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46 THE COAL TRADE BULLETIN.
THE COAL FIELDS OF KENTUCKY.
At the Kentucky State Development convention
held recently at Louisville, Ky., Hywel Davies, of
Kensee, contributed a paper on the coal fields of
Kentucky and their possibilities. Being an ex­
pert operator. Mr. Davies' paper was one of the
most valuable submitted to the convention. It is
reproduced in full and is as follows:
The subject delegated to me to try to hold your
attention for a few minutes is a rather warm one
when put to its proper use. but as "heat is life and
cold is death," so the subject of this paper is the
life of the industrial world. It is the genie that
responds to the world's Aladdin by setting the
wheels of commerce in a whirl, transports its
master and materializes his imagination in a
most Aladdin-like manner. The ancients dreamed,
built air castles and allowed their imaginations
to run riot. In our childhood we, too, reveled in
these Arabian Nights and wondered if they were
possible; but as we grew lo manhood we realized
that the dreams of the past ages were but aspirations
of individual yearnings for fulfillment in
order that they may yoke the world.
The time for materialization was not for them,
and would not be until the power craved would
be general, not individual; beneficial, not selfish;
inspiring, not degrading. At the right time, like
Aladdin, the miner dug up the earth and opened
channels that led to a lamp thai has not yet
lighted the world, but furnishes the very sinews
of power that molds, shapes, materializes the desires
and even the imaginations of our age; not
of one man in one country, as in Aladdin's case,
but of an untold number of men in every country
where coal is being developed and worked.
Archimedes prayed for a fulcrum so that he
could move the world when he had mastered the
principles of mechanics. He only dreamed, but
in coal the fulcrum is found whereby the steam
boiler is to-day not only moving the world, but
turning it upside down and making it anew, so
far as man's comfort is concerned. Civilization
is generally measured by the comforts which the
people enjoy, and that country is considered most
civilized that more generally enjoys the comforts
of life. In other words, where wealth is more
generally distributed among its people. This
principle is easily demonstrated by taking a world
view.
First and foremost come most naturally our preeminent
selves, with Great Britain, Germany,
France, Holland and Belgium in quick succession.
To have comforts means to have employment,
and mechanical employment implies power which
is generated by the consumption of coal in 85 per
cent, of the cases. Hence we find the most successful
states and countries are coal producers and
coal users.
Coal gave Great Britain the mastery of the
world's markets and its carrying trade, until Germany
and the United States entered the field effectively
in the last quarter of the Nineteenth cen­
tury, when the development of German and Ameri­
can coals warmed these two countries into a neck
to neck race with John Bull for commercial supremacy.
Starting in 1875 the coal-producing race stood
as follows—(read table in million tons):
1875. 1885. 1895. 1899. 1904.
Great Britain... 150 178 212 246 260
United States.. . . 60 111 193 253 352
Germany 53 81 114 149 186
You will notice our gradual encroachment as
coal producers on the first place.
In every race the question is asked: Will the
leader hold his place? That depends on his build,
his reserve force and his driver or rider.
In this international race there is no question
about our build and our reserve force in comparison
with our competitors. As for the "driver
or rider" are we not the salt of the earth and the
elect of God? But let us prove it.
First—There are in a sense three worlds. The
old, Asiatic: the modern, European; the new.
American.
The old, or the untrained Asiatic, is in a sort of
a lethaigic sleep, but shows some sign of waking
up to its tremendous possibilities.
The modern European has had things much its
own way during the greatest part of the Nine-
Leenth century, but is showing some signs of
fatigue from being overworked, and underfed;
and because the stable is too full.
The new American is awake to his possibilities;
is well groomed; well fed and well stabled. Besides,
the breed is being continually improved by
importation of the very best that the old and
modern can spare, and because it is inspired by
the hope that translates itself into the faith that
works wonders in the optimistic atmosphere of
America.
Look at the American sandwiched between
Europe and Asia. His very presence is an inspiration
to arouse the other two worlds to their
best efforts. But he gradually forges ahead in
what the whole world is now recognizing to be
an unequal race for commercial supremacy in the
Twentieth century. But will we hold our place?
Let us examine our reserve force. Power is
generated by the pressure of the wind, falling
water or expansion of water by the combustion of
fuel, which is generally coal. Therefore, the
country that maintains the best and longest race
is the one mat is best supplied with water and
coal.
Eliminating water as almost equal in America,
Great Britain and Germany per square mile.