The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1910-06-29
VANISHING RESOURCES.
Upper Vein of Coal is Being Rapidly
Mined and the Town Must
Prepare For II.

The Soldier Run mining property
of the Jefferson and Clear6eld Coal
& Iron Company, located AZ Soldier,
east of Reynoldsville, which few
years ago was believed to be the
largest btuminous mine IN the
world, is destined to be worked out
within the next five years. For
several years oyer 10000 tons of
coal were taken out each year.
Already the company has torn
down number Of the houses at the
mine to be removed TO new work.
ings at jacksonville, Indiana county,
In its most prosperous day Soldier
Run, destined to be deserted,
claimed population of 1000.
Here is an item that has been clipped
by almost every paper In this section OF
the state. 1t contains nothing that
was not known to local people long ago,
but the sudden publicity given the fact
makes comment timely.
The Soldier mine was the largest OF
its kind IN the world and the rapidity
OF its exhaustion may warn us of how
short time the smaller mines, opened
later, will last. The STAR does not
want to play the role Of an alarmist, is
not pesslmistic, is not Disputed over
the situation, but IL does want to present
fair and undisguised Abatement OF
conditions that must govern the future
growth OF the town. We must deal
with conditions as they are and not as
they ought to be.
Reynoldsville must fight for Its
existence.
With the single exception of the clay
and mineral deposits the natural
resources which built the town are gone
or disappearing rapidly. Recognition
of the impending danger ten years ago
resulted in the noblest efforts ever
made by Pennsylvania town to
maintain and stimulate its prosperity.
The result of the work Is seen in the
half dozen large industries that crown
the hill south OF town. The glory OF
the achievement was clOuded by the
disaster resulting from the brutal, and
criminal, rascality OF outside promoters,
causing financial loss to scores Of local
people and disheartening them for
further work. 1t has been frequent
declaration OF local people that here.
after the town must depend for its
growth on the develorment of its
resources" without special local assist
ance. We could name a few towns that
have pursued the policy of letting
things develop naturally and most Of
them are about as important as the hole
in a doughnut. Responsibilities re-
naming resources are not so valuable
as to cause any extraordinary scramble
to develop them for several centuries
to come. II we want to grow in our
own generation 1t is essential that con-
tinuous, vigilant tenacious and per.
sistently aggressive efforts be made to
enlist capital
The folly of the past was the depend
ence placed on promoters, and the
giving to them Of sums large enough to
establish business and furnish it with
working capital. That will never be
repeated while the sanity taught by ex-
perience lasts. But 1t would be greater
folly to refuseto lend any aid whatever
to legitimate business enterprises that
may be interested In the town. The
competition to secure reliable manu-
featuring enterprises is too strong to
give hope of gaining anything without
some manifestation of local interest.
Perhaps the most valuable work the
local Association is doing is the close
scrutiny given to every proposition that
comes up and its refusal to endorse or
present to the people any that is not
backed by alegitimate company soundly
financed. Further, it will be stipulated
by the Association hereafter that any
land or buildings given to companies
shall remain the property of the people.
reverting to them II the operating
company shall ever for any cause
abandon active work In the plant.
Knowing the safeguards thus establish
ed, we believe the people will back up
the Association In the work it is
aggressively carrying on to stimulate
industrial growth along safe and sane
| lines,