The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-02-28
SOUTHERN PROGRESS
REVIEW OF THE MANUFACTURE
 FRS RECORD,
Wonderful Strides Made by This Section in the Production of
 Coal and Iron-Some In- teresting Figures.

Baltimore, Feb. 27.-(speciA1-F. E sawsrd of New York, the we'll known au- tnorlty on coal, in commenting in this weeks issue of the Manufacturers. .Record upon the output of coal in the Southern etates ouring the past year, shows tne SwohoerIul progress made in that particu- lar outing the past twenty years
 ihe says that In the census year of 1870 .Se eAtre bltuminous trade of the coun- tty was put l6,lal,S4S tons and none of the southern States was of much import ance. In 1882 they were beginning 10 be heard from and had the following pros ducdpn: Alabama 800. 900 tons, Georgia, iio'ooo tons, Virginia 100000 tons, Tennes- see SOo,OO0 tons Kentucky. 100000 tons. west Virginia 100000 tons, Maryland l. o4o,Vootons, total of 6765,O00 tons. By 1ssz the growth had become much greater and coal developments in the Indian Ter rltory had become of importance. The product then was: Alabama, 5, 529. .lS0 tons, Georgia 215,49S tons, Virginia 675, POS tons, Tennessee 2092, ,0l4 tons. Arkansas b5o,5SS tons. Kentucky 3,025,31 tons, West Virginia 9,S7S,755 tons, Maryland 3419, ,Ss2 tons, Texas A5,O00 tons and Indian Terri tory l,l92.sN tons, total of q. .309, SPA tons During the next five years the Southern output had increased to more than 35,- eo,W0 tons and by 1902 it had reached more than 61,0O 900 tons, the product by States already reported being: West Virginia 25.500,000 tons, Alabama l0,327,- 71S tons. Kentucky 6.421.26S tons, Mary land 5.622,00 tons, Tennessee 4,200. 900 tons, Virginia 100000 tons, Arkansas 2.l25, 730 tons, Texas 100000 tons, Indian Terri- tory 3,000. 900 tons.
 The Southern iron industry has paral- lellpG its daVnlnnmant of coal nd at more than one point in the South have been instituted the most modern economies in handling fuel and raw material. One of the latest of these be- longs to the Maryland Steel Company at Sparrow's Point. This company has com pleted one of four batteries of by-product coke ovens, the other three being turned over for use in about thirty days. This coke making plant occupies three or four acres of ground. Each oven Is to be 43 feet long, six feet high and have daily capacity of six tons of coke in addition to such by-products as ammonia. tar, gas. etc. There are fifty ovens to bat tery, so that the daily output of the plant when completed will be 1,200 tons of coke. .
 The ovens are raised above the ground upon steel columns and girders so that they can be readily operated and their product may be discharged directly into cars. Labor saving machinery Is pro- vided intIuding a pushing machine to drive the finished coke upon the platform. Gas will be used to heat the ovens and to assist in the regulation of the heat, the mode of operation involves reversal of the currents of gas and air every half hour. The possession of this coke plant will enable the company to manufacture .nIra economics mt Nnly in the process of coke making, but in securing the by-products.
 An important feature of these by-pro- duct ovens is their production during the process of coke making, of gas that can be used either for fuel or for illuninat- ing purposes. This gas will give an eighteen candle power light and it is estimated that the Sparrow's Point plant will be able to produce 5000 cubic feet of gas day. Part of this will be used for fuel at the works, while the rest may be used to light the town of Spar rows. Point and. perhaps. to be .piped to Baltimore.