The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1912-01-05
MINES
BREAKS RECORD
HALF MILLION MORE TONE MIN
60 LAST YEAR THAN IN 1910.

That the ccal output in West Nir-
.ginia for the calendar, year 1911 VIII
be about oneshalf million net tops
more than IN 1910 Is the Information
coming from Tie ofiteo John Laing,
chief of the department 81 mines AZ
this time II is not possible 10 give
thk exact tonnage for the reason that
the exact figures for the last month
Will not be available for several
weeks, but conservative estimate
for the output during the past month
makes 1t possible for the department
Of mines to fix the output for 1911 at
O figure not less than 60,500,OO0 net
tons. The total output in West Nlr-
glnia, according to the official figures
available in the Office of Mr., Laing,
was 6O,O99, 1888 tons.
Contrary to expectations, the coal
business was net as bad IN this State
as the indications earlier in the year
indicated. Besides increasing in out
put there was a slight increase in
average price. In 1910 the average
price was about 81 cents at the mine.
For the year Just passed a cent was
added, making the average price for
1911 9S cents, hut a goodly portion Of
this increase was due to the increase
in smokeless tidewater coal during
the past two months and to the good
price that prevailed throughout the
year for egg and lump. Much OF the
run OF mine that went out of the State,
the operators received at the mines
less than Is cents. in fact 1t Is re-
ported that coal was sold during the
year much below 10 cents.
The situation in coke Is entirely diff
ferent. The failing off is estimated
at about one-half of,the output OF 1910,
when the output was about 100000
IONS. The pr!ce, too, went down from
$1.S3 in 1910 to $3.50 in 1911.
Disasters Increase.
In one branch OF the mining indus
try there was an increase that has no
been pleasing. That was in the NUN.
Der of explosions-two, against one for
1910. These two cost the lives OF IS
men against three for the previous
year, but the total number Of fatal
accidents, 1926, in the mines in 1911,
was less than in 1910, and the same
IS true of non.fatal with 77O in 1911.
he TWO explosions that marred an
otherwise almost unbelievable record
IN coal mining we're the OFT mine OF
the Davis Coal & Coke Company, at
Thomas, which cost 20 lives, due to a
gas and dust explosion, and the Beech
Greek Bottom Company's mine near
Vivian, Mcdowell county, where is
lives were lost because some ell
gineers entered an abandoned entry
with open lights.
New Mines Opened.
h Eighteen new plants have either
opened and begun shipments or have
opened and about ready to begin the
shipment of coal, while a number are
preparing Dy having actualW DeSun
work on new plants. During the year
80 new power plants were erected; 25
additional openings were made, and
10 new tipples constructed.
Labor difficulties we're almost un-
known in the coal industry in West
Virginia in 1911.
1t will doubtless be OF interest to
many to learn that in only two years
since 1863, when the first coal records
were kept for what is now West Vir.
glnia, has there been decrease in
output. while in two other years when
1t was not possible to ascertain the
exact tonnage the output is given the
same as the previous year. In 1863
the output was 444,64S net tons, while
the greatest increase came between
1909 and 1910, when the Jump from a
llt.Ie below 100000 net tons wa
made to 6O,O99,2S9 net tons.