The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-06-08
MINES AND MINING
ICOLORADO'S COAL OUTPUT.
Reports for 1907 as Compiled by U.
S. Geological Survey.

The coal production of Colorado. which
exceeded 10000 tons for the first time in
1876. reached the milliOn-ton mark in 1882
In 1880 II exceeded 100000 tons; ten years
later II had grown to over 5000 900 tons: in
1907 II was 10, 790.23S short. tons. having a
spot value of sl5O79, 40. Only four times
IN thirty-siX years, and one of those was
the hard times year of 1894 has the pro-
duction showed any important decrease.
In the thirteen years from 1894 to 1907 il
has increased 2S1O9 per cent.
compared with the output of 1906
winch amounted to 10 Ill 1S short tons
valued at sl2.lS5.l66. the production of 1907
SHOWS an increase of 679. los tons. or 6.72
per cent, in quantity, and of $2,343,S 1913, or
IS.4 per cent In value. The main fea-
lure or the industry during the year was
the unusual activity in opening and de-
Veioplng new mines and improving older
ones. The improvements were made
chleIly for the purpose of providing
greater safeguards for life and property
ana included the sinking of new air shafts
and the installation of Ventilating fans of
larger capacity than those previously
used.
The average price per ton in 1907 was
Sl.4O as compared with $l.26 in 1906 and
Sl-22 in 1905. Altogether the year 1907 may
be considered the most satisfactory in the
coal mining history of the state.
The total number of men employed in
the coal mines of Colorado in 1907 was a..
%, who made an average of 25S working
days as compared with IL sos men work
ing an average of 26S DAYS in 1906 The
average production per man, however, de-
creased from 1894 tons i'm 1906 TO 1853 tons
IN 1897 and the average production per
day for eacn man was 294 tons in 1907, as
compared with 3.32 tons in 1906.
Most Of the larger mines of the state are
operated on the basis of a ten-hOur day.
F1fty-fOur mines, employing 7 439 men.
worked ten hours day; sixty mines, en-
ploying 9.42O men, worked eight hours.
and eight mines, employing 3l2 men,
worked nine hours. AT seven mines enl-
plOying 2.226 men, the miners were re
ported Is working eight hours, and all
other employees ten hours.
The chief labor difficulties during the
year occurred in the mines in the vicin-
ity of Colorado Springs, where a strike
for an advance of wages and an eight
hour day kept 215 men idle for an average
of thirty days each. In other parts OF the
state, there was some agitation for an
eight-hour day and increase of wages be
fore Oct l, but this agitation ceased
when. as the result of the financial dis
turbance, the banks stopped payment in
cash.
An increase in the use of mining ma
chimes In the coal mines OF Colorado is
also reported, the returns for 1907 showing
10 machines in use that year, as COM
pared with IA machines in 1906. The ma
chimes included 1903 of the pick and punch
er type, IS chain machines, and II long
wall. The. machine-mfned product in-
creased from l,SS7,0O6 tons in 1906 to 1.6S9
5l7 in 1867.
The state coal mine inspector. John ID.
Jones, reports that 80 men were killed and
l8 injured in the coal mines of Colorado
in 1907 Twenty-Five of the deaths resulted
from explosions of gas or dust 8 from ex-
plosiOns of powder or misplaced shot 50
from falls of roof, and 8 from suffoca-
ton. Nine men were killed by being
crushed by cars or motors. one was killed
by electric current. and one was killed in
a shaft. The death rate per thousand en-
plOyes was SO in 1907 as against ~ in 1906
The Goals in Colorado range from the
poorer grades of Ignite TO high-grade BIZ
luminous. cOking Goals, and anthracite.
Some of the lOwer-grade Goals in the east
ern fields have been extensively mined on
account of their accessibility to Denver
and other markets. The high-grade Goals
Of the Trinidad field have also been eX-
tensively worked. The fields of the in
terror or Park district are not so we'll
known. The coal areas now receiving
most attention are those in the western
part of the state, especially the Yampa
field in ROutt county. This field owes its
prominence largely TO its situatio along
the line OF the Denver, Northwestern and
Pacific railroad now building in Yampa
valley. Most of the coal in this field is
of excellent quality. The biologists of the
United States geological survey are now
making q systematic investigation of the
Colorado coal fields and summaries of the
work completed and in progress have been
published.