The evening times., 1896-08-27
UNCLE SANS COAL OUTPUT
Our Production Last Year
Greater Than Ever.
TOTALSUPPLY OFTHE WORLD
Coal Mined in This Country During
1895 Constituted Nearly Third
of It-Phenomenal Growth During
the Past Twenty Years-Activity
In Iron and Steel Industry

The United States, in spite of bard
times, produced more coal in 1895 than
N any previous year OF the country's his
tory. The report of the Geological Sur
vey has Just been issued, aud makes q
careful comparison OF the output with that
or former years.
The total for 1895 was 1917 $50
short tons. This is per cent more than
was produced in 1888, the year OF largest
production prior to 1895.
The United States, in 1882, 1893, 1894,
and 1895, contributed nearly third of
the worlds total output of coal. The fig
ures for the world run close 10 half a
million tons.
liz 1865 and 1869 the total Tor tho
world was aaly about half what it is now.
and the United States gave but IA per
cent OF this. Great Britain in that day
Now her percentage Is scarcely more than
that OF the United States
A curious fact Ia this connection is tbas
the United states every year imports
several thousand dollars worth OF coal
from Newcastle, n. S. w. and other Aus
tralian ports. IL comes to the Pacific
Is brought as ballast.
IRON AND STEEL PRODUCTION.
The report says: COincident with the in
creased production OF coal in 1895 IL il
interesting to note the activity which pre-
vailed in all branches OF the iron and steel
industry which have a direct bearing upon
demand for and production of coal The
production or pig Iron increased frCSa
6,65T ,3ss long tons in 1884 to s ,4i6 ,30S
long tons in 1895 Assuming the con-
sumption OF coal to be 2 tons for each
ton or pig iron produced, an increased
production of coal to the amount of over
4. 500 900 short tons is at once accounted
for.
But there was also increased production
of Bessemer and open-hearth steel, steel
rails, structural iron and steel, plates
and sheets wire rods and nails, and in
fact, of all steel products, with the sI-
ceptioD OF cut nails, which have been
declining rapidly and steadily for several
years.
This increased activity had direct ef-
feet upon the coal production. but it can
not satisfactorily account for the COM
parative decline in the value OF the coal
prouuct which, while the output increased
about 22.0O0,OOG tons, only advanced
|. about S11 900 900, and was about S1O,-
| 900 900 less than in 1882, when the
product was 1900 .OOO tons less than it
was ID 1895.
The fact Is that prices for bituminous
| coal have been on the decline since 1883,
though in 1890, 1891 and 1892 they were
| about the same. In 1898 and 1894 they
4
which we have any record. Similar con-
ditions affected the other raw materials"
| used in the manufacture of iron and steel.
| OUTPUT IN THE KEYSTONE STATE
| The product of Pennsylvania anthracite
in 1895 was 51,7S5. 122 long tons, or 57,-
999.336 short tons, valued at $50, 2,O19,-
2T2. This was the largest output ever
obtained, being 5.426,91S long tons more
than in 1888, the year of largest pre-
vious production.
The value in 1895, however, while greater
| than that of 1894, was comparatively less,
and there were four years prior to 1895,
when, with a smaller output, the valua
was in excess of the year Just closed, These
I years were 1887, SS4 ,552, ,1Sl; 1855, So
Q2O,4S3; 1892, Ss2, 49, 600, and 1893;
SS5,6S7 ,OTS.
The average price per ton was S1.69
per long ton in 1894, and SI.5S in 1895, q
decline Of IL cents The average price
for the marketable grade was S1.S5 in
1894, and S1.T2 in 1895, decline of 8
cents.
In 1898 this average price was S1.94
Two reasons may be assigned for this de.
cline, both Of whichprobably had some effect
i-onethe general depression in values, whose
influence was felt in all branches of trade
the other the increased use of the smaller
sizes of anthracite, which are sold at loweI
prices, and cause comparative decrease
in the total value of the coal marketed.
Among the more important coal-pro-
ducing States nearly the same relative posi-
tiohs were maintained in 1895 as wers
held in 1894. Pennsylvania, OF course,
comes first, with about 81 per cent of the
total btuninous product-but including hel
anthracite product Pennsylvania produced
81 per cent OF the total coal output, Illinois
second, with IS per cent of bituminoui
product and per cent of the total.