Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1899-05-29
LAST YEAR IT WAS 210,s35,933
TONS.
GAIN OF 10 PER CENT OVER '97
INCREASE WAS IN THE
BITUMINOUs PRODUCT.
Government Stntistician Says That
Anthracite Coal Is Becoming
More and More of Luxury
Cost of Mining Mater
tally Reduced.

WASHINGTON, May 2s.-The statistics
of the production of coal in the United
States during 1895 have just been complet-
ed by Edward w. Parker. statistician of
the United States geological survey. The
compilation shows that the total produc-
ton of all kinds of coal in 1885 reached the
enormous figure of 2l9 1893 short tons, an
increase of nearly 10 per cent over the
output in 1897, which amounted in round
figures to 2o0. 80 900 tons and was up to that
time the largest tonnage ever obtained in
the United States.
Great Britains product in 1895 was 226.
S',Sl2 short tons, a slight decrease from
1897. Practically all of the increase in pro-
duction in the United States was in btu
minous coal, the output of anthracite coal
in 1898 being 4I,5l5,S43 long tons, an increase
of only little over 100000 tons over 1897.
OF this increase 100000 tons were in the
amount of coal consumed at the colliers
themselves, so the total increase in the
amount of coal actually marketed was
only 230,Gc0 tons There was decrease in
the selling value of anthracite coal of
S3,S72, eco. while the bituminous product in
creased in value sS,9lo,000.
There We're only three states in the Union
whose coal product in 1898 was less than
that of 1891. These were Illinois, whose
ii
tirely TO labor troubles. and Montana and
Oregon, whose decrease was comparatively
unimportant. Among the bituminous coal
producing states the largest increase was
in Pennsylvania, where l0,55 ,953 tons were
added II the 1897 bituminouS product, the
total amount mined reaching s., SH tons.
West Virginia's product increased 2,431 900
tons, reaching total of 1856, ll9 short tons.
Ohio, with total of 14,476,5Go short tons,
increased 2,2s0,0o0 tons. The next state in
Importance is Alabama, with a total output
of 6,553, 900 tons in 1885, an increase of $4,000
short tons; Indiana increased $4,000 tons.
reaching a total of a little over 100000
tons. Arkansas showed 10 per cent in
crease Statistician Parker thus comments
on the showing made:
THE large increase in the production of
bituminous coal and the comparative sta
tionary condition of the anthracite indus
try calls attention to the increased compe-
tition of bituminous coal and its products
of gas and coke for domestic consumption
with that of anthracite coal. For num-
ber of years the anthracite producers have
experienced a great deal of difficulty in
keeping the production within the market
demands and incidentally restricting the
product necessarily increased the cost OF
mining and correspondingly necessitates
higher selling prices for the coal Each ad-
vance in the selling price of this fuel makes
customers for the coke and gas products
of bituminous coal.
THE increasing use of mechanical meth
DDS of mining bituminous coal has mate
rally reduced the cost of mining, and.
while the anthracite producers are faced
with a continually increasing cost of their
own product they are also obliged to meet
competitor whose cost of production has
been steadily decreasing. 1t appears from
the general condition of the anthracite and
btuminous coal mining industries that an
thracite coal is becoming more and more
of luxury, and it will finally be restricted
to markets where the price is merely in
cidental."