The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1909-09-03
coAL PRopucEp IN YIRGINIA.
Geological Surveys Report on 1908 Out
look.


Geological Surveys Report on 1908 Out
look.
Notwithstanding the important devel.
opments in the Black mountain district
Of Lee county, Va, which resulted IN an
increased production Of coal in that cOun.
w in 1908, the total production Of coal
III Virginia, according to II w Parker
Of the United States geological survey
whose report on the coal industry Of the
United States Is now in press as an ad-
vance chapter from Mineral resources Of
the United States calendar year 1905,
decreased from 4,7l0,s95 short tons, vail
ued az S4,s07,5S, IN 1907 to 4259042
short tons, valued at S3,S6s524 IN 1908,
decrease OF 050 per cent in quantity
and Of 1854 per cent. ia value Wise
county, which j. now the most impor.
tant coal producing county IN the state,
showed decrease Of 5a6.072 short tons
IN 1908, while Taewell county's produc.
tion fell OF l36,520 short tons. Practi
cally all Of the decrease in the 1908
production was in the quantity Of coal
made into coke.
Employees and Machines.
The number Of employees IN the coal
mines IF Virginia decreased from $3.50
IN 1907 to 6.20s in 1908 and the average
number Of days worked decreased from
24l to 200, but the average daily produe.
ton per man increased from 2.93 to 343
tons. A part Of the apparent increased
daily production Per man. however, was
attributable TO the fact that large
number Of men were employed in devel-
opment work during 1907. which natur.
ally reduced the efficiency record for
that year. The larger number Of the
mine workers in Virginia are morgan.
lied and most Of the coal.minng opera.
tions are conducted on the basis az tho
sen-hour day. There were no strikes
nor lockouts during 1908. the fifth year
in success in which this condition ex-
listed.
The number Of mining machines in use
IN the coal mines Of Virginia has in.
creased from 81 in 1906 to N in 1907
and SIS ii zoos and there has been
corresponding increase IN the tonnage
won by machines The machine. mined
product in 1906 amounted 70 4243f3
short tons; in zoos to l035s32 tons. or
24.32 per cent. Of the total output. Dur
ing the year 90lsT2 tons Of coal was
washed yielding 29,745 tons Of cleaned
coal and ,l27 tons Of refuse.
Virginia the Oldest Coal Producer.
The first bituminous coal mined In
the United States was taken from what
lis usually termed the Richmond basin
q small AREA in the southeastern portion
Of the state near the city al Richmond
This basin Is situated on the eastern
margin Of the Piedmont plateau, II
miles above tide water, on James river
Il lies in Goochland, HeHrieo, Powhatan.
and Chesterfield counties The coal beds
are much distorted. and the coal i 81
rather low grade when compared with
that from other districts with which it
has 20 come into competition The oc.
eurrence Of coal was known in the Rich
mond basin as early at 100, and in 1850
shipments were made % some Of the
Northern states IN 1922. according to
r. G. Taylor, the production amounted
to 4s,2l4 long tons $4,000 short tonsl
At present what little coal Is produced
in this field is for local consumption
only
Effect Of Railways.
with the completion Of the Norfolk
and Western railway in 1882, the coal
fields IN the southwestern part Of the
state, which belong 10 the Appalachian
system, were opened A portion Of the
famous Poeahontas district Is included
within Taxewell county. and the con.
struction of The Clineh Valley branch of
the Norfolk aud Western railway in 1902
opened valuable coal lands in WISE conn
ty which has since become the most
important producing district ii the state.
The development Of the Black mountain
field, In Lee county. after the completion
of railroad connections from Pennington
gap To Appalachia, was begun in l005
and q small production was reported ii
1906. In 1907 the output Of this county
amounted to nearly 200000 tons. and IN
1905 to more than 100000 tons. Fur
ther development Of this district is ex-
pected
Amount of Coal Taken Out.
According to estimates by N. r.
Campbell of the United States geolori
cal survey, the areas containing work
able Goals in the southwestern part of
the state cover about $50 square miles
and the original contents amounted to
2l,000,000,H00 short tons. The Brushy
mountain ield, in Montgomery county
is estimated at 300 square miles ia area,
with goo 100000 tons The Richmond
basin Is estimated to cover $50 square
miles, with 600000000 short tons. The
total coal area Il, therefore. 1900 square
miles, and the original contents wore
22,5o0n00000 short tons.
From this stock there has been mined.
to the close Of zoos. 81. 4ss 1914 short
tons, equivalent TO an exhaustion Of ap-
proximately 92,000t000 short tons or GA