre Haute.—Attorneys of the coun-
ties within the Indiana coal field have de-
cided to appeal to the United States Su-
preme Court from a decision of the In-
diana Supreme Court which held that the
law imposing a tax on unmined coal is
invalid.
COAL AGE
The Indiana Coal & Land Co. recently
filed options on about 500 acres of land
in Otter Creek township. The price to
be paid is $50 an acre if the options are
followed by purchase of the coal rights. .
Indianapolis.—In an effort to obtain a
reduction in the price of anthracite coal,
J. V. Zartman, secretary of the Indiana
Manufacturers’ and Shippers’ Association,
has authorized Alexander G. Cavins, at-
torney for the association, to file a peti-
tion with the interstate commerce com-
mission attacking the freight rate on an-
thracite shipped from the Pennsylvania
field to Indianapolis.
Brazil—tThe American Coal Co. with
headquarters in Brazil, has been buying
land and taking options in the vicinity of
Bicknell through its representative, Dr.
Asbury of Clay City, until now it controls
nearly everything between that city and
the Baltimore & Ohio Southwestern R.R.
at Wheatland. Most of this distance of
about eight miles has been leased, but
under some of the farms the coal has
been purchased outright. As fast as the
options expire they are renewed. The
coal company will begin sinking a shaft
on these lands early in the spring.
Kansas
Mineral.—It is rumored, from a reli-
able source, that the Mayer Coal Co. has
purchased 120 surface acres and 200
acres of coal in what is known as the
Wisewell tract a half mile northwest of
town and near Mayer shaft No. 6. It
is said the money consideration was
$32,000.
Kentucky
Whitesburg.—It is given out in rail-
road circles that the Chesapeake & Ohio
has completed arrangements for the
early construction of a 25-mile branch
line of road from Harold, on the main
line of the C. & O., up Beaver Creek to
the border of Letcher and Knott coun-
ties, to tap a rich coal and timber dis-
trict owned by the Consolidation Coal
Co., the Beaver Creek Coal Co. and the
Northern Coal & Coke Co.
Sebree.—The sale of the mining prop-
erty and coal rights of the Southern Coal
& Transportation Co. at Robards was
held by the Master Commissioner of
Henderson County on Jan. 1. The coal
and coal rights under 85.46 acres in Web-
ster County and the surface coal and
mineral rights under 64 acres in Hen-
derson County and the coal and mining
rights only under 7796 acres in Hender-
son County were sold.
The Kentucky River Consolidated Coal
Co., composed of eastern capitalists, own-
ing some 50,000 acres of choice coal and
timber lands in southern Letcher and
Perry Counties, along the line of the
January 6, 1912
Lexington & Eastern R.R., makes the an-
nouncement that it will soon take steps
looking to the development of the prop-,
erty.:: It will .be necessary to:build spurs
out from the Lexington & Eastern R.R.
to reach the property.
Barbourville——The Harlan Town Coal
Co., which is preparing to operate a mine
on its property about a mile east of
Harlan, in Harlan County, will soon have
a town of its own in Kelly Bottoms.
Many houses are already completed and
others are going up or are contracted for.
Harriman.—The Harriman & Morgan
R.R. Co., recently chartered, has elected
officers as follows: C. E. Hendrick, presi-
dent; J. N. Baker, vice-president; Robt.
B. Cassel, secretary and treasurer.. In-
dications are that this road is to be built
north from this city and will tap new and
rich coal fields in the Lone Mountain and
Brimstone Mountain sections of Mor-
gan and Scott Counties. It is backed by
the same interests that have constructed
the Harriman, Knoxville & Eastern from
here to Oliver Springs.
Missouri
St. Louis—-The supreme court of Mis-
souri has just handed down a decision
which is of far more than local interest.
