Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1902-11-24
COAL TO SUPPLY
THE WORLD
The Annual Report Of 10 E.
Sheridan, U. s. Coal
Mine Inspector.
A MOST IMPORTANT FIELD
Mckinley County Leads in Pro-
duction With Colfax Second,
Lincoln Third and Santa
Fe Fourth.


United States coal mine inspector, COW
ers 144 pages and reviews in detail the
coal mining industry in New Mexico.
1t is OF especial interest because of the
account it gives of the new operations
in the Dawson and Willow coal fields in
Colfax county, and the recommendations
for legislation that it makes. While
there has been temporary falling off
of over $4,000 tons in the amount of
coal mined, compared to the year pre-
vious, the inspector calls attention to
the vast area of coal lands and enor-
nous available tonnage OF coal which
may be profitably mined The compe-
tition of fuel oil as bearing upon pro-
ducton of coal in the territory is dis
cussed, and it is shown that the deve-
opment of other western industries and
settlement of the country has more than
compensated for the market lost by COM
petition of fuel oil. This competition
he predicts to be only temporary, taking
for his premises occurrences of similar
conditions heretofore in other fuel OF
and coal competitions.
The magnitude of the coal fields of
New Mexico Is little un .erstood and
their Importance still less appreciated.
As is shown in the summary herein be-
low, a verv conservative estimate places
the aggregate area of these coal fields at
/ 1865, ,4S0 acres, or 2,133.3 square miles,
and the coal contained therein at S,173,-
$4,000 tons, an amount more than twice
as great as all the tonnage of coal ever
produced in the whole United States,
and which has supplied the wants of
every industry OF the nation since its
birth.
NEAR TO CALIFORNIA.
OF what vital Importance, then will
this the nearest coal field become to the
great State of California, with its mining
and manufacturing industries, in the
near future, when oil reservoirs arc
drained and coal will again be in demand
for fuel. Arizona, as its vast mineral
resources are developed, will be depen-
dent upon her neighbor, New Mexico,
for cheap fuel with which to prosecute |
this development, And New Mexico,
with like mining industries at home, will
be independent, having the necessary |
energy stored in its own coal fields to
cheaply develop its other industries.
Cheap transportation across the con-
tinent Of the products Of the East and
West to their, respective markets will
depend upon the New Mexico stores of
coal to replensh fuel for the machines
engaged in the business of transporta-
tion..
Labor troubles at the mines have been
settled, and full force of men
$ at work upon the majority of the
mines; yet there is dearth of coal min
,rs, and few mines are still short of
men,.
The gross production of coal for the
iscal year ended June 80, 1902, was
1884 tons; amount Ned at mines,
10, 1893 tons; net product, 1,1O2,046 tons;
estimated value of net product on board
.ars at the mines, 81 ,609, ,s9s90. The
,ross output, 1925 tons, shows a de-
.rease of S4,5S6 tons from the product
" preceding year. This decrease was
attributed to scarcity OF miners during
he past two years and consequent re-
tricted development of the mines.
During the year seventeen fatal acci-
tents occurred, or one life lost per &C.,
,43 tons of coal mined. Twelve hundred
nen were employed underground and
10 men outside, total 1910 men; So boys
we're employed underground and 10 out
ide, total, 72.
OIL WAS SUBSTITUTED.
OIL was substituted for coal as a fuel
lpon the Southern Pacific railroad,
rom San Francisco, Call, to Ell Paso,
Texas, a distance Of 1,15o miles, and
pou the Santa Fe-Pacific railroad from
Ian Francisco, CAL, to Seligman, Ariz.,
nd branch lines, oil miles, or total
Mileage Of 2,061 miles. Besides the
ubstitution Of oil upon these railroads,
uel oil has also replaced coal for do
nestle and manufacturing uses in many I
ARTS of California, Arizona and Texas,
shere New Mexico coal formerly found
market; yet, the coal production OF ,
he mines most affected by competition
oil, Mckinley county mines, show an .
ncreased production of 30,221 tons over
be preceding year. {
Never before has so much substantial
evelopment and equipment been put I
pom the coal mines of New Mexico In a /
Ingle year, and the results of develop. !
tent are beyond the most sanguine ex- 1
ectations of the operators. Taking
very condition and circumstance bear {
az upon the coal industry of New c
fexico into consideration, 1t is evident ,
hat a very prosperous era is close at ,
and for the coal miners of the terri
ory.
AREA OF COAL LANDS
The area OF coal lands in the territory G
given approximately as 1865, 4SO acres, t
nd the available tonnage at S,173, ,840,- q
DO tons. Mckinley county stands first
mong the coal-producing counties of 2
be territory, showing production Of
81, ,436 tons, Of o value Of $779, 1872, II
gainst 531, ,2l5 tons last year; 700 men t
ere employed. Colfax county is Sec t
nd, with 1894 tons, valued at $780, n
37, 467 men and 30 boys employed, v
gainst 332, ,O46 tons last year, q decrease Q
81, ,6s2 tons, caused by lack Of labor
nd consequent restricted development, t
lincoln county is third, with ,00o n
,ns, 1853 men and 6 boys employed, q
gainst q production OF liza, ,7s2 tons last 1
ear. Santa Fe county Is fourth, with 8
product Of 103, ,461 tons; III mon and
oys employed. This shows a dectease
II, 1885 tons, due to fire In Cerrillos I