USA > Pennsylvania > Schuylkill County > Pottsville > Historical sketch of Pottsville, Schuylkill County, Pa. > Part 3
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It is impossible, within the time limited for the preparation of this sketch, even toobtain an accurate list of the names of all the newspapers which have set sail from establishments in this borough. Many of them were wrecked before they had made any considerable voyage, and some may be said to have sunk as soon as they had left the dock.
In the office of the Miners' Journal I found the second volume of that paper, which indicates that its publi- cation was begun late in the year 1827, and I have been told, on what seems to be good authority, that Mr. George Taylor first set it afloat. In the issne of that paper which was then known by the formidable name of The Miners' Jour- nal and Schuylkill Coal and Navigation Rog- ister, Saturday, ay 2d, 1829, printed and published by Benjamin Bannan, we find the following :
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foil, but the good resulting from his busy life has not ended and is not forgotten by his fellow-citizens.
The POTTSVILLE STANDARD came into existence in 1857. It is now ably edited by William Kennedy, Esq., and has be- come a well established paper with the prospect of a long life.
The Jefferson Democrat, which owes so much of its vitality to the pen of Mr. Schrader, is printed in German, and is still in course of successful publication. It was begun in 1855.
The American Republican, a weekly Ger- man paper, was first published in 1855 by Benjamin Bannan, and has long been a existing between Chicago and St. Louis well established paper. It is now suc- to-day. But a vote of the electors of the cessfully conducted by A. E. Snyder.
The Daily Evening Chronicle, which is much younger than the publications I have named, has steadily prospered since it first appeared, and continues to increase in size and in the number of its patrons. It is owned and edited by Solomon Foster, Jr.
On September 1st, 1869,. appeared the Daily Miners' Journal published by Ban- nan & Ramsey. It owed its existence, however, principally to the efforts of the junior member of the firm. Col. Robert H. Ramsey brought to the new paper the brave heart, intelligent energy, and pa- tient labor which had won for him so high esteem among his fellow officers of the army of the Cumberland and the new enterprise proved a signal success. When so recently the telegraph announced to us that Col. Ramsey had been called from earth, the general and profound sorrow the news occasioned bore testimony more eloquent than words to his sterling worth. For some time past the editorial columns of the Miners' Journal have been conducted by H. C. Sheafer Esq., and with wisdom and ability -- and the local department under the control of Philip Lindsley, Vsq., local editor, presents its readers with full, perspicuous and interesting accounts of occurrences of local importance.
In 1851 the borough of Pottsville be- came the county seat of Schuylkill county, which county had been formed March Ist, [ 1863, with a capital of $50,000.
1811, from parts of Berks and Northamp- ton counties, and had received an addi- tion-being the land forming what was then Union township-March 3d, 1818, and which addition had been taken from Luzerne and Columbia counties.
It was not without a struggle that the borough of Orwigsburg had surrendered the Court, with
the ! judges, lawyers, jurors and witnesses who assembled in attendance. The jewel had not been relinquished without a spirited war of words. The feeling between the two rivals was about as friendly as that
county decided in favor of Pottsville, and the first Court was held here at Decem- ber term of the year 1851.
At the present time there are in opera- tion in this borough ten chartered banks.
The Miners' Bank, of Pottsville, was chartered February, 1828, and commenced business soon afterwards. In 1856 it was authorized to increase its capital to $500,- 000. It was converted into a National Bank December 24th, 1864, with a paid up capital af $500,000, and with the privileze of increasing it to $1,000,000. The bank building was erected in 1830.
The Schuylkill Haven Mutual Life and Health Insurance Company, of Schuylkill Haven, was chartered the 19th of April, 1850, and in 1854 the name was changed to "The Miners' Life Insurance & Trust Com - pany," and the location was changed to Pottsville. On May 24th, 1871, the name was again changed this time to "The Miners' Trust Company Bank, of Potts- ville." The business of the institution was commenced in Pottsville in 1854, when the authorized capital was $100,000, and the capital paid in $25,000. The aver- age deposits the first year amounted to $100.000. The average deposits for the pres- ent year are from $1,100 000 to $1.200,000.
The Government National Bank, of Pottsville, was chartered as the Govern- ment Bank of Pottsville, under the laws of Pennsylvania, February 25th. Its
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officers were elected and business com- menced March 13th, 1863. The capital was increased June 27th, 1864. to $200,- 000, and the institution was converted in- to a National Bank, under the name of
The Pennsylvania National Bank, of Pottsville, was chartered as a State Bank May 25th, 1864, under the name of The National Bank of Pennsylvania, and with an authorized and paid up capital of $200,000. It was chartered as a National Bank, September 26th, 1866. under the name of the Pennsylvania National Bank of Pottsville. Its capital paid up is $200,000.
