The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-09-19
ALABAMA BROKE RECORDS IN 191O Value of Coal Output Was
 $2O,2O9,577 FREE FROM STRIKES The Number of Men Employed in the Mines Last Year Was 22,210.
 History of Mining in
 the State
FREE FROM STRIKES

Washington, September 1S.-(Special.)- Alabama coal production in 1910 was 16091,979 short tons. valued at s2O.209,5 ,577. a large increase over the figures for the preceding year.
 In preliminary review of the coal min ing industry in 1sl0 published as a press bulletin early in January. 1911, it was stated that Alabamas production had reached the unprecedented total of 15,- 000,0O0 short tons. The statistics for the year as collected by Edward ". Parker of the United States Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Alabama geo. logical survey, show that the preliminary figures were exceeded by million tons, the actual output being 16,091,979 short tons. This unusually large tonnage Che largest previous production being 14,25o, 4oi short tons in 1sOD was due primarily to the strike in Illinois and other western states, and seeondarily to low water in the Ohio and Kanawha rivers which re- duced shipments from Pennsylvania and West Virginia to Mississippi river points. The demand thus created for Alabama coal made up for the dullness in the iron market This dullness was pronounced during almost the entire year and was still decidedly noticeable at the close of the year with promise of continuation during 1911.
 Compared with 1909, when the produc- tion amounted to 13, 703, ,450 short tons, the output in 1910 showed an increase of .529 short tons, or 17.43 per cent. The conditions in 1910 naturally resulted in an advance in prices and the total value in- creased from $16,306, ,236 to $20209,577, gain of sS903,341, or 23.94 per cent. The average price per ton In 1910 was $1.25, against $.19 in 1909.
 The coal mines of Alabama were prac- tically free from strikes in 1910, there be-
 ing only 25 men idle from that cause dur ing the year.
 The coal mining industry of Alabama was marred during 1910 by two bad dis asters which together cost the lives of 131 men. The first occurred April 20 at the Muga mine and cost 40 lives; the second was at the Palos mine on May and cost 91 lives. The number of fatali- ties in these two accidents was more than the total number of deaths from all causes
 in either 1908 or 1909. According to the report of the chief mine inspector of the state, the total number of fatal accidents in 1910 was 23S, against 129 in 1909, and los in 1908
 The number of men employed in the coal mines of Alabama in 1910 was 22,o10, who worol<ed an average of 249 days chiefly of 10 hours. The average produe- ton per man was 725 short tons for the year and 2.91 tons for each working day.
 So far as known, the earliest record of the existence of coal In Alabama was made in 1884. The first statement of pro- duction in the state is contained In the United States census report for 1S4O, in which year the production is given as 946 tons The census report for 1850 does not mention any coal production for the state, and the next authentic record is con- tained in the census statistics of 1860, when Alabama Is credited with an output of 10,200 short tons. The mines of Alabama were probably worked to considerable extent during the civil war. but there are no records of the actual production until 1870. for which year the United States census reports a production of 14- GOO tons. Ten years later the production had increased to 323,972 short tons, but the development of the present great in dustry really began in 1881 and 1882, when attention was directed to the large iron deposits near the city of Birmingham, and thus the great Doom" of that city and vicinity was inaugurated. By 1885 the coal production of the state had increased to nearly 2500,000 tons Then followed a period of relapse and liquidation which lasted two years, after which business settled down to a conservative and ra- tonal basis and has since developed steadily. In 1902 the coal production of the state reached total of over 1o,oo0,- GOO tons, and reached the maximum of 16 O1O 979 tons in 1910