The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-07-11

"Twenty-iive millions of dollars has
been invested in bituminous coal lands
in Western Pennsylvania and west
Virginia in the last ten years by an
,hracite operators. who sold out their
holdings In the hard coal region, either
wholly or in part. to the coal trust, ana
transferred their capital to western
fields" says the Philadelphia Times.
"These men. who had made fortunes IN
the anthracite region, transferred their
properties to the trust at high figures
and Immediately relnvcsted their pro-
ceeds further west, where they are to-
day the leaders in one of the most re-
markable industrial developments that
the business world has known in the
past quarter century.
"As a. result cX-anthracite operators
now have a firm hold on the btumin-
Gus region, are working hand and hand
with their eastern brethren and are
backing up the hard coal men in their
present battle with Pesident Mitchell
and the United Mine Workers of Amer
lea.
"There is no doubt the silent yet tre-
mendously powerful support which the
soft coal men have given to the anthra-
cite operators has been a strong factor
in helping the eastern operators to
maintain a firm stand against Mitch
ellis demands and to scorn all offers of
compromise.
SAW MILLIONS IN 1T.
"The first anthracite operators to see
The possibilities of making millions in
the soft coal fields were Congressman
=. B. Leisenring and DR.. John Wentz,
Of Luzerne county. who, in 1880, bought
several thousand acres of coal lands IN
the Connellsville region and built sew
eral hundred coke ovens. Fifteen years
later they Sold out their holdings to II.
C. Frick and invested their profits at
Big Stone Gap, West Virginia, where
the Leisenring estate and DR.. Wentz
now control immense properties.
"Their example was quickly followed
by other operators. but it was not until
information Of the so-called Goal
Trust eight years ago that the move
ment westward became general The
Lackawanna, Erie, Lehigh Valley, Della
ware and Hudson and other coal-carry-
ing companies then began to offer big
figures to individual operators for their
anthracite coal lands in the Luzerne,
Lehigh and Wyoming regions. AS re-
hands and anthracite men began to dot
the soft coal regions Of Western Penn
sylvania and West Virginia with mines
and coke ovens located in hitherto un-
developed fields.
"Among the first of the big operators
to sell to the trust were T. II. Watkins
and c. d. Simpson, whose coal lands
were near Scranton. They got the high
price they asked for their mines from
the Temple Iron company and immedi-
ately bought $4,000 acres of soft coal
land in Blair and Cambria counties.
This was the foundation of the Web
ster Coal and Coke company, which
now employs more than 5000 men. They
are among the heaviest operators in
the country. Messrs. Watkins and
Simpson still hold their interests in the
company and are in the directorate.
The main Offices are in this city. Other
anthracite operators who have sold out
their interests in part or altogether
and invested in soft coal lands, includ-
ed the following:
HOLDINGS IN SOMERSET co.
"T. NJ. Ritter, of Mount Carmel, whose
holdings are now in Somerset county,
this state, and West Virginia.
, "Ex-Senator Morgan B. Williams, Of
LuZerne, who is now operating in the
Clearfield region.
20. w. Bump, former owner of the
Tenwood and Schooley colieries in the
Wyoming region, who is now operating
along the Chesapeake and Ohio rail-
road
"E. l.. Fuller, of Scranton, who lately
purchased the West Virginia Central