The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1902-03-13
33s engines of various kinds, and
I5,7oS mules for hauling coal.

532 engines of various kinds, and
I5,7oS mules for hauling coal.
Unlike bltumnous coal, anthracite
must be broken, sorted To- sizes, and
have the impurities picked out, before
it can be marketed. The coal is
broken by toothed rolls, and screened
in circular or horizontal screens, the
slate being picked out by machinery
or by boys and old men. Some years
ago the anthracite miners were main
ly American, English, Welsh and
Irish; but at present great many
natonalitles are represented in the
anthracite fields. The percentages of
nationallties are about as follows:
American, al; Irish, I6; English, S;
Welsh, ga little over 81 per cent
Polish, 27, Hungarian, 6; Italian, 3;
German, a; and Austrian, Slavonic,
Scotch, and Lithuanian over I per
cent each. In 1899 the amount Of
employees inside the mines was
o2,2a3; of outside employees, 4S,433,
total of r4o,656. The production
of coal in the anthracite field by de-
cennlal periods since 1880 has been,
in round numbers: 1880, 49, 100, 900
tons, valued at $4a,3oo,ooo; 1890,
46,5oo,ooo tons, valued at 500, ,4oo,-
900; 1900, $1,000, 900 tons, valued
at $50, 900, 900. Concentration of
interests in the anthracite coal fields
has been the policy for the past few
years in connection with the mining
and preparation of coal, as we'll as in
the ownership OF the properties.
Large central plants are rapidly re-
lplacirg isolated smaller plants. One
large breaker now does the work
formerly done by number of small
ones. A sing e tubular boiler plant
has replaced possibly halt dozen
scattered individual plants of old
fashioned cylindrical boilers, and
mammoth central pumping plants Oh
drainage tunnels are now draining
whole basins, where formerly large
number of small plants were doing
the work. This concentration natural
ly tends to better management, anC
TO a saving In fixed expenses and II
labor. These economies have resulted
from the increase of capital anC
labor required to produce anthracite
without a corresponding increase il
demand for it. In 1880, coal royal
ties were from 20 to IS cents per tor
for prepared sizes, the sizes below
chestnut being neglected or thrown
away; now royalties are IS cents TO
pea coal, about 10 to I2I cents 70
small sizes below pea, and from 40 t
SO cents for prepared sizes above
pea. In 1877, the average numbe
Iof days worked per year was 2o5
: 1897. it was I52. The cost of open
, ing a colllery in 1887 was $Ioo,oo
now it is from $500, 900 to $5oo,o 900
Owing to requirements of cleaning
about Ia per cent of the coal produc
, which was formerly saleable mus
now be thrown upon the dump. Ii
1887, the average daily breaker out
put was 500 tons; in 1897, the aver
; age of all breakers was $50 tons. II
, 1880, SS per cent of the coal solC
, was of the size which sold at profit
in 1897, only 10 per cent. In 1877
. SO per cent of all coal mined wa
y CRATE and larger sizes not requiring
{: preparation for sale; in 1887, only q
per cent; in 1897, IS per cent. TIL
selling price of prepared sizes at It'd
water was $3.a6 in 1877, $3.67 il
1887, and $3.46 in 1897. Deepe
|, workings, heavier machinery, create
t costs in many ways of mining, hav
e greatly increased cost of preparation
f Nevertheless, pesslmists to the cor
/ trary, says Mr.. Stock, the anthracit
# industry, with an invested capital {
J. some $500, ,ooo,o 900, with natural ar
!. nual profits OF from $S5, 900 t
: $Ioo, 100000 with freight traffi
d, worth $40, 900 per year to tn
j carriers, cannot be rapidly wiped OF
r OF existence.
VI The cost of mining anthracite ca
hardly be given in general terms.
e is probably not far from $3.50 pc
S ton.
Y Learn Something,