The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1916-01-11
COAL OUTPUT INCREASES.
Estimated Production in 1915 is sis,ooo,.
600 Tons.

The coal industry OF the United
States, which began the year 1915 under
adverse conditions, improved steadily
during the summer and fall in sym
pathy with the general betterment of
business, and in November and Deem
Der was in better position as regards
markets and prices than at any time
since 1913, although in the territory
west of Ohio the improvement came too
late to overbalanee the depression OF the
earlier months.
The production of bituminous coal
land anthracite in the United States in
1915 is estimated by c. T.. Lesher, of
the United States Geological Survey, at
5lS,000,000 short tons, an increase over
i 1914 of less than | per cent. Btumi.
nous production increased about $780,
900 tons, and the output of anthracite
was less than in 1914 by about 100000
short tons. The increase in the output
of soft coal was not shared equally by
all the fields, for reports from 100 coal
carrying railroads and from leading coal
mining operators and others familiar
with the industry indicate that in the
bituminous fields Of the East production
increased, whereas in the area west OF
Ohio there was a general decrease. All
states in the Mississippi valley and in
the Rocky mountain and Pacific coast re-
gions, except Colorado and possibly Wy
oming, remained either practically sta
tionary as regards output or showed de-
creases.
Demand for Export Coal and for Coke. /
In the East, on account of the steady |
demand for export coal and for coke for |
steel making and the general improve
ment in business, the output of btu
minous coal in Pennsylvania, West Vir-
ginia, Kentucky, and Alabama increased |
to a gratifying extent. Ohio and Vir
ginia also had increases, but Georgia,
Maryland, and Tennessee recorded de-
ereases. In Pennsylvania the increase
was mainly in the coking districts, and
for the state it in estimated to have
been about 100000 tons. The weekly
reports of coke production published in
the Connellsville Courier indicate that
the output of coke in the two Connells
vile districts increased over 100000
tons, or 10 per cent, and as each ton of
coke represents about one and onehalf
tons OF coal, an increase of over 3,00O-
900 tons of coal is indicated. The pros
porous condition OF the steel Industry in
the South is responsible for an increase
Of nearly 100000 tons in the coal out
put of Alabama. Developments begun H
several years ago in West Virginia and \
in eastern Kentucky are now going at
full capacity, and not a small part of
The demand for Kentucky coal comes
rom the by-product coke plants of the
Middle West The increase in Kentucky Il
vas about 100000 tons, and in West II
Virginia approximately 100000 short
ons. I'LL
1t is not unreasonable to consider that NJ
he increase in the East would have III
'een much greater had it not been for III
heritage OF transportation facilities I'll
which developed in the fall and which III
/ the close of the year assumed serious III
Proportions. The shortage of railroad HI
ars was confined mainly to the East III
nd South and is said to be due to the Hi
ongestion at seaboard points caused by w
he inability of shippers to acquire Hi
cean going vessels TO take care of the IIl
reat quantities of foreign freight for u
'arded from the interior. The rise in -
aean freight rates caused many vessels vi
ormally engaged in coal transportation
, be transferred to grain and other 81
gher priced commodities, and this has M
suited in decrease since August and n
eptember in the quantity of coal ex
orted to Europe and South America NJ
Notwithstanding these difficulties, the III
iantity Of coal exported to Europe and q
outh America during the first 10
onths of 1915 exceeded the quantity n
.ported in the same period of 1914 by
,out 100000 tons. In 1915, however, N
ports of both anthracite and bitumi- IN
nus coal to Canada decreased.
The markets for coal from the Mis- q
ssippi valley were more restricted in
Is than for several years past. The n
ilroads, the largest users of coal in IN
at territory, are reported to have "a
in their use Of coal by de- N
easing the number of trains and by Is
e introduction of more efficient meth u
5 of firing locomotives. The decrease
the output in coal in Illinois, In F
ina and Iowa was close to per cent, "a
d in the southwestern states, Arkan
s, Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma n
E decrease was over 10 per cent.
use of fuel oil and of hydro n
,ctrical power, the unsettled eondi
N of mining and smelling in Mexico, a
the competition of Canadian coal n
We tended to restrict the market for
Il in the far West, and to those fac
$ the general decrease in output in
It region is attributed. Coal produc
n increased in Colorado from 8 to n
cent but decreased in Montana, New n
xico and Utah. North Dakota and Il
voming recorded but little change. On
Pacific coast Washington decreased n