West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1915-10-21
THE COAL INDUSTRY IN WEST
VIRGINIA IS ON GREAT BOOM
Heavy Influx of Orders for Fuel Is
Caused by Activity IN Manufac-
turing Districts and Huge In
crease IN Foreign Dcmand-A
Shortage of Cars is Threatened

There are signs i'm all the Goa
counties of the state indicating tina
West Virginia is on the verge OF tn,
biggest coal boom IL has ever en-
joyed. provided that the increase OF
transportation OF shipments out o.
the state TO points west OF Pittsburt
is not approved by the Inter- Stat,
Commerce Commission. After drag
ging along with many mines closed
others working two and three day,
week, for more than year. tn,
activity in manufacturing districts
has finally reached out into this stat,
In heavy influx OF orders for coal
and almost before the increase had
been noticed, the West Virginia oper-
ators have been confronted with n
sharp lack OF coal cars. This car
shortage is noticeable in the Kama
wha district in the south. in the New
River and Pocohontas districts 10
some extent, and il is the bugaboo of
N~ NhN'"'NAS . III Nuc II TdlIHlOul-OlarkS-
burg district. Price offerings have
been raised with the demand. and
could West Virginia mines now get
all the cars needed, the state would
soon see a marked revival in it's most
important industry.
While the car shortage is reported
all over the country, operators in the
northern districts OF West Virginia
have a complaint i'm that they allege
the railroads. transporting the load
ed cars to the distributing points. do
not return them to this state for the
trade, but divert them to other uses
or to other coal districts.
Huge orders for France and other
foreign countries have been booked
by the coal fields in the southern end
OF the state. The fact that several in
quiries, coming from the same origin.
are taken frequently as so many sep
arate bids has led TO an over-estimate
or the foreign tonnage purchased on
contract by foreign powers. but new
ertheiess the sum total of this bust
ness is running into many hundreds
OF thousands OF tons Far-reaching re-
results are expected from this sudden
leap in the foreign demand for West
virginia coal. for operators in the
splint coal fields are confident that
once the Pocohontas and other brands
are thoroughly tested out under the
stress OF war, foreign governments
Will continue to purchase i'm this state
The Pocohontas coal has a peculiar
gray streak which Identifies Il any
where in the world, and because of
this characteristic, coupled with
worlds famous steaming qualities. Il
cannot be mixed with other and
cheaper Goals, so that the purchaser
cannot be deceived In his purchase
This is considered an important feat
ure in the worlds markets, as mix
ing is more common than supposed
This grading and mixing is OF course
done by brokers at the ports. and not
at the mines.
That rresldent Jere Wheelright
and other officials Of the Consolidation
Coal Company have forseen an in
crease I'm coal demand is proven by
the sinking OF the two new shafts at
Helen's Run. and by the more recent
announcement that three new mines
would be opened at Wyatt, as report
ed. The BingamOn tract, on which the
three new mines will be located was
purchased Is years ago by s. L.
watson, Il easurer of the Consolida-
ton Coal Company. II is the plan TO
make these new mines the most com
plete in the Fairmont- Clarksburg
field, and when they are i'm shape to
work TO full capacity will each en-
ploy about 900 men The coal com
pany will construct homes for the
miners at Wyatt.
The proposed new mines AT WYATT
will give the Western Maryland Rail
road still further increase In coal ton
mage out OF thiE state. giving rise TO
speculation that when the Rockefel-
Ter interests purchased $1,000. 900
worth Of Consolidation Coal Company
bonds, this eventually meant the en-
trance Of the Western Maryland into
the Fairmont-C -Clarksburg coal field.
as competitor OF the Baltimore and
Ohio. To tap the new mines at Helen's
Run the Western Maryland Is now
constructing q spur from the Balu-
more and Ohio, and TO get the ton
mage from the new Bingamon mines
the Western Maryland will construct
another spur. seven miles long. con
meeting the plants with the Monon-
gah division Of the Baltimore and
Ohio at the mouth OF Bingamon
Creek. Rights Of way, ground for the
mining communities. etc, have al
ready been purchased
What is looked for I'm West virginia
within the next two or three months
is revival Of activities I'm the pur-
chasing Of virgin coal tracts Many Of
the coal fields are honeycombed with
bargains In tracts which we're taken
up In the boom days before the de-
preston Of 1897 plotted. surveyed. in
many instances tested with bore
holes and the records Of oil and gas
wells, organized into holding compan-
les. and then placed on the market.
Some OF these tracts. located directly
on the railroads, have been opened by
syndicates-at prices ranging twice as