The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1903-09-03
SOUTHERN INDUSTRIAL
Southern Coal Industry.

Baltimore, Special. - Commenting
upon official figures as indicating the
growth OF the Southern coal trade, Mr..
F. E. Saward, the we'll known coal au-
thority, says in last weeks issue OF the
Manufacturers Record:
"The Chesapeake and Ohio for June
this year shows 364,349 tons as against
1sO,041 tons in that month last year,
while the Norfolk and Western shows
645,225 tons for July, as compared with
564,46S tons for that month a year ago.
Then there is the Southern which han
died during the first Ave months OF
this year 1866 6,423 tons Of coal from the
Alabama and Tennessee districts. Last
year the five months supplied 1,505,S53
tons. The. Alabama district supplied
1.155.6s1 tons in 1903. and the Tennes-
see field 510,742 tons. During the year
1902 the Alabama district furnished
the Southern Railway tonnags during
the first five months Of 950,399 tons OF
ccal and Tennessee 555,454 tons. The
Chesapeake and Ohio report for the
year shows s5,65S,S79 net earnings,
which is decrease from the previous
year Of less than half a million, and
yet there was a long strike at coal and
coke works along its line for long
period during the fiscal year. The
Norfolk and Western shows s5.S91 $3.50,
an increase Of nearly 100000, be-
cause were no great trouble at mines
along its line. In a recent interview
Chief Mine Inspector ]. W. Paul re-
marked that there Is the largest coal
development at the present time in the
history of West Virginia and especially
along the Kanawha. In that section
there was a great amount Of construc-
ton of railroads into the various coal
fields and the coal development in that
section in the immediate future will
be such that the railroad facilities will
not be able to move more than Is per
cent. Of the capacity Of the mines.
About the same beneficial effcts,' says
Mr. Paul. have resulted in towns in
the southern portion Of the State from
the coal development as have resulted
to Clarksburg. and Fairmont from the
development Of the coal region"
Referring to the operations Of the
Wabash as related to coal development
Mr.. Saward says:
THE system will be getting coal out
of the New River district before many
months have waned. The Wabash has
completed an extension Of its West
Virginia Central and Pittsburg divis-
ion to Bayard, w. Va. on the outer
edge of the New River field. and will
begin the shipment of coal from that
field to Baltimore at once.
1T is stated by those familiar with
the situation in Alabama that the pro-
duction of coal for the whole year OF
1903 will probably exceed the 1902 ton
mage. notwithstanding the loss Of a
months mining operations. 1t is be-
lieved that improvements made about
the mines during the idleness. and the
new mines which will be ready for op-
erations in the next month or so, will
so increase production that before the
end of the year the loss in tonnage
will be more than made up, and the
demand is said to be great enough to
absorb all the coal that can be turned
out between now and Jan. 1st. The
barge line Of the Southern Railway
which takes coal at Greenville. Miss,
and ships it down the river to New
Orleans. has resumed operations since
the miners went back to work. Coal
is again being shipped from the Ala
bama fields to Tampico. Mexico,
through the port of Pensacola to which
it is hauled by the Louisville and
Nashville Railroad. This is well es-
tablished business. but was interrupt
ed by the strike. The men surely acted
wisely in going to work pending the
arbitration proceedings. The Seaboard
has not quite finished its Alabama ex-
tension but is working hard at it and
expects to have trains running into
Birmingham by Jan. 1, 1904. In addi
ton to the main lines which reach that
city there are other smaller roads in
the district which handle great deal
of coal and ore. The Birmingham belt
which belongs to the Frisco and which
extends around the city in a promi-
extends around the city is promi-
nent factor in the freight traffic. Bir-
mingham will soon have direct route
to Chicago by way Of the illinois Gen.
trail