The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-11-16
MINE INSPECTORS
VILE MEET HERE
Session win Take Place at
Fairmont Hotel on
November 2e.

November 29.
District mining inspectors of the
Fairmont field will meet at the
Fairmont Hotel on Wednesday. No
yember 20, to discuss matters Of
interest to them in this region. In
spectors from the first to seventh
district will be included in this
group, and they include the follow.
ing: C. W. Stuart, Thomas: ". H.
sandridge, Grafton; Evan L. Grit.
tiths, Clarksbure: William Moore,
Morgantown; W. B. Riggleman,
Fairmont; A. e. Latferty. Mounds.
Vile, and Thomas Jarrett, Weston.
Similar group meetings are being
held in various parts of the state.
\ Too Many Miners.
National legislation win stop
ACKNOWLEDGMENT and unlimited ex.
ploitatlon OF coal lands,' said John
Hessler, president OF the Indiana
miners, In addressing a Literary
club in Terra Haute recently.
He told OF the waste under the
present methods OF production, the
over.development in mining, the ex
cess OF employees and the high cost
Of mining that comes back on the
consumer.
Reduction Of the number Of
Mines" he said, would reduce the
cost Of upkeep and would reduce
the cost Of production With the
labor cost averaging S1.s0 ton,
coal should be selling at the mine
for considerably less than 3d." \
Mr.. Hessler said his purpose was
to show how the cost Of coal to the
consumer might be reduced. This.
he said, would be impossible II un.
limited exploitation OF coal lands
was continued. Since there are
more mines than necessary to sup.
ply the demand, he said, 1t natural.
ly followed that mines where the
cost Of production was high we:s
abandoned and that more than half
Of the available coal was not mined.
Mr.. Hessler said these conditions
were responsible for the presence
OF 100000 more in the mines than
necessary to produce the coal need.
ed. This. he said. means only half
time work. The cost OF maintaining
the excess number of men in the
industry and intermittent employ.
ment, he said, were factors in the
increasing cost Of coal.
The remarkable tenor Of his
speech is causing quite deal OF
comment among coal men Of the
state.
Mining Toll 1873.
Accidents at coal mines killed
1873 men in 1921, as compared
with 2,271 in 1920. While these
figures indicate. a reduction in acct
dents as compared with 1920, there
was an increase in the number pc:
thousand men employed. This may
be largely attributed to the part.
time operation which prevailed IN
the mining industry in 1921, since
periods OF ddleness or intermittent
work are generally followed by sn
increase In accidents.
Georges Creek Field.
The Georges Creek Coal Co., In:
has resumed operations at Iona.
ching on a non.union basis with
thirty men. Three cars Of coal a
day are being loaded. Half OF tho
sixty men who promised to report
for duty were at work this week.
Prior TO that the company closed
its mines. Fair success was being
met with In breaking the strike.
when black hand letters began TO
make their appearance and the mcr
quit. Prices have got down so low
now that many operators claim
they can buy coal cheaper than
they can produce 1t, and this is
particularly true when mine !.
working short.handed. So there is
less incentive 10 continue strike
efforts than there was
while ago.
Ford and Mines.
Tho National Coal Mining News
prints the following in reference
to Henry Ford's activities in South
ern West Virginia coal fields: "I.'
is rumored that Henry Ford has
purchased the mine OF the Dex.Car
Pocahontas Coal Co. In the Tug
River field, Mcdowell County, w.
Va. the price not being revealed.
1t is said that this mine has a ca
pacity of thirty cars per day and
will take the place Of his Nuttal,
burg mine in tie New River Dia
trict which It is said that he is now
trying to SELL"
A week or more ago IL was ru.
mored that Henry Ford was max.
ing arrangements to purchase tina
holdings Of the Wayne Coal Co. a;
present controlled by the Bene-
dum.Trees interests, at a cost OF
$10,O0o,0oO.