Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1884-02-02
4 BRIEF REVIEW.
The Coal Trade-Past, Present and
Future.

from the statement of the coal trade of
this region for 1883, we have taken
some pains to show in succinct shape
~ the work for 1883, together with
the net increase of tonnage over 1882 :,
(2) the work for each year since the
opening of the region in 1912,
together with the grand total; (3)
the number of tons taken out by our
immediate outlets; a. the amounts
delivered to and taken away by the
three great lines east Of Cumberland,
and (5) the amounts of coal thus
shipped produced in Maryland and
West Virginia.
Interesting as all the tables are,
perhaps that which will engage the
attention Of the historians of our
trade is the statement year by year of
the slow development of production
to its existing proportions. Casting
aside the meagre results of the four
first years it will be seen that the
introduction of bituminous coal as a
steam fuel must have been u struggle
involving courage and patience of
splendid type.
Early in the spring of 1916 the
Frostburg coal company, the pioneer
corporation, blazed the way. During
the succeeding summer the Mary
land mining company, New York
mining company and Allegany min
ing company, took their places in
line, closely followed by the Wash
ington and Astor companies. Not
withstanding there were now six
companies in the field the aggregate
shipments annually did not reach
two hundred thousand tons until
1851 period of five years. In
1852 the Borden mining company
entered the list of shippers, followed
by the Georges Greek, American and
Withers coal companies in 1858.
Not long after came the Swanton,
Central, Franklin and others, and
yet the aggregate shipments annually
failed to reach one million tons until
1866-arun of twenty years. Nor
did they reach two millions until
1871-the termination of twenty
five years struggle. From 1871 on
the trade has encountered varied and
trying fortunes, falling from two
millions six hundred thousand tons
in 1873 to one million five hundred
thousand tons in 1S77-an annual
decrease of over two nd.a-half mil
lions. In 1881, however, the ton
mage had grown to two and "a quarter
millions. In 1882, the year of the
great six months suspension, it fell
back to one and half millions.
Last year covered a period men,
orable in the United States for a
steady and continuous depression in
industrial and commercial affairs, q
widespread compromise of accounts
and depreciation of values. While
there was no panic, there was con-
slant uneasiness in nearly all branches
of business with which coal interests
naturally sympathize. The year
d, being thus unpropitious it might be
supposed that the bituminous coal
trade would have met constantly
shrinking demand for its speciality.
Buta glance at the shipments will
efectually dispel this idea, the out
put exceeding that OF any previous
year, excepting 1873, in the history
of this region.
With these facts in view, ia it fair
to presume that the production of
1884 will materially overreach even
1S73?-that in the near future the
demand for our coal will exceed the
facilities if not the resources of
supply?
These inquiries imply IA boldness
perhaps unwarranted by the uncer-
tainties which have hitherto beset
and afflicted the trade, but it is be-
lieved the results will verify an af-
tirmative answer. This belief is erected
not alone upon the recovery of the
vast trade lost in 1854 restoration
unexpected by the most sanguine,
and unprecedented in the annals of
any region, but upon the supremacy of
our product as a steam-raising fuel,
unanimously acknowledged after
years of good and evil report.
Not many weeks since we had oc-
casion to throw out some prophecies
for large output in 1884. Later
,~lsno{,a,,o ,ronnonE +l,o ,,o4.ax. Il L