Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1881-07-09
RESPON DE- c E
THE CLEARFTELD COAL C0NI'R0-
VERSY.
THE osoEoLA "REvEILLEs" REPLY To
THE "oPEN LETTER"

THE OSCEOLA REV ELLIE NEIL Ii ~
THE "oPEN LETTER"
Through the courtesy Of Editor
Oder or some other gentleman. we are
in receipt of the Frostburg MINING
JOURNAL, containing an "open letter
to the Revcille," signed by some
fellow calling hinself Thomas Brown.
At first sight, we thought the "letter"
might be from Old John Brown,
whose body lies Wondering in the
ground; but glance at the ''letter"
will convince any ono that Old John
Brown never planted so many errors
to the square inch as this man Tom
Brown in his "open letter to the
Reve,l2e." 1t had been infinitely
letter for Tom Brown and his pos.
terity-if he has any of that material
to have closed and forever sealed
his "open letter" from tie eyes of the
public. But to the "letter." and for
the cake of Brown. we hope somebody
will hold us while we attend Browns
fnneral.
AS Inspector of Mines" Mr.. Brown
comes to the relief Of Cumberland
coal, and as shield against his own
stupidity, he sails out under the
great seal of the Commonwealth. Tom
Brown tell US in his "open letter,
that the Rsveitle Company can not
establish reputation for Clearield
coal, until they have drilled through
two hundred feet CT sand rock. O.,
Tom, for the SAX of scieace, how can
you be so cruel % to place the Clear
field coal away down under the con-
glomerate bed rock? The devil vii
get you, srr,l By the way, Tom,
where was your Latin grammar when
you penncd those "five or six coal
stratas" under the conglomerate.
Again, Tom, you should not admit
that our Clealfeld coal is "a strong
competitor with the Cumberland
stuff, nor should you SO far forget
your duty as mime Inspector" as to
belch out to the world that some Of
your companies do actually ship to
market, out. crop and impure coal
1t was a bad day for Cumberland
when you co. that thing up. You
further assert that we have been so
mean as to palm off genuine Clear6eld
coal, thousands of tons, as Cumberland
stuf-the very silliest thing we could
have done. Il the Cumberland coal,
or smut" is so mlraculously pure
and tie Clear6eld coal so infinitely
bad, how in the name Of common
sense, Tom, could we perpetrate a
fraud of that kind? You also admit
that we have cut largely into your
trade, Tom; bnt how could such thing
be? Ifyou are shipping such good
quality Of cut crop, how could Clear
field coal cut your trader You say
we stole the names of your mines.
Then, why don't yon have your names
copyrighted? If you don't like our
style, Tom, why don't you drop the
old and get new names for your "smut"
mines
Another GORGEOUS blunder of yours,
Tom, is the frank admission that your
people have actually hurt their own
trade by shipping out.crop, slate,
sulphur, shale, and all that sort Of
stuff You are too honest to attempt
to advocate the quality of Cumb rland
ccal, and the Governor of your State
had better haul in your commission
and bestow the parchment upon some
individual who can lie according to
prescribed form.
You say that if our coal was prop
erly mined, it would be more power.
full competitor than it really is to-day.
That is another bad admission on your
pert, Tom, and conclusive proof that
you wasn't born in the right sign to
make good liar-we mean prevari-
Gator.
Mr.. Browns next mistake is in say
ing that our Clearfeld miners "have
no practical knowledge of mining out
side of main strength" 1t is we'll
known to everybody here, that we
have mining population of about
ten thousand people, comprising the
best practical miners in the world.
In Mr.. Tom Browns estimate of the
coal area in his region, he would have
us believe that the few pillars and
heading-stumps remaining in the
Cumberland region, have a total area
of seventeen thousand acres Now,
Tom, compare this vast area with the
seven hundred Thousand acres of coal
in our little basin, then add as much
more in adjoining counties. Just
think Of it-one million four hundred
thousand acres of coal Then you
must not forget that we have seven
seams of coal, which if spread out in
one great plain, would aggregate an
area OF nine million eight hundred
the usand acres
Another well-known fact, which
our friend Tom Brown admits, operates
largely against the Cumberland peo-
pie. They mine only about halt the