The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-05-09
SEEMS PARAD0XICAL
In Spite Of the Anthracite Famine
the Shipments Of Coal the Past
Year Were Excessive.
The Aggregate Coal Traffic of the
Country Was the Greatest of
Any Year on Record.

of the American coal trade is that in spite
of the short supply of hard coal during
the past year the aggregate tonnage of
the trade was the greatest which has ever
been recorded, and that it is far beyond
that Of any other country. Commenting
upon this phenomenon, F. E. saward, the
coal authority of New York, says in the
Manufacturers Record:
THE meaning of all this is that our
bituminous trade is growing at a ire
mendous pace. We have districts in a
single state which are doing as much as
was previously done by some of the small
err 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 anthracite
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 Pennsylvania will
do as much as all the bituminous coal
mines of Germany, while West Virginia
does as much as Belgium, and Illinois as
much as France.
ut is marvellous to the greatest degree.
and even to one who has been connected
with the trade for any length of time
the returns for the year 1902 must come
as a surprise, for we are all so busy look
ing after our own particular business that
IL is Oily Wien tI1e lIdue STATISTICS III CIlSli
entirety are rounded up that one can
grasp the situation as it really is. The
soft-coal output in this country has
doubled in ten years, so that the tonnage
of that variety of fuel alone for last year
amounted to the enormous total of 254,-
900, 900 tons. It is because we have other
states and territories producing coal than
the one or two which may be familiar to
the average reader, that this total is pos
sible.'
| Referring in particular to certain south
ern states, Mr.. Seward says: E
| Maryland is one of the peculiar states,
| if one may be pardoned for the express
sion, in the annals of the coal trade. No
very great increase in the tonnage is
shown from year to year of late but there
| is an evenness to it which is. remarkable
because of the fact that other districts
producing a good grade Of steam coal have
4 been developed at a very rapid pace, and
| yet the old state keeps at about the same
level. Last years output was Assoc
I tons, and here, as In SO many other dis
tricts or states, the trade is concentrated
in a few hands. This state is also peculiar
in the relations of the operators with the
employees. very little interruption having
ever taken place because Of strikes.
"West Virginia stands third in the
amount of its coal output, and it is Civ.
! ing Illinois a chase for second place. Fol
it's volume of trade it is peculiar from the
fact that three lines of railroad do by IA
the greatest proportion Of the tonnage
sent out. And in this state also there i
what is called concentration to a most de
termined degree.
Kentucky shows total of 6,4e1, get
tons for last year, which is great ad.
vance, in the way Of output as compared
with even a few years back, for in 189'
it did only 8. III, 900 tons. The enterpris
ing operators in the western part of the
state are to be credited with this increase
in the business, for they are pushing thei
tonnage up into the northwest. It ma!
, be noted in passing that there is tn,
greatest development likely to come abou
in the coal along the streams tributar.
to the Big Sandy. This means much TO
the railroad lines now there or projecte,
into that territory.
Tennessee has not yet been scratched
> over, so far as its coal resources are con
cerned, and it is only within the past yea
that there has been anything like an effor
on the part of the railroad companies ex
tending thru the state to aid in its de
, velopment. The time has come, however
and there is now the greatest rivalry t
} enter coal territory because there is III
|. freight SO readily handled and SO profit
4 able to the carrying company. We ma
expect an Increase in the coal output, TO
} there is a market awaiting it from tn
industrial development of the south.
Alabama is a state which is making
/ the greatest progress. and the coal outpu
last year was 1o,227,713 tons. The pc
culiar fact is that the coal is so largel
used at home for the iron works. Tha
the tonnage here is done by a few con
! Germs may be seen when it is known tina
). thirteen produced 100000 out of tn
9 total, leaving the remainder to fifty small
: : er concerns, and doubtless some Of thes
: | will be amalgamated before long.
II>> ~, how ,%o 49, I
has been good progress during the pas
!; year from Virginia to Texas, and eve
2 the Indian Territory is working up as
J coal producer.