When Gov. Hadley was attorney general
of the state he instituted suit against the
Missouri Pacific R.R. for violating that
section of the state constitution which
forbids a corporation from engaging in
business other than that expressly
authorized in its charter. Now Mis-
souri’s highest judicial tribunal decides
that a railroad has a legal right to own
coal mines or stock in coal mining com-
panies, for the reason that “coal is nec-
essary in the operation of trains.” The
court adds that “no one could contend
for a moment that a railroad cannot buy
a mine and dig its own fuel supply.”
Moberly.—It is reported that Mine No.
11 of the Northern Central Coal Co. at
Higbee, that some time ago sustained a
great loss by fire will again be ready for
operation in a month’s time.
Ohio
Columbus.—Charges of discrimination
in coal carrying rates were made Dec. 26
to the Ohio Public Service Commission
by the Central Ohio Operators’ Associa-
tion against the Baltimore & Ohio and the
Pennsylvania railroads. The association
alleges that the tariffs of those roads for
coal carrying from the Tuscarawas dis-
trict are unjustly discriminatory and asks
that the commission investigate at once
and compel a readjustment.
Suit to foreclose a blanket mortgage
for $834,500, given in July, 1901, was
brought in the United States court Dec.
27 by the Bankers’ Trust Company of
January 6, 1912
New York against the Pittsburg, Wheel-
ing & Lake Erie Coal Co., the Wheeling
and Lake Erie Coal Mining ''Co. ' and™
M. A. Hanna & Co., consisting of Dan R.
Hanna, Robert L. Ireland and Matthew
Andrews of Cleveland. The mortgage
was given on 16,000 acres of Jefferson
County coal lands and $200,000 was to
have been paid by July, 1911. The
Bankers’ Trust Company asks that the
Jefferson County property be disposed
of to satisfy its claim.
Cincinnati—The American Briquetting
Co., which is a $1,250,000 Arizona cor-
poration, was organized at Dayton, Ohio,
recently, with C. L. McCrea, of that city,
president and Thomas R. Morgan, of the
Pocahontas Coal Co. here, as vice-presi-
dent. The company will convert the lig-
nite deposits of North Dakota into fuel
briquettes at a plant to be built at New
Salem, N. D. H. H. Hayes, the loca!
representative, says that the company
can produce the briquettes at $3.50 a
ton at the mines, and will cut the retail
price of coal in half in the Northwest.
Wellston—An excellent grade of No.
2 coal, 3% ft. thick, has been discovered
on the Kessler farm, near Hawkes
Bridge, east of here. A favorable report
having been received from the chemist
to whom the samples were sent for analy-
sis a shaft will be sunk to the coal, with
a view to placing it on the market.
Pennsylvania
(BITUMINOUS)
Bellefonte-——The coal mining , opera-
tion of Atherton & Barnes, at One Mile
Run, one of the most important in that
section, has resumed work after a pro-
longed idleness. Upward of 150 men
are again given employment.
Altoona.—Supreme Court Justice
Bijur of New York has vacated an in-
junction obtained by the James Kerr Se-
curities Co., holder of $500,000 bonds of
the Pennsylvania Coal & Coke Co., to
restrain the reorganization committee
from executing a lease of the company’s
coal lands.
Indiana.—Development of the Brush-
valley field which runs along the Black-
lick near Josephine does not now seem
as near at hand as it did a short time ago.
Upward of $30,000 have been expended
during the past year in drilling and pros-
Pecting and the tests have proved the
coal to be some of the best in Indiana
County. The sudden halting of proceed-
ings is causing much comment, but sev-
eral of the owners of the land, take the
matter optimistically and fully expect
final developments within a short time.
California—Three men were burned
to death in a poolroom and rooming
house, at Daisytown, a mining hamlet,
near here at midnight, Dec. 29. The men
COAL AGE
were employed by the Monongahela
River Consolidated Coal and Coke Co.,
at Daisytown.
Latrobe.—Two miners are dead and
four persons injured as the result of a
dynamite explosion in a miners’ board-
ing house near New Derry, Dec. 25.
