The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1899-09-20
GOAL PRODUCTION.
LAST YEAR IN WEST VIEs-
GINA.
What the Geological Survey
Shows for This State.


The report of the Geological
Survey for 1898 shows that West
Virginia maintained the advantage
secured over Ohio in 1896, and still
ranks third among the coal produc-
ing States. The output for the en-
tire country in 1893 amounted to
219,974, 667 short tons, worth at the
mines $2O9,OOO,85O. West Virgin
las portion was 16,7OO,999 short
tons, with value at the mines of
$1O,131.264 The young State ex-
ceeded Ohio's production by more
than 100000 tons, and Ohio's out
put in 1898 was 3,319,925 tons more
than in 1897. West Yirginia's
production of coal began in 1878
with 100000 tons, and the report
for 1898 shows, for the twenty years,
an average annual increase of $780,
600 tons The increase of nearly
100000 tons in 1898 and a decrease
of approximately 100000 tons in
the production of illinois puts West
Virginia within 100000 tons, or
about 10 per cent. of that State,
and if the ratios of increase in the
two States be taken as guide for
the future, Illinois will have drop
ped to third place at the close of
the century-December 81, 1900.
The report continues: Com
pairing the production of 1898 with
that of previous years, and study
ing the wonderful development of
the coal producing regions, it will
be of interest to consider the re-
cords of some of the important
fields. OF these there are four
the Fairmont or Upper Mononga-
hela and the Elk Garden or Upper
Potomac, in the northern portion
of the State; and the Pooahontas
or Flat Top and the New and Ka-
nawha river fields, in the southern
portion. The most important of
these four regions is the New and
Kanawha river fields, embracing
Fayette and Kanawha counties.
In 1886 the output from the New
and Kanawha river field was $780,
563 short tons. Two years later it
had increased to 2,95O,63O tons. In
five years moro it had increased
over 40 per cent. to 4,099,112 tons,
while in 1893 it amounted to 5,947,-
272 tons, an increase of nearly 80
per cent. in the last five years.
The Pocahontas or Flat Top field
embraces Mcdowell and Mercer
counties, in West Virginia, and
Tazewell county, Va. Probably
more than half the product of Taze.
we'll county, though credited to
Virginia, is taken from the West
Virginia side of tile line, but as the
opening is in Virginia and no ao-
ourate separation can be made, the
entire product is given to Virginia.
The mines of Mcdowell county did
not begin shipping until 1889. In
1891 it produced more than either
of the others, and since 1893 has
produced more each year than the
other two together. In 1883 Mer-
Ger and Tazewell counties produc-
cd 1,71O,791 short tons of coal. In
1893 the product of the district was
1915, $50 tons, and in 1898 it was
1921, 100 tons. The Fairmont or
Upper Mononaghela region, en-
bracing Harrison and Marion
counties, has shown the largest ra-
ito of increase in the last ten years
of all the coal producing regions of
West Virginia, Marion county TAX
ing the lead. In 1888 this district
produced less than 100000 tons
Five years later it produced over
1 ,250,OOO tons, and this was more
than doubled in the next five years
the product in 1898 amounting to
1926, 1894 short tons. The Upper
Potomac region, which is the
southern extension of the Cumber-
land field of Maryland, had pro-
duct in 1883 of 518,878 short tons,
of which 80 per cent. was from
Mineral county, Five years later
the product was 1,129,397 tons, of
which Mineral county produced
somewhat less than go per cent,
while in 1898 the product increased
to 1881, 1862 short tons, of which
Mineral county produced less than
40 per cent. and Tucker county
produced over go per cent,
The enterprise of the four rail
roads hauling the product to mark.
ct, the Baltimore and Ohio, the