Gilpin observer., 1906-10-04
news FROM THE MINES and MILLS
Production of Coal in 1905.

Both in quantity and value, the pro-
duction Of coal in 1905 surpassed all
previous records in the history of the
United States. The output, according
to forthcoming report OF Mr.. Edward
w. Parker, statistician of .he United
States Geological Survey, amounted to
392,919,341 short tons, which had a
value at the mines of $d76,756, 1868.
Compared with 1904, when The produc-
tion amounted to 351 ,Si6,398 short
tons, valued at $444,371,O ,O2l, the output
in 1905 exhibits an increase of Al, ,102.-
943 short tons, or Ill FER cent in
quantity ard of $32,3S5,9 5,942. or 7.3 per
| cent. in value.
Prior to 1905 the maximum output
! of coal was obtained in 1903, when the
production amounted to 357,356, ,41G
short tons, valued at $503, ,724, 1881, com
pared with which the record for 1906
shows an increase in production of 3d.
562,925 short tons, and of $26,967, AIS.
The high value recorded in the statis-
tics for 1908 was due to the somewhat
abnormal imitation of prices, caused
by the shortage of fuel supplies, which
resulted from the strike in :.he anthra-
cite regions of Pennsylvania in the
preceding year. The lower values in
1904 as compared with 1903 were sim
ply return to normal conditions, but
the decline in 1905 was the result of
a production in excess of market re-
quirements, unusually large as they
were. OF the total production in 1905,
69,339, ,152 long tons (equi ya'ent to H..
659,S50 short tons) were Pennsylvania
anthracite, with a value a. the mines
of $141 ,S79, 900. The total production
of bituminous coal and Ignite was
315,259, ,491 short tons, valLad at 1884,
SIT 1868.
The total production of anthracite coal
in Pennsylvania in 1905 was 4,020,66
long tons ,or 4,503, ISL shot ,ons) more
that that of 1904, while the increase in
the production of bituminous coal and
Ignite was 36,599,SS2 short tons. A
portion of these increases N both an
thracite ard bituminous production
was due to the efforts of operating
companies to provide a supply of fuel
in anticipation of suspension of min
ing in April, 1906, when the wage scale
agreements in the organized coal pro-
ducing states and the award of the
strike commission in the anthracite re-
gion of Pennsylvania would terminate.
1t is fact worthy of nCte that the
coal in the United States in 1905 over
1904 was larger than the production
of France in 1904, or of any other for
eign country except Great Britain,
Germany, and Austria-Hungary, and
was almost equal to the production of
Austria Hungary. The total produc-
tion of this country Lass year was
nearly fifty per cent. larger than that
of Great Britain, which until 1899 was
the leading coal-producing country of
the world, and was more ti.an double
that of Germany. Another interesting
fact presented in the statistics of the
production of coal in the Un'ted States
is that in each decade the output has
been practically doubled.
The larger part of the increased pro-
duction in 1905 was due to the great
activity in the iron industry, 'as is
shown by the fact that the amount of
coal made into coke increased from
31,27S,537 short tons to 42.412,32S short
tons, and that the larger increases
were in the states that produce coking
coal and those which furnish fuel to
the iron furnaces.