The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1906-07-27
COAL LANDS
In Eastern Kentucky and Their
Development.
tManufacturers' Record)

/ The story of the Big Sandy Coal
Co, reading like a romance and illus
trating the marvellous moneymaking
possibilities which attend the devel-
opment of the coal resources of the
Appalachian range, was brought tol
mind by discussion heard recent
Ily regarding the volume of invest
ments now being made In Southern
properties, and the favor Ia which
such properties have come TO be re-
garded, even by the most conserya-
tive capitalists in the centers OF the
East The discussion ended In geu-
eral agreement that the people OF the
North are going TO have at least an
equal share with Southerners II the
great profits which are being made
In the development of Southern prop
critics. and a declaration was made
by those present that in the matter
OF coal properties alone there were
likely to be as many great fortunes
created for people of New England
itself as had been made out OF the
industrial development OF the New
, England States. enormous as that
development has been
1t occurs to me that no more strik-
ing demonstration OF the Outh Of
this statement could be furnished
than is contained In the history Of
the Big Sandy Coal Co.'S operations
and its condition and promises today.
As in the case OF every other great
enterprise. there have been long
years OF weary work and waiting
while the pbnilding of the enter
prise was in progress There have
I been discouragements and hmdships.
failures at times. and even pathetic
5 deaths of some of those who have
i toi!ed longest and hardest Only in
= the recent past has the property
been put in producing shape and the
fruit OF years of endeavor come To
: hand But now there is revealed TO
! all the foundation for the hope that
; inspired the men behind the enter
e prise, and what they have seen from
No the beginning Is today apparent to
Is all the world Within the year rail-
I roads have penetrated the property Of
5 the Big Sandy Company. mining OPP
erations for the first time have beer
IS started up, the superior steam. gas
d and cooking coal OF the company have
been put on the market and present
capacity of operations will show 4
n production of about 100000 tons 1
IS year.
Ig Altogether the Big Sandy Compan,
4 owns 10000 acres Of the finest Goa
lands of Southeastern Kentucky. sit
IS uated in Pike county. and carrying IL
= the best-deyeloped form all the seam
IT of the phenomenally excellent Elk
$ horn Goals Throughout the trac
ID there are six seams Of coal. workable
lie over large areas and running from
IN four to eight feet in thickness, Will
rs in one area OF about 1000 acres Their,
e occurs what is called the Flatwood
seam, which at some of the opening
I'd shows the extraordinary thickness o
u II feet The two principal seams
ia with respect both to quality OF Goa
is and persistency, are the Upper ant
We Lower Elkhorn, which are found prac
tically throughout the entire prop
No erty, separated from 1860 to 200 fee
h. in column and showing five. six. sew
Of en-. and up to eleven feet of thickness
m There are the coking Goals. sur
a. passing in quality even the best COX
OF the Connellsville district of Penn
sylvania Whereas Connellsylle COX
y, boasts of 80 per cent. of fixed carbo
lis and something less than eighteenth
Of per cent OF sulphur, the Elkhor
u coke has shown as much as SO pc
= cent. OF fixed carbon and less tina
p five-eights of ! per cent. of sulphur
al OF the same geological horizon as tn
hs Connellsvllle coal, and presenting tn
'st same appearance in the mine an
Gu after being cooked, there is no int
ny ligent doubt that the grade is prat
tically the same That the area
hv Kentucky is greater than that {
mo- Pennsylvania, and is just beginnin
: to be developed, while the end ,
ha the Connellsville district is in sigh
IN is the feature of vast moment to III
~ accurate computation of the preser
no and prospective value of the Bi
10 Sandy Company's holdings
cd The Big Sandy Company is cap
20 tallzed at s5,OOO,OOO, which represent
al valuation of less than $3.50 a
od acre. The Connellsville coklng co;
,ar lands of Fayette county, Pennsy
,at vania. cannot be bought for less tina
ba $1,000 per acre, and In some instance
,ra q small tract has brought as much q
- $4,000 an acre The Pocahontas co;
~ lands OF West Virginia have brougf
nd as much as $500 an acre, and IL
no doubtful II any can be had for les
ne than $3.50 an acre Were the land
~ of the Big Sandy Company to
valued at one-third less than any {