The advocate. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1901-1913, 1909-08-26
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virginia R J N | OLDEST. !.
|. COAL PRODUCER
SPECIAL TO THE MAIL.

SPECIAL TO THE MAIL.
washington, August 26.-Not-
w1thstanding the important develop
ments in the Black Mountain district
or Lee county, Va, which resulted in
an Increased production Of. coal in
that county in 1908, the total pro-
duction Of coal In Virginia, according
to +. w. Parker, of the United States
Geological Survey, whose report on
the coal industry Of the United States
ls now In press as an advance chap
ter from Mineral resources of the
United States, calendar year 1908"
decreased from 4,7IO,S95 short tons.
valued at $4,807,533, in 1907. to a.
259,042 short tons, valued at s3,-
868,524, In 1908, a decrease of $50
per cent In quantity and Of 1884 per
cent in value. Wise county. which
is now tho most important coal-pro-
ducing county In the, state, showed a.
decrease Of 586;972 short tons lin
1903, while .Tazewell county's pro-
ductlon fell off 136,52U short tons.
Practically 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 Of Virginia decreased
from $50 in 1907 to 2,2OS in 1908
and the average number Of days
worked decreased from PAL to 200.
but the average daily production per
man increased from 293 to 3.43
tons. A part of the apparent in
creased daily production per man.
however, was attributable to the fact
that a large number Of men were
employed in development work dur
ing 1917, which naturally reduced the
eHlclency record for that year. The
larger number Of the mine workers
IN virginia are unorganized and
most OF the coal-mining operations
are conducted on the basis of the
ten-hour day. There were no strikes
nor lock-outs during 1908, the fifth
year In succession in which this con-
dition existed.
The number Of mining machines In
use In the coal mines of Virginia has
increased from 81 in 1906 to IT in
1907 and IS in 1908 and there has
been corresponding Increase in the
tonnage won by. machines: The ma
chine4mined product in 1906 amount.
ed to 424,343 short tons; in 1908 to
l,O36,832 tons, Or 24.32 per cent. of
tbe total output. During the, year
3O,872 tons Of coal was washed.
yielding 29,745 tons Of cleaned coal
and 1,127 tons Of refuse.
Virginia the Oldest Coal Producer.
The first bituminous coal mined in
the United States was taken from
what Is usually termed the Richmond
Basin, a small area IN the southeast.
ern portion Of the state, near the city
OF Richmond. This basin is situated
on the eastern margin Of the Pied.
mont Plateau, 13 miles above tide
water, on James river 1t lies in
IGoochland, Henrico, Powhatan and
Chesterfield counties. The coal beds
are much distorted, and the coal is
OF rather low grade when compared
with that from other districts with
which 1t has to come into competi-
tlon. The occurrence coal was
known in the Richmond Basin as ear.
~ as 100, and in 1889 shipments
were made to some Of the Northern
states. In 1922, according to r. G..
Taylor, the production amounted to
48,2l4 long tons (54, 900 short tons) .
At present what little coal Is pro.
duced in this field is for local con
sumption only.
Effect of Railways.
with the completion Of the Nor
iolk and Western Railway, in 1882,
Inc coal fields in the southwestern
part or the state, which belong to the
appalachian system, were opened. A
portion OF the famous Pocahontas
district Is included within Tazewell
county, and the construction of the
Clnch Valley branch Of the Norfolk
and Western Railway in 1892 opened
valuable coal lands in Wise County.
winch has since become the most i'm
portant producing district in the
state. The development Of the
Black Mountain field, in Lee county,
after the completion Of railroad con-
hect1ons from Pennington Gap to Ap-
palachta was begun in 1905 and q
small production was reported In
l9o6.. In 1907 the output Of this
county amounted to nearly 100000
tons, and in 1908 to more than AGO.
OOO tons. Further DEVELOPMENT of
this district IS expected.
Amount Of Coal Taken Out.
According to estimates by NJ r.
Campbell, Of the United States Geo.
logical Survey, the areas containing
workable Goals in the southwestern
part Of the state cover about 1850
square miles, and the original con-
tents amounted to 000,OOO,OOO
snort tons. The Brushy Mountain
field, in Montgomery county, is estf-
mated at 200 square miles in area,
with 900,00O,000 tons. The Rich
mond Basin Is estimated to cover $50
square miles, with G00,000,000 short
tons. The total coal area is, there
fore, 1000 square miles, and the
original contents were approximate