The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-03-12
ANrHRAcITE AND IRIS HISTORY

The third part of the twenty-second
annual report OF the United States geo.
logical survey. now passing Through the
press, contains the description of The
Pennsylvania Anthracite Coal Field"
by H. h Stock.
The development of the anthracite
coal field, says the report, may be brief
ly suggested by the following chron-
ology: 1862. anthracite discovered in
Wyoming valley byConnecticut settlers
1869. Obadiah Gore first burned anthra-
cite in his blacksmith forge. 1902, an
thracite first burned in a CRATE in Phil
adelphia. 1912. anthracite first success
fully used in an iron furnace at Phil
adelphia. 1928. first cargo of anthracite
shipped around Cape Cod to Boston.
1S2O-1S4O, period of canals and naviga-
ton companies. 1S40-19o1. period of rail-
road exploitation. 1855, anthracite leads
charcoal in manufacture of pig iron
1887. important development of lake and
western trade 1900. large number of
individual collieries bought up by rail
roads.
After a protracted contest with the
railroads, the individual operators con-
solidated their interests in 1899 with
the Pennsylvania Coal company and in
a railway for themselves;
whereupon. in January 1901, the Penn
sylvania Coal company was bought by
Messrs. Pierpont Morgan x Co. at an
increase of 1872 per cent upon the par
value of the stock; this property was
then Immediately sold to the Erie rail-
road: and thus the contest was closed
Some years ago the anthracite miners
were mainly American. English. Welsh
and Irish; but at present a great many
ma rionaIities are represented in the an
thracite fields. The percentages of ma
tionalities are about as follows: Amer
ican 81; Irish. 16; English. 5: Welsh, g
a little over 81 per cent-Polish, q Hun
garian. 6; Italian, 3; German. 4; and
Austrian, Slavonic, Scotch and Lithuan-
ian over 1 per cent each. In 1899 the
amount of employees inside the mines
was 80, 223: of outside employees. 4S.4aR-
a total of 140,656. The production of coal
In the anthracite field by decennial
periods since 1880 has been 46.500.0o0
tons. valued at s66 400, OOO 1900 57,40O,O00 |
tons, valued at $S6.0Oo,0Oo.
Concentration of interests in the an !
thracite coal fields has been the policy |
for the past few Tears in connection |
with the mining and preparation ofcoal, |
as we'll as III the ownership of the prop |
critics Large central plants are rapid |
One large breaker now does the work
formerly done by a number of small |
mes. A single tubular boiler plant has |
'eplaced possibly half a dozen scatter
d individual plants of old-fashioned
cylindrical boilers. and mammoth CEN
raj pumping plants or drainage tunnels
ire now draining whole basins, where
ormerly a large number of small plants
we're doing the work. This concentra-
ion naturally tends to better manage
nent. and to saving in fixed expenses
nd in labor. These economies have re-
ulted from the increase of capital and
abor required to produce anthracite,
Without a corresponding increase in de-
nand for it.
In 1880. coal royalties were from 20 to
3 cents per ton for prepared sizes, the
ICES below chestnut being neglected or
brown away; now royalties areas cents
or pea coal. about 10 to 121a cents for
ICES below pea. and from 40 to so cents
or prepared sizes above pea. In 1877,
he average number of days worked per
ear was POS; 1897. it was 1872. The cost
f opening a colliery in 1887 was $780,
DO; now ii is from 100000 to $500, 0O0
wing to requirements of cleaning,
bout II per cent of the coal product
hitch was formerly salable must now
e thrown upon the dump. Deeper
heavier machinery. greater
osts in many ways of mining, have
realty increased cost of preparation.
nevertheless, pessimists to the contrary, !
avs Mr.. Stock. the anthracite industry, |
18th an invested capital of some $780,
$1,000, with natural annual profits of |
'om $S5, 100000 to 100000. 900. with a
eight traffic worth $40, 900 per year
!, the carriers, cannot be rapidly wiped
ut of existence.