The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1908-08-05
COAL IN THIS STATE

WASHINGTON, July 30.-Al-
though a good part of the market for
Washington coal in California has
been lost through the increased pro-
duction of fuel oil in that state,
Washington shared in the general in
crease in the production of coal in
1907. The total output for the year
was 3.6S0,532 short tons, having a
spot value of $7,679,S01, an increase
of 404.3iS short tons, or 1884 per
cent. in quantity, and of $1,771,367,
or 2S.9S per cent. in value, compared
with 1906. The average price per
ton advanced from $3.50 in 1906 20
$2.09 in 1907.
During the first 10 months of the
year the coal mining industry of the
state was in a highly satisfactory
condition. In November and Decem-
Der, however, owing to the financial
disturbances the output of the mines
is estimated to have been curtailed
about 33 per cent. But for this the
production would probably have ex-
ceeded 100000 tons.
The number of men employed in
the coal mines of Washington in
creased from 1892 in 1906 to 5945
in 1907, and the average number Of
working days increased from 266 to
273. The only decrease shown in
the statistics of coal production in
1907 as compared with 1906 was in
thethe productive capacity of the
employees, the average yearly ton
mage per man having declined from
1894 tons in 1906 to GIG tons in
1907. The average daily production
per man decreased from 2.72 to 2.27
tons.
Nearly all the mines of the state
are operated on an eight-hour sched-
ule, 1894 men out of total of 5945
employed working eight hours day
in 1907.
Washington apparatus has been in
stalled at six plants in the state, and
the total amount of coal washed dur
ing 1907 was 799,015 short tons.
yielding 644, sol tons of cleaned coal
and 154,514 tons of refuse.
Death Rate Unfavorable.
d. c. Betting, state mine inspector,
reports that the total number of ac-
cidents in the coal mines of Wash
ington in 1907 was 131, of which
SO were fatal. The death rate per
thousand of employees was coo, and
the number of tons mined for each
life lost was 102,237. This makes
an unfavorable comparison with the
casualty statistics for 1906, and par
ticularly with those for 1905. In
1906 the death rate per thousand 81
employees was 4.S6 and the tonnage
for each life lost was 1897; IN
1905 the death rate per thousand
was 2.73 with tonnage of 22O,379
for each lifo lost.
The coal beds of Washington are
found in the western and central
portions of the state. and are mined
in five principal fields-the north
Puget sound field, including the coal
mines of Skagit and Whatcom coun-
ties; the south Puget sound field.
comprising the mines in King and
Pierce counties; the Puget sound
basin, just east of Seattle: the
Roslyn field, in Kittitas county, on
the eastern slope of the Cascade
mountains, and the southwestern
field. embractag the counties If
Lewis and Cowlitz.
The Goals OF Washington range
from Ignite to bituminous coking
Goals of Washington are the only
coking Goals on the Pacific slope nf
the United States. They are found
in the Wilkinson-Carbonado district,
In the south Puget sound field. and
also in the north Puget sound field.
but coke is now made only in the