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March, 1905 COAL AND TIMBER
the Union, her showing at the St. Louis
exposition being a marvelous'revelation even
to her own people. Investors and operators
looking for anthracite, coking, splint, cannel
or smokeless coals can be supplied in the
state in infinite variety as to location, quality
and price. West Virginia's citizens are now
thoroughly aroused to the Golconda lying
beneath her watered valleys and rugged hills
and are doing some important development
and investment on their own account, though
they seemed not to realize their opportunity
until after the canny easterner had slipped
in and taken over many of their choicest
properties, an instance being the Boston
people who got the cream of the Logan
county measures.
The mineral values of this state are, as
the saying goes, "only scratched," and profitable
transactions in coal bodies will be
made there for many decades to come.
Fully two-thirds of the geographical extent
of Kentucky and more than half of
Tennessee can also be classed with West
Virginia in the matter of development and
prospects for coal operations and the overflow
of capital and interest is showing in
those states near the Virginia and West
Virginia lines.
The chief transaction in coal lands in
Eastern Kentucky in 1904 was the sale by
J. C. C. Mayo of his immense holdings in
the upper Big Sandy valley to the Northern
Coal & Coke Company, composed principally
of Chicago men, but in which ex-
Senator Camden, of W. Va., has recently
acquired a controlling interest. This company
proposes a thorough and modern development
along the lines of that done by the
United States Coal and Oil Co. in the Logan
district of W. Va. Coal rights and fees
in Eastern Kentucy have jumped in price
since the Pocahontas development until,
from Boyd county to Pike and beyond, accessible
acreages are held at figures equalling
those in Southwestern Pennsylvania,
$200 an acre being a not at all uncommon
figure asked and paid. W. Va. prices are
advancing with more moderation, owing to
the universality of the coal deposit of some
sort or other and the paucity of transportation
facilities in a large portion of the state.
Seven to ten dollars an acre for mineral
rights and fifteen to thirty dollars for coal
land in fee being the prevailing prices, excepting
in the coking ranges wdiere values
are rapidly approaching the Pennsylvania
standard.
The old buggaboo of faulty titles in Eastern
Kentucky and some parts of West Virgnia,
is rapidly disappearing under judicial
settlements and the determination of squatters'
claims. Most offerings in those sections
can be now safely taken as regards
title, especially where merely the mineral
rights are involved. Several parties of
Pennsylvania coal operators are already
"cruising" in West Virginia, hailing from
the bituminous fields and looking to the
not-distant future when they must use the
Mountain State for their surplus capital.
West Virginia coal lands offer the unusual
combination of shipping to the Lake, Seaboard
and Gulf markets, oftentimes all three
facilities inhering in one tract.
The slack-watering of her rivers, Ohio
river improvement coming on and the
Panama canal prospect, makes river and
gulf shipments a great desideratum. Several
companies of Panaman and New York capitalists
are looking over the West Virginia
and Kentucky fields at this time with a view
of operations five to ten years hence when
the great Isthmian water-way is completed.
1905 shows every sign of being a big
coal year. The barometric indices all foreshadow
big manufacturing operations and
this means coal. Orders for coal for foreign
account are also coming in increased ratio,
figuring last year as an average one, which
it was not. The great drouth of last summer
can scarcely be expected to encore itself
and there is every reason to expect a renaissance
of the coal dealings of two or three
years ago and with increased production
and sale over any year in the history of the
trade. Coal land brokers already feel the
pulse of trade quickening and inquiries are
coming from every quarter for good accessible
properties and operators are not shying
at good, stiff prices, so long as the coal
is there.
We expect this spring will be the most
active season in coal land transactions ever
known on the Apalachian fields—all signs
point to it. Inquiries are coming rapidly
and as soon as the snow admits of better
examination of the ground, many sales are
sure to be recorded.
The co'.d and stormy weather during the
past month disturbed the Western Coal
Market and brought on an increased demand
for fuel, shortage of cars for transportation,
delays in delivery and the usual
irritation which naturally follows
COMPULSORY EMPLOYMENT
OF SHOT-FIRERS.
A bill is now before the Illinois Legislature
providing for the compulsory employment
of shot-firers in the coal mines of that
state. The law, when operative, will provide
heavy penalties for its violation. It is
understood that the unusually large number
of accidents from the use of explosives in
mines provides this motive for the introduction
of the bill.
Shot-firers are found in a large number
of our largest mines, but accidents still occur
and it is questionable whether their
employment works a decrease in the number
of casualties.
Since the run-of-mine basis was established
in certain Illinois districts, complaints
of carelessness in placing shots have increased.
It is natural for the miner to try
to bring down the largest quantity of coal,
regardless of its condition, or of the risk
incurred in blasting, when
working under
a run-of-mine scale. The result is an increased
number of accidents—and slack.
A bill providing for a fixed quantity of
powder for each shot would more properly
suit the exigencies of the case, and
be a compelling force for conscientious service
on the part of the miner.
WHAT FOR?
A bill which provides for an increase of
fees for home corporations and a reduction
of fees for foreign corporations has
been presented to the Legislature at Charleston,
W. Va.
It is alleged that the present laws governing
corporations are altogether wrong and
the proposed bill is to remedy the evil.
This explanation does not explain, and we
are of the impression that there is something
more to be told regarding the motive
back of this measure.
NATIONAL PIKE COAL.
It is the opinion of the Chief of Engineers
of the United States Army, that the coal
underlying the National Pike in Western
Pennsylvania does not belong to the Government,
and that title to this coal never
passed from the owners who first gave right
of way to the National Government.
The matter of ownership has attracted
attention all over the state and was referred
to the authorities at Washington by representatives
from the Twenty-third and
Twenty-fourth districts. While the . question
has been most liberally discussed the
ownership of the coal has not been finally
settled and will probably require an authoritative
opinion from the attorney general.
As there are several hundred acres involved,
the greater part of which is underlaid
with coal, it is a matter of some importance
as to who owns this valuable
deposit.
1905 OUTLOOK.
The year 1905 holds out every promise
of being a year of exceptional business
activity and industrial development and
growth, specially in West Virginia.
A sure indication of the improvement is
the growing demand for soft coal and coke.
West Virginia coal is no longer a mere
convenience, or occasional substitute tor
anthracite even in the Eastern markets,
where the best grades are in demand with
quotations hardening. Indeed, according
to Mr. Frederick E. Seward in Cent per
Cent., Pennsylvania shippers are complaining
of the conditions, inasmuch as a great
deal of tonnage has been contracted for by
the West Virginia producing districts.
This
is owing to the cheaper cost of production
in those districts and necessitates the development
of other markets for the Pennsylvania
product.