One miner, was blown to atoms. The ex-
plosion shook the town and was heard
for several miles.
ANTHRACITE
Scranton.—Reduced freight rates on
coal from the mines to points in New
York state are scheduled to go into ef-
fect Jan. 20 on the Lehigh Valley, Phila-
delphia and Reading, and Delaware,
Lackawanna & Western. Rates were re-
duced on the New York, Ontario and
Western, Dec. 15, 1911.
Wilkesbarre.—For fear of damaging
the county court house and the resi-
dences along the banks of the Susque-
hanna River, Mayor John V. Kosek has
vetoed a bill introduced in Council to
sell the coal underlying the river com-
mon.
Employees of the Hadleigh colliery of
the Pittston Coal Co., at Sugar Notch,
went on strike recently because they were
paid by check instead of in money.
Sugar Notch has no bank and the checks
caused the men considerable incon-
venience.
Pottsville——The drainage tunnel which
was begun nearly three years ago by the
Lehigh Coal and Navigation Co., at a
point a short distance above Nesquehon-
ing Junction, and has been driven from
there in a southwesterly direction, will
soon reach No. 1 shaft above Nesquehon-
ing, four miles from the beginning. Two
sets of men are working toward each
other, one from the entrance and the
other from No. 1 shaft, and it is said that
they are now only about 800 ft. apart.
Shamokin.—Preparations are now un-
der way by the Philadelphia and Read-
ing Coal Co. for driving a tunnel to cut
the rich Buck. Mountain vein, at the
“Horseshoe” curve, near Glen Carbon.
The Reading company has_ extensive
coal operations all through that valley
and the vein has been proven and fol-
lowed for several miles east, along the
Broad Mountain, showing a profitable
thickness. The mammoth vein is to be
worked from this locality as far as Frack-
ville, a distance of eight miles.
Tennessee
Knoxville—The regular monthly meet-
ing of the Southern Appalachian Coal
Operators Association was held Dec. 22.
A feature of the meeting was a paper
and discussion on workmen’s compensa-
tion for accidents. The actions of cer-
tain law firms in connection with the re-
cent Briceville disaster were vigorously
denounced.
Texas
Strawn—aAfter a suspension of work
for nearly six months, the Mt. Marion
Coal Mining Company has _ resumed
work.
Utah
Salt Lake City—The Elk Coal Co., a Car-
bon County concern, which recently
went into the hands of assignees, wiil
probably be reorganized, according to an
announcement made by the stockholders’
committee, which has been investigating
the company’s affairs. The raising of
$300,000 is contemplated to satisfy cer-
tain claims, and of this about $100,000
has been secured. The property is esti-
mated to be worth several times the
amount of the indebtedness. George
Buckley, E. A. Lesser and L. Walker form
the committee, which is looking after the
interests of the stockholders.
Virginia
Bristol—The Virginia -Iron, Coal &
Coke Co., which has two large plants in
Bristol, has made the largest coal con-
tract ever made by a southern mining
company. It has contracted to furnish
the Boston & Maine R.R. with 66 cars of
coal per day, for a period of five years.
The amount involved is in excess of
$9,000,000. Under the terms of the con-
tract the coal is to be delivered to the
tracks of the Boston & Maine R.R. in the
city of Boston. The coal will be mined
in what is known as the Toms Creek
mines of southwest Virginia and will be
shipped out over the Virginia & South-
western and Norfolk & Western. This
coal has heretofore been supplied from
western Pennsylvania.
——
—
West Virginia
Morgantown.—The entire 200 ovens
belonging te the Preston County Coke
Company at Cascade are now in blast
and the plant is working at full capacity.
One hundred of the ovens have been
fired during the past two months and be-
tween 300 and 500 men are now given
employment.
There has been little change in the
operations of the Elkins Coal & Coke
Co. since No. 6 mine was opened.
