Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1898-04-08

Vast Amount Mined In the United States In
1897.

Washington. April From a pre-
liminary statement compiled by f. w.
Parker, statistician OF the United
States geological survey. 1t Is shown
that the total output OF coal In the
United States In 1897 amounted APP
proximately to 19S. 900 short tons
with an aggregate value OF sleS 100000.
fraction less than 81 per ton.
Compared with 1896 this shows an
increase of tonnage OF 6,270000 tons or
about 3.3 per cent The Increase in the
value of the product was only 81 100000
a little less than % Of / per cent. The
amount of coal produced In 1897 was
the largest on record. The average
value per ton was the lowest ever
known, continuing the declining ten
dency which has been shown without
any reaction for the past six years.
The increase in production and the
decline in value were confined TO the
output of bituminous coal The an
thracite production In Pennsylvania
decreased from 5i,346,0Sl tons of 1000
pounds to 52,l22,403 tons In 1897. while
the average price received at the mines
was s1.65 per short ton (s1.S5 per long
toni In both years. This is not an in
crease, but 1t is much better than n
loss. cent per ton meaning n total of
more than half II million dollars. In
obtaining this average price for anthra-
cite coal per ton. II must he remem-
bered that only marketable sizes are
considered, and the item of "colliery
consumption" usually consisting of
culm or waste. and an otherwise values
less product. is not included. Exclud-
ing this from the product. the market
able product of anthracite coal In Penn
sylvania during 1897 was a.. 637 s64 long
tons against "A. lSs 400 long tons in 1896
The fact that the bituminous pro-
duction should have shown an increase
OF S,500,0O0 In spite OF the prolonged
strike In the competitive fields Of Penn
sylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, Indiana
and Illinois -four of them being this
largest coal producers), aEgregating
nearly l00,000.O00 tons or more thar
two-thrds OF the entire output, may b,
taken as an evidence of the wonder.
full capacity of our developed bituml.
nous mines, OF the twenty nine btu.
minous coal-producing states. ther,
were only six in which the production
In 1897 was less than in the preceding
year.
These six were Georgia, Indian Terri
tory, Kansas, Nebraska, Ohio and Ore,
gon. In fifteen OF them the output wai
the largest ever obtained OF the fv,
competitive states previously men
production In 1897. In twenty out q
the twenty-nine states production o
bituminous coal the average price pei
ton in 1897 was less than 1t was In 1896
the general average for the United
states being So cents in 1896 and ST.
In 1897, The decline Of Ia cents on
total production In 1897 of lac, 900, 0O
tons represents a decrease OF some
thing over $1,000 900 from what woul,
have been the value II tine price ha,
been the same ns 1t was in 1896,
Considering the industry by states
Pennsylvania holds her usual position
The combined production OF anthracit
and bituminous Goals from the Key
stone state amounted to 10000 90
short tons, nearly 81 per cent OF tn
total output. Pennsylvania's percent
age Of the total bituminous output wa
81, her output OF soft coal being 81, 900,
900 tons. Illinois remains in sccnn
place. with Virginia third. and Obi
fourth