Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1922-05-16
STEEL PLANTS
MAY ABANDON
COAL MINES
Big Concerns Find New Coke
Fields in West Virginia
Regions.

PITTSBURGH, Pa, May 16.-Some of
the coal mines and coke ovens which have
been closed down in the CcnneIsville re-
gion by the strike of the non-union
miners may never be reopened accord
ing to intimations in steel circles here.
At best If there is resumption. il was
stated, the production in the Connellsville
field will be greatly reduced.
The big steel companies declare they
AN get abundant and permanent supplies
# Goa 1from West Virginia and Kentucky
fields which will meet all their require
.sients. This is said to have resulted in
ne steel manufacturers discovering that
he famous coke region" which has Al
ways been considered inseparable from
steel production, is not SO Indispensable
fter all
The perfection of the by-products
oEe oven and its general adoption
throughout the steel industry during and
since the war is said TO play an inn
portant role in this new situation. 1t is
claimed that the batteries of byproduct
ovens which are constructed at or near
he steel mills, are rapidly replacing the
Old and wasteful beehive ovens at the
oal mines, and that. with steady and
adequate supply of coal assured from:
her fields through a simple rearrangc-
ment of transportation facilities, ab-
soiute dependence need no longer be.
placed upon the Connelssille region mines
and ovens.
1t is also pointed out that while the
by-product oven is a permanent i.'stalla-
ton and contributes many useful pro-
ducts to the sciences and arts in adj
dition to furnishing ample supplies of
coke for the steel works, the bee
hive ovens at the mines make no such
contribution and, furthermore, are Of only
4 Temporary character, being abandoned as
soon as the coal is worried out.
MAKE NEW
PLANS READY.
Having been caught mapping at the
outbreak of the coal strike. it is claimed
hat the steel companies are completing
plans for other permanent sources of
coal supply which will divorce them
from absolute dependence upon the coke
region and may result in the closing of
many mines and ovens in that district.
As an evidence Of the growth of the
by product oven. it was pointed out by
local steel man that the largest by
product battery in the world. that of
the Carnegie Steel Company at Charlton.
Pa, Is to he doubled in size This plant
now consists Of about SEQ ovens with a
capacity of over 100000 tons of coke Il
year, not TO mention great quantities of
byproducts used in the textile. chemical,
agricultural and other industries.
Work already has been started. it was
stated, on the construction Of SOC more
by-product ovens at Charlton, which will
give This great plant a ca pacity of over
s,O0o,0G0 tons of coke per year. With
his huge plant in operation near the
great Homestead. Duauesne and Brad
lock mills OF the Carnegie Steel Com
pany. to which it supplies coke. and with
steady supply of coal assured from
ather than the Pennsylvania fields il
vas intimated here today by a leading
tnel man that the famous ConnellsviIle
oke region stands a chance of being
considerably eclIpsed.
1t was said that the miners in the
oke regions are beginning to realize
his possibility and that as result d
ointment Is developing to go back to
FORK. This was reported 10 be especially
rue of the miners who are idle by reas-
n of the strike, but not on strike them
selves.