Wheeling.—Ejectment proceedings in-
volving more than 1000 acres of coal
land in Webster and Randolph Counties
recently came up before the United
States circuit court of appeals. The Up-
per Elk Coal Co. and Christian Seybold
both claim to own the property. }
Weston.—Dr. D. P. Kessler is having
a coal tipple built at his mines at Arcola
and is making preparation to ship coal
at an early date.
436
Canada
Montreal—The Dominion Coal Co.
predicts a big increase in the output for
1912. Mr. Alexander Dick, the general
sales agent says: “If everything turns
out as we expect during the season of
1912, we will have a record-breaker, as
the output will not be less than 4,000,000
tons, or a half million in excess of this
year’s figures.” He also reports an im-
proved situation at Springhill, where the
output is between 30,000 to 35,000 tons
a month, or around 400,000 tons a year.
Twenty-seven independent coal-mine
operators of Alberta and eastern British
Columbia voluntarily increased the wages
of their workmen by 8 per cent., on Dec.
21, thus bringing the scale up to that of
the mines employing union labor.
England
London.—The miners’ federation has
decided to take a vote on the question of
national stoppage of the work in the
mines, based on the question of a mini-
mum wage. If a two-thirds majority” of
the members of the federation vote to
stop work, the strike will be ordered for
the end of February.
Another evidence of the labor unrest
in the United Kingdom was manifested
recently when 200 colliers, employed in
the mines at Treorchy, Wales, went out
on strike as a protest against the em-
ployment of non-union labor.
Personals
Frederick Gillmore, until recently with
the Gulf Transit Co., has been given
charge of the new branch office of the
Pratt Consolidated Coal Co. at Pensa-
cola, Fla.
C. M. Riker, formerly manager of the
West Kentucky Coal Co. has been ap-
pointed assistant to W. B. Kennedy,
presicent of the Nortonville Coal Co. at
Nortonville, Ky.
Bart Murphy, for 20 years in the em-
ploy of the H. C. Frick Coke Co. and for
a number of years foreman at the Stand-
. ard shaft, has accepted the position of
genera! inspector for all the mines of the
Rainey Coal & Coke Co.
John Randolph Haynes of Los An-
geles was recently appointed special com-
missioner, representing California, by
Governor Johnson, for the purpose of in-
vestigating coal mines, and especially
coal mine accidents throughout the
United States. The commission issued
by the Governor will furnish a sufficient
entrée for Mr. Haynes in carrying on
his investigations, and he will prepare a
detailed report on the subject.
A committee of prominent mining and
electrical engineers, which has been en-
gaged in studying mining conditions in
COAL AGE
England, Germany and other countries,
conferred recently with the officials of the
Bureau of Mines, at Washington, D. C.
Members of the committee are George S.
Rice, chief mining engineer of the Bu-
reau of Mines; Erskine Ramsay, of the
Pratt Consolidated Coal Co., of Birming-
ham, Ala.; A. B. Jessup, of the Lehigh
Valley Coal Co., of Wilkes-Barre, Penn.;
HK. M. Warren, of the Delaware, Lacka-
wanna & Western R.R. Co., of Scranton,
Penn.; G. B. Hadesty, of the Philadelphia
& Reading Coal & Iron Co., of Pottsville,
Penn., and John Bart, of the Berwind-
White Coal Co., of Windber, Pennsyi-
vania. .
=
Obituary
George M. Davis, aged 67, one of the
best known coal men in western Ken-
tucky, died, recently, at his home, in
Madisonville. Mr. Davis was manager
of the St. Bernard mines, at Morton’s
Gap.
Capt. Levi Rinehart Doty, aged 64, for
many years one of the best known men
in Columbus, Ohio, died recently in Chi-
cago, where he has been locaied for the
past year. Capt. Doty was engaged in
the coal business for nearly a third o7 a
century. He served as president ot the
former New England Coal Co. and of the
Northern Fuel Co., and also for a time as
vice-president of the Pittsburg Coal Co.
