The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1897-07-23
Mines and Miners
In West Virginia.

In West Virginia.
n. lHILEin Milwau-
- kee recently DIR.
| 6 -. John A. Myers,
| sASSJ K late director of
EyfH2 AH the experiment
ls5pySNSNV station at the
I zffHs ,aNm University, was
| (G4sx YIN interviewed by q
sEjl5i zAreporter of the
81 Milwaukee Senti-
lSsS&8NM M mel, and gave a
=Sslpht M4Nn practical, &C M.
/ -" Ms mon sense view
bf the mining situation.
He shows that the veins of coal
iii West Virginia are so thick and
30 free from impurities that ten
tons of coal can probably be
mined here for less expense than
| three tons in most other places in
the country. Any one, he says,
can see that the labor organiza-
ton cannot exist that can take
from the West Virginia miners
tier right to profit by this pro.
| vision of nature. For this reason,
Or. Myers thinks that it will be
difficult to persuade men who are
phid satisfactory wages and are
living more than they can do,
that they should quit work and
take up the grievances of others
who are trying to live under ad.
verse conditions of nature and
commerce combined. He contin-
ues as follows:
'sNature has also been lavish in
prbyiding for West Virginia a
great variety of the best coal in
practically unlimited quantities.
Until within few years We have
l.had difficulties in reaching the
akrkets, but these have been
overcome and we can now lay
down our coal in most of the lead
ing markets of the country in
competition with other coal fields.
Under these conditions there
can be no permanent adjustment
of the conflicts brought about by
these strikes or labor agitations.
1t is simply a question of the sur
vival of the fittest and our miners
claim to be the fittest. Nature
has so adjusted it, The owners
of coal property in West Virginia
have all made money. Even
where they have not operated the
property the increase in CONNER
cial value of the coal properties
has been astounding to persons
not familiar with it. An increase
of value in coal properties in the
state ranging from 200 per cent
to 500 per cent in ten years is no
exaggeration. These are facts,
and the activity in the coal bust
ness of the state is only in its in
fancy. The veins of coal extend
for miles without varying more
than a few inches in thickness,
say from seven and one-half feet
to eight feet four inches, or in
about that ratio. This is almost
pure coal of the finest quality.
For every foot in thickness of
vein under the present system of
mining the operator can take out
], 200 tons of coal per acre. That
is, if he has an eight foot vein he
can take out 5000 tons of coal.
Suppose he only nets twenty cents
per ton on that coal, l leave you
to determine the actual value of
that coal land per acre if it is be-
/ ing operated. If it is not being
operated it is increasing in value
as a knowledge of these condi-
lions becomes known throughout
the country
The Mtelligencer dwells upon
the subject little farther and
says:
A miners lot::is a hard one by
reason ofthe narrow veins of coal
4 and the difficulties of mining, this
description of the enormous
wealth of the coal fields of West
Virginia seems almost fabulous,
and yet DR.. Myers has not told
half of it. The vast riches are
Just now in the throes of a devel-
opment which will make West
Virginia the greatest coal pro-
.