Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1899-12-18
GREAT ACTIVITY.
Coal Lands are the Object of
Greatest Concern.


Little Left In Pennsylvania Atten-
ton Being Turned TO our Wealth
Along This Line-Something of Lo-
col Interest in Coal Lands.
There has been an immense ae-
tiyity in buying coal lands in Penn
sylvania recently. Speaking of it
the Pittsburg Post has the follow.
ing to say.
The finishing touches have been
given to the most gigantic coal land
option deals in the history OF the
world. Nearly every farm in five (
the big counties at this end of the
State has been optioned for its coal
privileges. One firm of option deal
ers alone has secured nearly 100000
acres Of coal territory in this way,
which has been turned over to one
or two big syndieates. The prices
in many instances were as high as
! $500 per acre. and never below 5000,
and this figure was allowed for ter
ritory not yet having any railroad
connections.
Sidney Il. Totten, of the firm of J.
j. Harkins 4 Co, said yesterday !:
1T is remarkable the large amount
OF coal land options which have been
secured in Allegheny, Cambria,
Westmoreland, Greene, Washington
and Fayette counties. John Kerr,
Of Greensburg, appears to be the
principal operator in this line. He
has, | understand optioned about
100000 acres extending through
Westmoreland into Cambria comfy,
and also in Indiana county, in the
vicinity of Salisbury. The land will
be transferred to the big syndicates.
The prices paid ranged from 5000
to $500 per acre This is a remark
able figure, when yoa remember that
/ $4,000 acres Of coal can be had in
the vicinity OF Fairmont, w. Va,
for 50 an acre. OF course, this land
has no railroad connection, but it
would pay to build branch line
when the land could be had so
cheap.
sUne thousand rcres of excellent
coal land are yet unsold up the Lig
onier valley. four miles from the up
per terminus Of the Ligonier Valley
railroad. / understand that the
Mellon Bros" Company, which con
trolls the line, will build a branch in
case any one buys the land and
agrees to construct mines and take
out the coal. This is about the only
tract of any size in this end OF the
State that has not been gobbled by
the option seekers. BY that, mean
all the available coal territory, as
there are large sections owned by
the big coke and coal operators. /
understand that the Carnegie Prick
coke interests are buying up all the
valuable coal land in the vicinity of
the Connellsville coke region. There
is, however, scarcely any land to be
had even at fancy price. Other
large manufacturers are, OF course,
extensively interested in these
deals"
The Dispatch had man in Fay
cite and Greene writing up the sit
uation in these counties He found
much of interest and had a very
readable article in the paper Sunday.
The latter part of it referred to some
local matters. 1t was as follows
The biggest deal yet made along
the river, farther south, was closed
at Morgantown, w. Va, this week.
A block of coal land running from
Scott's Run to Dunkard creek on
the river, and extending four miles
back into the country has been
bought by the New York Title and
Trust Company, at $40 an acre. The
money will be paid within so days.
This company has bought altogether
about 10000 acres in Greene county,
and the same amount around Nor
gantown, just over the West Vir-
ginia line. The sales were made
through Arnett Il Co, of Fairmont.
The land conveyed was optioned for
many years by John M. Davis, Of
Morgantown.
To take out the coal, railroad sid
ings will be extended up Robinson's
run and Scott's run. A railroad
bridge will be located across the
Monongahela river at Jimtown, just
below Morgantown or at Vaudeville.
1t is said draw bridge will be nee
essary, as the elevation required to
get it above river craft would make
the structure too long. The princi
pal offices of the new coal company
will be located at Morgantown.