He was president of the National Tripoli
Co. When he left the coal business, he
became associated with the Ralston Steel
Car Co. and for a year has been inter-
ested in the manufacture of cars at
Chicago.
laideeaal Notes
Announcement is made of the organi-
zation of the Bonnyman-Norman Coal &
Iron Co., of Birmingham; James Bonny-
man, president; James A. Norman, vice-
president; A. H. Andrews, secretary. The
new company will be the sales.agent for
the Brookside-Pratt Mining Co., and will
handle coal and coke, and other industrial
products in which the officers of the con-
cern are interested.
The Ridgway Dynamo & Engine Co.,
Ridgway, Penn., announces the opening
on Jan. 1, 1912, of a new district office
in Room No. 1417, Oliver Building, Pitts-
burg. This move has been made in order
that the company may better serve its
many friends in the district and to facili-
tate the handling of its various well
known lines of steam engines and elec-
trical apparatus. J. F. Rodgers, who is
a native of Pittsburg, and enjoys a wide
acquaintance among the mine, mill and
manufacturing interests of the city and
vicinity, has been secured as local man-
ager. Mr. Rodgers will be glad to wel-
come his friends and all friends of the
Ridgway Dynamo & Engine Co. at its
new office and to render any possible ser-
vice on its behalf.
January 6, 1912
New Publications
FOURTEENTH ANNUAL REPORT OF LABOR
STATISTICS FOR THE STATE OF ViR-
GINIA, 1911. 193 pp., 6x9%4 in. Pub-
lic Printer, Richmond, Va.
Coal and ¢@oke production statistics are
accorded three pages.
TECHNOLOGY AND INDUSTRIAL EFFICIENCY.
Proceedings of the Congress of
Technology, 1911. 486 pp., 614x913
in., illustrated. $3. McGraw-Hill
Book Co., New York.
Some 70 pages are included in this vol-
ume and in all form a valuable and upto-
date record of the present state of in-
dustrial science as well as a presentation
of some of its problems and their prob-
able solutions. The six sections into
which the congress was divided are repre-
sented by papers on: “Scientific Investi-
gation and Control of Industrial Pro-
cesses,” “Technological Education in its
Relations to Industrial Development,”
“Administration and Management,” “Re-
cent Industrial Development,” “Public
Health and Sanitation,” “Architecture.”
ELECTRICAL ACCIDENTS IN MINES. THEIR
CAUSES AND PREVENTION. Miners
Circular 5. By H. H. Clark, W. D.
Roberts, L. C. Ilsley and H. F.
Randoiph, 3 illustrations, 16 pp.,
octavo. Government Printing Office,
Washington, 1911. Free on request.
It is a pleasure to commend this little
booklet on the avoiding of electric shock
and on the rescue work in connection
therewith because we are sure that of all
the people who have read and will read
it, the authors will be the least appre-
ciative. It is a book such as no tech-
nical men, immersed in advanced studies
desire to write, but which they o..ly un-
dertake because they know that suct
books are needed by a public which can-
not study and know the subject in a tech-
nical way. The authors are to be con-
gratulated on the simplicity of tneir lang-
uage, on their selection of essentials and
on the: fact that they have managed to
write down a lot of practical information
in a manner that will rot fail to be of
value to every miner or tnine official who
may read it. The booklet is for free dis-
tribution on request.
=
Tesle ‘Publications
Hyatt Roller Bearing Co., Newark,
N. J. Catalog, Section No. 604D, Hyatt
Roller Bearings as Applied to Mine and
Industrial Cars. i6 pp., 7x10 in.; illus-
trated.
The Goulds Manufacturing Co., Seneca
Falls, N. Y. Bulletin 107, Deep-Well
Triplex Pumps. 12 pp., 734x10 in., illus-
trated.
Bulletin No. 108, Deep-Well Working
Heads. 12 pp., 734x10 in., illustrated.
Bulletin No. 109, Pumps for Special
Services. 20 pp., 734x10 in., illustrated.
I
