The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1906-12-15
WORCESTERSHIRE
IN NEST VIRGINIA BY UNITED
I STATES GEoL oelcAL SURVEY
sTRiKEs ARE HAZE,

40
Edwin W. Parker. Of the United
States Geological Survey, in his an
nuai report on the coal production Of
the United States in 1905 devotes a
great deal of space to the production
In this State last year and says that
| it is highly probable that in 1906 West
Virginia will stand second among the
Estates. Parker says:
| Since West Virginia trst passed
Ohio and became, in 1906. the third
State in coal producing importance It
has been steadily gaining on Illinois,
land with an increased production Of
$685., 1928 short tons, 1G.6 per cent. in
1905. against an increase of anly l..
959,S0S short tons in the output OF
Illinois. West Virginia came within
| 642,782 short tons Of dlsplaclng I'LL
nois as the second in rank among the
coal producing States. The statistics
of Illinois production as compiled by
the Survey show that the output in
that State in 1905 was SS.4S4.SGS short
tons, against 36,475,060 short tons in
1904 and SS6,s5T1O4 in 1903. lndicat-
ling that there has been comparatively
little change during, the last three
years. West VirgInta's production, on
the other hand, has increased from
90, S37,241 short tons In 1908 to 3d.,
4O6, 752 short tons in 1904 and to 3d.
791, $50 short tons In 1905. It Is high
ly probable that the report for 1906
win show that West Virginia has ia.
ken second place, from the fact that
nearly all Of the mines Of Illinois were
shut down for about two months pend
ing the conclusion of an agreement
with the miners union, whereas those
Of West Virginia were more than us.
ually active as a result Of the extra
demand put upon them by the suspen.
sion Of work, not only in Illinois, but
also in Indiana and Ohio.
AS was the case generally through.
out the coal producing States east of
the Mississippi river, the value Of
the product Of West Virginia did not
show a rate of increase proportionate
to the increase in production. The
average price per ton declined from
So cents in 1904 to SO cents IN 1905.
The total value increased from $685.
647O14 to sS2,S41,7sO, a gain Of So,
G94,776, or 1919 per cent, as compared
with an increase Of 1876 per cent. in
production.
The total number of men employed
in the coal mines Of West Virginia. in
1905 was 4S,SS9. who worked an av.
erage of 2O9 days, agains. 1925 men
for 1877 days in 1901, and 1851 men
for 21O days in 1909. The average
production for each employee in 1906
was ISL, against 6S6.1 in 1904 and roc
in 1908. The average daily tonnage
per man In the three years was 3.74 in
1905, 3.4S in 1904, and 1886 in 1903.
THIS increased tonnage per employee
| is undoubtedly due in large part 70
the increased use Of machines for un.
dercutting coal, as is shown by the
fact that in 1903 there were 7SS ma.
chimes used in the production OF s..
193,84O short tons Of coal; in 1904, 9O1
machines were reported with a ma
chine.mined production of 9.52G.749
tons, and in 1905, 12,504,3Or tons were
mined with l.1O5 machines.
Nearly all of the coal mines Of West
Virginia work either 9 to 10 hours
per day. In 1905, out of a total OF 513
mines, 251, employing 25,731 men,
reported 10 hours as the length Of the
working day; 1853, with 1892 men,
worked hours; and 40, with 1892
men,, worked hours. Five mines,
employing 2O7 men, reported to or
S to 10 hours, and mines, with 1864
men, worked less than 8 hours, while
40 mines did not report the number
Of hours per day
Strikes in 1905 were Of rare accu-
renee, and with one exception the sus.
pensions from this cause were not OF
long duration. The one exception was
at the WhittakerGlessner Company,
In Ohio county, where is men were
on striqe for go days. Altogether
there were only 19 mines at which
strikes occurred, and total Of 462
men were Idle during an average Of
26 days. The entire time lost by