The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-12-06
THE FACTS ABOUT COAL.
BITUMINoUs COAL OUTPUT OF THE
UNITED STATES.
How Nova Scotia Coal VIII be Put Against
West yireinia-A Great Cana
dian Coal Combine.

/ 4
Qn 200 Id. tons) 3,l1S,00O tons.
The consumption Of bituminous coal In
New England annually IS estimated at
GOO0.O00 tons.
The output Of West Virginia, not IN
| Guiding Kanawha coal loaded from the
mines directly on boats. vas, in 1892. about
/ 67OO.GOO tons. or this, there was sent 10
| Underwater largely Tor Ne" England mar
! ket, over 100000 tons ana the quantity
shipped eastward from the mines was
nearly 100000 tons.
West Virginia Is surrounded ana
| hemmed in closely by larger coal fields
which cut it on, for the most part from
! markets in the North, West and South.
/ Pennsylvania produces annually $780,
| 900 tons (of bituminous coap
| Ohio produces 13.0O0WD tons.
Illinois produces 17UCOuOO tons.
Indiana. Kentucky and Tennessee all
mine extensively. together forming an TIM
passable barrier to the bulk OF the West
! Virginia product
Inc total importation Of btuminous
coal into the United states. in 1872, was
/ 1,3l0O0O tons.
The importation from Canada atlantic
| and Pacific coasts and Manitob) was
| 100000 tons.
me importation from Nova Scotia. In
1929. was nearly 1900 tons
Boston received of this Nova Scotia
/ coal about 5000 tors
The United States exported, in 1892, Of
bituminous coal zoo. 500 tons.
or this Canada took $4,000 tons. West
| Indies took 10000 tons. Mexico took
1900 tons. England took 5000 tons.
The residue was sent under presumably
special conditions to ten countries.
The United States does not export coal
TO any country in competition with Tor
eign coal, except. perhaps, to the West
Indies. Coal goes even 10 England. and
some comes from there but under dis
tnct special conditions not connected
with the general question. Coal IS TX
ported from mines near by. in the neigh
boring Lake States. tO much OF the "a
madam region. between Montreal and
Lake Superior-this district being too far
from canadian mines, east and west, 20
admit OF competition. even with the aid Of
the t8-cent tax levied upon our American
product by the Dominion Government.
Eastern Canada uses principally Nova
Scotia coal. the receipts at the port Of
Montreal, in 1898. having been GISDOO
tons.
II is interesting in connection with the
figures given concerning the disposition Of
Virginia Goals and showing the difficulty.
If not impossibi.ity, of working them into
an interior market % note the statement
Of the chairman Of the Committee on
Ways and Means accompanying the tariff
bill that mo possible competition can in
| terfere with our own producers (0f cOaU
n few miles in the interior of the cOun-
try"
The Nova Scotia coal-felds 0he only
foreign source of supply on the Atlantic
COAST heretofore have largely supplied
demands and requirements Of New Found
land Prince Edwards Island. Quebec and
Lower Canada, and some little 10 the
United States. The coal mined so far for
the market is inferior I'm quality 10 Vir-
einia Goals and has been principally OF
kind suitable only for steam purposes.
Gas Goals are mined TO some extent and.
together with better grades Of steam and
crate Goals, lie in well-ascertained veins
that can be worked prohtably in connec-
ton with more extensive operations In
the cheaper steam Goals. They have coal
10 compete with many grades that occur
i'm West Virginia. There are veins vary
ing from few inches to eighteen feet i'm
thickness. In Pictou county sections are
reported showing six veins Of an aegre-
gate thickness Of about eighty feet. Since
the prospectus Of the Dominion Coal Co.,
referred 10 below. was printed. drilling
operations have shown thick veins extend
ing over new territory within Cape Bre-
ton county, that had not then been
taken into account.
These Nova Scotia coal-helds all belong
TO the British Crown, mot the British
Government nor the Canadiam which
exacts a minimum royalty of u IL cents
per ton. Five counties produce coal:
Cape Breton. Richmond. Pictou. Inver-
ness. and Cumberland; only the first two
lie upon the Atlantic. the others being on
the ST. Lawrence side. Usually coal can
not be shipped i'm winter; last winter,
however, their ports were open while
Virginia ports We're closed for a time.
Twenty-Five miles win be the maximum
rail transportation Much Of the coal IS
loaded from the mines directly on board
The cost will be less than 81. per ton on
vessels I'm Nova Scotia and IS probably
practically the same as the cost on cars
| I'm West Virginia. Water transportation
TO Boston IS no greater in distance than
from Hampton Roads. and 10 New York
the difference. If any, is not material
There IS therefore against West Virginia
coal the cost of 400 miles Of rail transpor-
tation TO which should be added the return
Of empty cars. making practically 500
The coal has been used enough TO know
that Il will answer for steam purposes
and If let into New England will be an
important factor I'm manufacturing Inter
ests there Without the tariff the differ
ence I'm quality alone must balance the
long rail transportation Of Virginia coal
According 90 the statement Of a we'll
known New England cOal-dealer, who is
acquainted with both articles. the value
of the difference I'm the qualities OF the
coal I'm no case amounts 10 dollar per
ton, which is much less than an onset
TO the long rail transportation of Virginia
Goals. A prominent geOlogist Of Virginia
says that the qualities for steam purposes
OF much Of the Virginia coal and that OF
the best Nova Scotia steam coal are nearly
the same.
Mr. Henry NJ Whitney. OF Boston.
Said to be a brother Of the Hon. ". c.
MhitLey), and others have formed
large syn jicate Of influential New Eng
land, New York, London and other pco-
pie. and have obtained from the Crown
a monopoly Of the coal-helds OF Cape
Breton county, the largests fields on the
Atlantic side. This cOLhtry is at the end
Of the Nova Scotia peninsula, on the
island Of its name and is deeply pene-
trated everywhere and surrounded by the
sea. The name OF the concern Is the
Dominion Coal Company, capitalized
at about 100000 They propose 10 build
twenty-seven miles OF railroad from
Louisburg Harbor. which is open the year
round, and expect ia keep the cost OF
coal on vessels az less than one dollar
per ton. They are 10 find d large market
in New England II the tariff is taken