The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1912-01-11
INDUSTRY
is ON INCREASE

explosion. the the Beech Creek Bot
tom company's mine vivian. Nc
Dowell county, where eighteen lives
were lost because some engineers
entered an abandoned entry with
open lights.
In speaking of the mine accidents
Mr., Laing said: II regret that the
reports received by this department
show that eighty per cent of the
fatal accidents were caused by care
lessness on the part of workmenI
themselves by going in dangerous
places after being warned not to do
SO"
For the purpose OF creating
greater efficiency among the men in
charge of the mine was due the cree
ating of the rule by Mr. LANG that
all mine foremen and fire bosses
must hold certificates issued by the
department of mines showing their
qualification for such positions, be-
fore they could hold such position.
Unless an operator employs such
certificate holders he can not operate
his mine. To this precaution and
protection is given the credit for the
decrease in fatal and non-fatal ac-
cidents while the output of coal has
been increasing.
There have also been many
changes in the mining industry dur
ing the year Just ended. Eighteen
new plants have either opened and
begun shipments or have opened
and about ready to begin the ship
ment of coal, while a number are
preparing by having actually begun
work on ew plants. During the
year ffty-five new power plants
were erected, twenty-five additional
openings were made, and fifteen new
tipples constructed. But with these
I, Improvements the actual number OF
mines counting each opening a
mine, there is less than in the year
1910, due to the fact that some
mines have closed down and to tho
fact that in many instances openings
have been abandoned through a.
method of economy and by establish
ing up-to-date systems in the mines,
and sending the coal out of one in
stead OF several openings and at the
same time not decreasing the output
OF the mine. Rapid strides have
been made in mine equipment. This
has been no small factor in the i'm
dustry of the year.
Labor difficulties were almost I'M
known in the coal industry in y est
Virginia in 1911. The few small
difficulties lasted but few days
when settlements satisfactory we're
made and operations continued.
What the $4,000 men employed
about the mines, not including the
mine foremen, superintendent, man
layers and store and office forces,
could have done had there been a
greater demand for coal, is hard to,
estimate. The development of new
coal properties and the charging OF
many of the older operations made
lit possible to have greatly increased
the coal output without the employ
ment of any additional help.
The quality of the West Virginia
coal in the opinion Of John
rLaing will in itself make an increase
in demand and therefore the output
in 1912 unless a prohibitive freight
rate, should be created that would
make too great a handicap to over
come. In speaking of this feature
Mr. Laing says that "the difference
in freight rates for West Virginia
coal, you might say, is added to the
cost of coal to the consumer, or in
other words, our competitive states
receive practically the price that
West Virginia receives. I believe
the price of coal to West Virginia
operators has gone as low as it will
ever go and can see no reason why
it should not gradually increase un-