Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1900-09-08
BOOMING FAIRMONT COAL.
WE Rend is in Europe Whoop-
ing II up.
Vast Possibilities Of ENportTrade -Coal
from this State already going and
More is to Follow Others who are
Working in the Same Cause.-Big De-
yelopment will Follow.

yelopment will Follow.
Possibilities Of a substantial export
coal trade are attracting great deal
of attention among the coal operators
in this section, especially in the West
Virginia fields says the Courier,
Heretofore expectation to Europe has
been almost exclusively from the Nor
folk 4 Western region, the export
trade of the West Virginia Central
region being mostly to South and Cen
trail America Now that there APP
pears TO be demand for coal in Eu
rope, that is to say demand because
of actual local conditions and not d
demand that has to be erected by
American commercial enterprise other
fields are beginning TO turn their eyes
eastward with the view of invading
the European market. Fairmont pro-
duces d grade of coal that will not
only compare more than favorably
with the fuel to which European con-
sumers are accustomed but coal
that Will bear the shipping and trans
fers necessary en- route. The Fair
mont operators, while they are indie
pendent and have no close organiza-
tion among themselves, have an un-
Outstanding concerning some matters
OF mutual interest, and the European
situation is among these. As result
it is understood that Fairment will
soon be bidding for share of the Eu-
ropean business and with more than
fair prospects Of getting it,
Col. w. Z. Rend, formerly prom
inent operator in the Pittsburg coal
field, but who sold out to the combine
and bought coal lands in the Fair
mont region, is now in London with
a special view of studying the possi-
bilities of the export trade. He i'm
tends 10 dissipate the erroneous Eng
lish idea that American coal is infer
ior To that of Wales, and he is having
exhaustive tests made in The labora-
tory Of the University Of West Vir-
ginia. These results will be cabled
to him this week.
Colonel Rend feels certain that the
tests will support the contention that
American coal is equal to the best in
the wo.ld, and he claims that follow
ing this Americas export market will
be only limited by her preference as
her ships. He says that England is
fast losing her foreign trade. Her
Mexican trade is already gone and the
South American market is slipping
away fast. Americas streng th as an
exporter can best be appreciated, he
thinks. by learning that American coal
can be laid down at Cardiff, Wales,
for less than 50 ton. while the Welsh
miners cannot afford to do it for less
than $3.50. Improved mining ma
chinery, unsuited to gaseous English
mines, gives American operators
matchless advantages in the way of
cheap coal.
The Pocahontas coal is already be-
ing exported in considerable quanti-
ties. The month OF August saw AS
$40 tons, valued at $l36, 455, shipped
from Newport News to Germany, Italy
France, Spain, Greece, Austria, Ire
land, Brazil, West Indies and Mexico.
President A. j. Cassett of the
Pennsylvania railroad is in Europe
and SO also is uperintendent Robert
Pitcairn, and rumor has it that they
are looking up the possibilities OF ex
port coal. The latter is quoted as
saying: II am not quite sure how
long the present coal famine or the
existing conditions in England will
continue. Ny personal idea is that
American mine owners are apt to find
a better marked in Mediterranean or
Black Sea ports than in countries
where England herself will be COM
petitor Under fair conditions / be-
lieve the United States can supply
England's former. customers on the
Continent with profit" As an evil
dence OF the accuracy of this reason
ing, it may be mentioned that e. w.
Hopkins of Philadelphia this week
closed contract for 100, 600 tons OF
Pennsylvania run-of-mine coal for i'm
mediate delivery 20 Mediterranean
ports.