Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va) 1886-1890, 1889-11-28
TEI E COAL TRADE
AN IMPORTANT INDUSTRY IN
THE SOUTHWEST.
LARGE INCREASE In SHIPMENTS
One of the Great Secrets Of the Pros
perity of this Section liz the
Development of the Flint
TOP COnl Mines.

Tue cuttIl5e vi OWlleISlllI VI VIC a.
lantic, Ohio and Mississippi railroad
and its rejuyenation rs the Norfolk
and Western, has done wonders il
the material development of South
west Virginia, and has added millions
of dollars to the wealth of the state
The brains and energy of the official.
of the last mentioned corporation be-
came evident as soon as they assumed
control, and under their direction
the carrying trade of the road ha
been vastly increased, while exten.
,ions and additions have been made
which reached far into the South ant
West. Instead of two through freigh
trains week from twenty to thirt.
trains pass over the road daily. bear
ing to the seabord the cotton OF thu
south, the grain and pork of thu
West ami the cattle, coal. iron, lum
Der, salt and zine of our own state.
Great as has been the increase o
trade with all the country to the ives
md south of LynchburS, it is to thu
development of the mines of the Fla
Top coal region that the railroad com
,Jany owes the most of its success un'
southwest Virginia its marvelou
growth and prosperity. Beginning
Few years back with the compara
lively small yield of the mines at Pc
cahontas the shipments of coal ha>'
increased monthly and yearly unit
thousands OF cars and hundreds OF
engines are required to carry this
product to the seacoast, where 1t IL
sent as far north as Maine and rs fa'
-onth as the United States Of Colon
ola.
TO one who stands at the depot AM
watches the long lines OF Goa
.ars which are constantly rush
ing by towards the east, i
faint idea of the magnitude OF
the trade OF the Pocahontas Goa
company may be conceived, but wheI
figures are given his wonder is III.
creased, and as he reflects on the im
nense value of the "hlack diamonds
which are annually extracted from Til
Flat Top mines lie sees plainly thai
me of the great secrets of the pros
perity of this section is the rapi'
development of these hidden treas
Tres.
The officers of the Pocahontas Goa
company are Mr.. William c. Bullet
IT Philadelphia, president; Mr.. ID. II
Matson, secretary and treasurer, an,
ur. n. \. ClaXton, general agenr
In Messrs. Bell and Ba. .sdale thest
Ulcers have two very efficient ant
painstaking assistants.
Roanoke is the headquarters of The
company, and from this city go fortl
the orders which give employment t.
at least 90 900 men in the mines alone.
and call out in various capacities thu
active cooperation of at least 10000
more.
The Flat Top coal region Embrace
Tazewell county in Virginia and Mer
Ger and Mcdowell counties in West
Virginia, where are located the mines
at Pocahontas and on the Blue St"n,
and Elkhorn. Fourteen operation
are concerned in developing thes'
mines, and the shipments of coal for
the wear ending November the 25tb,
1889, amounted TO l, 42S, i46 tons against
l,233,479 tons for the year ending
November 25th, 1883. making 6S,24t
carloads in 1889, and 59,S74 carload
in 1888.
The shipment of coal for the month
of October this year amounted to
1862, 1915 tons, or 1888 car loads, againsl
llo, O45 tons, or 1928 car loads for thu
.ame month in 1888
For rhe first week in November thi
year the shipments amounted tt
2S,247 tons, or 1886 car loads. agains
22,212 tons. or ,,075 car loads in tn.
first week in November, 1888. The ship
ment for the second week in November
year were 38,572 tons or 1872 car
loads, against S0,0S9 tons or l, 449 car
loads for the same week in Novem
Der, 1888.
AS already mentioned. the great
bulk of this coal goes to Norfolk, Va,
to be sent away in vessels; some.
however. goes by rail to points in this
state, West Virginia, North Carolina,
Tennessee, Georgia and Maryland
The coal received at Norfolk il
sent to the New England and Middle
States, Florida, Texas, the West India
Islands and the United States OF
Colombia. IT is classed as semi-bitu
minous, and as the shipments prove.
the trade of the company is constantly
increasing.