The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-07-29

Whatever the outcome Of the coal
miners strike may be, whetner t',e
miners or the operators win, the Read
ing company, under president bae'
vigorous management, Is preparing TO
enter upon a more aggressive policy
than ever before in the anthracite re-
zion and to utilize more fully the great
advantages it enjoys there. New tracts
are to he opened up and developed. ad-
ditional breakers are to be built, ana
other measures taken for increasing the
coal output Of the company. Additionai
facilities for the storage of anthracite
are embraced in the scheme. and an
expenditure of S3,OO0.O0O has been au-
thorized by the directors to carry out
the project, the details of which have
not yet been fully worked out
AS stated several days ago, the ex-
periences of the past eighteen months
have impressed President Baer and the
directors of the Reading company with
the importance and desirability or
having immense quantities of anthra-
cite coal in stock at convenient points.
TO accumulate such an amount as de-
sired-1, 900, 900 tons-and to keep up
with the market requirements at the
same time has been practically impos-
sible even with the companys present
facilities in the anthracite region, and
this has been one of the causes which
have brought about the determination
to expand and increase mining oper-
ations Another cause that has had an
important bearing on this matter Is the
fact that despite an increase In 1901 OF
over 100000 tons anthracite output the
Schuylkill regions, in which the Read
ing is the dominant factor, was cred
tied with but a fraction over 20 per
cent. of that gain, and Lehigh Valley
region with about 31a per cent, while
the Wyoming region secured over 66
per cent. of the increased tonnage.
UNDEvELOPED LAND.
The Reading has still many thou
sands of acres of undeveloped coal
lands, located principally in Schuylkin
county. The supply Of coal underlying
these lands is almost ineXhaustible. and
it is some of these that President Baep
proposes to open up and develop. For
this purpose he secured from the board
of directors authority to eXpend sew
eral millions of dollars. While the strike
of the miners has somewhat interfered
with the preparation of the plans
proposed, as soon as the conditions
throughout the anthracite regions have
become normal again active steps will
be taken to start the improvements.
Among the lands likely to be opened
UP and developed in the near future is
the one known as the Tamaqua and st.
Clair, and known to contain q large
and valuable deposit of good anthra-
cite. While this has not been deter
mined upon definitely, it has been very
seriously considered by Mr.. Baer and
the engineers and officials of the Coal
and lion company. Should it be de-
termined to develop this tract a large
modern breaker will be erected, as it is
the policy of the Reading in opening
new mines to have the breakers pro-
vide for a large area. Improvement OF
other tracts is also being considered,
as we'll as the enlargement Of some Of
the present breakers.
Equally important in the eyes of the
Reading management is the matter of
storage facilities for great quantities
of anthracite. The company is already
fairly well equipped in this direction
with it's large storage yards at Port
Richmond, Port Reading and else
where, but the keeping on hand of a
million tons of anthracite to meet any
emergencies requires additional room.
Among the locations said to be under
consideration are Bridgeport and
point between Pottstown and Birds
boro, probably Monocacy. The former
place, it is understood, is favored by
the transportation officers of the rail-
way because of convenience in making
up train crews at that point both for
the main lines and the New York di-
vision.