The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1903-01-30
OUR COAL.
Extract from rler.JOurnals
Opening Article About it.

"Plenty OF good men and smart
men, rich and conservative, put a
value OF minus nothing on the
wilderness. 1t may have a world
OF minerals, but that does not
change the reasoning in lnaccessi-
bly, country. How are you going 10
get them out? 1t is like something
in the sky, good to talk about, but,
hopeless to go after.
"Thus one may account for hun
dreds of miles OF the best Of coal
beds lying unworked In the noun
tain wilds OF Kentucky, while peo.
pie are freezing from coal storage
in metropolitan cities Of this coun-
try.
IAN enterp'ising New York
capitalist, with a far-seeing eye
penetrated a wild mountain coun.
try in this State twenty years ago,
when he crossed the West Virginia
bouudry and get into the little
county Of Martin. The coal pros
poets there fascinated him because
he was man who knew some
thing about coal. 1t was not so
scarce an article then, as it is now,
either. 1t occurred TO him that in
time this coal would be needed, and
that when it was needed a way
would be fOuLd to get 1t out.
alt also occurred to him that as
time pushed on, year by year, more
eyes would be turned to new
sources Of coal supply and the
values of the coal beds before him
would grow apace. He was philo-
! phic enough to observe that the
I basis OF values OF real estate and
mineral rights we're not materially
d / II rerent in the uninhabited
mountains than they are in the
cities. There, as in the cities, &C.
cupatioa of adjoining properties
gave additional market value all
around. There, as in the cities,
the competition Of individuals de.
string possession advanced the ex.
change price.
"Nobody wanted this land when
this New Yorker went over it
twenty years ago. In proportion
as the number OF men has grown,
who did want 1t year by year, since
that time, the exchange value OF
this land has increased, notwith-
standing that 1t is lying dormant
now, just as it was then.
4" Nobody wanted it except this
4 New Yorker, and he bought 1t al
his own price from fifty cents TO 81.
so an acre, His agents in the field
kept on buying during these twenty
years until he had 10000 acres in
fee in one solid boundry. Thi:
man has passed to his rest and thi:
property has been inherited by 8
large family OF heirs.
ut has appeared strange that nj
effort has been made TO sell or de
velop this property in all this time
1t may seem more strange that hi:
family OF heirs will positively no
sell it. No income has been de
rived from this property in twenty
years. The question is asked why
1t has been held and why it con
tlnues to be held closely by it
owners. The answer is that tn,
property has been doubling il
value year after year, and is con
sidered more certain aud profit
able investment than interest bear
ing bonds. The estimate OF valu
! put upon this property or total @
= 100000 for the 10000 acres, tn
cost and maintenance OF which
= date is less than 100000. This
one case in one small county of lei
:. ser opportunities and attraction
than several other counties ths
o have not yet been seriously col
: sldered for development.
"What all these counties contai
: will be told in latter articles. III
purpose now is to tell OF the Goa
: that are being worked in the mil
Ing districts OF the State so thu
judgment may indicate what ma
a be done in future in the undevelol
/ ed counties by what Is being don
n under harder conditions, In Il
/ counties under development
ls
IS BLAINE.