The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1913-02-15

tyeFsh!l 1ssu su aoL Soli.
lnollsvfile coke over any other coke
produced In the United States. After
q very thorough Investigation, have
reached the conclusion that the Elk.
horn coal of Eastern Kentucky pro,
duces,a coke superior to the Councils:
lyIlle.
"'This. is not a new conviction. Six,
teen years ago investigated the field
for the Merfltts, who. we're then own
ers Of the Mesaba iron.ore range. They.
! were then negotiating for its purchase
With q view 70 It's development in con;
;nection with the Mesaba district. Had
they: been able to tie these two proper!
tics together, they would have owned
aeon bination OF ore and coklng coal
greater than that now controlled b.
Fthc Steel Cooperation. IN the panic
Fot; 1893, however. they lost the control
tot the attsaba properties. MI. John .;
Rockefeller becoming possessed Of
their Mesaba interests, and, Of course,
that made It impossible for them to
carry out purchases Of the Elkhorn
field" '.t ..5i
The statement was. made that the
determination Of Mr. Mitchell, known
,throughoi': the country as one Of the
great coke makers Of America, 70 con.
centrate his operations in the Elkhoru
field. and his very strong. commenda
{t!oh OF the5posstbillties Of that section
%will concentrate tho attention Of the
! iron and steel and railroad peop::e-upoI
| the Potoptialltles CF the district, deE
tined, It would seem, u be to the met;
allurglcal interests ,ot tie, ,Geuntrj.
E;ghat the connellsv1lle fttd has been
I'll the past" ysome. ;ioH; our 4salerk
thought,that possibly that we,s puttint
the statement TOO STRONG; bit The Man.
ufacturersy record knew full we'll that
whether Dir, Mitchell individually car
rled into the field any large capital Of
not the beginning of development hi,
him and his associates would, quicken
such an interestsin that district as 10
bring about the results predicted. IThpf
was three and half years ago. Since
then there have followed in Somewhat
rapid succession the purchase by the
Consolidation Coal Co: or 100000 acres
and its development OF mining opera
tons, planned on larger, scale than
any mining undertaking ever protected
:: iii this country for an initial develop.
ment, with a viewyto having an output
oil, 25, 900 tons day; and inaconnectiou
Herewith the rapid building OF rail.
roads into the territory, in order to Sc.
lcure strategic positions IN this great
coklng coal. center. In. the purchase
and development OF this 100000 acres
o! land and the buiIding;of the railroad
brought about by that movement. some
$4,000. 600 or $5O0OO,0OO have beer o..
pended. ~;
Following close after the Consollda,
tion Coal, purchase and development
and the railroad activity started there.
by came the Berwind purchase OF 100.:
900 acres. Some Of the IIerwlnd land
vas bought from the Big Sandy con-
pany Of Boston. which originally owned
10000 acres in the heart OF the dis
trlct. and which probably still owns
about $4,000 acres. IS 4,
"A few months later came tho pQr.
chase BY, Hayden, Stone. &~Co. bank.
ers, Of Boston, and their associates 81
10000 acres in; Pike county, a portion
!!ot this adjoining the Beykinl purchase
'arG the Big Sandy Cotnpany's proper.
~. Hayden, Stone, & Co. organized
the Pond Greek Coal Co. with q capt
tallgation Of $4,000, 900, though they 70
garded the value Of the property atts'