Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1888-06-03
v. Va COAL
THE FINEST IN THE LAND.
In the Heart Of the Appalachian Coal
Field.
BRIGHT OUTLOOK FOR fHE FUTURE.
4 Review Of Some Of Our Big Coal
Lands.

west Virginia, tbs great coal and coke
producing center Of the future" is what o
manufacturing authority terms the little
mountain State. The sentence was well
said. In the development of West Vir-
ginia's wealth her natural and almost in
conceivable riches, hidden in mother earth,
will play an all important part. Her coal
resources are.unsurpassed by any equal ter
ritory on the surfacs of the earth. They
afford almost unlimited possibilities Of
development. The brains that plan and
the hands that consummate the opening up
of all this concealed wealth to the markets
Of the world will reap golden harvest.
The great Appalachian field, covering an
area of more than 10000 square rniles, is
the largest aud richest coal area of the
world. In the very heart Of this region
the State of West Virginia lies. The field
extends through forty-seven of the fifty
four counties of the State, and in all of the
forty-seven coal is found in quantities that
richly repay the mining.
West Virginia's mineral wealth is text
for volumes. Eastern capitalists are al
ready beginning to appreciate the oppor-
tunities it offers for safe and remunerative
Investment. Before many years the coal
and iron products Of West Virginia will
take leading place in the markets of the
world. At this time when
ENERGETIC EFFORTS
are on foot to attract capitalists and settlers
to share the burden OF building up the in
dustries of the State, the development in
q particular direction of one section of our
rich coal veins will attract general interest.
In the valley of the Monongahela river,
south Of the Pennsylvania line lies one Of
the richest areas of West Virginia coal.
The prosperous counties of Monongalia,
Marion, Preston, Taylor, Harrison and
Lewis are here underlaid by the southwark
extension of the great Pittsburg bed. 1t
crops out in unrivalled richness from al
most every hillside. Generally at slight
elevation above the river banks
it affords excellent facilities for
cheap and successful mining The
value of the rich vein is anquestioned.
For gas, coke and every use to which coal
is applied, it stands almost without a rival
in bituminous coal markets. 1t is the foun-
dation upon which the prosperity Of the
great Connellsvills coke region and ths
fartunes of the Pennsylvania coal barons
are based. The development of this rich
field in West Virginia is OF particular in
terest to West Virginians.
The most rapid development Of the un-
paralelled richness of this coal region within
the last few years has been in the case OF
the
MONTANA COAL AND COKE WORKS.
The company's plant is situated five miles
north of Fairmont, On the line of the +.
NJ. & P, railroad. The stockholders are O.
B. Carney, J. o. Watson, Judge A. B.
Fleming, of Fairmont, and Baltimore capi-
talists, Mr.. J. E. Watson superintendent.
Eighteen months ago the first pick was
struck an the first opening made in
the coal territory that had been lately pur-
chased by this syndicate, and whose
wealth of black diamonds had just been
made marketable by the building Of the
Fairmont Navigation and Pittsburg rail-
road. To-day busy mining town stands
at the works, spripgiDg up If by magic,
the comfortable homes Of the hard toilers
in the bowels of the earth; $50 coke ovens
are in continuous blast, consuming the
product of one of the best equipped mines
in the State of West Virginia.
Almost since coal was first mined for the
foreign market at Fairm0nt, more or less
coke has been manufactured. The crude
methods in use, as we'll as the unjust and
short sighted policy of the b. & o
road put the operations at disadvantage
which they were never able to overcome.
Fairmont coke was manufactured and sold,
but not in sufficient quantities to take
fixed place in the market or at sufficient
profit to be fairly remunerative to the
maker. To the Montana company is due
in a great measure the credit Of being the
first TO obviate these difficulties.
From this small and seemingly venture
some investment two years ago, they have
built MP we'll established and remunera-
tive trade, that furnishes employment to
over
THREE HUNDRED MEN,
all told. One hundred and eighty men
work in the mines, at mining alone, while
almost an equal number have other en-
ployment about the establishment To
accommodate the employees, sixty COM
Portable homes have been built within the
year, and constitute part of fouIishing
little town in the site of what was eighteen
years ago barren hillside.
In the month of April, 1888, the COM
pany mined for the manufacture of coke
and for foreign shipments over Is, 600 tons
of coal. The coke product shipped to
Milwaukee, Chicago, Detroit and other
western cities, commands a. high price
as any in the open markets. The compa.
ny owns here 1880 acres Of solid coal Of
the great Pittsburg vein. Their mine is
laid out on the most approved plan, and is
one Of the best ventilated and best ar
ranged plants in the State.
The proof of the pudding is in the eating.
The fact that Montana coke has been able
to force its way into the market and main
tain its place in the face Of the competition
of the COnnellsville Coke Producers Asso-
citation. IN sufficient evidence of its high