The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1913-08-16
UNCLE SANS
BIG COAL PILE
Production Increases 400 Per Cent In
a Generation; 1912
Record

Coal production in the United States
in 1912 reached the great total OF
5S4,466, $50 short tons. valued at the
mines at 1896, 6O6,O71, according to n
statement by Edward W. Parker,
coal statistician, just issued by the
geological survey.
This year the report on the coal
industry of the United States begins
the fourth decade in which coal stat
istics have been published annually
nv the geological survey. In 1882
the first year of this period, the to-
tai coal production OF the United
States had reached what was then
considered about high water mark
1903 .551, 1S9 short tons. In 1912 the
production of bituminous coal alone
in the state Of Pennsylvania exceed
ed that figure by nearly 60 per cent
and the combined production of btu
minous coal and anthracite in Penn
sylvania in 1912 Was 2 IL times the
total production Of the United States
in 1882. The total coal production Of
the United States in 1912 was mere
than five times that OF 1882. In 1882
the United States was poor section
among the coal producing countries
of the world. Great Britain having an
output exceeding that Of this country
by nearly 70 per cent. The United
States supplanted Great Britain as
the premier coal producing country
in 1899 and in 1912 it was as far
ahead Of Great Britain as that coun-
try was ahead Of the United States
in 1882. The United States at pres
ent is contributing 40 per cent Of the
worlds supply of coal and is consum-
ing over 80 per cent Of it's own pro
duction.
In 1912 the production of coal in
the United States not only surpassed
all previous tonnage records, but the
average value per ton exceeded that
of any normal year in the thirty
three years for which statistics are
available. There has been only one
year when prices generally were high
err than in 1912 and that was 1903
the year of the fuel famine.
The gain in output In 1912 over
1911 was 3S.095,454 short tons and
the increase in value was $69,O4O,S6O.
The production of bituminous Goa.
increased from 4O5 ,9O7 ,O59 short tons
to 45O, 1O4, 1882 tons gain of 44,l97 1923
tons with an increase OF S66,6OI,62
in value. The decreased production
of anthracite amounting to 6.l92,469
short tons, was due entirely to the
suspension of mining in April and May
when practically the entire region
was idle. The factors which con-
trlbuted to the increased output OF
bituminous coal were U) the revival
in the iron and steel industry, which
stimulated production in the eastern
states, the coal made into coke show
ing alone an increase of nearly 5000
900 tons; CD bumper crops Of grain
and other agricultural products, which
gave prosperity to the flaming COM
munities OF the middle west; CD de-
creasing supplies of natural gas and
fuel oil in the midcontinent field and
their consequent lessened competition
with coal from the southwestern
states; ca increased consumption by
railroads and in nearly all lines OF
manufacturing; 90 activity In the
mining and smelling of the precious
and semi.precious metals in the Rocky
mountain and Pacific states. These
factors combined made the year 1917
one of the rather rare prosperous
years in the mining Of bituminous
coal.
OF the twenty-seven states in
which coal mining may be considered
to be conducted on a commercial bas'
is, there were twenty-one in which the
output of 1912 showed an increase ov-
er 1911, and in all but two. of the
important states the increase in value
was greater than the increase in ton
mage.
In the production of bituminous
coal Pennsylvania in 1912 showed an
increase Of 17,3O4,231 short tons.
West Virginia's increase in 1912 was
6,S55,107 tons. Illinois increased its
production by 6,2O6,1Os tons, Ohio by
3,76S,741 tons. Kentucky by 2,44O,Sls
tons, Indiana by l,0S4,363 tons. Ala
bama by 1.O79,179 tons. Virginia by
sS1.971 tons. Colorado by S2O,44l
tons, and Kansas by S07,454 tons.
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