Virginia Coal • an Abridgedhistory·
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I VIRGINIACOAL • ANABRIDGED IDSTORY • VIRGINIA COAL • AN ABRIDGEDHISTORY· AND COMPLETE DATA MANUAL OF VIRGINIA COAL PRODUCTION/CONSUMPTION FROM 1748 TO 1988 Written and Compiledby: Walter R. Hibbard, Jr. UniversityDistinguished Professor Emeritusand VCCER Director (retired) Edited and Producedby: Theodore J. Clutter VCCER InformationManager April 1990 Virginia Center for Coal & Energy Research Virginia PolytechnicInstitute & State University 617 North Main Street, Blacksburg,VA 24060 Cover:Southwest Virginia miners at the turn of the century, wearing open-flame headlampsand using hand tools. At top left, mules provided power to move coal cars; often they lived their entire lives underground.Below, a miner turns a long hand bit, while a companiontamps explosives into holes drilled across the mine face. Another undercuts the face, assuring that the coal would "ball" during the blast. Coal was loaded by shovel and sheer force of muscle. Thin-seamedcoal required miners to reach some work areas on low-lying "scooters."At far right, a miner loads powder, wh~e at bottom center, inspectorsestimate methane levels by checkingthe conditionof a caged canary. The cover renditionwas reproducedfrom a historicalmural paintedby Ellen Elmes for the entrance foyer of Charles R. King Hall at SouthwestVirginia Community College (Richlands).Cover Designby Ted Clutter. Copyright© 1990 by the Virginia Center for Coal & Energy Research, Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University,617 North Main Street, BlacksburgVir ginia 24060; and Walter R. Hibbard.,Jr. All rights reserved.No portion of this book may be reproducedwithout written permission by the publisher.Printed by VPl&SU PrintingServices. Prior to his retirement in 1988, Walter R. Hib bard, Jr. was UniversityDistinguished Professor of Engineeringat Virginia PolytechnicInstitute & State Universtty (Blacksburg); Director of the Virginia Center for Coal & Energy Research (VCCER);a memberof the Boardof Directorsof the Norton Co. (Worcester,MA), and Editor-in Chief of the academic journal, Materials and Society. He is a registered professional engi neer in Virginia, Ohio, and Connecticut. Hibbard has authored more than 125 technical and economic policy reports related to materi als, minerals,energy, and the environment.Dur ing and followinghis career at Virginia Tech and VCCER, his specialty has been the U.S. and Virginiacoal industries.In 1987, Governor Ger ald Baliles awarded Hibbard a commendation for his contributions to the Commonwealthof Virginia. A degree in chemistry at Wesleyan started Hibbard's career, followed by a Doctorate in Engineeringat Yale. After WWII service as a reserve officer in the U.S. Navy Bureau of Ships, Hibbardtaught metallurgyat Yale's School of Engi neering,and was a Fellowof DavenportCollege. Later, while working as Manager of the General Electric Metallurgy and Ceramics Department, General Electric ResearchLaboratory (Schenectady, NY), Hibbardserved as Adjunct Professorof Metallurgyat RenssalaerPolytechnic Institute. Heeding a call by President Lyndon Johnson, Hibbard served as Directorof the U.S. Bureau of Mines, beginning in 1965. Leaving that post in 1968, he was appointedVice Presidentfor Researchand Development,and later for Technical Servicesat Owens-CorningFiberglass Corp. (Toledo,OH). In 1974, he served as Deputy Directorof Fossil Fuels at the U.S. EnergyResearch Administration. Hibbardis a memberof the NationalAcademy of Engineering,and has servedon its Counciland Committeeon Public EngineeringPolicy. He has chaired both the MaterialsAdvisory Board and Building ResearchAdvisory Board of the National ResearchCouncil; and served on the NationalAcademy of Sciences' Committee on the Survey of MaterialsScience and Engineering(COSMA n. Fellowshipsinclude the American Academyof Arts and Sciences; the American Ceramic Society; the American Society for Metals; and the MetallurgicalSociety of the AmericanInstitute of Mining,Metallurgical, and PetroleumEngineers (AIME). Hibbard was president of AIME in 1967 and has receivedtheir James Douglas Gold Medal, Rossiter W. Raymond Award, and Mineral Economic Award. In addition, he has received honorary degrees from Michigan Technical University and from the Montana College of Mineral Science & Technology;the Wesleyan University DistinguishedAlumnus Award; and the Yale EngineeringAssociation Award for the Advancementof Science and Engineering. VIRGINIA'S COALFIELDS: GEOGRAPHY AND DISCOVERY .............. 1 TRANSPORTATION AND COAL INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT .............. 3 PRODUCTION, MARKETS AND EMPLOYMENT .................................... 6 QUALITY OF LIFE IN VIRGINIA'S COALFIELDS ................................ 14 RICHMOND BASIN COALFIELD .......................................................... 