Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-12-20
MINES AT GAyTON
WILL SUPPLY CITY
Owners Decide to Resume Oper-
alton Of Henrico Shafts
Within Three Months.
FURNISH 800 TONS DAILY
Fuel Administration Completes
Details for Relieving Short
age in Richmond.

mines IN iien-ico County Will bc re-
opened and PLACED in operation WITHIN
the neA; sixty TO ninety days in an
effort TO relieve the fuel situation in
IEichmonh and adjacen, territory, IL. r.
Byrd, fuel administrator for Virginia.
announced last night. Negotiations
over diftcrcniial rate OF the output
from the mines have been under way
for several months, and have just been
completed, enabling the reopcnins OF
the pits.
Practically every detail for the re-
opening Of the mines has been COM
pleted by the own,rs. :. Dixon and
associates, Of West Virginia. Associ-
ated with the owners in tho project
arc severa! practical operators with
many years experience in the West
Nirs fields. while strong financial
backing has been secured for the un-
dertakinE. The supply OF the Gayton
mines. which are located abou; ten
miles from Richmond on the Chcsa-
peakc and Ohio Railway. is said 20 be
comparatively inexhaus,iblc. and tho
coal to be Of a high grade.
The following statement was made
last night:
Fuel Administrator Eyrd announced
that after consultation With DIR. Henry
A. Garfield. national fuel administrators,
and A. II. Sands. epresentinS :. Dixie,
and associates. the prices of coal have
been authorized Nhich will enable the
rcopcnins OF the Gayton mines near
Richmond. These mines were aban-
doncd some years ago because OF being
unprofitabl..
EXPECr TO START OPERATION
WITHIN NEXT TWO MONTHS
"On account Of the great scarcity of
coal now existing. tho United States
tuel administration is extremely de-
sirous of having these mines rcopcncd
that Richmond and adjacent terri
tory can be furnished with coal b.
short haul 1t is estimated that the
production of these mines will be 500
tons daily. Mr. Sands stated to-day
that his clients expect 10 bc in 20
sition to operate within sixty days
from this date.
The mine prices as authorized were
1915 per ton for n-of-r,inc. 81 per
ton for prepared sizes. and $3.50 per
ton for slack. Z. o. b. cars at tho mines.
The freight rate TO Richmond is A.
cents. Every cffcrt is being made by
mircs operated at the earliest posi-
bic time. s. as TO relieve the present
shortage.
Owners of the Clayton mines had
practically determined to open the pits
last summer. Arrangements TO this
end We're being completed when the
United states fuel administration was
created b. the President, and il was
fala
ter with this department. II is i'm.
possible 10 operate these shat, mines ir
competition with the West Virginia
feds on the same basis. and IL was
necessary 70 secure diferential rate
The administration first requested an
estimate of the operating costs, but
since the mines have been closed for
several years this information could
not he given. Tending the adjustment
of rates. no effort was made TO reopen
the mines. which had been anticipated
in time to share in supplying Rich
mond's needs this winter. Every effort
will now be made TO open the mines
at the earliest possible moment
HLT ONE RECENT EFFORT
MADE TO OPERATE MINES
Connected with Mr.. Dixon and his
associates are several practical. opera :
tors with more than twenty-five years
experience in mining coal, and they
are confident that the Gayton mines
can be operated on a profitable basis.
Arrangements for the necessary ma
chinery have been practically COM
plcted, and will be installed a ) quickly
as possible. II is not known definitely
how many men will be employed in the
mines. but that is believed to be de-
pendent upon the success OF the opera-
ton. since the demand for fue! is far
in excess OF the supply.
There are about 5000 acres Of land
in the tract on which the mines arc
located, and which is controlled bv Mr.
Dixon. While the Clayton mines are
among the oldest in this country. in
recent years they have not been able
to compete. the same rate basis.
with the West Virginia and New River
fields. When first opened. more than
100 years ago. fuel was supplied Phila-
delphia and many Southern cities
In recent years. however. only one
attempt has been made to operate the
mines. This was made abou: Eve years
ago by the .ate Colonel Voolfolk but
w a. uHSuISeSSiul. IL was pointed out
last night that. in an emergency. coal
could be hauled from the mines TO
Richmond by motor trucks. and this
city's supply would not he affected
ny railroad congestion. although OH
GERS OF the Chesap cake and Ohio Rail-
way have stoutly maintained that all
congestion on its lines was caused by
the refusal OF cor Meeting lines to ac-
cept traffic
The fuel situation in Richmond Is
more serious than people realize. in
the opinion OF members Of the local
fuel commission. which n; just been
organized. The commission. which has
opened Offices at ala Travellers Build
ing. is composed of A. Eierne Blair,
Esbert G. Leigh, Frank 70. Williams.
w. 7. Reed and II. Laurie Smith sec.
rotary. and urges every user of coal
to practice the most rigid economy.
& Continued on Fifth Pase.D