The Washington herald., 1909-08-15
BIG COAL PRODUCT
IN WEST VIRGINIA


per man for The year 1908 was 737 short
tons, against SIS tons in 1907 and s49.5
tons IN 1906 but the average daily pro
ductoa per man increased from 3.54 short
tons in 1907 70 39s tons IN 1905
There was a substantial increase in the
proportion OF ccal mined by the use OF
machines in 1908 as compared with the
preceding year. although the actual ma
chine-mined tonnage decreased. The
number OF machines IN use increased
from 1888 In 1907 70 l,57f in 1905.
The machine mined coal decreased from
li.62i.925 short tons 10 i6,s53.ls4 tons, but
the percentage OF the machine-mined
product TO the total increased from 80 So
20 39.75. OF the total number OF machines
I'm use in 1908, 500 were pick machines. S99
chain machines g long-waH machines,
and % chain-shearing machines.
According 20 John Laing. chief Of the
West Virginia department of mines, the
record Of accidents in the coal mines Of
the State In 10S was in favorable con-
trast 10 that OF the preceding year but
the number Of accidents was stin large.
The fatality record of 1907 was unusually
bad because Of the disaster az Nononsah.
which alone caused 56l deaths, and the
was 30
IN 1905 the number Of fatalities was re-
duced 90 3I3 the largest single disaster
being a dust explosion In the Lick Branch
mine OF the POcahontas Consolidated Col
lieries Company. IN which fifty men are
said 90 have lost their lives. Falls OF roof
in rooms caused nearly half Of the deaths,
and also injured 4N men. There were 4g
men killed and 2S5 injured by being
crushed by mine cars: were killed and
6 injured by powder explosions. deaths
were due 10 shaft accidents. explosions
Of gas and dust caused s. deaths, and q
deaths and 2l1 injuries were attributed 70
miscellaneous causes.
The death rate per 1000 employees was
So in 1903, against lZ35 IN 1907, and the
number Of tons OF coal mined for each
life lost was l53,S59 In 1905, against 65, ,s6a
in 1907.
New Railways 70 Coal Fields.
Among the important recent develop
| ments looking toward increased produc-
/ tion of coal in West Virginia has been
! the completion Of the Virgiuian Ranway
from Deepwatsr, on Kanawha River, 20
I Sewau Point, pear Norfolk This i'm
portant outlet for West Virginia coal
l the only railroad built from the coal
fields 20 the seab0ard, was completed in
/ the spring Of 1893. and VIII have a marked
influence on the future production OF the
State
! Another noteworthy development has
( been the construction OF the Coat River
Railroad from S.. Adams into the rich
| coal helds OF the Coal River Valley This
/ road has been purchased by tho Chesa-
/ peake and Ohio Railway and viii be
! an important feeder 10 that line The
/ Coal and Coke Railroad, extending from
( Charleston 20 Elkins and penetrating the
I coal fields in the central portion Of the
State, has under construction branch lines
which viii develop other coal fields.
The indications are that when these
I railways are completed West Virginia
/ VIII again take second rank among the
| coal l-prOducing States West Virginia oc-
! cUpicG second place .n 1865. but fell back
/ 10 third in 1895 and 1905
The total production OF coal in West
Virginia 20 the close Of 1905 amounted tC
/ f16.es6,3S2 short tons. equivalent 10 ar
I exhaustion Of 7l5.oooO00 short tons Esti.
{ mates by J. G. White. State ge0logist
and n. r. Campbell, Of the United state,
Geological Surrey, based on a recent
study OF the coal fields, place the origina
/ supply ia West Virginia az $50 0o0 0ll 0o
/ short tons
The apparent supply now available
I therefore. amount 20 14 2S5.0 900 short
tons. about 1850 times the production Of
/ 1905 and 2.i00 times the exhaustion rep
resented by that production.