The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-08-13
WHAT VIRGINIA is DOING.

WHAT VIRGINIA Is DOING.
J Two very interesting and encour-
aging reports have just been Issued
by the authorities at Washington
showing that Virginia is making most
substantial progresp in the material
things which will make this Common
| wealth prosperous and great. Accord
| ing to Director Durand. of the Census
Bureau. the aggregate value OF all
domestic anipals, poultry and bees in
| Virginia in 1910 was S72S24,000 as
compared with si2.o27.0oo IN 1900. the
increase exceeding sS2.7s7. 900. and the
rate 10 per cent. In 1900 the total
value OF all domestic animals in this
/ State was s39.s32. 900; in 1910 their
value was s7l,l26. 00o--an increase of
! s31. 29i 900. or 7S.6 per cent. in 1900
! the poultry in Virginia was valued at
| s1,SS7 900; in 1910 1t was valued at
! S3,396, 000-a gain of $4,000 or so
per cent
There was decrease of l.s per
cent. in the value of bees in the
last decade, we are sorry to say; but
this is accounted for by the fact. prob
ably, that the people have been so
busy raising chickens and horses and
mules and hogs and sheep that they
could find no time for agriculture.
There was an increase OF 1919 per
cent. III the value of horses and colts
in the ten years covered by the Census.
an increase of 25.3 per cent. in the
value of cattle; an increase of 15s
per cent. in the value of mules and
mule colts; an increase OF els per
of 57.6 per cent. in the value OF sheep
and lambs; an increase OF 1929 per
cent. in :he value OF asses and burros;
an increase of 1S2.S per cent in the
value of goats and kids. In 1910
there were S5S,lS5 cattle in the State.
of all ages. 796.730 hogs. s0S.552 sheep
ana lambs. and 6.0s9.5S1 chickens and
other fowls, all Matched with full
equipment of white meat
The second report that has come out
OF Washington was made by the
relates to the marvellous development
OF the immensely valuable coal areas
In this State. Last year the total out
put OF the mil. 8 in Virginia amounted
to 6,507,9s7 short tons. worth in spot
cash s5,S77,4s5. Says Edward w.
Parker. coal statistician of the Geo
logical Survey:
virginia established two new re-
cords in the statistics of her coal pro-
duction IN 1910; first, In quality of
coal produced (6.507.997 short tons),
and second. in the amount and percent
age Of increase over the preceding
year. The production in 1909. 4,752,2l
short tons. had exceeded all previous
records. but this was beaten in 1910
by the unprecedented increase of L.
755,7S0 tons, nearly 81 per cent. The
value increased sl.626. 400. or 80 per
cent. from $i,25l, 056 to S5,S77,4SO
Virginia stands we'll up among the
States in the quantity of eoal pro-
duced for each man employed In
1910 the number of men employed was
1854. who worked an average of 241
days. The average production per
man was SOC tons for the year. and
372 tons for each day. Both of these
averages are better than those shown
in the majority OF the coal producing
States. Most of the miners in the
State work ten hours day. or the
7.2G4 men employed in 1910. $40
worked ten hours and 1,021 worked
nine hours Only orr mine was re-
ported as working eight hours
ITO Virginia belongs the distinction
OF having produced the first bitumi-
nous coal mined in the United States.
This initial output, however. was not
derived from that portion of the State
which now gives Virginia some promi-
hence as producer of coal. but was
obtained from what Is generally
known as the edmond basin. a small
area near the city of, Richmond. The
existence of corl in the Richmon
| basin was known q early IS 1900.
though mining did not begin until the
latter part OF the century. In 1880
shipments were made to some of the
Northern States. In 1922, according to
j. c. Taylor, in his Statistics of Coal
| the production amounted to $4,000
| short tons. For nearly a century the
Richmond basin maintained some
J prominence as Il coal producer. but
| when. N 1882. the Pocahontas district
was opened up. and especially when
| soon af,erward. the New River field
| in West Virginia, was developed tho
! mines in the Richmond basin We're put
/ at disadvantage and operations in
| them were for n number OF years
| practically suspended"
THIS, however. IS only n part OF the
story that will be told by the special
reports OF tho Census az they unfold
their slow length until the next
ten years has built up. another and
even n re startling record of achieve
nent in all the things that make a
state great Some OF tho smaller
states have kept ahead OF Virginia In