Waterbury Democrat., 1902-12-05

tons DITum1nOuS cOaI, WHICH IS lS.l per cent. of the total bituminous, and 9.3 per cent. of the total anthracite and bituminous. In 1898, owing to pro- tracted strikes, the production was not so great as for several preceding years, that of 1897 being 17,9oo,ooo tons, or 10 per cent. of the total; and that of 1896 being 17,7oO.0o0 tons, or 1o.3 per cent. of the total anthracite and bi- luminous coal production of the coun- try. For the year 1899 the output amounted to 21,s2o,00o long tons, an increase over the preceding years figures of 5,214,oo0 tons, or over 30 per cent. N The third state, in 1901, in the order of coal production was West Virginia; but this position has been only recent " obtained. In 1880 the production of West Virginia was behind not only that of Pennsylvania end Illinois but also that of Ohio and Maryland, ar
 but little in advance of Indiana al
 Iowa. By 1890, however, West Virgin
 was already fourth in the order of coal production, and by 1896 third, having exceeded the production of Ohio in that year. In 1880 the production of coal in West Virginia amounted to only 1,800,0o0 long tons, or 2.6 per cent. of the total, whereas in 1901 it amounted to 21,4o0,o00 tons, or 10.6 per cent. of the total bituminous coal production of the country. ~
 The fourth state in the order of coal production is Ohio, with an output in 1901 of 1S,7o0, 900 tons. This output was equal to II per cent. of the total anthracite and bitun;nous coal pro- duction of the country. The produc- tion of coal, however, in this region while it has rapidly increased, has not maintained the same rate of increase as in other parts of the country. Thus, as early as 1880, the coal production from this,region amounted to 5,9O0,o0O tons, or about 8.4 per cent. of the total, as compared to Fl per cent. in 1901. Until 1896 Ohio was third in the order of coal production, but it has since lost this position to West Virginia, and there is no probability of it's rapidly regaining it. The production is chief ly in the counties of Perry, Athens, Jackson, Guernsey and Belmont, all though the coal fields of Ohio cover a very large area.
 Four states-Pennsylvan Illinois, West Virginia and Ohio-may be said to be in the first rank of coal produc- CTS, the total production from these states amounting in 1901 to 173, ,9oo, ,ooo tons, or about 75.7 per cent. of the total coal production of the country The remaining 24.3 per cent. of the coal produced in this country is distributed as follows: Alabama, which has in- creased its production almost 25 fold since 1880, is fifth, with a production of 8,124,0OO tons, or over per cent; Indiana, whose coal fields adioin those of Illinois, with 6,177,o0O tons, or a3 per cent. of the total; Iowa, with 5,o1G
 900 tons, or somewhat less than De. cent. of the total; Kentucky, with 4
 883,00O tons, or about IS per cent. of the total; Kansas, with 4,375, ,0o0 tons, or IT per cent. of the total; Wyoming, with 4,O04,ooo tons, or Is per cent. of the total; Missouri, with 3,394,0oo tons, or 1.3 per cent. of the total; Ten. nessee, with 3.244,oo0 tons, or 1.2 per cent of the total; while each of the other states has less than per cent. of the total production.