The Washington herald., 1909-07-18

The total production OF coal in Arkan-
sas IN 1905. as reported 10 f. W Parker.
OF the United States Geological Survey.
was 2,os7. .S57 shor; tons. having a spot
value Of S8499f0.
The coal Industry OF Arkansas suffered
more from the untoWard conditions which
existed during lsos than that Of any other
State Of the southwestern region. the
production showing a decrease from
2.5lo 98S short tons in 1901 to 2JzS.S57 tons
in 1905. OF 22I7 per cent. as compared
with 147 per cent decrease IN Kansas,
Il per cent IN Missouri. and 19 per cent in
Oklahoma.
The value OF the Arkansas output de-
clined from SAl78eas 10 S3.4ss.G0. a loss
Of ss74.223 or 2l7S per cent
Factors In the Decrease
The factors which contributed 10 the
decreased production were the financial
depression. the exceptionally warm
weather during the winter months. labor
disanectons. and increased production
and consumption OF petroleum and
natural gas in the Texas. Louisiana. and
.mid-continent fields.
The last factor Was probably as in
iuential as ali the others put together.
The labor disahection was the usual
biennial suspension OF operations on
April I. pending the settlement Of the
wage scale. About four-ffths OF the men
employed in the coal mines Of the State
went on strike and the total number Of
days lost was 587,SH. or almost exactly
half Of the total time made.
Because OF the slight demand and also
because the large consumers. in antici-
patton OF a suspension. had well stocked
with coal the strike did not have so great
an effect upon the production az might
be supposed
Working Conditions.
During 1903 the 5.3s7 men employed IN
the coal mines OF Arkansas averaged 1g5
working days IN 1907 the 5.0S5 men
employed worked an average OF $50 days.
The average production per man for each
working day IN 1908 was 2OS short tons,
and the average production Per man for
the year was $50 tons.
In 1907 the average production per man
was 276 short tons and Tor the year
525 tons. Since the coal miners OF Arkan-
sas have been unionized practically all
the coal mines Of the state have been
operated on the basis OF an elght-hour
day
No machines have been IN use IN the
production OF coal IN Arkansas during the
last six years.
Only one company in Arkansas has
made any effort TO improve the quality
OF the coal by washing. This company
washed $50 short tons OF coal N 1905.
which yielded $3.50 tons OF cleaned coal
and l370s tons OF refuse
Accidents During Year.
r. A Young. the State mine inspec-
tor. reports that during the year a men
We're killed. It were seriously injured. and
2s suffered minor injuries IN the coal
mines OF the State. The causes OF the
accidents were as follows: From falls OF
rock OF coal IN the ganEways. 6 men were
killed and S injured From falls OF rock
IN rooms. . were killed and . injured
From gas explosions. 1 was killed ard
I were injured Two men were killed and
l3 injured by being crushed by trip cars.
Shaft accidents killed I and injured /
one man was injured by a dust explo-
sion One death and 10 injuries were the
result Of other causes
Amount Of Coal in Arkansas.
The total original supply OF coal IN Ar I
kansas is estimated by n. R. Campbell. /
OF the United States Geological Survey. |
at lSS7.oo0.ooe shOr. tons. OF which I.Tg7.- /
00a,0o were bituniiHous and seni-anthra- /
cite and 100000 tons were Ignite. The
ignite areas have not been DEVELOPED and
no production has been reported from /
them.
From the bituminoUs and senni-anthra- 4
cite areas there has been mined. 10 the 4
close OF l99S, a total OF z. .S34. .75S short \
tons representing an exhaustion, includ- 4
ing waste, of approximately SO 600. COO tons. /
or little more than > per cent OF the es-
timated original contents OF the Arkan- 4
sas fields. OF the total amount OF coal /
produced in Arkansas from the time when 4
mining began, s per cent was mined in 4
l9OS