Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1903-01-09
n closing. 10 cali your attention sto. e

IN closing, to call your attention 49,.
matter Of great pith and point = W.. ~
should rtainly occupy Sood oee.. =
our thought III the future. ne 11lasss..
! is new only IN that It cannot be ORG %
long as we are doing nothing ZOE y.
refer to the development OF the ss1Sn-
mond coal field, commonly so-caiied- 20
little has been said OF this subject re-
Gently that We have to be told again and
again to realize that nature has placed
here almost ut our doors. coal hsld,#
estimated to contain $50 square miles. pos
sessfng worka BILE seams of from ten 10
sixty feet in thickness. and that. OF this
vast area. probably less than two square
miles have been worked The value OF
this wonderful resource has been testlHsa
TO BY disting uished writer's, VINO. IN speah-
ing of its advantageous location ana tAe
quality OF the fuel. have EXPIRE ssed SUI
prise at the delay In It's development.
Colonel Archer Anderson, IN a most laeei !,
esting address before this Cnamoer. sea '.''s
that the field. at ore time. not only iur-
nished our own supply, but constituted the
best source Of fuel for iron works on the
Hudson river. and In other parts OF the
North The discovery Of anthracite coai.
however, interfered with this market
Now, however. that the mountains OF our
State and West Virginia are being placed
under such heavy tribute to supply tue
demand for COAL the question naturally
arises, why cannot this wcnderfui neio.
lying in close proximity to tlde-Water.
be worked advantageously electrical
energy. generated from the Waste at tue
mines, would be sufficient to bring the
output to this shipping center, and the
short haul and cheap transportation
should go long way towards overcom-
ing the extra expense Of hosting coal
and keeping down the water incident to
deep underground mining in the Rich
mond coal field The beneficial result OF
this development can hardly be estimated,
as aside from the valuable traffic 1t would
create. we would be assured of ample sup
plies of coal at such low prices that
Richmond would possess one OF the most
I'M portant basic factors for manu1ac-
turing city. Certainly this would give
strong and vigorous Impulse to our
growth. The practical Importance OF this
matter has so appealed to one OF our
members, who is fully acquainted with
the conditions, that he has offered to
become one Of a number to contribute
literally towards fund to secure, under
the auspices of the Chamber, a scientlhc
and up-to-date investigation and report
on this coal field. I earnestly suggest.
therefore. that this subject be referred TO
the Committee on Mines. with instruc-
tons to consider and report upon the i'm
portance and feasibility OF some action
by the Chamber along the lines indi-
Gated.
In closing this report, gentlemen. and
in surrendering the trust with which you
have honored me, desire to express my
| apprecia ton of the high consideration ex-
tended me by the board. the committees,
and members generally of the Chamber.
and to acknowledge Indebtedness to our
| honored secretary for the able services
rendered and the valuable suggestions
made me during my incumbency IN office.
Thanking one and all. and with earnest
wish for the continued and extended use
fitness Of the Chamber. am,
Very sincerely.
HENRY L. CABELL,