Newport daily independent., 1904-11-30
PENNSYLVANIA ANTHRACITE
Tonnage of Last Year Exceeded by Six Million Tons That of Any
 Previous Year.

water mark of prosperity in the anthracite coal trade, as the tonnage for that year exceeded by more than year, and the demand for coal was 50 good as to make it possible to dispose of the product at prices which brought a fair return to all con- cerned in the industry. Some signiti- cant figures in connection with the production of Pennsylvania anthra- cite during 1903 have been collected by MT. William w. Ruley, special agent of the United States geological survey. ani will be included in MT. E. w. Parker's report on the produc- tion of coal in 1903. which is regular feature of the surveys annual volume on the mineral resources of the United States.
 At the commencement of 1903 there as the amount which had been mined after the strike of 1902 had gone directly into consumption. All tha. could b. mined during the first three months of 1903 was in immediate de- mand.
 With the opening of navigation and . reduction in price on April 1, dealers ct all points endeavored to lay in an ample supply of coal to meet their fall and winter requirements. This made brisk demand for the product dur ing the spring and summer months. with the resultant accumulation of stocks in dealers hands. The early arrival of cold weather, however, and the prolonged severity of the winter created an unusually brisk demand for coal.
 In connection with the large pro- ductfon. 1t is interesting to note the increase in tho shipments of the small sizes of coal during 1903 over those Of previous years. This Is especially noteworthy on account of the opinion generally expressed at the close of the anthracite strike. that bituninous coal had largely supplaated anthra. cite for steam purposes. and would continue to hold this trade to the exclusion of the small sizes of the lat ter product. On the contrary, how ever. the consumption of these smaller sizes of coal increased 2,468, ,694 tons in 1903 over 1901. It would seem that the only cause which would seriously affect the prosperity of the anthracite business is the general condition oi tho entire country. As long as the people at large are able to buy anthrA- cite. 1t will not want 6 market.
 It fs also of interest to note an increase of IS cents in the average valus per ton for coal at tho mines Tho total production was 66,361,71l tons. valued at $152,036. .448. The aver age prics per ton was $2.5O; the mum, Dor of men employed was 0,4S3: and the average number of days that each man worked was 206.
 Tables arc given in the report whicA shows tho production by counties for the years 1902 and 1903: also the ship ments of anthracite and the propor- ton of sizes shipped. A tabular ar rangement of the various sections of the anthracite fields is given, with list of ten railroads that enter the ter rttory.
 The anthracite fields comprise an area of somewhat over 4s0 square miles, and are located in the eastern middle part of the state, in the coun ties of Carbon, Columbia, Lacka wanna, Luzerne. Northumberland, Schuylkill and Susquehanna They are elassed under three general divi- sions, namely. the Wyoming. Lehigh and Schuylkill regions. Geologically they are divided into fields or basins. which are again subdivided into dis tricts.
 The Bernice field, in Sullivan coun- ty, is not included in any of these re- gions. The classification of the prod uct of this field is a matter of some contention. The fracture of the coal and some of it's characteristics are more like those of some btuminous or semianthracite coals than strict anthracite, but on account of it's high percentage of fixed carbon and low percentage of moisture it is classed as anthracite by the second Pennsyl- vania geological survey, and the product is so included in this report.