1908 - 360 Coke Ovens

[NW Mailing List]

Roanoke Times - April 8, 1908

360 COKE OVENS

New Plant Being Erected By the Stonega Company

   William H. Stone, writing from Stonega, Va., for the 
Manufacturers' Record, says:
   Representing in its accomplishments one of the biggest and 
broadest developments in Southwestern Virginia, the Stonega Coke and 
Coal Company is at this time giving the rest of the country a 
splendid example of its great faith in the future and in the return 
of business activity.
   This company now has eight operating mines, three of these having 
but recently been made producers, while a fourth is now under 
construction and will become a producer in a short time. A new 
360-oven coke plant is also in course of construction, while around 
it will be built numerous comfortable homes with modern conveniences 
for those who will be employed there. The Interstate Railroad 
Company, which operates the lines connecting the company's various 
plants to the Louisville and Nashville and the Virginia and 
Southwestern Railroad at Appalachia, Va., is also actively at work 
building a 12-mile extension to Norton, Va., where a direct 
connection will be made with the Norfolk and Western Railway, thus 
giving an additional and competing outlet to those already enjoyed. 
While it is true that a slight halt was made in some of this new 
work, it is nevertheless going forward, as the company believes that 
the present is an especially opportune time in which to start new 
work and to get the improvements into shape to supply a future demand 
that is bound to come.
   The Stonega Coke and Coal Company is located in Wise county. It 
lies in the valley and on the waters of Callahan creek and its 
branches, and which, in turn, is tributary to Powells river. The 
company's activities contain a very high grade of coking, gas, 
domestic and steam coals.
   The development of the property was started about twelve years 
ago, and so actively has it been carried on and broadened that today 
it represents one of the finest of its king in the country and has 
made its product widely known, this being especially true of its 
Stonega coke, which enjoys an enviable reputation as a high-grade foundry coke.
   The developments of the company are divided into several distinct 
and self-contained plants, including one of 666 coke ovens and 
accompanying mines at Stonega, one of 365 coke ovens and accompanying 
mines at Osaka and three mines producing exclusively gas, domestic 
and steam coals at Roda, which two new mines have recently become 
producers at Arno, a new section, and a 360 coke oven plant, to be 
supplied from a new Stonega mine, is being constructed at Crossbrook, 
about two miles below Stonega. The company also owns some very 
valuable timber lands, including such hardwoods as yellow poplar, 
cherry, basswood, chestnut, beech, hemlock, etc., and has in 
operation four sawmills with a full capacity of 50,000 feet daily. 
These mill manufacture all of the lumber used in the company's 
construction work, in addition to shipping from 4,000,000 to 
5,000,000 feet annually.
  All of these developments are connected by the Interstate Railroad. 
The completion of the new improvements will increase total number of 
employes to 5,000, and the company's total output approximately 
3,000,000 tons per annum of coal mines, including both that used for 
coking and that shipped away.
   The new plant at Crossbrook is being made thoroughly up to date 
and modern in every detail, and a new living settlement for the 
emplyes at this plant is also being constructed.
   THe company's products find a market throughout a 
widely-distributed territory, this being due to their character and 
quality. Its coke which is the principle product, and by reason of 
its being particularly low in ash and sulphur has become especially 
well known for its use in foundries, where it has met with the best 
results. This coke received the gold medals both at the St. Louis and 
the Jamestown expositions. It is all from the famous Stonega vein of 
coking coal, while the coal from the Roda mines is used by many 
cities in the South and Southeast for the manufacture of illuminating 
gas. Other of the company's mines also produce both domestic and 
steaming coals of a high grade.
   The Stonega Coke and Coal Company owns all lands in and around its 
various plants and takes a deep interest in the welfare and housing 
of its many employes. The dwelling houses which have been are being 
erected are of neat design, and are comfortable in every way. They 
have such modern conveniences as electric lights, running water and 
bathrooms, and they are always maintained in a clean and sanitary 
manner. Schools are provided by the county at each of the 
settlements, while the company maintains a hospital, library, 
billiard rooms and other conveniences. Seven different denominations 
have their places of worship, and halls are also available for many 
different social and secret organization gatherings.
   The careful attention which has been given to the comfort of the 
employes and their families had been instrumental in enabling the 
company to maintain a more than ordinary high standard of labor, all 
of whom appear satisfied and content in their work.
   The executive officers of the Stonega Coke and Coal Company have 
their headquarters in Philadelphia, Pa., but the main operating 
offices and their heads, including General Manager A. H. Reeder and 
Traffic and Sales Manager Otis Mouser, are located at Stonega, Va., 
which is the center of the company's operations.

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- Ron Davis, Roger Link