The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1866-03-10
Coal Facts.

All our anthracite coal, with the ex-
ception of a little produced in Rhode
Island comes from Pennsylvania. Ac-
corCing to the census of 1860, Pennsyl-
vania returned that year 176 establish
ments, with capital, of Sl3, $50, go, ut a
cost of 81 ,637, sos for raw material, (thts
representing, we presume, the royalty
ofthe owners of the mines, employing
%. .l26 hands, paying annually s., SOB, l24
for labor, and producing S,ll4,S42 tons,
valued Mt Sll ,S69.574. This sum repre-
sents the low prices which then prevail
ed, and indicates the value atthe mines
before any charges for transportation,
or any of the other items which swell
the bills are added. In bituminouS coal
there is more competition.
In 1860, 1874 Pennsylvania establish
ments, with All invested capital OF 81
72l, $50, employing 1851 hands at an an
nual cost of 81, 7l0, 81, produced 6T,269,-
GO bushels. or ., $50, 706 tons of bitumi-
nous coal, valued at g, SIT, SO. This was
more than one.third the product of the
whole Union, which- was l55, ,425,O 900
bushels, or 6,21S, ,0S0 tons, valued at SS,-
1868, ,O63. The product OF Ohio was val
ued at 81, ,65S. .553; of Illinois, at 81 2S5,-
SOL; of Virginia, at $Igs, l2si OF ken
tucky, Maryland and Tennessee eachi
5at nearly $500, 600; md small returns
were also made from Rhode Island,
Indiana, Michigan, Iowa, Missouri,
Georgia, Alabama, Arkansas, and
Washington Territory. The yield OF
Pennsylyania in both kinds of coal was
N .O4o.554 tons, valued at SIS, ,0Sl $40
while the product of the whole country
of all the mines distributed throughout
sixteen States and Territories, was H.
577. Gas tons, valued, at the mines, at
so, ,579, ,S29.
in 1858 was estimated at 65, ,0Oo, 600, or
nearly five times as great as the pro-
duct of Pennsylvania, but the produe-
ton in Pennsylvania is only impartiaI-
ly developed.
The anthracite coal regions of Penn
sylyania are estimated 10 embrace an
area OF 4S7 square miles. Ihey are
divided into three general divisions :;
the northern or Wyoming. region,
embracing the districts of Shickshlnny,
Wilkesbarre, Newport, Pittston, Lack
awanna and Carbondale, and an
estimated area of 40 square miles, or
76. sos acres; the middle region, extend
ing from Shamokin to the Lehlgh,
containing an area of lis square miles,
or T3, ,OO9 acres, and embracing the ma
hanoy, Shamokin, Beaver Meadow,
Hazleton, ana many smaller coal basins; /;
and the southern or Schuylktll coal
field. containing an area of l64 square
miles or l04 $50 acres of workable coal !,
lextending from the Lehigh on the east
nearly to the Susquehanna on the west,
and comprising the Lehigh, Tamaqu ua'
Tuscarora.. Sehnylkill Valley, Potts
vile, Minersville, Swatara. Lykehs
valley, Dauphin, and other districts.
1t is less than fifty years since anthTa,
cite coal obtained any commercial
value. Some was sent 10 Philade!phla
lin 1906, but on account of inexperience
\ in its use and a want OF proper grates,
| it proved intractable as fuel. Ihe war
| of 1sI2 stimulated its production for a
| time, bnt only temporarily; nor was u
until 1870 that the trade was fairly
OPENED. II -s7
oxp of tbe. most healthy signs Of re-