Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1905-05-17
THE COAL INDUSTRY,

THE COAL INDUSTRY.
The current number of the Cosmo.
politan magazine contains an inter.
esting article by William R. Stewart,
on the coal production in the United
States.
The writer finds that three hundred
and seventy million tons of coal were
mined in the United States during
last year. The entire rest of the
world produced only one-third more.
In ten years, at the same rate, the
product of American coal mines if
spread evenly over a surface to a
depth of a foot would cover complete
ly the states of Connecticut and
Rhode Island, with a few hundred
thousand tons to spare.
The industrial predominance of the
United States is convincingly fore
Swallowed by the statistics of coal pro-
duction and coal supply here and
abroad. Taking the lead of Great
Britain in 1899, the United States now
mines more than hundred million
tons in excess of that country, and
double the output of Germany, which
stands third as coal producer. Com
pairing the growth of the industry with
the increase of our population, it is
found that whereas the latter shows
an increase of 235 per cent. since 1850,
the production of coal has increased
ALSO per cent.
The writer doubtless states an eco.
nomic fact when he says: 1.-THE
transfer of commercial and industrial
supremacy from Great Britain to the
United States has been coincident with
the latter's passing of the former as
producer Of coal. More and more as
machinery plays it's increasing role
in the workshops of production, it is
certain that that nation which pos
sesses the largest supply of accessible
coal will dictate the economic policy
of the world. The United States not
only possesses the greatest coal areas,
but by the employment of the newest
labor saving devices in the mines, OBJ
tains it's product at cost greatly be-
low that of Europe. Abroad, the price
of coal per ton at the pits mouth var
les from about one dollar and eighty
five cents in Great Britain, to two dol
lars and forty cents in France. In
the United States, the average price
last year was one dollar and sixteen
cents.'
AS coal is the material energy Of
industry, the manufacturing advantage
which the United States possesses in
it's comparatively cheap supply will
influence enormously the future COM
mercial history of the world. It is
even probable that, III view of the
gradual exhaustion of European mines,
this country soon will practically coc-
troll the coal markets of Europe, as
it has for many years the market for
cereals.
OLA uuAO4Cu tuOu0nAu AAAOAA oAO OOy0
are employed in the coal mining in
dustry of the United states at pres
ent. The yearly value of coal which
they handle Isl, at the pits mouth,
about five hundred and twenty mil
lion dollars. Measured by the price
a which it ultimately reaches the re-
taller, the value would be more than
two billions of dollars. OF the total
coal output last year; about 100000
tons were anthracite and 800, 100000
tons bituminous and Ignite. The dis
tinction between the two kinds is
that the anthracite contains "a per
cent. or more of fxed carbon, and
very little ash, sulphur and moisture,
whereas bituminous coal contains On
ly from so to rs per cent. Of fixed
carbon and rs to 80 per cent. of vola-
tile. hydrocarbons.
Mr.. Stewart shows the conditions
under which coal is mined in this
country and in Europe, 70 the great
| advantage of the United States, as
the veins near the surface in the Eu-
ropean mines have been worked out
and deep shafts have to be sunk to
reach the lower areas. In this coun'
try, on the other hand, there are very
few deep coal mines. He also goes
into the methods of mining the coal
and the great improvements that have
been made in the way OF machinery
and motive power for that purpose
The article also describes the Goa
areas of the United States and gives
other facts regarding this great i'll
dustry that makes interesting read
ing. 1t leaves the impression tha'
the great coal measures OF the Unit
ed States have scarcely been touched
even at the present high stage OF pro