Manchester Democrat., 1909-09-08
IOWA GREAT COAL PRODUCING
STATE.

'SWH ShGAI WAL PRODUCING
STATE.
According to Il report from Wash.
inston, d. G. the United States Geo
irgical Survey estimates 29,16O,O0t
tons of coal in this state originally.
The production of coal in Iowa dur
ing 1908 was as little affected by the
financial depression of the preceding
fall as that Of any cther state in the
union, according to report which
the United States Geological Survey
has Just completed on the coal out
put of the Hawkeye state. The Iowa
coal production for 1908 was 7,161,
80 short tons, valued at s11,706. .4O2
which was a decrease of only 41S, ,O12
tons. or 5.45 per cent from under the
output of 1907. Only three states
Kentucky, Montana and Utah, had
a percentage of decrease less than
that OF Iowa. The decrease in the
entire United States was 64,52O,716
tons.
The reason assigned by the United
States Geological Survey for the com
paratively slight decrease in Iowa's
production of coal in 1908 is that the
state lis almost entirely agricultural
manufacturing not having been de-.
veloped to any extent, as in some
other parts Of the country. The Iowa
farmers were generally prosperous
throughout 1908, and the consumption
OF coal was normal, except for .the
decrease due to mild weather
Iowa continues to rank ninth in
the production of bit,minuos coal in
the United States, being exceeded
only by Pennsylvania, Illinois, West
Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, Alabama, Ke
lucky and Colorado in the order nam
ed. OF the thirty states and territor-
les which produced coal in 1907 and
1908, only three, California, Oregon
and Texas, increased their output in
the latter year. The increases in
California and Oregon were unimport
ant, and the gain in Texas coal was
due to the decrease in the produc-
taon OF petroleum in that state. The
total output OF bitnmtnous coal in
the United States during 1908 was
1922, ,673,944 short tons, valued al
1874, ,135, ,20S as compared with S94, ,759
112 tons valued $541, ,214,S42 in 1907,
Much Coal Yet in Ground.
Iowa's total production of coal from
1870 to the close of 1908 has amount
ed to 14S,77O,1O2 short tons, which
lincluding the waste of half ton
lost for every ton of coal mined and
marketed, DIS equivalent to an exhaus-
ton of 223,00O.ooO tons of coal from
the coal fields Of Iowa. Mr.. R. Camp
bell, of the United States Geologi-
cal Survey estimates the original coal
supply of Iowa at 29,160. .OoO.OOO tons
This would leave about 1000 times
the Iowa production in 1908 remain
ing in the ground of that state.
If ratio of waste to marketed coal
continues at the same rate the sup
ply of Iowa coal will Last 2,7O0 years
at the rate of production in 1908,
! which assures the Hawkeye state
, plenty of dts own fuel for many gen
, erations to come. In addition to this
almost inexhaustible supply Of ;coal
: Iowa has also vast peat bogs' prac-
l tically undeveloped, which the geo.
logical survey has estimated car
: furnish fuel to Iowans for some ad.
s ditional thousands of years.
I'll According to the report OF the geo
logical survey, there were 16,021 mer
employed in the coal mines Of Iowa
: during 1908 as compared with 1856
: in 1907, the industry in Iowa show.
+ ing an increase of labor supply. not
t wthstanding the decrease In produc
: tion. The average number of work
t ling days accordingly shows de
/ crease from 230 in 1907 to pa i,
n 1908. The average production PEE
d day for each man employed has de
e clined each year since 1905, whel
S the average tonnage, per man wa
b 2.15. In 1908 this average tonnag
e per man per day decreased to 2.O9
The average annual production pc
II man was 1869 short tons in 1905, an
# 447 tons in 1908. In the report o
e the geological survey for 1907, 1T i
], stated that the decrease in the dail
# production per man was in AN prot
VI ability due to the falling off in th.
If quantity of coal mined by machinery
l. which had decreased from 1906 to-
IS IN 1906 to 10S,022 tons in 1907. ]
1t further decreased to 71,463 tons i
1t 1908. only per cent of the total tor
t. mage.
e 21s Mines in the State.
S. The mines of Iowa are for til
s. most part operated eight hours
N day. In 1908 there were .21S low
mines employing total of l4.772 me
which were, operated eight hour.
Three small mines worked nine hou1
and four mines worked ten hours
:, day. These seven mines employe
~ :. a total of only fifty-two men,
IL