The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1894-01-31

Fulton, until recently Chief Mining En-
gineer Of the Cambria Iron Co, and Of
Ex-Judge Baer, delivered at the mass
meeting held in JobnstoEn, last Monday,
for the purpose Of taking steps looking
towards securing better railroad facilities
for Cambria and Somerset counties:
Nh FULTOS's sDDREss.
Ftll0sr Cfi-eas:
have been requested TO submit some
statistics, bearing on the mineral wealth
Of Cambria and Somerset Counties,
especially the sectionsof these coun'ies
that are directly and indirectly tributary
to the City Of Johnstown, and to consider
what additional transportation facilities
are required to stimulate the develop
ment Of these available resources. /
shall take up these two considerations in
their order.
Gambia County has an area Of go
square miles. About COO square miles
are underlsid with coal, which, at
low estimate Of the four workable beds,
will produce 5000 millions of tons Of
coal. 1t is also rich in lumber, fire clay,
and building stone. Somerset County
has an area Of |. 100 square miles. About
620 square miles are underlaid with coal,
which will produce 5,O25 millians Of tons
Of coal. It is also richly endowed with
timber, building stone, and fire clay.
From the geographical, enforced by
the typographical, situation Of the City
ofJohnstOwn, large portion Of these
mineral and other products are tributary
TO it. That is, Johnstown holds the
entrance 70 large portions of Cambria
and Somerset Counties, from its location
at the confluence Of the waters Of the
Conemaugh and Stonycreek Rivers. In
other words, JohnstOwn is related to
these sections Of the Appalachian coal
[ field, igst as the cities Of E4ston, Wilkes
barre, and Scranton are related to the
anthracite c)al fields in the eastern part
OF onr State. From their location, they
have made large portion Of the busi-
ness Of eoalmining tributary to them,
and have grown up until now they are
/ cities OF nc small proportions
About ore fifth ofthe mineral treasures
Of Cambria Courty shoald 90 10 market
by Johnst9Hn, or l 900 millions Of tons
Of coal. Somerset County, from the main
line Of the Stonycreek River and its trib-
utaries, should furnish one half Of its
mineral products by way Of Johnstown--
estimated At 5000 millions Of tons Of
coal, in addition to other products.
These two sections Of Cambria snd
Somerset Counties, which should be
tributary 10 the City CT JOhnstown,
amount TO 900 millions Of tons Of coal,
besides timber and other products. With
ample railroad facilities, favorable to
the natural advantages and business of
JOhnstown, a large share Of this trade
should centre in our city.
Hitherto Johuslosn hasbeen waiting
eity-waiting for its growth on the
Cambria Iron Works, AMI, more Ie eat
ly, on the Johnson S,reet-rail Mills. And
while these are helpfaI as far as they go,
yet, with the large mineral deposits
surrounding it on every siIe, it becomes
manifest that the business Of the city
sholld be expanded by the development
Of these ample resources. CleaTfeld
County with lie I,l31 suuare miles Of
surisce and about $40 square miles Of
coal treasures, sent to market in 1892,
$500 80 tons ofcoal. DIrins the same
year Cambria Couaty sent 3,0S6 5J4 tons
TO market, Somerset shipping only 5O9.-
Go tons, msinly from the Salisbury por-
ton of The County. Clear6eld, there
fore, shipped mere than double the
amount shipped by Cambria AMI S)m-
erset combined.
During the past two years a large num-
Der Of the coal-OpeTators and shippers Of
the Clearfeld region have come over into
Cambria and Somerset Counties and have
purchased large areas af coal lands
Some OF these have already began ship
ping in a small way. This movement of
the Goal BarOns" is reported to have
had is genesis in the rapid exhaustion
Of the large superior bed OF coal in Clear
field County. However this may be,
the fact Of large purchases in Cambria
and Somerset Counties having been
made, with further anticipated purchases,
is evident to our citizens generally.
Practically, II now becomes a pressing
inquiry, how to stimulate eoal-mining
and shipping from these fields at and
contiguous TO the City Of JOhnstown.
What Is required to initiate this industry
with its benefits and increase Of popala-
ton?
Under existing conditions, the market
for coal is evidently eastward, from
Baltimore to BlstOn. The competition
from Cumberland and West Virginia is
quite formidable at the former city, so
tha, the chief market lies from Pnila-
delphia noTthwarI. Il is evident that.
with uninpori2nt exceptions, there "a no
market for our coal westward. 1t sp-
pears to me that the FIRST great require
meat Is main line Of railroad 10 the
eastern markets The main line cf the
Pennsylvania affords every f4cili'y for
this purpose as far as a main line cln
OileT-the most direct and shortest rout,
with prompt and Efficient service.
Some one his observed certain shad-
ows which coming eveats are slil to
cast in advance, and indicate the solution
70 the cause of these shadows in the
extension ofthe Bsech Greek Railroal
20 lhnstoxn and beyond. This an
ticipaied competition is pleasant TO con-
template, bat in our present condition
We are dealing with facts. The Penn
sylvania lines reach all the eastern mark
cts by the shortest routes. Il is there
fore evident that our present want is the
extension CT branch lines Of this railroad
70 those plia,s IN Cambria and Somerset
Counties when coal miaiag and shipping
can be readily initiated, expanding such
a system wiEh the growing wants Of the
shippers. II is also necessity that the
freight rates be made equal from all
points in those two counties to the same
markets eastward.
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