The mining of coal for foreign and domestic purposes is one of
the most important of Washington's industries. The annual output
of the mines is about three million tons, worth about eight million
dollars; Fifty thousand tons of coke are made annually, worth at
the ovens about $300,000. The coal mining industry gives employment
to 6,000 men. The production of coal for 1907 was distributed as
follows:
Kittitas County, tons 1,524,421
King County, tons 1,446,966
Pierce County, tons 612,539
Lewis County, tons 101,275
Thurston County, tons 33,772
Whatcom County, tons 3,160
Clallam County, tons 300
The coke nearly all comes from Pierce county.
Nearly forty different corporations and individuals are engaged
in coal mining. The coals thus far commercially mined are chiefly
lignite and bituminous. These coal measures lie along the base of
the foothills, chiefly of the Cascade mountains. Higher up are
some mines of anthracite coals, not yet on the market for lack of
transportation. As far as discovered they are chiefly near the
headwaters of the Cowlitz river in Lewis county. Coal forms the
largest factory in furnishing steam for the mill roads. Some of
the railroads, notably the
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Northern Pacific and Great Northern, own their own mines and mine
the coal for their own engines and shops.
It is also the main fuel supply for domestic uses, although fir
and yellow pine cordwood is extensively used when the cost of
transportation is not too great.
Coal is also the chief fuel used in steamboats, both those plying
over inland waters and the ocean-going boats as well. Here also,
however, the fir wood proves a good substitute and is used to some
extent by local steamers on the Sound.
Coal is also used to create both steam and electricity for most
of the large heating plants in the cities and in many factories
and manufacturing plants, flour mills, elevators, etc. The fact
that vast coal measures lie within 50 miles of the seaports of Puget
Sound is a very important factor in insuring the construction of
manufacturing establishments and the concentration of transportation
in these ports.
Coal is also used in all the large cities for the manufacture of
illuminating gas and as a by-product of this industry coke, coal
tar, and crude creosote are produced.
The coke from the ovens goes chiefly to the smelters for the reduction
of ores, both of the precious metals and iron.