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34 THE COAL TRADE BULLETIN.
CARNEGIE COAL CO. ABSORBES
CHARTIERS COAL C8, COKE CO.
Tbe Carnegie Coal Co. of Pittsburgh, operating
in the Panhandle field, has absorbed the Chartiers
Coal & Coke Co., of the same region. The reorganization
has been perfected as a close corporation
with a paid-up capital stock of $500,000
and the following officers elected: R. P. Burgan
of Carnegie. Pa., president and general manager;
J. T. M. Stoneroad of Pittsburgh, secretary and
treasurer; and George M. Hosack, the Pittsburgh
attorney, vice-president. These officers constitute
the directorate of the conipany.
This merger of the Chartiers Coal & Coke Co.
into the Carnegie Coal Co. makes ine latter the
largest producer in the Pittsburgh thin vein district
proper, outside of the Pittsburgh Coal Co.
The new company will operate its three most
economically equipped plants and owns 1,750 acres
of coal and 500 acres of surface property. These
properties are within five miles of each other and
all within twenty miles of Pittsburgh, in the Panhandle
coal fields, and have direct connection with
the Panhandle railroad. The annual capacity of
the reorganized company is one million tons, which
will be gradually increased.
The consummation of this deal recalls
the interesting story of the steady and
remarkable growth of these interests, which
started to develop the Carnegie mine at Camp Hill
near Carnegie a little over five years ago after the
plant had been abandoned by David Steen & Sons.
The Carnegie Co. was incorporated and organized
under the laws of Pennsylvania by the officers of
the present company at that time. It was when
the Pittsburgh Coal Co. was busily engaged in
perfecting its own organization. The plant had
been abandoned partly by reason of the death of
the senior member of the Steen concern. From
Chartiers creek to Fort Pitt, the front coal had
been worked out, but David Steen had wisely prevented
tbe drawing of the pillars in his main
tunnels leading to the back-lying coal.
This coal comprises an extensive block of the
grade which has made the Pittsburgh product
famous. Every modern and economical device
was installed by the new company and within
three months its coal was in the market. Three
years later the company purchased a desirable
block of coal between Midway and McDonald. The
farmers owning this had combined for a price,
Imt it was not an unreasonable one even at that
time. Attempts had been made by other interests
to break up this block, consisting of 1,000
acres of coal. The purchase also included 160
acres of surface property. This is being developed
as the Primrose mine, one of the best properties
in the country. Four years ago the Chartiers
Co. opened a small mine on Tom's run, the
coal body being near that of the Carnegie mine.
This mine was exchanged as part consideration for
the coal property between Oakdale and Noblestown,
on the Panhandle road, consisting of 500
acres of coal and 150 acres of surface property.
Developments started March 1 and coal is now
running over the new tipple at the rate of 1.000
tons per day. The Chartiers property also consists
of SOO acres of coal and 11 acres of surface
on the Cherry Valley branch of the Panhandle.
Messrs. Burgan and Stoneroad, tne majority owners
in the new conipany, have always given their
personal and direct supervision to the operation
of the properties and the marketing of the product.
This has wrought their success with a reputation
for coal in perfect preparation for their trade.
Fulfillment of all contracts to the letter has also
aided in broadening the markets of the concern.
As with every other coal producing interest low
prices have been met. but the company's policy
has been to allow its competitors to take all profitless
business.
THE QUESTION OF MINE FIRES.
In his recent annual report, Chief Mine Inspector
George Harrison, of Ohio, asserts that the
question of mine fires is becoming a very serious
one and commands the careful consideration of
operators and mine managers all over that state.
"Fires." he says, "originate from various causes
such as gas blowers being carelessly ignited,
paper and other combustible matter being left
burning after a shot has been fired; the disarrangement
and contact of live electric wires, spontaneous
combustion from bug dust, slack, bone
coal and sulphurous substance heated by accumulation
in the damp mines. There is one very
striking fact that mine fires generally take place
just after shooting time at night, or just afteF
the miners have left the mine for the day, which
strongly suggests the advisability that in all mines
of importance there ought to be a responsible
man go through all the working places as quickly
as the powder smoke and circumstances and conditions
will permit after shot firing has been done
and the men have left the mine, so that any fire
may be detected and not permitted to gain headway
for several hours or until the following
morning when it is almost beyond control, and
where the destruction of property, dangers and
cost of handling and extinguishing may prove to
be something serious."
The Durell Winslow Lumber Co., of Liverpool,
Eng.. has purchased several thousand acres of
coal and timber land in Breathitt county, Ky. A
railway will be built and mines and mills opened.
The property contains some fine veins of coal.