Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1909-06-05

points OF consumption was about $64,-
003, 900; total for coal and transporta-
ton, 104,000,oo0.
ut is estimated that $4,000 miners
and iaborers are employed in and
about the mines In West Virginia.
Goal mining Is the chief industry OF
West Virginia, and has been for gen.
erations. The owners and operators o.
coal mines are not alone the parties
interested The coal miners, coke
drawers, handlers, and outside labor
ers dependent ON the successful opera
.tion of the coal properties are interest
ed. The bankers, merchants. grocers,
and farmers near the mines, as well
as many other people, are directly or
indirectly interested in this great in
dustry. Al large coal plant is always
the nucleus of town, which depends
on the working OF the mine. The
abandonment or the closing of large
and established mines. or their inn
pairment, would destroy whole ccm-
munities and towns and bring distress
and ruin to many people.
1.-The coal industry in West Virginia
can no more be disturbed, injured, or
impaired without great damage than
the manufacturing interests of New
England. New York, New Jersey, and
Pennsylvania, established and in oper-
alton for a hundred years, can be dis
turbed, impaired, or destroyed without
bringing distress upon whole commun-
tiles and even dfsorganizing society
Placing low duty on coal would be
most disastrous to West Virginia.
During the past two years the oil
production has doubled in America
The production is $16,0OO,0O) greater
in value than the output of gold and
silver IN the United States.
Last year the oil producers of the
United States, fighting in the neutral
consuming countries OF the world, ex-
ported oil of the value of 100000, 900.
Since oil production began we have
exported $4,000, 100000 worth of oil.
Think of this vast amount Of money
coming into this country from one in
dustry.
There are 100000 men engaged in
the production of oil in the United
States, on whose labor 1850, 900 people
depend, and the daily wages paid are
about $1.000,000, or approximately
5000, 100000 per annum. This includes
the production, refining and shipping
OF petroleum, as also the manufacture
ing of petroleum products.
THE value OF the oil-producing prop
erty of Independent concerns and in
de pendent refineries is about eight
times greater than that OF the Stan
ard Oil Company. The independent
producers sell most of their oil to the
Standard Oil Company, because this
company has nearly all of the pipe
lines to the sea and does most of the
refining.
Petroleum in West Virginia.
West Virginia has $4,000 wells, and
her people receive about $4,000 day
for oil Farmers get royalty OF s2,-l
100000, and the rents from land for
oil purposes is s1,50ooOO. making 81.
100000 year.
Petroleum is one OF the great in
dustries of West Virginia, ranking next
to coal in value and importance.
There are more than $50 independent
oil producers in West Virginia, and
this body, representing this great in
dustry through the Oil Association,
has earnestly protested against TAX
ing off the countervailing duty on
crude petroleum and its products, as
provided in the Payne bill, and insist,
IL taken off, there should be duty o.
40 per cent. ad valorem on petroleum
and its products or specific Guty OF
cent gallon on crude oil.
"The independent oil producers have