The Oskaloosa herald., 1903-01-01

has never amounted to more than
about one-fifth of one per cent. of the
total, and in 1901 it amounted to only
SO, ZOO tons, or less than one per cent.
of the total anthracite output. An
thracite coal may therefore be consid-
cred entirely as a Pennsylvania prod
uct, since 900 per cent. of the totali Is
produced there.
The central point of bituminous
production is also in the state of Penn
sylvania. OF the total of 2o1,571,0oo
long tons, 73,4s7, 900, or owe SO per
cent, were produced in Pennsylvania.
The production of this state has very
rapidly increased, amounting to only
1900, 900 tons in 1880 and increasing
over 800 per cent. in 90 years. The
total production of Pennsylvania, of
anthracite and bituminous, ton for
ton, is 133, 73o,0oo tons, or 81 per cent.
of the total production of the country.
In 1880 the production was 46, 100000
tons, which, though less, absolutely,
formed a larger per cent. of the total
production of those days, two-thirds
of the total coal production being
credited to Pennsylvania at that time.
The average percentage for the period
of the last % years from 1880 to 1901,
inclusive, was "a.
The second state in the order of pro-
duction of coal is Illinois, and this po-
| sition has been maintained since 1880.
At present Illinois produces 24,403 900
tons bituminous coal, which is 1871 per
cent. of the total bituminous, and 0.3
per cent. of the total anthracite and
bituminous. In 1898, owing to pro-
tracted strikes, the production was not
so great as for severalpreceding years,
that of 1897 being IL, 200, 900 tons, or
10 per cent. of the total; and that of
1896 being 100000 tons, or 1913 per
cent. of the total anthracite and BIZ
luminous coal production of the coun-
try. For the rear 1899 the output
amounted to $780, 900 long tons, an
increase over the preceding years
figures of 5~,214,oo0 tons, or over 80
per cent.
The third state, in 1901, in the order
of coal production was West Virginia;
but this position has been only recent
ly obtained. In 1880 the production of
West Virginia was behind not only
that of Pennsylvania and Illinois but
also that of Ohio and Maryland, and
but little in advance of Indiana and
Iowa. By 1890, however, West Virginia
was already fourth in the order of coal
production, and by 1896 third, having
exceeded the production of Ohio in
that year. In 1880 the production OF
coal in West Virginia amounted to
only 100000 long tons, or &c per cent.
of the total, whereas in 1901 ii
amounted to 21,490, 900 tons, or 10.e
per cent. of the total bituminous coal
production of the country.
The fourth state in the order of
coal production is Ohio, with an output
in 1901 of ts,700,0oo tons. This output
was equal to IL per cent. of the total
anthracite and bituminous coal pro-
duction of the country. The produc-
ton Of coal, however, in this region,
while it has rapidly increased, has not
maintained the same rate of increase
as in other parts of the country. Thus,
as early as 1880, the coal production
from this region amounted to 5000, 900
tons, or about 8.4 per cent. of the total,
as compared to IL per cent. in 1901.
Until 1896 Ohio was third in the order
of coal production, but it has since lost
this position to West Virginia, and
there is no probability of its rapidly
regaining it. The production is chief
ly in the counties of Perry, Athens,
Jackson, Guernsey and Belmont, al
though the coal fields of Ohio cover a
very large area.
-Four states-Pennsylvania, Illinois,
West Virginia and Ohio-may be said
to be in the first rank of coal produc-
ers, the total production from these
states amounting in 1901 to 173, 900, 00O
tons, or about 75.7 per cent. of the total
coal production of the country. The
remaining 24.3 per cent. of the coal
producedi in this country is distributed
as follows: Alabama, which has in
creased its production almost 25 fold
since 1880, is fifth, with a production
of S,124,000 tons, or over 3 per cent:
Indiana, whose coal fields adjoin those
of Illinois, with 6,177, 900 tons, or ga
per cent. of the totaf Iowa, With 5,O16,-
900 tons, or somewhat less than Q per
cent. of the total; Kentucky, with A.
$4,000 tons, or about 1.s per cent. of
the total; Kansas, with 4,375,OOO tons,
or IT per cent. of the total; Wyoming,
with 4,oO4, 900 tons, or LIS per cent. of
the total; Missouri, with 3,394,o 0 o
tons, or 1.3 per cent. CT the total; Ten
nessee, with $4,000 tons, or 1.2 per
cent. Of the total; while each Of the
other states has less than 1 per cent.
- Al. 4o4o1 .ro1ro4trr