17 VALLEY COALFIELD ............................................................................ 20 SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA COALFIELD .................................................. 26 BIBLIOGRAPHY AND DATA REFERENCE SOURCES ........................ 43 VIRGINIA COAL DATA: 1748-1988 ........................................................ 47 HISTORICAL SUMMARY OF VIRGINIA COAL MINING ...................... 48 PRODUCTION BY MINE TYPE AND METHOD .................................... 50 Virginia Coal Productionby Mine Type & Method:1988-1946 Virginia UndergroundCoal Productionby Mining Method: 1975-1934 Virginia Coal Productionby Mine Type, Distri:>ution& Use: 1975-1935 Virginia Coal Productionby Mine Method, Distribution& Use: 1934-1894 Virginia Coal Productionby Mine Method, Distribution& Use: 1893-1854 Virginia Coal Productionby Mine Method, Distribution& Use: 1853-1814 Virginia Coal Productionby Mine Method, Distribution& Use: 1813-1748 MINE PERFORMANCE .......................................................................... 57 VirginiaAuger Mine Performance:1988-1953 Virginia Strip Mine Performance:1988-1944 VirginiaTipple Mine Performance:1988-1946 VirginiaTruck Mine Performance:1988-1946 PRODUCTIVITY AND PRICES .............................................................. 61 Virginia Coal Mine Productivity,Costs & Prices: 1988-1946 Virginia Coal Mine Productivity& Prices: 1945-1900 Virginia Coal Mine Productivity& Prices: 1899-1880 MINE EMPLOYMENT .............................................................................. 64 Virginia Coal Miners/OfficeWorkers Wages & Costs: 1988-1946 Office Workers at Virginia UndergroundCoal Mines: 1988-1946 VirginiaCoal Mine Strikes &Work Stoppages:1988-1895 MINES, MINERS AND SAFETY .............................................................. 67 Virginia Coal Mines, Miners& Safety: 1988-1946 Virginia Coal Mines, Miners& Safety: 1945-1901 Virginia Coal Mine Explosions(Causing Injury or Fatalijy): 1983-1944 Virginia Coal Mine Explosions(Causing Injury or Fatalijy): 1938-1810 MINING EQUIPMENT AND FACILITIES ................................................ 71 Virginia Mining EquipmentUse & Cleaning Facilijies: 1975-1935 Virginia Mining EquipmentUse & Cleaning Facilijies: 1934-1888 RAIL SHIPMENTS .................................................................................. 73 VirginiaCoal Rail Shipments:1988-1946 Virginia Coal Rail Shipments:1945-1914 Virginia Coal Rail Shipments:1913-1876 Virginia Coal Rail Shipments:1875-1836 Virginia Steam Coal Rail Rates (N&W)& Coal Prices: 1962-1981 MARKET DISTRIBUTION ...................................................................... 78 Virginia Coal Distribution& Transport: 1984-1915 VirginiaCoal Rail Destinations:1915-1953 CENTRAL APPALACHIAN COAL EXPORTS ...................................... 80 Hampton Roads Coal Shipments:1988-1903 HamptonRoads Coal Shipments:1902-1883 N&W Coal Dumpingsat HamptonRoads (Lambert'sPoint): 1988-1883 RICHMOND COALFIELD ........................................................................ 83 Production,Productivijy, Price & Destination:1904-1875 Production& Distribution:1874-1838 Production& Distribution:1837-1796 Production& Distribution:1795-1748 MONTGOMERY COUNTY ...................................................................... 87 Production,Product iv~, Wages: 1988-1946 Production,Productivijy, Price & Distribution:1970-1928 Production,Productivijy, Price & Distribution:1927-1840 PULASKI COUNTY ................................................................................ 90 Production, Productivtty,Price & Distribution: 1982-1880 BUCHANAN COUNTY ............................................................................ 91 Production by Mine Type & Method: 1988-1946 Mines, Miners, Wages, Productivity & Labor Costs: 1988-1946 Auger Mine Performance: 1988-1953 Strip Mine Performance: 1988-1944 Tipple Mine Performance: 1988-1946 Truck Mine Performance: 1988-1946 Office Workers at Underground Coal Mines: 1988-1956 Production, Productivtty,Price & Distribution: 1975-1932 DICKENSON COUNTY .......................................................................... 99 Production by Mine Type & Method: 1988-1946 Mines, Miners, Wages, Productivtty & Labor Costs: 1988-1946 Auger Mine Performance: 1988-1953 Strip Mine Performance: 1988-1946 Tipple Mine Performance: 1988-1946 Truck Mine Performance: 1988-1946 Office Workers at Underground Coal Mines: 1988-1956 Production, Productivtty,Price & Distribution: 1975-1936 Production, Productivtty,Price & Distribution: 1935-1917 LEE COUNTY ............................................................................. ~ .......... 108 Production by Mine Type & Method: 1988-1946 Mines, Miners, Wages, Productivtty& Labor Costs: 1988-1946 Auger Mine Performance:1988-1953