The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-03-20
THE COAL TRADE oFRICHMoND.

Samuel F. Madden, Secretary.
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THE COAL TRADE OFRICHMOND.
We have only to gather such facts as are
clearly within our reach, to indicate what
the trade Of our city, in this one item of
production and consumption, is destined to
become in the course of very few years.
The only contingent question connected
with it is that which relates to q single fact,
and that is, whether the immense profits to
be derived from this great interest shall he
secured to Richmond enterprise and capital,
or go to such foreign companies as shall be
organized to take the field in advance
Of our own local capitalists. That
the trade is to be worth millions
year to somebody, is as GER
tain as any event that can transpire,
and what we desire is, to see our own more
enterprising capitalists moving in the mat
ter before the prime advantages that are to
accrue shall pass entirely into other hands.
We have already stated that New York,
Baltimore, Cincinnati, and even Chicago
capitalists have had an eye to the great pc
cuniary profits destined to come from the
splint and camel coal-felds of the Kama
wha valley, the richest known section of
supply in the world for these or any other
Goals. Within few months that most i'm
portant public enterprise ever projected for
our city--the Chesapeake and Ohio Rail-
road-will be completed to these coal
fields, and then there is hardly any limit to
the wealth and prosperity possible for Rich
mond.
Leaving out OF sight the immense iron
resources of the section traversed by this
road, let us see what is possible-nay,
absolutely certain-in the line of these in
valuable Goals. The camel coal (the sup
ply of which is practically inexhaustble in
the great valley of the Kanawha) is of that
rich and invaluable quality that will find a
demand everywhere, in all parts of Europe
and South America, as well as in the United
States, and 1t must all come from the
Kanaaoha Valley through Richmond.
Here it virtually reaches tide-water, and
from here it must be shipped as the de-
mands of commerce shall require. But
what are these demands, and to what extent
do they reach? This question can best be
answered by inquiring into the demands
already existing, and practically demon
strating their existence from the three great
sources of supply in the American product,
as our coal-fields are now worked.
In 1871, the quantity Of coal sent to
market from these three principal sources
of supply was as follows:
Wyoming egion."....,....... ,4Sl, III tons.
Schuylkill region."........ ....6, l2+,7S0 %
Lehigh region. ,249,356 #"
Total.,..............,.......... ,s56,S0 ''
This amount was, Of course, entirely in
dependent of that consumed in the region
of these coal beds, where large iron inter-
ests exist, and where the local consump-
ton is estimated to have been at least
100000 tons. Here, then, are three
mines in the country, or three united sec
tons where mining is done in an inferior
coal to that of the Kanawha Valley, from
which the demand for the general market
and local consumption reaches full l6,000,-
900 tons year, giving, at five dollars a
ton, the price it commands at marketing
points,, the enormous product of $80,000,-
900 year.
These are facts which this great and
commanding industry demonstrates as
already existing in sister state, and one
by no means as rich in this great source
of wealth and industrial power as the State
Of Virginia. What is there, then, to prevent
Richmond from shipping, in the course of
the next two years, the same amount Of
coal, and of vastly superior quality to
that now sent to the markets from the
S;huylkill Valley
We answer Nothing but the lack of
energy and enterprise to seize on the OPP
portunities offered us by the completion of
thu Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad, to pour
this immense wealth into the very lap of
Richmond. Five million tons of camel
coal delivered here in year, and shipped
to the chief points Of commercial demand,
would cause not less than 25,0OO,OOO to
pass through the hands of our business
men annually, in addition to the stimulus
it would give to hundred other industries
springing up under the magic wand of this
single one.
Let us bestir ourselves, then, and see
that Richmond enterprise and capital are