Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1884-04-05
Where the Scenery is Beautiful
and the Orchards Gay
WITH PEACH AND CHERRY BLOSSOMS.
How the Mines and Coke Works about
Hawks Nest, West Virginia are
Prospering-ImproYement
Evident Everywhere.

F~s~- e5N SASAAy SSSS a Al SAosSSAlS aab
the fields are green and beautiful. As we
pass into the beautiful scenic and roman.
tic mountain regions through which this
road passes for hundreds of miles, we note
here and there some of the earlier trsss
have already pat on their foliage, while
others are budding and will soon be cloth
ed in green. Along this road are many
pleasure resorts for summer sojourne-s
from the crowded cities. There are
numerous mineral springs with good hunt
ing, fishing etc, near at hand. There are
also pleasant mountain homes which many
city people are bringing their families
during The summer months, prefering the
quiet rest, together with wild romantic
scenery and fresh mountain breezes to the
fashionable resorts at the sea shore,
Since our visit here one year ago but
little change has been made. Trade has
been dull the last three months along the
Lower kanawha, especially in the gas and
splint coal field. In this, the steam. and
cokipg coal field, it has been some better,
but rot what IL should have been. Toe
selling price Of coal has run down to such
low figures that il seems almost impossible
to keep up the works. However, there
aTptsis 10 be some improvement this
nCIth along the line, The gas coal mines
below are sgain in operation steadily and
the splint coal mines are also doing better.
The railroad company have their large
docl s are coal bins at Newport News CON-
plete srd ready for ardling a large output
of coal, should the market be such as tog get
it there.
New Ovens Being Built.
Between Hawk Nest AMI Quinnimont,
embracing what is known as the New River
cokipg and, steam coal fields, there are
fourteen colleries and one large blast fur
mace in operation, giving employment to
about 1900 men. There are 500 coke ovens,
including so Of the Coppee ovens, all in
blast exec pting few at tNuttallburg, which
will be lit up next month. A plant OF six
ty new ovens is being built at Echo mines.
personal visit to these works enables us
to give few notes.
The first large coal and coke works on
the New river is that of the Hawks Nest
Coal Company, owned and operated by
English capitalists, under the general
supervision of Mr.. Stephen NJ. Taylor.
Something over one year ego the company
built at Hawks Nest Station so OF Solden.
hofi's modification OF the Coppel coke
ONtuS, DuNc bcCu
their coal, coke for the Victoria furnace at
Goshen, Virginia, now having all the ovens
in blast. A crusher has also been erected
at the chutes, enabling them 10 crush all
coal fine for the ovens, maAILg better
quality OF coke.
Mines I'm the GauIey Mountains.
Tie mines are opened up in the Gauley
Mountain above Ansted, three miles hack
f. - Naw - ThiC
froM that Of the New river coal aua COKE
wcrts. 1t is reached by a substantial team
rosd, passing up through beautiful ano
romantic mountain region, and opened
into nine-toot seam OF coal. The mining
de partment is in charge OF Mr.. John
SLta.er, who now has about one hundred
men employed Only seven feet OF the
coal is mined, the other being so mixed
with states it is left up. A small seven
ton locomotive has recently been placed In
tie main heading, running back 2.ooo rect
AT bringing out the coal. The trips are
IL. n made Up Of from twelve to eighteen
d .ee ion cars each and run down the
m, untain from gravity, in charge OF con-
ductpr J. + Miller. The empty trips are
brought I'D the mountain by two-iiftesn
and a fourteen ton-Porter locomotives
Work hes been going reasonably we'll here,
tie company shipping quite large amount
OF coal as we'll rs supplying the oSners.
Between Hawks Nest snd Nuttallburg
there are four mines without coke ovens
but none OF them have been doing much
this spring. OF these four Masters * Son
are doing the best, shipping from five To
sisbt % cars jaily. The Sunny Side mine Of
Reed, Lucas & Co. are in financial din
Guilty. The G'ymont mine and w. A
Burke & Co. are shipping few cars.
An Enterprising Firm.
This firm is composed Of John Nuttail,
ore OF the pioneer operators In the btu
minous coal fields; L. W. INITIAL, his son;
william H. Holland and Jackson Taylor
The general management OF the works is
under the sur eryisiou Of Mr.. William II.
Holland. while the other members have
control OF different departments, NO. !
nine. In charge of Mr.. George Holland, is
e5ched by sn incline plane L. 80 feet
In length. The old mine coal aver
ages about three feet three incbes, Tor
o ming which the miners receive
s. cents per ton Tor run Oh nine. Durihg
,ast wear o tunnel was driven around the
frrri side of the mounta about one mile,
coming out on the face of the mountain
wlfre several new openings have been
n,ytie into higher coal averaging four feet,
for Mining which 80 cents per ton Is PAID.
At tie foot of the plane they have 81 pee
hive coke ovens, two new ovens having
Dten added during the year. Owing 10
scme of the Ironton furnaces being out Oh
blast for repairs, q portion OF the COKE
ovens are now idle, but will be again III up
n.1t month. Extensive improvemsnts
y III be made at this tipple this spring:
Ia,re coal bin will be built and the plane
re-, aired and laid with steel rails.
Anew Mine.
The new No. mine Of this company,
opened little over two years ago at Keen
ey's Creek, one mile further up the road,
hes been pushed forward so as to enable
hem to put out q large amount OF cosl
Ehea orders and cars are plenty. Thls
mine is in charge of Mr.. John Small IL
has been running rsther slow this spring;
but there appears 10 be some prospects OF
doing better from this on. The mouth OF
the tnine is reached By an incline l,3SO feet
in length, They have a good seam of coal
here. averaging four feet. The miners
receive fifty cents per ton for ran Of mine
ccsl. At pr6 sent shout l76 men are en-
ployed at the different works o. the con'
This company hes probably ran its mine
AZ Csperton stesdier, and shipped more
coal during the past year. than any otner
alt ng the New Nytr, hsViDg sOphoSs "
supply the Low Moor Iron ConPony coal
for their $50 coke oyens all the year
through, ss we'll as shipping 20 the trace;
Mr.. John Cooper, one Of the arm, gives AL
the differeni departments Of the works MS
ptrsor al s1pervisios. Ths mine Is reached
by an incline plane $50 hest in length,
down vhich 400 tons OF eeAl are run daiiy.
The coal averages from three feet eiget
inches 10 four feet in thickness, for mining
which 50 CENTS per ton H paid. MI. Wm.
A. Brewn, formerly Of the Echo mines, has
charge on the nountsin. employing l'5
men. A fine IS 900 dwelling has just been
coppleted By this company which viii be
occupied by NJ Bridges. ths bockkeeper,
and Or. NGGUfin.
Rsztoa Of Hfgh Ceai.
This coliieYy locsted above Fire Creek is
also operated by Besry, Cooper & %, ana
is under tie personal supervision OF MI
Jnss pb L Bsury. oDs OF the firm. They
( h.ys not been running as foil ss couid ot
| desired but the last two weeks have oeea
I ding tstter, putting out about 4.O0o tons
/ month. A fnsiy Constructed plane Io'
| fret II l.peih rssches The mine. Here ~