COAL - Clpdigital.org

Men killed inside of the mines 148
Men killed outside of the mines 9
Wives made widows 87
Children left fatherless 239
Men iujured so as to lose a month or
more time 307
Gross tons mined to each life lost .... 236,165
Employes to each life lost 349
Deaths per 1.000 employes 2.87
Gross tons mined to each man injured 73,132
Employes to each man injured 108
The number of mines was 932, one less than the
previous year. The most notable change concerning
the number of mines was the increase in the
number of shipping mines. The number in this
class for the year was 3S0; iii 1903 there were 353,
giving an increase of 27 mines, or 7.93 per cent.
df the local mines the decrease in the number was
28 from 1903.
The number of tons, all grades, produced, was
37,077,897, an increase of 2,122,497 tons, or 6.07
per cent, over 1903.
The total number of employes was 54.774, being
an increase of 4,960, or 9.96 per cent.
The average number of working days for the
shipping mines was 213, which was nine days less
than in 1903.
THE GERMAN RAID ON WELSH COAL.
Great Britain has held her Welsh coal as one of
the great features in her naval supplies. To add
to the unpleasantness that has arisen of late between
England and Germany, is the discovery
that despite all reports to the contrary, and all
efforts to keep the matter dark an English syndicate
has handed over to the German empire a
vast tract of coal in Wales.
Exparts reckon the store of coal to be 400,000,000
of tons, which has been acquired by the Germans
between Neath and Aberavon. Half of it is said
to be the finest steam quality, suitable for the
British navy. The consumption of the admiralty
ships is 1,117,000 tons a year, so that what steam
coal Great Britain would lose will run a British
navy of the present size for nearly 200 years. The
military importance of the question is seen when
it is considered that Germany's supply of naval
fuel is a grave problem, while in England the stock
of good steam coal is limited. Mr. Balfour recently
said in the house, "We could not remain indifferent
spectators of any transaction which handed
over to any foreign syndicate or foreign government
the unique source of our naval mobility,"
and urged that "so unexampled a proceeding would
require exceptional treatment."
The press of Great Britain has taken up the
matter and parliament will be asked to take steps
to check the German raid on the Welsh coal
fields.
THE COAL TRADE BULLETIN. 39
PRODUCTION OF COKE IN 1904.
Including the production of coke from by-product
retort ovens, which in 1904 amounted to
2,008,229 short tons, the total output of the coke
ovens of the United States was last year, according
to the report made the United States Geological
Survey by Edward W. Parker, 23,621,520
short tons, against 25,274,281 short tons in 1903.
'I'he decrease in 1904 as compared with the preceeding
year was 1,652,761 short tons, or 6.54
per cent. The total value of the product declined
in much greater proportion from $66,498,664 in
1903, to $46,026,183, a decrease of $20,472,481, or
31 per cent.
"The decline in production was a natural one,"
says Mr. Parker, "due to a slump in the iron trade
during the summer months, which was in turn
caused for the most part by the unsettled conditions
that usually attend a presidential campaign.
And while these conditions also affected prices,
the great difference between the values of the
production in 1904 and 1903 was due to the abnormally
high prices which prevailed in the early
part of 1903. when, because of the fuel famine
induced by the anthracite strike of the preceding
year, manufacturers of coke were able to
obtain almost any figure they might demand.
The average price for all the coke made and sold
in 1904 was only 9 cents less than that in 1901.
and was higher than that of any year from 1893
to 1899. inclusive."
At the close of 1904 there were under construcion
4430 new ovens, of which 832, or IS.8 per cent.
were of the retort or by-product type.
The number of completed retost ovens has
increased from 1165 in 1901. to 1663 in 1902, to
1956 in 1903, and to 2910 in 1904. The output
from retort ovens lias increased from 1,179,900
tons in 1901, to 1,403.588 tons in 1902, to 1.8S2,-
394 tons 1903, and to 2.60S,229 tons in 1904. In
1902. 5.5 per cent, of the total output was from
by-product ovens; in 1903 the by-product coke was
7.4 per cent, of the total: in 1904 by-product coke
made up 11 per cent, of the totad .output.
Counting each bank of ovens as a separate establishment
the returns for 1904 show a total
of 506 establishments, as compared with 500 in
1903. Eighty-two establishments were idle
throughout 1904 as compared with 41 hue plants
in 1903. There were also 10 new establishments
with a total of 1265 ovens, which were not completed
and put in blast at the close of 1904.
The first fatality since the new shot firers' lawwent
into effect in Illinois resulted in the death of
Napoleon Goalby, a shot firer at Donk Bros. mine.
No. 3, at Troy, Ills., who was killed a few days
ago by the premature explosion of a shot.