The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-07-15
THE KANAwHA COAL FIELDS.
Departure Of Piitsburgh Boats for the
New Black Diamond MInes-lIore Facts
About the West Virginia Purchase.

Departure OF Piitsburgh Boats for th,
New Black Diamond HInes-More Fact
About the West virginia Purchase.
Pittsburgh Evening Telegraph.
An account was given in these columns
last week Of the recent purchase by a Gin
cinnati firm Of a large tract OF coal land
on the Kanawha. To-day a representa-
tive Of the Telegraph had brief converse
tion with Mr.. Marmet, the head and front
Of the new enterprise, and who is here "a
buy barges, &C., and elected some point.
bearing on the case, and on the prospec.
tive rivalry Of the new coal fields.
~ suppose, Mr.. Marmet, that you won't
buy any more Pittsburgh coal now?"
mot exactly, sir. l have been pur.
chasing Pittsburgh coal steadily, through
Brown 4 Co., and will need as much AZ
ever" 10
"Isyour Kanawha coal not as good as
"For some purposes, yes; but for steam.
gas and blaCksmithing, Pittsburgh coal viii
always take the lead. Why, we send IL
by rail fully 900 miles into the West and
Northwest. But for family use the IA.
nawha article Is as saleable as the Pitts.
burgh article.
"iou are going pretty heavily into this
new enterprise"
"Well, yes, my brother Otto and myself
have secured 5000 acres Of coal land, for.
m1.,erly owned by the Raymond Coal Co.
This was formed Of Eastern capitalists
mainly, men who were not practically
posted in the business. They grew dis.
couraged through having inexperienced
men at the mines.
Don't you have trouble with your dig.
gers over on the Kanawha?"
mo, sir; at least not yet. You see we
have things different there. The pits ara
isolated more, and the men can't band To-
gether and make mischief through few
9nprincipled leaders. They dig Willingly
for and q cents, and haven't struck for
anything better"
sired2" 'NN N'
81 have. From Captain Moore 1 bought
the towboat Geo. Matheson and from
Phillips & Mittenzwei bought six barges
brand new. Also five flats loaded, and one
fuel fiat from Redman's successor. These
will leave this afternoon, with the assis.
lance Of the George Roberts as far as In
dustry." 40 :"
You have considerable advantage over
Pittsburgh operators have you not?"
I'm the matter OF distance, and other
respects, think l have. In the first
place, with my new boat can make me
round trip to Cincinnati and hack In five
days. And this can be done nearly ali
the year round"
"How do you account for that?"
why, you see, the Kauawha's shores
are solid rock, and don't grow farther
apart each year. The water is kept be-
tween unyielding banks, and is deep all
the time. By loaling TO three and one
half feet only expect to ship coal all the
year round, and moreover l can do as
much business with my little Geo. Mathe-
son as Your Pittsburgh shipper can do
with his biggest towboat."
MIR. Marmet spent portion Of this fore.
noon in inspecting the complete SURVEYS
OF the mines OF w. H. Brown & Co. at
that firms office, and he expressed himself
as delighted with their completeness and
utility. According to Mr.. NJ, kthe Goa.
business Of the Kanawha has SO lar been
conducted in rather loose and unbusi.
ness manner.
':And what is the immediate reason Of
this step on your part"
Mr.. Marmet didn't say solitary word
about the Davis Island Dam, hut replied:
Its because your river Is so unreliable,
We may get all the coal we want, and
when we want it; and then again we
can't, as is the case at present."
A better argument for tho improve.
ment Of the Ohio, at least as far down as
the mouth OF the Kanawha, could hardly
be asked, for when that is accomplished
little towboats, such as the Matheson, will
take out coal all the year round, and lie
trade in the superior fuel OF the Mononga.
hela not be endangered by the inferior
coal OF the Kanawha.