The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-07-27

For n long time the dormant riches
of West Virginia in coal were lttle
known. The production of the vest
ern PENNSYLVANIA fields then absolute
" controlled by the markets, and their
output was adequate to the demand
for bituminous coal. When the pres
ent industrial boom set in the deNel-
opment of other coal fields rlghti!
began. and of these in West Virginia
fields have made the most remarkable
strides. In 1890 Wdst Virginia pro-
duced 1894 ,054 tons of coal valued at
s6.20s.12S. Five years later its produc-
ton was II ,627757 tons valued at vs.
7O6,S0s The state produced lS,SSb9lo
tons of coal during the year 1900 and
the output for the present year Will
be considerable in excess of last year
production.
The northcrnl coal fields Of West
Virginia, of which Fairmont aud Nor
gantown are the ccntcrs, are probably
the Oldest i'm point of working in the
state. This field runs through the
entire northern tier of counties ana
extends eastward to Maryland That
part of the field lying in Monongalia,
Marion and adjoining counties, really
belongs to the coal fields. and the
coal varies Dul lllllt III 'ltIlIlN ul YUM
position from the famous Monongahela
gas and steam coal of the PittsburS
district. The Pittsburg vein in this
field has a thickness Of about eight
frot and there are seven other veins
ranging in thickness from two and
one-half to five or six feet. The mining
opcl ations in this field are in many
ways favored by nature, slope and
drift mines being largely operated
There are forty-nine mines in opera
tion in the Fairmont field proper, and
they have a total daily capacity of 20
GOO tons Thousands of acres of new
coal lands have been purchased within
the past few months and millions of
dollars of capital are still seeking
entry into the fields. New mines are
being opened new companies are be-
ing formed and new Coking establish
ments are being installed.
In the eastern part of the state the
Pocahontas field has long held front
rank. The coal of this field has gain
ed decided point over foreign coal in
that it has been preferred for use in
COaling vessels in the Orient and can
lc delivered at "A lower price than can
Cardiff coal. The Southwestern Nir-
ginia Development association has
been operating a plant of 30 by-product
ovens in this field for several years
and many beehive oven plants are in
operation. The field is rapidly widen
ing and many new coal concerns are
opening mines and coking establish
ments.
Ritchic county is also the seat OF
remarkable coal developments, some
gigantic deals having just recently
been completed. just south of the mair
Faimont field. in Harrison county, the
Camden syndicate is operating a
number of big mines and Coking cs-
adjustments. Among the other con-
Germs in this field may be mentioned
the Rivcrdalc Coke CO. the Briar Hill
Coke and Coal Co, and the firm ot
Solon d Lowrey. The BraXton Goa
Co, recently formed, controls nearly
half a million acres of coal lands il
BraXton, Gilmcr and Lewis counties
This company also controls the Little
Kanawha railroad, which will be made
the nucleus of great network of Goa
roads. Stephen r. Elkins and his as
sociatcs have just concluded negotia
tions whereby they will at once estab
llsh Grea, cOdi and coke plants on th'
line of the MorGantown and KingwooC
the New York and West Virginia Goa
Go. has acquired 1000 acres of Goa
lands in Preston county and the Mer
chants Coal and Coke CO. has secure,
Il tract Of 1000 acres in the same coun'
ty. PittsburG capitalists are interest
ed in the development of 5,O00-acr
tract near Warrington, and Syndi
cate has purchased 1i,000 acres in Up
shur and Barbour counties.
These are only few of the man,
great transactions in coal and coke
which are destined to place the noun
tain state close to the front rank i
the production of these fuels. Al
ready considerable foreign capital ha!
been invested in the different Goa
fields of the state and other negotia
tions are now pending. In all of thes
coal and coke fields competition is al
ready keen and constantly becomin
more So. The coal fields of West Vii
gina lying along the Ohio posses
many advantages 50 far as concern
southern trade The railroad rates an
now quite favorable to the coal field
Cf the state, and the nearness of tn
upper fields to Baltimore gives thcl
advantages for the export trade.