The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1911-09-07
MICHIGAN COAL RESOURCES.
Slight Decrease in Production for the
Year 1910

year lSlO.
Michlgan's coal production has de-
creased in each OF the last two years,
according 10 statistics collected by the
United States Geological Survey and
the Michigan Geological Survey. work
ing i'm cooperation. The output in 1909
was 17S4.692 short tons. which was
little more than 10000 tons. or about
per cent. less than that of 1908. In
1910 the production amounted TO L.
534.967 short tons. a decrease COM
pared with 1909 OF IA per cent. The
value decreased from $3199.351 10
$2,93O,771, a loss OF S.39 per cent.
Although the decrease I'm value was
proportionately greater than the de-
crease In tonnage, tho reasons assign
ell for the decrease In 1909 are applica-
Bile TO 19l0-that is, "a development for
several years preceding 1909 of coal
properties In excess of the ability Of
the market 10 absorb the product. The
decrease in 1910 was also partly at
tributable 10 labor troubles. for of the
1915 men employed 1868 were on
strike from April TO June l and the
average time lost for each man on
strike was 50 days However the time
lost by the strike was only IL per cent.
Of the time worked. and the decrease
in tonnage was II per cent. The 1915
men employed in the coal mines In
1910 worked an average of 211 days.
Early Coal Discoveries.
Coal was known To exist in Michigan !
early in the last century. and some |
mining is said 10 have been done I'm !
the Jackson field as carly as 1885. 9th |
er mines We're opened at Grand Ledge
in Clinton County In 1893. II is known |
that some coal was produced ut that |
place In those early years, but IL was \
only in the closing decade OF the last /
century that serious attention began /
10 be paid 10 the coal resources Of the
state, and prior to 1896 the production
had exceeded 100000 tons during four
years only. In 1897 it exceeded 200 900
tons; In 1899 il exceeded co.. 900 tons
and in the first year OF the present
century It reached a total exceeding
100000 tons. The maximum output
of 2,035,S5S tons was reached IN 1907.
Michigans Coal Reserve.
According to Alfred c. Lane. form
erly state gcologist of Michigan. there
are seven horizons at which the coal
occurs in workable thickness, although
II was formerly supposed that there
was only one workable bed in the state.
The coal fields of Michigan arc con-
fined entirely to the lower peninsula.
An area Of approximately 1000 square
miles is covered by the coal bearing
formations. which lie almost I'm the
exact center Of the peninsula This is
the only known coal field within the
drainage area Of the Great Lakes.
Michigan's original supply Of coal
according 20 the estimate of NJ r.
Campbell, OF the United states Geo
logical survey was 1900. 600 600 tons. A,
contained in an area Of 1000 square
miles Of coal-productivo territory. The {,
production Of the state at the close Of I,
1910 amounted 10 1S,997G2l short tons.
which, including the waste involved i'm
the mining operations, represented an
exhaustion ~ 2S500.OOO short tons.
Finds Local Market.
The Goals Uf Michigan are. for the d.
most part of lower grade than those
coming from ohio and Pennsylvania
with which they have to compete but
tho rapid development and Increase Of
population IN the cities along Lakes
Michigan and Huron and on Detroit
and ST clair rivers have created local
markets for these Goals. and The in
crease in production IN this field dur j
ing the last ten years has been unriv-
'led in the coal-mining industry Of the
United States. An the Michigan Goals
ire Of the dry, non-collinE bituminous
variety The coke manufactured I'm !
he State Is made from coal brought f
rom Ohio or Pennsylvania. b