Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-12-21


tually requires and for the reason that
the law exacts from coal companies
powerful air currents and strong ven
tiation through all coal mines. In its
passage through the main entries ana
rooms the air naturally absorDs n Brea
proportion OF the moisture introduced
in wetting down the dust. On this ac-
count much greater amount OF water
than is necessary for sprnkling pur-
poses must be used While every mod
ern device for the safety Of the men Is
used. The working power ia the mines
IL principally electricity, which Is USED
for hosting purposes.
WAGES.
The salaries OF this vast number OF
operators is quite an immense sum,
amounting to somewhere near Slll,OOO q
month.
WHAT THE COMPANY HAS DONE,
The Pleasant Valley Coal Company
began operations In Carbon county IN
June, 1882. No blare of trumpets an
nounced its entry into the field OF coal
production. AS matter Of fact, In busi-
ness and financial circles In this city
but little attention was paid to this en-
terprise, which, since then, has assumed
such mammoth proportions, and which
is now so necessary to the material In
terests Of our fair state, as well as -
this western country at large. Now,
however, from O small beginning the
company has grown until today II Is
recognized as one Of the most impor-
tant industries of the state. Year by
hao ft.opauoad ifg ttaNfpnl until
now it's disbursements in wages, In
mine operation, for improvements and
for mine machinery and supplies,
amount to prlncey fortune In itself,
the greater portion Of the money so
spent being retained at home, and this
In itself, Is a strong plea In favor OF
patronlzing home industries II being
self-evident that but for the supply
OF coal furnished by the company for
local consumption, these hundreds Of
thousands spent by our people for fuel
would drift, through other channels, In
to other sections, an index Of the
amount spent by the company in oper-
ating It's mines being supplied in the
statement that for and during the
month OF October of this year $4,000
was expended for labor alone,
Since the company began operations
In 1882 some idea of its increased out
put may be acquired by comparison
OF the production Of different years,
and 1t will be noted that the gain has
been steady as well as large, Begin
ming with 1888 the record Is as follows
1SS3.n,.. ..,,. ,..,.,,. $500 tons
lSSS".,. ... .".."",.-, l64,5OO tons
1881, 80. -, .,. .,.,," 3l5,2l4 tons
lS9S.,u..,. -, .,....,, $4,000 tons
l900.... ,.,. ...,,..u1, 0S2,O 900 tons
1901 (estimated) u""., ..1,25O,OOO tons
From the above 1t will be seen that
the output for this year. II the record
is maintained until January !, viii
reach a million and quarter tons, and,
as q daily increase Is recorded no diili-
Guilty viii be encountered in reaching
this figure. AS matter of fact, at
the present rate Of production, the an
nual output would reach l,9SO0OO tons,
The coEing branch Of the company's
business has also assumed splendid
proportions, and from being accounted
a small factor In the enterprise, Is now
looked upon as an important source Of
revenue and profit Beginning with
small output In 1889, the plant has been
increased and improved until now the
production amounts to fifty-nve thou
sand tons annually, and it Is estimated,
II present orders keep up, that the lat
ter figure will be reached by the end Of
December for this year a comparison
OF the output for several years past will
Illustrate the substantial and rapid
growth Of the cOmpany's coke industry,