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THE COAL TRADE BULLETIN. 23
WEST VIRGINIA COAL MINING INSTITUTE HOLDS INTERESTING
SESSION
The twelfth semi-annual session of the West
Virginia Coal Mining Institute was held in Charleston,
W. Va., Dec. 8 and 9, Hon. Neil Robinson,
president, in the chair. Several hundred operators
of West Virginia and other states were present,
and the sessions were most interesting ones.
President Robinson delivered his address Dee.
S, which was of much interest and was listened to
with much interest, his subject being "The Mineral
Man." The other speakers for the forenoon
program were most fittingly adapted to the subjects;
Governor Hatfield on "Sanitation, and the
Health of Mining Communities," having for 15
years been a physician in one of the mining regeions
of the state, was fully prepared to handle
that subject in a most able manner. The governor
made statements of how sanitation had
not been observed in mining regions as it should
have been. The time has come, in the language
of the governor, when these most important things
in our citizenship, and in our greatest industry,
must not be neglected.
Dr. T. C. Johnson's subject, "The Prohibition
Law and Its Effects Upon Mining," was handled
by him in an able manner.
At the afternoon session of Dec. 8, "Public Sentiment."
was the subject discussed by Mr. George
F. Parker, of New York City.
Mr. Fred C. Keighley, of Uniontown, Pa., read
a paper on "A Contemplated Method of Meeting
the Difficulties Encountered in Mining Under a
Friable Roof in Connection with a very Soft Floor
or Bottom"; Hon. Lee Ott, of the Public Service
commission, spoke on the "Workmen's Compensation
Law," and told what the effects of the lawhad
been after two months' active working.
At the evening session a large audience was
present to hear former Gov. W. A. MacCorkle on
"The Panama Canal." The governor made an
interesting talk on what the completion of the
canal means. The governor pointed to a large
map of the world showing the steamship lines,
how the coal fields of the Ohio valley would be
to great advantage both from its location, and especially
from the quality of its coal.
After Governor MacCorkle'* iddress, "The Coal
Resources of Alaska" was discussed and illustrated
by Dr. W. R. Crane of State College, Pa.
At the opening session of Dec. 9 the officers were
re-elected, as follows: President, Neil Robinson,
Charleston; vice presidents, George T. Watson,
Fairmont, John Laing, Charleston, R. S. Ord, Maybeury,
J. F. Healey, Elkins, J. S. McKinley, Wheeling;
secretary-treasurer, E. N. Zern, Morgantown;
executive board, Lee Ott, Charleston; Clement Ross
Jones, Morgantown; Daniel Howard, Clarksburg;
J. J. Lincoln, Elkhorn; J. B. Hanford, Morgantown;
Frank Haas, Fairmont. The executive
board was empowered to select the place for the
June meeting.
The business was followed by a splendid paper
on "Reporting on Properties" by Mr. Frank Haas,
of Fairmont, W. Va.
The afternoon session was devoted to papers on
"Coal Markets and Selling Prices," by Mr. R. A.
Coller, of Cincinnati; "Pocahontas Mining Methods,"
by Mr. W. H. Grady, Bluefield, W. Va., and
"The Department of Mines," by former Chief John
Laing.
An enjoyable banquet closed the convention.
SECRETARY McADOO WANTS $9,000,000
FOR OHIO RIVER IMPROVEMENTS.
That the government, through the War Department,
intends pushing to early completion the canalization
of the Ohio river from Pittsburgh to
Cairo, 111., is revealed for the fiscal year 1915,
transmitted to Congress Dec. 1 by Secretary of the
Treasury W. G. McAdoo.
A total of $9,420,000 is carried for the Ohio
river and for completion of work in the Monongahela,
Four different projects under various
acts of Congress, and making a total of $9,237,000
is asked for the Ohio. Chief of these is $5,000,-
000 to continue the construction of locks and dams
below Pittsburgh with a view- to securing a ninefoot
stage all the way to Cairo. This amount
comes under the act of March 4, 1913. Under the
acts of February, 1911, and June, 1913, $1,911,000
is asked for locks and dams now under construction.
A similar project authorized by acts of February,
1911, and June, 1913, demands the sum of
$1,976,000, according to the Treasury estimates.
Aside from the work under way and other projects
to be launched when appropriations are available,
the Secretary estimates that $350,000 will be necessary
for maintenance of present locks and dams
and open channel work. There is also carried the
sum of $5,000 for the improvement of the harbor
at Pittsburgh.
For completing the new lock and dam No. 6 in
the Monongahela river near Charleroi $178,000 is
asked. No estimates are carried for Allegheny
river improvements and it is predicted that until
there is some general understanding relative to
the bridge question Congress will authorize no new
work.