Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1922-08-25
TOO MUCH COAL"

The Clinch Valley News has said
n,cre than once, that there are now
too many coal mines open, and that
if about half Of them were closed for
good conditions among the miners
and the consumers rs well, wauld be
greatly improved. Before the var
there were G,000 mines in operation.
At the close Of the war there were
10000 An eminent authority says:
at is safe to say that the present
developed capacity of the bituminous
coal mines in the United States is
one third greater than any possible
demand"
Mr.. f. S Peabody, member OF q.
American Institute of Mining and
metallurgic Engineers, has a striking
article on ovcrdcvelopmcnt, publish
cd in Mcdowell Recorder. lie says,
in part:
Gree competition involving "a gil
gantic struggle for existence among
the nations 10000 coal mines, in
which the fittcst will survive, will
solve the problem OF overdevelop-
ment and save the country 100000
600 Il year which now is wasted.
"Too much coal has become Il ma
the pockctbooks of the consuming
public, and is costing Americans so
cents for every ton dropped into
their bins
Diagnosing the ills of the indus
try he said:
Prior to the war there were 5000
shipping mines in operation. At the
close of the war there were 10000
which, if operated full time, would
produce 100 per cent more coal than
is needed for consumption and OK
port"
Computing the cost, he estimates
the total investment in mines at
50 100000. One third of this
amount, he contends, represents over
development, which, ut per cent in
tcrest, annually costs the nation $40
100000.
Waste of man power is the second
Item mentioned. OF the 100000 BIZ
luminous miners, there are 200 900
too many, Mr.. Peabody contendcd
Their wages, at 81 800 each year.
represent the annual waste of $500
100000. T'
Under present conditions the TO-
UOU mines each year average 100 idle
days a year. Based upon his cxpcri-
ence as the ouerator of &c mines in
II districts, Mr.. Peabody estimated
the annual upkeep of the nations
alnes during periods of idleness Mt
more than $50,000,000.
In dollars and cents, therefore
we have an item in the country's an
nual coal bill Of 100000 900 whic,,
Is caused directly by ovcrdcveloD.
ment: Since the normal consumntion
od 6ltnminous, including exports. 3
oo0,OOo,OOO tons yearly, this ovcrdt.
Velopment Is costing us 50 cents on
every ton mined"
foderal closing of excess minoe
would result in the immediate loss or
?ooo,oOO,OO0 in invested capital. and
inc loss of jobs to 100000 men. tbe
second because price regulation
would only perpctuate the waste !"
ana i,c the third for the same reason
me cure then is do nothing" de-
clared Mr.. Peabody. oe-
o,a Under free competition, with Gen
eiai industrial units OF the bitumin.
Gus coal industry will be forced into
d gigantic struggle for existence in
t Wnieh the fttest WILL survive and
' .m2Se least able to stand the st,i;,
VIII be forced out" ~ '''"'''
.., ms system, he estimates will
take ten, years. At the end Of t hd,t
i period, however, he declared Two
VIII have only the most ci,;c;o we
lIn n,, able TO produce coal mt thu
i fo" cost, and while the struo ola
a aor existence continues, competi iiE ~
Ga,, De depended upon to mailman; r'o,'
n avm ~, ievci OF prices. The situation i.
the I LEY Is bound to work directly ~
'"e peneht OF the coal consnms, y