The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1914-06-25
w. VIRGINIA BREAKS COAL RECORD
Second Largest Producing State, with
Output in 1918 of 100000 Tons.

/
Output in 1918 of 100000 Tons.
| With a production in 1913 exceeding
for the first time in its history total
of 100000 tons, West Virginia became
| firmly established as the second in rank
among the coal producing states. Ac-
cording to Edward w. Parker, of the
United States Geological Survey, the
production in 1913 was 7l,30s,9S2 tons,
showing a gain of 4,522, 295 short tons,
or nearly per cent, over the output
of 1912 (66, 7S66S7 short tonsl, up to
that time the record tonnage. The in
creased production was accompanied by
considerably larger gain in value,
which showed an increase over 1912 of
$9,079,9 3l, or l4.46 per cent. The value
of the output in 1913 was S7l,872, l65.
The average value per ton for the first
time in 10 years exceeded 81. The pro-
duction increased in 1913 in spite of
the fact that the labor troubles in the
Paint creek and Cabin creek districts
of the Kanawha field, which began in
the early part of 1912, were not settled
until well into the spring of 1913, and
that the unprecedented floods in the
Ohio valley in the spring reduced ship
ments to the West for a considerable
length of time. A few of the mines
that were closed by the strike were not
reopencd during 1918, and the total
production from the two districts af-
fected was much below the normal out
put. The increased production was well
distributed over the state, there being
but three counties out of 80 where de-
creases were shown.
Coal Shipped Outside of State for Coke
Making.
Of the total increase of over 100000
tons, the increase in the quantity of coal
made into coke in 1913 was only 1885
tons, indicating that coke making in
the state fell relatively behind. This
does not mean, however, that less coke
is being made from West Virginia coal
Large quantities of West Virginia coal
are made into coke in ovens (princi |
pally of the retort type located out
side of the state, and in 1913 the coal
shipped from West Virginia mines for |
coking at distant ovens was about twice |
as much as that used for the same pur
pose in the state.
Notwithstanding the increased pro-
duction and improved prices in 1918, the
year was not a satisfactory one to the
operators, and the situation has been
described as feverish. The labor diff
culties were followed by an investiga-
ton by a committee from the federal !
Senate, and when the state legislature
met in January nearly so bills (most /
of which the operators considered pre-
judicial TO the industry were intro
duced and some of them became laws.
One of the bills, not in itself of the pre-
judicial class, was a workmen's COM
pensation bill. enacted in February
which provided that | per cent of the
pay rolls should be paid into the com
pensation fund, 90 per cent by the EN-
ployers and 10 per cent by the EN-
ployes,
Prohibition of Intoxicants.
During the year an amendment to
the constitution of the state was adopt
ed, which provides for the prohibition of
the manufacture and sale of intoxicat-
ing liquors after July /, 1914 This is I
expected to result in the exodus of some
of the miners, but the operators are !,
hopeful of replacing the deserters with
a better class of labor and it lis be-
lieyed that the improved accident record
of 1913 will be continued with even
better results after the te-wide pro-
hibition goes into effect.
According to the bureau of mines, the
number of fatal accidents in the coal
mines of West Virginia showed de-
crease of %, from $50 in 1912 to 337 in
1913 although there was an increase of
nearly 10 per cent in the number of men
employed Labor troubles caused the
loss of 377 ,405 working days, or an aver.