Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1908-09-05
WEST VIRGINIA STANDS
SECOND IN COKE
United States Report on 1907 Produc-
ton Shows Excellent
Condition.

West Virginia ranks next to Penn
~sylvania in the list of eoke-producing
states. and win probably continue To
hold second place. according to Il, w
Parker, chief statistieian OF the Uni
ted States geological survey, whose
report on the coke industry In 1907
has just gone to the printer. The
lead OF over 100000 tons which the
state maintained in 1905 and 1906
over her close rival, Alabama, was in
1907 increased to nearly 1,000.0 900 tons
and it seems unlikely that Alabama
can -ecapture toe honor.
Tue coke production of West vir-
gInia in 1907 amounted to 4.I12, $50
short tons, valued al s9.717,130. an in
crease of 500. 392 tons, or 1876 per
cent. in quantity and of s~1.524,174, 70
1850 per cent In value over the pro
duction of 1906. There were 142 COX
ing establishments in the state In
1907, an increase Of one over 1906.
The total number of completed ovens
in the state decreased from 1874 in
1906 to 1868 in 1907. A number Of
new establishments were started dur
ing 1907, but all but one of these was
offset by the permanent abandonment
of some plants that had been idle for
several years The d~ismantling OF
these plants also account for the de-
crease in the number of ovens. Most
OF the abandoned plants were in the
Upper M~onongahe1a district. OF the
total number of establishments, 26,
with a toal of l,437 ovens. we're idle
in 1907. These Idle establishments In.
cluded one plant with a total OF 173
completed and seven incomplete ovens
VAT the end of the year, which mad not
been put into operation. The lctive
establishments therefore numbered
116, with a total OF 1921 ovenss. or
the &c idle establishments, II. with
a total of 916 ovens (%including "a com
pleted but not In operation), we're in
the Upper Monongahela district, and
eight, with a total of 421 ovens, were
in the New river district.
BY far the larger part of the coal
used for coke making in West Vir-
ginia is slack, all OF which is used
without being washed.
One OF the factors In the marked
increase of West Virginia coke pro-
duction has been the development OF
the Tug river district. The compile
ton OF the Coal and Coke railway
from Charleston to Elkins mas opened
mp new coal areas in the central part
of the state. II is expected that the
Virginia railway formerly the Deep
water-Tidewater) will be completed
during the current year, and this will
give another outlet to tidewawter for
the coal and coke of the southern part
of the state, and the completion OF
the lines OF the Western Maryland
railroad will afford an outlet for the
coal and coke in the northern part
of the state. In addition to these, the
older lines-the Baltimore & Ohio, the
Norfolk & Western, and the Chesa-
peake g. Ohio-have been building ex-
tensions to reach undeveloped coal
areas, and all of this construction
work will tend to increase West vir-
! ginia's importance as a coal and coke
| producer. In the northwestern part
| of the state important developments
have followed the completion OF the
Morgantown & Kingwood railroad. as
is shown in the increased production
in the Upper M~onongahela district
Mr.. Parker states that 1t Is perhaps
unfortunate for West virginia's well
fare That the transportation facilities
for carrying fuels out of the state
are so excellent, as the railroads have
been interested in carrying coal
and coke to other markets than in
building mp manufacturing industries
| within her own borders.