Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-08-04
WEST VIRGINIA
HAS FORTUNE
IN COAL
SENATOR ELKINS DECLARES
HIS STATE WILL SOON RIVAL
PENNSYLVANIA IN PRODUCT
OF COAL MINES.

RECORD AulLe4 STATES CeAAAAAA 1AGFANA -
EIkins. OF West Virginia. says:
West Virginia IS next 70 Illinois In the
coal producing states and Il is not very
far behind that. and from the railroad
development that IS going on. before
many years she viii give Pennsylvania
quite a hustle for position. England's
great prosperity has been made from her
coal and iron and the greatest fortunes
OF her so-called sbarons' have come from
these sources. West Virginia is full Of
coal. OIL. and timber. The coal IS the best
property one can have Il even beats New
York real estate. I am out OF the West
Virginia Central now, for We sold that 70
people who are going 20 extend IL 10 the
Little Kanawha. and some day that is go
ing TO be connected with the Wabash
There Is quite a gap 20 be filled between
the line at Cumberland and the Western
Maryland railroad. but the boys that have
Il In hand now viii not take very long 10
make that connection. and in the mean
time both OF these lines are paying for
themselves and have a big future before
them.
II am stin buying coal lands. for as
have said before, that Is the best proper
y one can have. and some day there win
be built the line known as the Coal and
Iron railroad that viii help to deliver the
product OF -rest Virginia at tidewater.
There Is goin 20 be plenty OF work for all
the railroads nat viii be built. and there
viii be a profit 20 them. because the de-
mand for coal Is going 20 be great enough
20 avoid the necessity OF any cut rates
for carrying Il. I don't fear the Balti-
more and Ohio. the Chesapeake and Ohio.
or the Norfolk and Western. for they
have got all they can do. and they viii
have plenty 20 do 20 take care OF the ton
mage that viii come from the development
along their lines.
According to the report Of the chief
mine Inspector OF West Virginia, the pro-
ductiOn OF coal last year was 2. fSi
tons. and when the great operations OF the
United States corporation and others
down in the POcah0ntas district are fully
under way Il VIII not be surprising 10
find a tonnage OF S5ooo.e9 or 100000 as
the yearly product Some Of the largest
Of the Pennsylvania operators OF both the
lard and soft coal districts are putting
their money down In that part OF the
country because they know what the fu-
tnEe OF Il Is likely 10 be- BY the way,
il viii not be surprising some day TO find
that the Southern Railway is pulling out
a lot Of coal from the Virginias."
These West Virginia evidences OF what
Senator EIkius regards as good times
ahead for the south are phases of the de-
velopment which has been marked by an
increase IN the production OF bituminOusl
tons in 1ssl 20 s2.0o0 900 in 1880 and 20 prob
ably Z51.oa0.0o0 tons this year. and the pro-
duction Of pig iron from $4,000 tons in
1Ss0. less one-third OF the present output
in The south alone, 10 about $500. 600 tons
IN 50 and to II. 003O00 or IS. 10000 tons this
year. And West Virginia and Virginia
are fully carrying out their part Of the
prediction made in 1850 in the Manufacture
ers' Record by Dir. Edward Atkinson who.
reviewing the increase in iron and steel
consumption and pointing 20 the time
when the productive capacity Of the iron
works OF the United States would be
pushed 10 their outmost capacity to meet
home and foreign demand. referred TO the
southern Appalachian region extending
from West Virginia 20 Alabama, and es-
peciaily 10 western Carolina, southwest
Virginia. eastern Tennessee and eastern
Kentucky as possibly the future situs OF
the principal iron production OF the world.
The world revOlutionizing discoveries OF
Bessemer ores in the Mesaba district
changed the situation for the time, but
the fundamental facts regarding the ter
ritory TO which Mr.. Atkinson referred
have pot changed and at last that region
IS 20 be fully opened up.
Many experts claim that there Is no
other section Of this country so richly en-
dOwed with high grade coking coal in
seams that run at times 20 as much as
ten feet. fine Bessemer and other iron
n
western Carolina southwest Virginia,
Kentucky and Tennessee meet. As a result
OF efforts begun fifteen or twenty years
ago 20 develop this section, the charles
ton. Cincinnati and Chicago railroad. ar
terward known as the Ohio River and
Charleston. was built in sections. After
the failure OF the financial hackers OF that
enterprise and its consequent receiver
ship the portion extending from Marion.
n C. 20 Camden, s. c. III miles, was
purchased by the Southern railway, with
the prospect OF extending Il northwest
wardly 20 the coal fields OF Virginia and
Kentucky. The portion OF the line from
Johnson City, Tenn. 70 Huntdale. n. g.
was some months ago purchased BY
syndicate which also obtained control OF
1iS.0t9 acres OF coal land 10 be opened Up
by the extension OF this road.
A deal has now been arranged By which
these coal lands and this section OF the
railroad have passed 20 interests identified
with the SeabOard Air Line. and the ex-
tension Of the road 20 LincOinton on the
south and 20 Toms Creek IN Wise county
Va. viii be actively pushed. The compile
ton OF these extensions. II Is expected.
within year viii give direct outlet 20
Underwater at Wilmington and Southport,
-. C.. for the vast mineral wealth OF
southwest Virginia, while Il Is intended
that eventually an extension shall be
made from Toms Creek through the
'breaks or the Big sandy river and
thence on 10 Ashland. Ky. and Ironton
o.. connecting at the latter place with the
Detroit Southern road. OF which Mr..
Samuel Hunt Is president. he also being
president OF the Ohio River and Charles
ton. Thus this line viii become the con-
Meeting link through one Of the greatest
mineral and timber regions Of America,
with the lakes on one side and the ATTAIN
tic on the other.
There are evidences that the Atlantic
Coast Line may also have an extension in
TO the same fuel region. and with the
Norfolk and Western and the Louisville
and Nashville already reaching a consid-
cradle portion OF IL. and the SeabOard
extending its line through Il. the Southern
and other roads viii doubtless press for
ward and take an equally prominent part
IN the opening up OF a region which can
furnish sufficient traffic 10 tax the re-
sources OF all the roads that may get into
that territory. Somewhere in that region
viii probably be seen the building OF FUR
naces and steel plants and the creation or
cities which may rival the progress and
prosperity Of Birmingham. and out OF that
section will be poured a vast traffic IN
coal and iron ore. in timber, marbles and
other products.
In the meantime Alabama Is pushing
forward fits iron and coal developments.
stimulated 20 the utmost activity BY the