The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-05-21
MONTANA COAL MINING
A Word About Some of the Big
Producers of the State.
LAST YEARS PRODUCTION
Nearly Million and Half Mined With a
Labor Expenditure of as Many
Dollars-Some Interesting
Statistics.

An interesting article appears In the
current number of the Engineering and
Mining Journal treating Of the coal and
coke industry in Montana. 1t was
written by Fred D. Smith and is replete
with valuable information regarding
one of the rapidly growing industries
of the state. According to figures at
land, in the year 1898 total of SS3,S26
tons of coal were mined, the labor for
which cost sS9O,S27, or $1.01 per ton.
The total output however, was greater
being 1,450471 tons, Of which 14S,o3S
tons were used for coke. The values
as given by the producers, amounted
to 1902, PSI, an average of $1.31 ton.
To coke the coal a total of S5S,SI2 was
paid for labor, while the coke thus pro-
was a total tonnage of 1924 tons of
coke made from total of 149,33S tens
of coal, showing an average of 2.O4 tons
of coal used in making a ton of coke.
Mr.. Smiths summary continues:
Three counties furnished practically
all of the coal mined in Montana during
1S9S-Carbon, Park and the adjacent
parts of Gallatin, and Cascade county.
The last named leads all others with
production of 9s3,261 tons. This was
due to the large scale on which the
Anaconda Copper Mining company
mined coal for it's own consumption
and for it's coke. Carbon county, with
the mines at Red Lodge, where the
principal operators are the Rocky Fork
Coal company produced a total of
III 496 tons. Park county. with mines
at Horn, where are located two of the
three coking plants of the state, made
a good showing with 124, 565 tons. The
mines in Gallatin county adjacent to
the coal properties of Park county
produced some coal. but extensive
mines will become shippers early in
1899 and give this county better
standing. The mines at Chestnut will
probably become the most noted of The
new properties. Among the scattering
mines are found some producing prop
critics at White Sulphur Springs,
Meagher county; Chinook, Choteau
county, and Augusta, in Lewis and
Clarke county. In these latter cases
the coal is of poorer quality and finds
its use only in the local trade.
owing to the good market for coal
in the cities of the state, and for coke,
if the coal is suited the price of the
coal at the mine generally is 81 per ton,
though in some cases the operators
claim $3.50 and SO as the value at the
mine. Incomplete figures in detail
make it possible to judge that 81 is not
fair estimate of the cost per ton for
piOiucllOH. II DeulS 100 1lSn.
Three companies alone produce coke
in the state, the Anaconda Copper Min
ing company, with mines and ovens at
Belt: the Montana Coal and Coke COM
pany, with mines and ovens at Horr,
and the Butte & Yellowstone Coal and
Coke company at Horr But one COM
pany ran its plants to the full capa-
city in 1898, putting in 800 days worked,
while one ran but 2O3 days. The Ana
a0nIa ,f ~,
washer after three and half months
run on full time. The operating ca
pacity, then, was 103 ovens for 203 days,
ID ovens for 300 days and 100 ovens for
105 days. All use the beehive ovens.
In the case of the Montana Coal and
Coke company nearly all of the coal
mined is used directly for coking.
An interesting study is the amount
OF coal lost in washing and the coke
produced per ton of coal used. In the
case of the Belt coal of the Anaconda
company, l.97 tons are reduced to one
ton by washing, and a yield of one ton
of coke for every 223 tons of washed
coal or for 4.39 tons of COAL unwashed
is obtained. The Montana Coal and
COKE company makes one ton of coke
from l.69 tons Of coal, though 1T is not
stated whether this figure represents
washed coal or not. The Butte G. yell
loWstone company makes one ton of
coke from 1.66 tons of coal, though if
is not stated if this represents washed
coal or the crude product. The yield
per oven per day is as follows For the
Butte 4 Yellowstone. 1904 tons; for
the Montana company, 1854 tons, and
Tor the Anaconda company. 0.S77 tons
Ihe value of the coke as well as for
the coal used In making it is computed
al the selling price f. o. b. cars, which
Tor coke is given by the Butte & yell
lCWstone company at $3.50, and by the
Montana company at So
DE- M!X. dentist. Broadway and Main