The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1909-08-05
TRUSTS AGENT rs
BADL YBEA TEN UP

The year 1903 was 1877 short tons,
against SIS tons in 1907. ana s4s.5
tons in 1906. but the average daily
production per man increased from
80 short tons in 1907 to 3.ss
tons in 1908.
There was a substantial increase
in the proportion OF coal mined by
the use OF machines in 1908, as COM
I pared with the preceding year. AZ
4 though the actual machine-nlinel
tonnage decreased. rho number Of
machines IN use increased from H.
53S in 1907 to 1,574 in 1908. The
macliine-mined coal decreased from
if7,G2I,925 short tons TO 16,653.174
tons, but the percentage of the ma
chine-inined product to the total in
creased from 1866 TO 1915. OF the
total number OF machines in use in
1905, $40 We're pick machines, ss9
chain maeines. % long-wall ma,
chimes, and 20 ehanu-shearing ma
chimes.
According to John Laing. chief
of the West Virginia Department OF
mines. the record of accidents in the
coal mines of the state in 1905. was
in favorable contrast to that OF the
preceding year, but the number OF
accidents was still large. The IA.
tally record of 1907 was unusually
bad because of the disaster at Mo-
nonsah. which alone caused 361
aeaths, and the total number Of
men killed in ti,at year was 729. In
1908 the number of fatalities was re-
dnced TO 313, the 1argesi single dis
astef being dust explosion in the
Lick Branch Mine of the pocahon.as
Consolidated collierles company, in
which 80 men are said to have lost
their lives. Falls of roof in rooms
caused nearly half of the deaths and
also injured 4S1 men There were
40 men Killed and 9S5 injured by
being crushed by mine cars. four
We're killed and six injured by pow
der explosions; seven deaths were
due to shaft accidents; explosions OF
gas and dust caused 60 deaths, aud
W deaths and eli injuries were at
tribnted to miscellaneous causes.
The death rate per thousand en-
lployes was 5.5 in 1908 against f2.35
lin 1907 ana tho number of tons of
local mined for each life lost was
l".S99 in 1908. against Go 1863 in
1907.
Among the important recent de-
relopments looking towan. increas-
cd production of coal in West vlr-
sirla has been he completion of the
Virsinian railroad, from Deepwater.
on the Kanawha river. TO Sewell's
!! Point, near Norfolk. This import.
ant outlet FOR West Virginia coal, the
only railroad built from The coal
helds to the seaboard was complet.
ed In the spring of 1909. and will
make a marked influence on the
tnture production of the state. An.
other noteworthy development has
been The construction of tho Coz,
River railroad from ST. Adams into
the rich coal fields on the Coal rive,
valley The road has been purchas,
ed by the Chesapeake & Ohio rail-
way and will be an important feede,
to that line. The Coal & Coke rail
road, extending from Elkins /,
Charleston and penetrating tho con
iieids in tho central portion of tn.
state, has under construction Drauci
I lines which will develop other cor
0 fields. The indications are tina
n when these railways are complete,
West Virginia will again taxa SOC
0 ond rank among thu coal prodncin,
{ states. West Virginia occupied sec
ond place in 1906, hut fell back /,
I third In 1907 ana 1905.
n The total production of coal il
r West Virginia 10 the dose, of 1905
II amounted 10 47s,o96,9s2 short tons
n equivalent to an exhaustion OF It's,
Il 100000 short ons. Estimates ~
/ 9. White, state geologist. and VI. i
ri Campbell. of the United States Gee
'e logical Survey, based on recen
ot study OF the coal fields. place til
y original supply in West Virginia Il
IS i5o,ooo,ooo.ooo short cons. rhe a
parent supply now available tiier,
ia fore. amounts to lll9,ss5,, 10000
'lIshort tons. about $500 times Il,
% production of 1908 and 400 time
nj the exhaustion represented by tn:
7.Iproduction.