The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-07-15
INTO NEW FIELDS
Southern Coal Mines
Drawing Railroads.
A Glance at Branch Between Johnson
City and Spruce Pine Opens Hori-
IONS Whose Immensely Makes
One Gasp.
Especial to News and Observer }

Baltimore. Md, July 13.-Energies
centering upon railroad construction
and development of coal and timber
lands in Eastern Kentucky likely to
have far reaching effect upon industry
in the South and in other parts of the
country, are described IN special cor
responuence by Mr.. Albert Phenis in
this weeks issue of the Manufacture
ers' Record. Writing from PIkeville,
Ky, he says:
by the extension of the Chesapeake
d Ohio Railroad from White House
to Elkhorn City there has been opened
to development an entirely new and
vast field of the best steam and cooking
coal, unsurpassed in Pennsylvania or
anywhere, and there has also been
made possible all the activities which
usually accompany railroad construc-
ton into a country heretofore isolated
and undeveloped, but rich in timber
and other resources. The conditions
here are of large commercial signifi-
canoe, and are interesting from every
point OF view. With the worlds con-
sumption of coal SO enormous today
that even cool-headed statisticians are
startled and well-night bewildered by
the marvellous showing; with the
United States producing just a triie
under 1000, 900 tons of coal every one
of the 365 days of the year-lea ding
all the nations of the earth in output
as we'll as consumption of this King
of power and wealth. producers; with
demand increasing by such giant
leaps that an annual production In
this country of 500. 200, 900 tons is an
imminent possibility, and even 1,000,-
900, 900 tons a conceivable future pos
sibility there is evidence everywhere
of such an awakened realization of the
value and importance of coal fields as
has never been known before in the
history of the world.
Notable Construction.
I'm the remarkably accelerated de-
velopment of the West Virginia coal
fields there has been notable railway
construction, both of branch roads and
new lines; here in this section there
is seen the more extraordinary spec
tacle of 100000 being spent on
road but &c miles in length. whose
construction at this time was brought
about almost solely as a feature of the
development of coal field from
which not one pound of coal has as
yet ever been shipped. Such an ex-
penditure would have been impossible
a few years ago. in fact, projectors
of a system of which this road would
have been a link spent themselves and
their substance in a vain effort to in
terest capital in the enterprise.
Amazing Probabilities.
ut is easy to believe that all the
roads of the South would like to get
into the Elkhorn coal fields and there
is plausibility in the projects an
nounCed having that end in view.
Without now taking up each case
separately and in detail, it may be
stated as altogether in keeping with
the logic of the situation and in har-
mony with surface indications that the
syndicate which has bought the Car
ter interests in the South e. Western
Road, in operation between Johnson
City, Tenn, and Spruce Pine, ~ G.,
together with the Clinchheld coal
properties, will carry out the Carter
plans of building on through the
Breaks of the Sandy in one direction,
and in the other to connection vita
the Seaboard Air Line at some point
in North Carolina. Thus there would
be secured to the Seaboard the great
advantage of access to the Elkhorn
coal field and to the cities of the
North. and through connections with
the c., H. & D., Detroit. Toledo &
Ironton (formerly Detroit Southern,
Erie and Big Four roads new and
most direct trunk line would be es-
Cleveland, Pittsburg and other cities
of the Middle West and the Carelinas,
Georgia and Florida.
1.-THE activities of the various inter-
ests which promise at least a consid-
cradle construction of road to develop
not only the Elkhorn fields. but those
of Wise, Dickinson, Buchanan and
other counties across the border in
Virginia, are significant as showing
do IF interest
in Southern coal lands.
Wealth of Timber.
"In connection with the tremendous
which is certain speedily
to come to the valley of the Sandy
coal and coke production,
there is a wealth of timber resources
here which is full of promise in the
way of many kinds of woodworking
True, there has been a
logging business in full swing all up
and down the valley for so years or
SO, the trees along the watercourseS
having been felled, and the logs rolled
into the streams to be RATED or tloatcd
singly down the river at high water TO
mills at Cincinnati and other places
along the Ohio. It is estimated that
an average of 100000 feet a year
is thus shipped out. This has re-
suited in the culling out of many of
the larger poplar and hemlock trees.
The walnut timber, never in great
abundance, has been largely cut away.
Where undisturbed the timber
growths here are continuous, and for
ests will reproduce themselves. Some
varieties of timber never have been
cut out. and over vast regions there
are great growths of white OAK and
chestnut, with occasional tracts of lin
den and other ineXhaustible varieties,
including hickory, and there is, too,
some poplar and less walnut in places,
mostly of smaller size, and an est
mate of not long ago is that out of the
$50, 900 acres drained by the Levisa
and Russell forks there is rs per cent.
of the territory that should still war
rant an estimate of 5000 feet of tim
Der per acre, principally of white oak
and chestnut. These timbers are es-
pecially adapted to the manufacture
of furniture
ALEXANDER is VERY ILL.