Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1903-04-09
WEST VIRGINIA THIRD
In the Coal Producing States of
the Union.

She Is living Illinois a Close Race for
Second Place-Prod nction would
Have been Larger If it had not been
for the big Strikes Some Astonishing
Figures.
Anything on the coal trade OF the
world is interesting to West Virgin
ians, inasmuch as this state has the
largest coal area OF any In the United
States, and more than the combined
area OF several European nations.
Mr.. T. E. Saward, in the Manufac-
turers' Record, of Baltimore, in his
review Of the past year in the coal
trade, asserts that il is remarkable
fact in the history Of the industry
that in spite OF the short supply of
hard coal during the past year, the
tonnage was the greatest which has
ever been recorded; that 1T is far and
away beyond that OF any other coun-
try. The meaning Of all this is that
our Dituminous trade is growing at
tremendous pace. We have districts
in a single state which are doing as
much as some of the smaller states.
We have operations which run up
into the millions Of tons per annum.
There are concerns engaged in the
soft coal trade whose tonnage far and
away exceeds that of any single an
thraclte company, even in the palmy
days of that trade.
The astonishing fact is shown that
the United States output is beyond
that Of Great Britain; that PennSyl-
vania will do as-much as all the BIZ
luminous coal mines Of Germany,
while West Virginia does az much as
Belgium, and Illinois as much as
France.
1t is marvellous to the greatest de-
gree, and even TO one who has been
connected with the trade for any
length of time the returns for 1902
must come as surprise, for we are
all so busy locking after our own par
ticular business that it is only when
their trade statistics in their entirety
are rounded up that one can gr.sp the
situation as it really is. Soft-coal out
put in this country has doubled in
ten years, so that the tonnage of that
variety OF fuel alone for last year
254, 900, 000,tons
The United States easily holds the
primacy for coal production in 1902,
with an accredited output of 295, 900,
900 tons. Great Britain comes next
with 227, 900, 900 tons, with Germany
and France following. In the matter
of production in this country West
Virginia stands third, giving Illinois
a strong chase for second place. With
regard to operations in this state, Mr..
Saward says:
The estimate of Mine Inspector
Paul for last year was %, 600, 600 tons.
ard this might have been greater but
for the interruption due to the strikes
at mines along the New river and the
there was some trouble, but IN spite of
1t the output increased, and about
made up what the above named places
lost. For its volume OF trade it is
peculiar from the fact that three lines
CT railroad do by far the largest pro-
portion of the tonnage sent out-the
Baltimore & Ohio on the north, the
Chesapeake & Ohio in the central
portion, with the Norfolk 4 Western
at the southern tier of counties, and
the West Virginia Central cutting
across an extensive portion Of the CEN
trail part of the State. Tonnage OF
the Chesapeake & Ohio was 1900, 900
tons, of the Norfolk & Western g.
200, 900 tons, of the Baltimore & Ohio
5000, 900 tons, and the West Virginia
Central 1900, 900 tons-less than the
preceding year, by reason Of the strike.
AS three of the railroads have selling
agencies for coal, and the Weston in
terest in the upper district is large
one, it can readily be seen that ia this
state also there is what is called con-
sentration to most determined degree
Wages vary in the several districts,
but on the whole the men are con-
tented, and the rate is remunerative
to the worKmen. This makes it diff
f1cult for the unions to gain much Of
foothold in any OF the districts. AS
showing the fairness with which en-
ployees are treated, it may be noted
that ia all the districts the operators
have voluntarily increased the rate of
pay this year, in some instances from
January |, and in Others from April l.