Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1902-12-13

AK/vAN TIC features VI mOueTu ILL.,
MtM dustrial development has
Ws been the rise of the coal in
WY dustry. Modern society
relies upon coal as the fuel
and source of power, and the terms
iron age" machine age" and cage
of steam" may all be translated the
"age of coal"
The rapidity with which the produc-
ton of coal has increased may be ap-
preciated when we consider the pres
ent volume of that production and re-
fleet in how recent time the produc-
ton formed but very small fraction
of that quantity. In 1901 the total
coal production of the world was $685.
10000 short tons or 7S5, 900 metric
tons. Until as late. a period as 1888
the worlds production had never been
half so great, being only 450,990,000
short tons in that year, and not until
1872 had the worlds production been
as much as a third as large as it
is at present. BY 1864 the worlds
production was only 174,OOO,OO0
metric tons, or less than % per
cent. of the production of 1896. The
statistics Of the worlds produc-
ton for still earlier periods can
not be determined with any pretense
of accuracy; but on the basis of the
British statistics from 1854, of esti-
mates for earlier periods, and from
such statistics as are obtainable from
France, Germany, Belgium, and Aus
tria-Hungary, an approximation may
be made to the actual production. In
1860 the worlds production of coal
was about 142,0oo,0oo long or 144,00O,-
900 metric tons, or less than one-ffth
of the production of 1901, and consid-
erably less than the production of
either the United States or the United
Kingdom at present. Ten years earlier
the worlds production amounted to
only about 80, 900, 600 metric tons, about
one-tenth of the present worlds pro-
duction and considerably less than the
present output of the single state of
Pennsylvania. In 1910 the production
was much smaller still, amounting to-
little over 100000 metric tons, or
about one-seventeenth of the present
output, while during the three-quarters
of a century since 1920, when the out
put was but 100000, the production
has increased but about 4,5OO per
cent.
The production of coal is chiefly
in the hands of three nations, the
British, the Americans and the Ger
mans. During the last 80 years, and
even earlier, the combined coal out
put of these three countries, the
United Kingdom, the United States
and Germany, has averaged year for
year about tive-sixths Of the coal
output of the world. Possess
ing but a tenth of the popula-
ton Of the world, they have pro-
duced about ~sa per cent. of the min
eral fuel while the remaining 80
per cent. of the worlds inhabitants
have produced only about II per cent.
of the coal, and even if the savage
and semibarbarous nations be dis
regarded, the immense preponder-
ance of coal production in these
vO0A " 4O0 AAuSV OV SOANOuOus IL UlllSS
group might be added Belgium, which
produces and consumes more coal
per capita than any other European
country except the United Kingdom,
but for the fact of it's small popula.
ton placing it in the second rank Of
coal-producing countries. q -
. While the continued output of
) these three countries has kept pace
with the production of the rest Of
the world, their relative position has
been materially altered. In 1868 the
United Kingdom produced over three
times as much as either the United
States or Germany, the output OF
these countries being approximately
50, 141a and 16h per cent. OF the
worlds production, respectively. In
1870 the proportion was about tie
same, although the United States had
gained: upon Germany as 8 coal pro-
ducer. by. 1875 the output Of the
United King aora was still consider
ably greater than the combined pro-
duction Of the United States and
Germany, the output Of these three
countries forming As, 20 and 18 pcr
cent Ct the wqrld's production. re-