No. 7. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 4li7 



an exhaustive examination into the annual coal tonnage mined from 

 very small operations, for local and home consumption and which 

 was never before accounted for. To the surprise of everyone, this was 

 found to exceed one million tons. 



The spot value of the coal product in Pennsylvania in 1908, when 

 200,448,281 short tons were marketed, was |276,995,152. A compara- 

 tively recent computation by Mr. M. E. Campbell of the U. S. 

 Geological Survey (1908) leads him to believe that the original 

 tonnage in the Anthracite coal fields of Pennsylvania was 21,000,- 

 000,000 short tons and that of the Bituminous fields 112,574,000,000 

 short tons. Deducting the coal already mined and that left for 

 support in the mines, Mr. Campbell estimates that at the close of 

 1908, there remained in the ground nearly 17,000,000,000 short tons 

 of anthracite of which, approximately, one-half could be won. 



In the bituminous region, he estimates, after the deduction of ton- 

 nages already mined and coal left in the mines for support, the ton- 

 nage remaining at the close of 1908 to be 109,000,000,000 net tons. 



With an annual tonnage production of both anthracite and bitum- 

 inous coal equal to that of the year 1908, Mr. Campbell estimates 

 that the Anthracite coal fields of Pennsylvania will be practically 

 exhausted in one hundred (100) years, and the Bituminous fields in 

 six hundred (600) years. 



As advances have been and are made toward better and less waste- 

 ful methods in many other directions, it is entirely within the bounds 

 of probability to say that methods will be invented soonor or later 

 whereby greater efficiency can be obtained from coal, than through 

 the wasteful, yes, almost criminal, methods now practiced in its 

 utilization. Many plans are now being perfected to check prevent- 

 able losses. The gas producer is destined to play an important part 

 in checking waste, and it is not wild to predict, that even with 

 present appliances, coal can be distilled and the gas derived from it 

 piped, as is done with natural gas, and compete with this natui'al 

 product. 



How is the installation of plants at mines for producing electricity 

 and conveying its energy to desired points, to be overlooked, when 

 the matter is given serious consideration. Plans, too, to convert the 

 heat units of coal into electrical units of work, without the interven- 

 tion of the wasteful steam engine, are at present being considered. 



Notwithstanding the vast deposits of coal within our State and 

 the daily use of this almost indispensible fuel, it is surprising that 

 even many of those who are mining and shipping it, as well as the 

 mere users of it, should know so little about it and the products 

 which can be derived from it. Generally, it might be said, that to 

 the man or woman of average intelligence, coal is merely a black 

 substance dug from the earth and is burned in stoves to furnish heat 

 for cooking food, for personal comfort and to generate steam in 

 boilers or perhaps some wall say, in addition, that from it gas and 

 coke can be made. 



It would be hard to conceive of a more beautiful story than that 

 of coal, from its origin ; the successive stages of development through 

 which vegetation passes in its progress from the growing plant to 

 anthracite, but when we read that from this black, greasy, smutty 

 mass can be derived medicines, fertilizers, perfumes and exquisite 

 coloring matter, the story becomes almost romantic. Interesting and 



