The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1908-11-30
COAL OUTPUT HAS
DECREASED So FAR
First Nine Months of This Year
Saw Big Reduction in
Production.
PANIC HIT GREAT
INDUSTRY HARD BLOW
Last Quarter of the Season
Promises to Bring Forth
Better Results,

An accompaniment and also an iudica-
tion Of the business depression OF the past
year is found In the decreased quantity OF
coal mined. While no returns !rom the
mines can be obtained. those from the
railroads and other transportation asen-
cles cover nearly all the more important
-coalfIelds east OF the Mississippi, In these
fields ninc-tentb of the coal used in the
United States is mined, says the En-
gineering and Mining Journal,
lt.muSt DO assumed that the conSump-
ton Of coal for domestic purposes does
not vary greatly from year TO year, \
mild winter, reducing the consumption III
one part Sf the country, is generally bal
anced by more severe weather in another
section The quantity consumed by the
average family is only slightly reduced In
hard times and the aggregate remains
nearly the same, The difference in con-
sumption is entirely in the quantity used
tor raising steam and lor manufacturing
purposes generally.
The railroad returns available Tor this
purpose cover generally speaking, thc
western Pennsylvania, and the State OF
thracite region. which alopc furnishes 1ull
returns of shipments. y comparison Of
The railroad traffic statements SHOWS re-
lnarkable approach to uniformity in the
decrease of coal shipments In the present
year, as compared with 1907. The fail
ing Off III coal traffic mas been from 20 TO
% per cent, ana .euDS lnS COnSIuSlcl
that there must have been correspond
ing decrease in consumption. IN coke,
which finds it's chief use in the iron trade,
The decrease has been much greater fully
30 per cent or in parallel ratio TO plg~lron
production. This IS Corroborated by the
statements Of production in the Connells-
Willie region, the greatest coke producing
district. which shows an output only
about hall as great as last year.
The exception 10 this general reduction
s. found In the anthracite region, where
shipments have been only about per
cent less than in 1907. Anthracite, how
ever, is used in very large part as do
Destic fuel, its sales for steam purposes
being only u minor part OF the total.
Moreover, anthracite will stand storage.
and the companies handling IT have large
FACILITIES for storing il and thereby equal
iZiug work at tho mines. Shipments.
therefore, are not an exact guide TO con-
sumption,
The conclusion to be drawn is that the
production of bituminous coal in nine
months OF the present year has been from
20 70 - per cent less than IN the cor
responding period OF 1907, For the re-
probably be less, since business Is now
improving. and the comparison will be
with poor quarter last year. when the
depression OF btUIninous coal In the
United States in 1907 was In round fig
ures, 3SS, $4,000 tons. In 1905 il Is doubt
tul whether it will exceed 800. .000. 900
tons; but even this is a great figure far
exceeding the output OF any other coun-
try In the world. The anthracite figures
will bpiDg the total up TO slightly over
|QQ. 900 tons for the year.