The Big Stone post. (Big Stone Gap, Va.) 1890-1892, 1891-02-13
SOME ADMISSIONS.
NIr. james .itchison. the Confidential
Agent Of the Frick Coke Company,
Has Something to Say OF
Our Coke.
CONNELLSVILLE SCARED UP

Mr. James Atchison, is the confidential
agent of the great Prick Coke Company in
which Mr.. Carnegie is so largely inter-
estcd He was sent to Big Stone Gap to
examine and report on the situation. Mr..
AtchiSon did not say he was sent, but he
fills an important and very confidential
position in the Frck Coke Company, his
time is valuable to his employers and he
would hardly have come out to Big Stone
Gap and taken ride Of eight miles
through rain and mud to the coal mines
Oh his own notion, and merely on pleasure
bent
But there arc many things he did say
which arc important. n representative
of the posr met Mr. Atchison on his re-
turn from the mines He was smiling it
is true, but it was sckly smile.
"What do you think Of the relative mcr-
its Of the Connellsvillc and Big Stone Cap
coke" asked.
so, we still have the best coke in the
country" he answered, dust as boy
whistles when going through a grave yard.
'You have seen McCrcath's analysis?'
yes, but we don't care anything, about
analyses lie answered.
"Thcn what do YOU YOU care about!'
"Practical results
"But do not analyses indicate practical
rcsults?"
20, YES, TO some extent.
"What is the difference between the
the two cokcs?7 | asked.
"Wcll" he said, nerving himself up a
little, 'You have larger percentage of
fixed carbon and smaller percentage of
both ash and sulphur, but your coke has
not the same resisting powcr-it won't
bear the same burden"
Chow do YOU know it won't:' | asked.
81 don't know it, he said, "but don t
think it has
Have YOU ever tested it,
"No."
''Thcn if the test shows that it has the
same power to bear burdens it is vastly
superior to your coke is it not
"Wcll, yes, ! suppose So
'.At all events, will not its superiority
in fixed carbon and in having less sulphur
might result from less resisting power"
Hesitatingly, "wcll guess So
"And You don't know that it is not
equal to or superior to the Connellsvillc
coke in resisting power
"No, can't say that know it is not so
good in that respect
"Thcn, a. to the facility in mining
what do YOU think of our advantages in
that respect" asked.
so, there's no doubt you can mine much
cheaper than we can. Your mines are
self draining-we pump at great expense.
! never saw pretticr floor or Il prctticr
roof in a mine You need no bracing pill
lars, and il YOU ever need them, YOU have
an abundance of timber at hand. You
have many advantages over US, no doubt
of that, and YOU have vastly more coal;
our supply is being exhausted"
Mr. Atchison here became little merry
Gus lest his train would leave him.
"Plcnty of time vet, ] said,-s'tcn min
utes or morc-tcll me, have we not ad
vantages in getting the coal out:'
"IcS. YOU have
''Handlc it cheaper
well. YES, but is not thai the train
"Not yct,-look at this piece Of coke
and tell us what YOU think of it, please, y
handing Him lump.
Mr.. Atchison examined il critically.
broke off fragment with difficulty,
thumped the fragment against the lump,
and smiled sadly.
"Wcll, I've seen worse cokc-no doubt
about that"
GLOW about the metallic ring
so, it sounds well sir, sounds WELL but
here is the train-good-by gentlemen,
may come to see you again"
Mr.. Atchison may not have been so
happy when he left, but he had examined
the coke question quite thoroughly, and
he knew more about Big Stone Gap coke
when lie left than when he came. He took
lump of coke with him home.
III WOuld 40 interesting cO"iu we Only
report The interview which MIR. Atchison
had with his employers when he got back
but that interview will never he reported.
The Conncllsvillc Courier won't have it
the Pittsburg papers won't have it; and
his written report will be filed away in one
Of the company's secret archives. Mr..
Carnegie will ponder over it, Mr.. Frick
will read it time and again, and ask qucs-
tons about it every morning when Mr..
Atchison gets on the train with him and
rides up to the works.
Mr. Atchison is Il pleasant gentleman
and an entertaining talker. 1t is hoped
he will visit the Cap again soon, and
when be will not be in such hurry 10 catch
his train.