Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-01-25
CANADIAN COAL.
Interesting Facts About the Fields or
the Maritime Provinces.

coalfields within easy reach of the
United States objects OF unusual interest.
Attention has recently been called to the
coal deposits along the line OF the Cana
dian Pacific railroad, and very likely
they may yet have great Importance
to the northwestern States OF the
Union, but they can never compete
for the coal trade of the manu-
featuring centres of the East. To the
great northern cities on the American
seaboard the only Canadian coal de-
posts of direct interest are those of'the
maritime provinces, and they have an
importance that is not fully realized.
The New England market especially is
concerned with Nova Scotia's coal posi-
bilities, and will be most affected by
change in the trade relations; but the
quality Of Canadian coal and its low cost
make its availability also a question of
concern TO New York manufacturers and
to the railroad and steamship managers
of all the seaboard States. The ques-
ton is, Can the provinces supply economi-
cally any considerable part of the 3d.
600, 600 tons OF coal burned every year
in North America? Let the facts an
swer
The most important of the coalfields
in the province of Nova Scotia is that in
the island of Cape Breton, about the Bay
of Sydney, on the eastern shore. The
greater part of this field is under the At
lantic, but fortunately nearly all the
seams can be worked far out beneath the
ocean, ard many miner tolls under the
waves. The seams are very peculiar IN
shape, and long puzzled the biologists.
Now it is understood that one who fol-
lowed them closely would start from near
the shore, and would 60 downwards and
inland till ne met the turn of an ellipses,
when he would bend round to the east
ward and with q slow incline so far out
to sea. The miner of course, does no.
thing of the sort, but sends down a shaft
or slope at some point whence he can
easily ship his coal, and then he bits the
seam to be worked at depth according to
the place where his shaft is sunk. Then
he works ont in the seam, under water,
and has "levels almost level.
At Lingan, near Sydney Bay. there
are nine distinct and well-known seams.
Most OF these AZ other places are found
under different names The whole sur
face extent OF the coal district thereabouts
is 200 square miles. The submarine
fields alone, at a low estimate, have been
reckoned to contain nearly 1900, 100000
tons, and this includes only the
region that can be economically
worked from the shore. SO nearly im-
permeable are the strata that alta moderate
depth the submarine workings are per
fectly dry. Nearly all the seams lie Mt
easy angles. and the roofs OF the work
ings are so hard that work is unusully
safe. Yet with ., COO, goo, 900 tons avail
able, it is a rare year that sees the sgd
ney district mines bring much over 800,
900 TO the surface.
Next in the amount of coal available
comes Cumberland county, which lies
between the Basin Of Utinas and North
cumberland Strait. The area of the field
is estimated at 800 square miles. 1t is
not so well situated for shipping the coal
as either the Sydney or the Pictou dis
trict, but one port, Peterborough, is only
twenty-five miles from the chef mines,
the Springlnll, and Offers the advantage
of having not more than six or eight
weeks interruption to shipping. The
Cumberland district is producing not far
from $4,000 tons year, not 1.-THE OF
what it might produce
The smallest of Nova Scotia's three
useful coal districts is that Of rictou
county. on the northern shore OF the
peninsula, midway the other two. 1t
is noted FIR the great size of lis beds,
and for their excellent quality. In less
than 5000 feet OF strata there are SIX
teen beds containing l41 feet of coal,
and varying in thickness from three 20
thirty-four feet. Six of the beds alto
gether measure eighty feet. The thick
ness here more resembles that OF Euro
pean fields thananywhere else in America.
The output will average about 100000
tons year
All these districts produce bituminoas
coal, and bituminous only. There Is no
gainsaying the fact that it is good coal
better coal than most Of that marketed
from the Pennsylvania mines. Tests
have repeatedly shown this. Coal from
the Block House mine, in the Sydney
district, has yielded at New York
and Boston gas-works 1926 cubic
feet of 1Gl-candle gas and 1.4G0
pounds of coke tOn-a very
satisfactory showing. When tried
ON board hsr Ma, sty's ship Gannet it was
found to raise steam fifteen minutes
quicker than any other coal that bad
been supplied to the ship, and the per-
centage OF ASH and clinker was very
small. Analyses Of other coal from the
same district have shown more than 80
per cent of carbon. making it equal to
Welsh coal. The Cape Breton coal once
had a bgrepntation III the United States
as a gas coal, the average yielding
from 5000 20 10000 feet ton,
but the tariff killed the EXPORT. and the
reputation is probably forgotten. The
Pictou coal has been most used for
m-raising, and large quantities OF it
have been burned on Atlantic steamers
and in the locomotives of the IntercolO-
NAL railway. The Cumberland coal has
been used for both steam ana house pur-
poses. The reports OF the users show
that both the Cumberland and Pictou
Goals make little ashes, aud. when the
right appliances are used, comparatively
little smoke.
The cost OF coal mined and put on the
cars varies from go cents TO Sl.2j a ton.
Surface laborers get from 80 cents to 81,
and mechanics 81. 10 to 81. 80 a day. The
wages of the coalcutters vary from
SL25 to Sl.7j o working day. The
mines give employment TO about 1850
persons, and the underground workers
do not average more than 30 working
days a year. Labor is plenty and sup
plies are cheap.
With all this excellent coal, with all
these favorable conditions for getting il
out, why is the Nova Scotil coal indus
try really so insignificant? One word
tells the story, and that word is "tarifi.
For thirteen years from 1854 the
United States imposed no duty on coal
In those years the exports from Nova
Scotia to the United States grew from
l99, 900 tons to 49,, 900 tons, the light
est figure, in 1855 and in 1866, 404, 800.
Then came the duty of S1.25 ton, and
exports dropped, until in 1871 they were
but l6J, 600 tons In 1872 the duty was
reduced TO ID cents ton, where 1t has
stuaa rarnaipai lint Tho raduetiou only