Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-08-01
WEST YIRGINIA,s COAL.

We have just received from the Gems
us Office an elaborate bulletin dealing
with West Virginia's coal product and
giving some interesting and important
statistics relating to the development OF
the industry, gathered by JOHN ID.
JONES. The bulletin is prefaced:
The Appalachian field passes southwark
from the Pennsylvania State line, covering
almost the entire State of West Virginia.
A detached arm, extending southwestward
through Allegany and Garrett counties,
MARYLAND. and Mineral and Grant counties,
West Virginia, constitutes what is known
as the Elk Garden district. This basin
continues southwestward through Tucker
and Randolph counties along the valley OF
the Otter Fork creek. Nine distinct seams
underlie this district, including the Big
Vein. which has thickness OF from IA 10
10 feet, the others varying from 20 10
feet. all being of a character to admit OF
nroftable development. The main body Of
This great field in West Virginia lies be-
tween a line drawn from the Maryland
State line in Preston county southwest
ward through Mercer county TO the Nlr-
ginia State line and the western boundary
of the State, and includes all but six OF the
.fftv-four counties, although mining opera
tions on a commercial scale are carried on
| in only sixteen counties.
She coal measures of West Virginia are
a continuation of those described In Penn-
svlvania. The Pittsburg bed, at the bot
tom of the upper productive measures, is
I found in the northern portion, the Middle
measures in the Kanawha Valley region,
/ and the Lower coal measures in the Flat
| Ton region. No state in the Union is more
] favored in the extent and diversity OF It's
/ mineral deposits than West Virginia Her
| coal embraces all grades Of bitumlnouS,
steam. coking, and gas Goals OF the high
est qualities. The natural water ways, I'M
proved slackwater Navigation, ana IN
creasing railroad facilities are important
/ factors in the development of the resour-
ces Of the state, which must soon De &C.
corded a leading position IN wealth ana IN
dustrial prosperity.
The coal product Of West Virginia
for the year ended June 80, 1850, as re-
ported to the Tenth Census, was 1922
s44 short tons, valued at S2,O13,671, an
average of 81 10 per ton at the mines.
The quantity mined during the calen-
der year in 1889, as reported 20 the
Eleventh Census, was 6,931,ss0 short
tons, valued at S5,Os6,4s4, an average
of so. SO per ton at the mines.
There were in the State in 1889 IL
regular established mines and goo small
banks and local mines, of whose tota
product in short tons for 1880 there
was loaded at mines for shipments by
railroad and river 4,764, 900, sold Il
local trade at mines 44s,527, used b!
employees Al, 100, used at mines 37,36s
and manufactured into coke 9S6,S25
The total number Of employees at Yves
Virginia mines was 9,952, receiving
total amount OF wages of S5,Ss5,712, tn,
the grand total Of all mine expenses be
ing 81, SAL, 7s6. The total acreage o
land owned by these mines was 1881
valued at So, 6e4, GIT, and the tota
acreage Of land leased 45,esS
valued at s2,sOs,ssO, the tots
capital invested in al being $40,