Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1899-11-02
OUR RESOURCES.
Governor Atkinson tells of some
of the Wonderful wealth


or West Virginia. and Figures
on What VIC HaYe in This State
How Production has Increased
Giant Strides of the Mountain COM
monwealth--A most Interesting Ex-
hibit.
The following article was prepared
Record, Baltimore, by Gov. G. w.
Atkinson, at the request of that pub
lication:
Editor Manufacturers Record:
As citizen OF West Virginia | am
more than gratiIled over its marvel
Gus development. We are easily the
first Of all the States in oil and gas
and lumber, and we are second in coke
and third ia coal production. | am
daily receiving inquiries as to our act
ual status In regard to these great in
dustries. In order to be exact in my
statements on these subjects, / have
conferred with Chief Mine Inspector
j. w. Paul. and with his assistance |
can speak authoritatively upon our
great West Virginia industries.
COAL AND COKE.
The past year marks the State with
having been the most active in the
production of coal and coke. No pre-
vious year In the history Of coal min
ing in the State has shown greater ac-
tivity than the past. Labor troubles
were practically nil. The number of
days worked exceeded any previous
year, and the production Of coal Is l.
404, 1852 tons ia excess of the largest
previous production of any one year.
The tonnage for 1898 5000, 24S and
for the year ending June 80, 1899, was
II, AIS, 600 long tons. At the present
rate OF progression, coupled with the
explorations now in progress, it will
be less than five years until the tom
mage will reach over 20, 900, 900 and it
Is not beyond conservative prophesy
to predict that West Virginia will In
two years be the second coal producing
State of the Union.
In the matter OF coke manufacture
this state maintains its place as sec
ond only to the State OF Pennsylvania.
During the past three years were man
ufactured 1000, 600 tons of coke
Many new coke ovens are under way
OF construction and 1t would be a diff
cult matter to state what position the
State will occupy as coke producer
five years hence.
OIL AND GAS.
The first well was drilled for oil in
West Virginia in 1859-60. Since that
time there have been hundreds of wells
drilled, varying from few hundred
TO 5000 feet deep From them there
has been produced to date about 3d.,
900, 900 barrels. The banner year Of
oil production was during the past
year, when the quantity produced
amounted to IS, 000,0 900 or 1900, 900
barrels OF white sand oil. During the
developments the facilities for drilling
were not so well suited for their pur-
pose as they are now and the progress
was less rapid. At present the exper-
fences Of thirty-five years enables
drilling TO be carried on in a very ag
gressive manner, and 1t is question
IL our output Of oil grows much larger
unless some new large pool be discov-
cred or some Of the present pools be-
come extended in their development
in profitable way. This statement
is based on the idea that the Standard
Oil Co., which controls oil develop
ments will hold us down to their re-
quirements as they only allow deyel-
opments TO be made as their interests
demand.
In 1891 the state of Pennsylvania
produced over thirteen times as much
oil as did West Virginia. In 1898
West Virginia produced 1868, 900
and Pennsylvania Is, 232, 900 barrels
of white sand oil.
Since 1891 the production of Penn
sylvania has increased over so percent
and in the same time West Virginia
has increased over 500 percent. This
state bids fair to lead all the states
hereafter In point of oil production.
Indeed, / think there is no question as
to the correctness OF this statement.
At present there is great activity in
the eastern extension of what is called
the Cairo field in West Virginia,
which may be looked upon as a aeld
with a promising future. Practically
all the oil produced in the state is
known as the white sand" having a
parafine base, which is the best of all
natural oils.
As productions decrease in adjoin-
ing states the natural course of oil
seeking capital will be to extend the
present boundaries of the oil pools of
<l.1 ~