The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-01-10
Production of Coal and Oil
in United States in 1909

Statements made to the United States
geological survey BY operators and otheT5
conversant with the coal mining industry
Indicate that the production OF coal in the
United states in 1909 while exceeding
that Of 1905 did not reach the high water
mark attained iu 1907, the banner year OF
industrial activity I'm this country. It il
Of course impossible TO give accurate in
formation regarding tonnage. but IL ap-
pears from the reports received from the
cosl-mninS states by Edward W Parker,
Statistlcian of tho survey. that the IN
crease i'm production in 1909 over 1905 was
between and 10 pcr cent, which would
indicate a total production OF from 40
000 900 10 10000 ,o0n short tons. J5Nclu-
sivc OF tho output from Sullivan county.
the shipments OF anthracite from the
mines in Pennsylvania during rhc eleven
months ended November .. 1909. amount
cd 70 "6l9i.G! long tons, against IS
S@7016 long tons for the same period In
1905. II is estimated that the shipments
in December will amount 10 5000 600
long tons. To the shipments should he
added The usual percentage for local
trade and collicry consumption and the
would bring the total production of
Pennsylvania anthracite in 1893 To sp
proXimatoly I1.l50,co0 long tons or about
-, zoo, coo short tons. and the hitumjnous
production will have amounted 10 be
tween $50. 900 000 and 10000. COO short
Tons. Tho larger production from the an
was caused hy q stimulated activity due
10 an apprehension OF - suspension on
April I. 1903 when the wage agreements
would terminate This activity continued
through tho first three months vi 1909,
and tho shipments In March 1903, were
the largest I'm the history of the trade.
with the renewal or the wage scale in
April which was ia fact 4 continuance
Of III" awards Of tho anthracite strike
commission for q third period of three
years. production fell of. and the ship
nj ~
i9cS
Scarcity Of Water.
During the later par, Of the year min
Ing operations. particularly in the an-
thracitc region Of Pennsylvania. Ncrc
wafer, which affected also. 10 some OK
tent the bituminoUs regions, especially
about Conceivable. Pa. whore large quau-
titles Of water arc required iu connection
with tho opera tlou Of coke ovens.
In 1909. throughout the entire Appa
lachiau btnminous regions. from Penn
sylyauia 20 Nlanems. tncr" Was a crafty
iUS improvement I'm theCoal trade over
Ing Improvement in the coal trade over
gain was In the C"uneilsvillc cokinG dis
trIcj. In 11oS owing 20 tho cNtraordi
nary business depression. tho production
OF coke in tho ConnellSVillc district fcll oft
- per cent as compared With the proceed
iUE vrar. Tho recovery in an" Iron trade
IN 1907 was pronounced thFt the pro
dUction OF ConnellsYiile coke 7':is pract-
caly equal so that OF i?n,. which w"Hld
indicate an increase In 1902 over 1905 OF
from 20 To 100 per cent and the increase
would buvc becp even greater but for the
scarcity or water. which somewhat r=
sirictcl rho output Of number of the
ConnellsIiilc plants. IN tine later months
1r io0g. when the approach Of cold
weather increased Tho demand created bN
the business revival. there was shortage
or labor and OF railroad cars. \ large
number Of foreign mine workers took adj
vantage Of the Gull times Of 1905 10 visit
NN.H ..lE liam
have not returned to the mining regions
~ this country II is admitted. however.
that II tho supply of labor and OF cars
mad boon sufficient to meet the capacity
of the mines the production would have
bccn much larger than the requirements.
Shortage of Labor.
The great source of compls Int at pres
ent. particularly in West Virginia, l. the
shortage OF labor. II is said I'm West
Virginia alone employment could be