The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-06-07
GOOD OUTLOOK IN
UTAH COAL FIELDS
Geological Survey Makes Very
Favorable Report About This
Local Industry.
FUTURE OF MINING
COULD NOT BE BETTER
During Past Year Volume of
Output Decreased, hut the
Value Increased.

The total production Of coal in Utah
in 1908. according TO information OBJ
tanned by II. w. Parker of the United
States geological survey. was l,S46,792
short tons, having a spot value of S3.-
119.33S. Although the coal production
decreased, IN sympathy with the gem
cral falling off throughout the country
rs compared with the preceding year.
an increase is reported in the value of
the product. The output in 1907 was
] ,947 .601 short tons, valued at S2,919,-
100. and the 1908 figures therefore show
a decrease Of l00.Sl5 short tons, or 5.lS
per cent in quantity, but an advance
of $3.50, 500, or 5.39 per cent, in valuc.
The average price per ton rose from
$l52 in 1907 to $l.69 in 1908. This
increase in value and advance in price
in the face of the general financial de-
preston can be accounted for cpiy by
the increased expense of mining due
to lesscned productive capacity of the
mine workers In 1905 the average
daily production for each man en-
ployed in the coal mines of Utah was
396 tons; in 1906 il was 392 tons; IN
1907 it was 343 tons; and in 1908 it
was 305 tons. The average production
per man for the year shows an even
more marked decline. In 1908 tho
average output for each man employed
was 9T9 tons; in 1906 it was 1927 tons;
in 1907 it was SS1 tons: and IN 1908 II
dropped TO G93 tons
Practically all the mines in the state
ore operated under agreements with the
United Mine Workers of America. ana
out of a total of 266i men, 1920 worked
at mines operated on the basis of an
eight hour day. AS in the other coal
producing states of the Rocky Noun
tam region, the number of men en-
ployed in the mines shows an increase
from 2203 in 1907 TO 2664 in 1905. The
average number of working days de-
creased from 25S in 1907 to 227 IN 1905.
The supply of cars was, IN general,
ample throughout the year, and there
was no trouble from strikes, lockouts,
or other labor difficulties. The second
half of the wear showed marked I'M
proycmcnt over the first half, and the
conditions in the metalllferous mining
industry at the end of the year were
gradually improving. so that the out
look for the coal mines in 1909 was
hopeful
According TO j. E. Petite. state Goa
mine Inspector, there were l3b coal
mining accidents during 1905 OF these
only eight were fatal, and of the rs
non-fatal accidents only seventeen were
of serious character In two Of the
fatal accidents the men were crushed
bv coke cars and these should not be
properly included among coal mining
accidents Dust explosions caused two
deaths and injured two men; falls OF
roof in rooms killed two men and in
iured SIX: falls Of rock IN gangways
injured four men: powder explosions in
iurcd two men; twelve men were IN.
iured and two killed by being crushed
bv mine cars; and 102 injuries are at
tributed to other causes not spcclhcd'
The death rate per thousand employees
was three. The number Of tons mined
for each life lost was 230,S19
The areas in Utah known TO contain
workable beds of coal are estimated
bv NJ. Il. Campbell of the geological
survey to aggregate 1880 square
miles, and there are. in addition, 2ooo
square miles of which little is known.
but which may contain workable beds
Of coal. The original contents OF these
fields are estimated by Mr.. Campbell
to have been l96,4js, 100000 short
tons of coal The first production OF
coal in Utah was reported IN the census
year of 1870, when $500 tons of coal
were mined The output exceeded l.
600 900 tons for the first time in 1000
and reached It's maximum Of l,9lI .6O'
tons i'm 1907.
The total production since mining
began in 1870 to the close of 1905 has
amounted TO 20.6S3,914 short tons On
the basis of one-half ton of coal wasted
! for every ton of coal mined and mar
| kcted, he exhaustion during this pc
| rlod has amounted approximately 10
| 81 900 900 short tons, or O.0l6 per cent
Of the original supply.