Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-04-25
better ROADS INCREASE
ANNUAL OUTPUT OF COAL
Survey Shows Mines Using Motor
Trucks Arc Reaching Many New
3 and Distant Markets.

Close relationship between condi-
lions OF roads and total tonnage OF
coal mined Is seen in statistics COM
piled in recent survey.
NJ These figures show that in Ohio,
). Tor example. where large sums Of
money have been expended In. recent
years on road improvements, the
annual output ot p!; mines. most OF
which also are wagon mines. has
jumped from li1.Ii6 tons in 1914 TO
2,73s,900 tons In 1915.
Wagon mines. as the term implies,
are not located cnN,the railroads.
: They arc found whore the mining
I is easy. that is. whore the vein OF
Goa is onli few feet below the
surface OF tho ground or protrudiny
from the h!llsides. II the roads are
i poor. transportation costs coniine the
activities OF iach mines to purely
ionai markets. many of them in such
case operating only when teams OF
I farmers roundabout would be idle ON
the farms II not engaged in hauling
GOAL nj low rates
Good Highways Advantage.
Given highways on which trucks
can operate economically between
mine and railroad. many wagon mines
are finding Il possible 20 cuniputc in
Z The general market with mines To-
\ Gated ON railroads. To-day. because
or better transportation facilities and
the increasing demand Tor coal, some
& are producing several hundred tV.S
I of coal daily.
Trucks engaged i'll This hauling are
/, being operated ut 4 ton-milc cos: OF
= from SIS cents. depending upon char
! scte: Of reads. ."tdins conditions.
/. traffic congestion. routing. proper
ma !ntenancc OF trucks and selection
q OF drivers Where costs are high
i granted ti" roads are improved and
d without sleep 2rades Improper man
8 aSe'nen; resulting in idle hours for
trucks j. ;nos; often at fault.
The survey in which the figures and
facts- that have been cited are dis
closed. was conducted 10y tho economic
: research division IL the f'ircStont
: Ohio. wh!ch has branch bureaus in
: In" sivty-four ieadn" trucking cen
tcrS Of thC. United states. II has been
iiubiished N Il pamphlet. just issued,
4 eliN.Gi, Tint Motor Tra-s, at ,he
{ Coal Mines"
The survey concludes az follows:
Had Roads Dcicrtivr.
one OF the pr.acinai factors, IL not
2 The chief factor. watch has deferred
5-coal operators from using tracks
thus Ear hiss been the condition Of
(. highways. Especially is this true il
snch states rs Illinois. Iowa and Kan
sas. since the roads in these States
are the worst AZ the very time when
The demDid ;or coal is greatest.
Fortunately almOs. every coal pro-
: ducing STATE has a rather large road
. GO!ldir: program under way. and in
number or instances both .Ec Stutc
2rd thr country have nDpropr!htol
ruutis for carrying out these pro-
grams
Zig c"nl states Have Plans.
The first and Third largest coal
producing states IA the Union. Penn
!s.ivan!a and Il..uo!s, nave %on3rc
htns.ve colG-.EH:oN cincDt plans. In
tie former state ,io,OOO.0oo has been
appropriated and in the la;trr 500
100000. IL addition country units in
4 both States have MADE large sums
available Actual construction was
started il 10th States last simmer.
The road programs in these States
provide fo; considerable mileage
through the coal ii4.Is and will ., my
many undeve!opcd and untouched coal
areas Into. pTontab!e trucking dis
: d.s;rlal plaa:a AMI railroads.
Other Statca Follow suit.
NsNt Norcnrbcr kansas Missouri
and West Virginia Will submit 10 the
amounting. IN each state. - ;6O,oOO.-
O9C. Tho cnauccs OF approval in a.:
least .;wo 0i these states arc good
In N!Sstnri. during the past year
shout -ev0.ono ia hccn made avail
;.k'e through .hc counties. while in
. West Virginia and Tennessee, The
cardinal appropriation Of tho cpun-
res az t".oce,oeo and S1,ooO, 00o rcsptc-
t."~lv.
In lowe, Green ana rolk coun.
i!fs. ho:h In producing areas.
hsrn made s!.COo.oov and $1,000. C0O.
respectively. ava.lab.c du.,n: tho plst
!1'r.
owners OF GOA mines and coal.
producing lands Wii! do well 30 watch
closely road construction While
ra::s'aGS may not ho accessible I'M
INC J!ately. the use 90 the motor truck
WI make thc DEVELOPMENT and
operation Of the mines on this land
p.sa:a5!n IN n.aay Instances"