The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1888-02-01
OUR COAL TARIFF
ANp zee NovA scorIA EIELDs.
Facts from . Free Trade PspOr-HOu Re,
publican Protection Has Shut Out Cana
dian Coal and FostsrOd the Industry
inthl, Country. 4 UleArstatsmsnt.

R1lUdI LEttsr tot Tie Eew York TfHe (FTes 7h1dt)
The coal famine, the ever.rscurrinI
troubles in Pennsylvania, Snd the promi
nencs OF "fres coRSiiin tariff discussions
make the coal fields within easy reach 0
the United States objects Of unusual inter
est. Attention has recently been cLlleC
to the coal deposits along the line Of tn
Canadian Pacific Railroad, and very nksl!
they may yet have great importance to thl
Northwestern States OF the Union, bu
they can never compete for the coal tradt
Of the manufacturing centres Of the East
To the great Northern cities on the Amer
lean seaboard the only Canadian coal de
posits Of direct interest arc those Of the
maritime provinces, and they have an i'm
portAnce that is not fully realized. The
New England market especially is CON
cerned with Nova scotiA's coal possibili'
ties, and will be most affected by q change
In the trade relations, but the quality Of
Canadian coal ind lite low cost make itl
availability also question Of concern to
New York manufacturers and to the rail-
road and steamship mansgers OF all the
seabosrd States The question Is, can the
provinces supply economically any con-
siderable part Of the 90. 900, 900 tons OF coal
burned every year in North America
Let the facts snawer.
The most important Of the coal fields in
the province OF Nova Scotia Ia that in the
Island OF Cape Breton, about the Bay Of
Sydney, on the eastern ehore. The
greater part OF this field Is under the At
,sntic, out fortunately nearly all the seams
can be worked far out beneath the ocean,
and many miner tolls under the waves.
The seams are very peculiar In shape, and
long puzzled the geologiSts. Now 1t is
understood that one who followed them
closely would start from near the shore,
and would 20 doWnwards and inland till
be met the turn Of an ellipges, when he
would bend round to the eastward and
with q slow incline 60 far out to sea. The
miner, OF course, does nothing Of the sort,
but sends down shaft or elope at some
point Theucs he can easily ship his coal,
and then he hits the seam TO be worked
at depth according to the place where
his shaft is sunk. Then he works out in
tie seam, under water, aRd has ''levels"
almost level.
NR1HAUaTIBLR YIELDS.
At Lingan, near Sydney Bay, there are
nine distinct and Well-known seams. Most
OF these at other places are found under
different names. The whole surface ex.
tent of the coal district thereRbout Is 200
square miles. The submarine fields alone,
at low estimate, have been reckoned to
contain nearly 1000. 900, 900 tons, and this
includes only the region that can be eco.
nomicRlly worked from the shore. So
nearly impsrmea6le are the strata that at
O moderate depth the submarine workings
are perfectly dry. Nearly all the seams
lie at easy angles, aud the roofs OF the
workings are so hRrd that work Is unusu-
ally cafe. Yet with 2,000,0O0000 tons
available, 1t is rare year that sees the
Sydney district mines bring much over
500,0 900 to the surface.
Next in the amount Of coal available
comes Cumberland county, which lies
between the Basin Of UGinGg and North
cumberland Strait. The area OF the field is
estimated at 800 square miles. It Is not
80 we'll situated for shipping the coal as
either the Sydney or the Pictou district,
but one port, Peterborough, Ia only
twenty-five miles from the chief mines,
the Springlull, and otIers the advantage Of
having not more than six or eight weeks
interruption to chipping, The Cumber-
land district is producing not-far from
375 900 tons year, not 1.-THE OF what IL
might produce.
Ths smalleRt Of Nova scotia's three USE
fol coal districts Is that Of Pictou county,
on the northern shore OF the peninsula,
midway the other two. l. is noted for
the great size Of iis beds, and for their ex.
cellsnt quality. In less than 5000 teet OF
strats there are sixteen beds containing
l4l feat Of coal, and varying in thickness
from to 81 feet, Six Of the beds measure
altogether so feet. The thickness here
more nearly resembles that OF European
fields than anywhere else in America.
The output will average about 400, 900 tons
q year.