The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-08-04
EOROPE'S COAL FAMINE |
Demand for the american Produet
Steadily Increasing.
Bay Cities to Profit Most
From the New Observation-Disclosures
Norfolk, Newport News, and Lower
Harbors VIII Have a Great Trade,
The Mines OF West Virginia,

Recent reports from Southern ard Md
die Atlantic seaboard cities show that
there is a growing demand in Europe for
American coal ard coke. It is evident
that it will fall to Southern States. with
their great coal fields. to supply much OF
this huge demand.
In ali article touching on the subject
in the current number OF the "Manufac-
turers' Record the writer says:
eff one will look at the map it will be
very plain that the big bituminous coal
districts of Pennsylvania and West Vir-
ginia are naturally tributary to the ports
OF the Chesapeake. The nearest export
outlet. and the point where Connellsyule
coke can best meet ores from the West In
dies or from Nova Scotia, is Baltimore
and its surrounding plants. And the Nor
folk and Western and Chesapeake ard
Ohio are naturally tributary to Norfolk.
Newport News, Gloucester Point. and
other lower Chesapeake harbors, which
Will be equally meeting points for imported
ores.
That from this on there will b. a
steadily growing European demand for
American coal and coke is As certain as
any future event can be. But the growth
in domestic consumption Of coal and coke
along the coast and concentrating on
Chesapeake ports Will be even greater.
1T is in the hands of the iron men
aToUId the Chesapeake and others who
will follow them there 10 control the
enormous export trade in steel rails that
will grow out of Siberian, Chinese Afri--
can, and South American railway con
structiOn. because, for export, they can
put their product on board vessels at a
lower cost than can be done by the g7ea;
works of Pittsburg, Cleveland Chicago,
or in the interior Of Pennsylvania.
That proposition is so self-evident
that it needs no argument. 1t only
awaits the development of the ore fields
of the West Indies and Nova oSeo ia
The acknowledgements enormous d.
posits of base ores in Antagonist county,
Nova Scotia. lays a foundation for IN
limited interchange of coke and ore be-
tween Northumberland Straits and Caesa-
peake Bay.
Again. while Newport News has a
gTeaaz4 pioneer shipbuilliug plant a d
Baltimore smaller ones. there is room for
expansion, and from year TO year all of
these concerns will hnd increasing work
to do. and there VIII be other plants on
the west side of the Chesapeake. both In
Maryland and Virginia
These will call Tor big plate mills
forms OF iron and steel, including ma
chinery. that go into shipbuiIding on the
grandest scale. Ard angles beams, and
whatever goes into the construction OF
great buildings; pipe and all that goes
into municipal underground work, for
which the great cities of the coast viii
furnish so large a market, can be made
at coast plants at as low q cost as a-y-
where IL the world.
LAS to the fuel side Of il, Pennsylvania
and West Virginia the great coaiyaris .ulf
Of steam coal TO surpfy cur coastwise and
foreign commerce and for export, can lay
down at the Chesapeake ports an unIinit-
ed quantity OF the finest steam-raising coal
and the best smelling coke in the world,
and at a cost below that at which these
great staples can be elsewhere assembled.
That is an indisputable fact, and one that
can't be gotten over. and which viii not
Ia much longer overlooked. The reaction
now going on in the iron and steel trade
is already calling very marked attention
to it.
The development of the coal interests
of West Virginia has proceeded steadily,
until the State is coming into second place,
and will soon not only be ahead of but
viii distance Illinois. now next to PennsyI-
vania."
The writer justly believes that the Ten
nessee and Alabama fields will be able to
take care of themselves. Their develop
ment points to conditions on the Gulf
somewhat similar to those promised for the
Chesapeake ports. When it is remembered
that the demand for Industrial fuel is
steadily on the increase, that much of it
for many years must be supplied by the
South, and that the uncovering of such
resources there has not begun TO affect
their strength to an appreciate extent,
the part 20 be played by the South in the
worlds industrial history may be compre-
kende1