Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1902-08-09
THE MANUFACTURE OF COKE
WEST VIRGINIA STANDS SECOND
COKE PRODUCTION.
The Production in This state Last Year
Fell Below THAT OF 1900 -Totai Pro-
aucsicn in 1901 was e.ass,7oo

States Geological Survey. Including
the output from by product ovens, the
total coke production Of the United
States IN 1901 amounted to 81, 195. Ss3
short tons, valued ut S44, 445. 92s. as
compared with 20, 52s, 34s short tons,
valued at S45, 443, 3sl in 1900, and with
1865, 800 short tons, valued 1T $sl.
6s0,4l7, in 1899. The increase in pro-
duction in 1901 as compared with the
preceding year was | .262, 535 short
tons, or @. is per cent. The value of
the product, however. showed de-
crease of 81, a97, 40s. or G.. per cent.
Although the extraordinary demand
for coke, which developed in 1899 and
continued through 1900. was maintain.
ed throughout 1901, the average price
per ton showed decline from ~. 81 in
J 1900 to $40 in 1901. This decline in
price was a natural one, as during the
spring of 1900 the prices were unusual.
ly high and raised the prices for that
year to figure nearly 10 per cent
higher than any year since 1880. An
other cause of the decline in value in
1901 was the fact that the number OF
completed ovens increased from SIS, aSl
in 1900 to Ga, 00l in 1901 the producers
were better able also to supply the de-
mand, and the increased facilities for
transportation furnished by the rail
roads enabled them to market the pro-
duet more readily.
The statistics of the Geological Sur
vey during the last twenty-five years
are the only reliable record of coke
production in the United States. The
census of 1850 reported four establish
ments making coke in the United
States in that year; the census of 1860
reported twenty-one ovens; in 1870
twenty ovens were reported, but
the production was not given separate
ly; in 1880 the coke production amount
ed to 3,33S, 300 tons in 1890 it had in
creased to II sos, OBI tons; in 1890 il
ha grown to 20, 533, 34s, and in 1900 il
. Ate'N'ith WV lIOuuttlOH Oh
u, 795, 1888 tons. This growth has been
fairly regular. There were five years
in the twenty-five in which the pro.
duction was less than in the preceding
year; the most noteworthy OF these
were the panic years of 1893 and 1894,
and 1896 which was also year of de-
preston.
AT the close of 1900 there were s, S04
new ovens in course of construction of
which l,096 were by-product ovens; of
the latter. however, only so were
completed during 1901, and the increas-
ed production last year was almost en-
tirely from beehive ovens. At the
close of 1901 there were 8, 1856 in course
lof construction, of which | ,533, or 30
per cent. We're by-product ovens. The
production of by-product coke increas-
ed from 1,075, 727 short tons in 1900 to
l, 179, 900 short tons in 1901
The number of coke-making estab-
lishments as shown by the returns was
40 in 1901. as compsred with 1906 in
1900.
The States which showed the largest
increases in production during 1901
Wee Pennsylvania, whose output in
creased 99S, 622 short tons, and Virgin
liz, whose output gained 22l ,974 shoi,
tons. Other increases in production
were unimportant There were five
States in which decreases were shown,
the principal losses being sustained by
West Virginia and Tennessee.
Since 1898, inclusive, the five lead
ing coke producing States have been
in the order ed-Pennsylvania.
West Virginia, Alabama, Virginia and
Colorado, and the value Of the coal
per ton of coke produced has been, re-
psectively Pennsylvania, 81. 1888 West
Virginia, 81. 1926 Alabama, 81. SS; yir-
ginia, 81. 1885, and Colorado Including
Utah), 81 loo. The general average
yield Of coal in coke appears TO be
about Ga per cent, but it is doubtful if
the true average yield of coal in coke
throughout the United States exceeds
60 per cent. In Pennsylvania this per-
centage yield Of coal in coke was 66
per cent; in West Virginia it was 81.
per cent; in Alabama il was So per
cent; in Virginia it was GA. per cent,
and in Colorado it was 5S.4 per cent
The comparative yield in 1900 was for
Pennsylvania, 66 per cent West Vir-
ginia, 60.9 per cent; Alabama, $50
per cent; Virginia, 63. 2 per cent; and
Colorado SO per cent.
West Virginia ranks second among
the coke producing States, although
it's total production in 1901 was only
about l6 per cent of that of Pennsylva-
mia. 1t is one of the five States in
which the production last year was
less than that Of 1900, although the
decrease was comparatively small. The