The Mountain City Banking Company (a State Bank) was chartered April 8th, 1870, and commenced business immediate- ly. It has a paid up capital of $100,000.
The Safe Deposit Bank of Pottsville was chartered February 18th, 1870, and com- menced business January 11th, 1871, with an authorized capital of $200,000. It has a capital paid up of $100,000.
The German Banking Company. with an authorized capital of $100,000, com- menced business March 4th, 1872.
The Merchants Exchange Bank was chartered March 28th, 1873, and com- menced business May 5th, 1873, with an authorized capital of $100,000. It has a paid up capital of $62,000.
The Pottsville Bank was chartered 1872, and commenced business March 4th 1672, with an authorized capital of $100,- 000. It has a paid up capital of $50,000.
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very first from Pennsylvania, a Pottsville company appeared. And I have alluded to the fact that men from Pottsville were among the First Defenders who were the advance guard of all the hundreds of the Government National Bank of thousands of Northern soldiers who Pottsville, May 15th, 1865. capital was increased to $500,000, April 25th 1872. The marched to battle, "that the government of the people, by the people and for the people. should not perish from the earth." The Pottsville Life Insurance and Trust Company, was incorporated April, 1852, and was organized August, 1854, with au thorized capital. $100,000. It has capital paid in $20,000. The name was changed to that of the "Mechanics' Safe Deposit Bank," March, 1874. During the same war several regiments and also independent companies left this borough for the front. But the names of these men are on the records of the army, their deeds have already gone into his- tory; and although there is not yet at Pottsville a common monument erected for those who gave life for their country; yet their names are engraved on loving hearts and the story of their brave deeds has been breathed by loving lips, and it will be long before they are forgotten. Of all these heroes living or dead I shall not assume the responsibility of mention- ing to day a single name-for I cannot name each. and I will not seem to ignore any one by naming another.
The history of Pottsville is 50 closely interwoven with the history of the Anthracite Co.il Trade that it is impossible to entirely separate one from the other. it
Yet is not within the scope of asketch of the character of this one to present a record or description of the mining and trans- portation of coal. The Anthracite Coal Trade has a long and interesting story connected with its beginning and its pro- gress, and which has often been told by abler pens than mine. A few comparisons show what has been the increase in the pro- duction of the mineral for offering which as a fuel so long ago, Col. George Shoe. maker, of Pottsville, was considered an impostor, by some of our Philadelphia brethren, to whom he had taken it in wagons.
The figures which I quote showing the progre-s of the trade are taken from the table of P. W. Sheafer, Esq., whose in- genious coal monument presents : o clear- ly the vast and varying expansion and the
And what shall I say of the military re- cord which Pottsville's sons have made ? It is honorable -it is glorious. When the President called for troops to advance across the border into Mexico, among the | occasional contraction of the production
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of the different regions. In 1822 we find | of the Wadesville shaft was a difficult Schuylkill represented by 1,480 tons. In work of engineering which was scien- 1826 the year after the canal had been : tifically and successfully performed. The engineers' estimate of the depth at which the Mammoth vein would be cut was :07 feet, and the depth at which it actually was cut was 619} feet. opened by 16,767 tons. In 1874 by 5,642,- 130. I have not been able to procure in time to present it a statement of the pro- duction for last year.
Let us now contrast the past with the present and learn of Pottsville's progress by comparison.
In 1835 the production of a first class colliery was about 10,000 tons per annum. In 1875, a first-class colliery had produced at least 150,000 tons in a single year.
Shortly afterwards George W. Snyder sunk the Pine Forest shaft down to the Mammoth vein, on land which had been previously worked by Miln-s, Haywood & Co.
The largest establishment for mining and preparing coa! yet attempted in this county, is the Pottsville Collierie .; where the deepest coal shaft in America is, from which coal is now hoisted vertically, 1,584 feet, and which is an enduring evi- dence of the enterprising management of Franklin B. Gowen, Esq., (for several yearsa citizen of Pottsville) President and
Relying upon the correctness of the theory long adopted by geologists and many practical coal operators, Alfred Law- ton concluded to try the experiment of sinking a shaft down to the Mammoth vein, and in 1845 began what is now known as the St. Clair shaft. He how- ever failed to complete what he had con- of the scientific knowledge and practical skill of Gen. Henry Pleasants, of Pitts- ville, Chief Engineer, of the Philadelphia
templated, although by a boring he had reached the Primrose vein at a depth of 122 feet. The work was abandoned until 'and Reading Coal and Iron Company. 1851, when E. W. McGinness brought his The Pottsville Collieries, which have energy to bear upon it. Mr. McGinness two hoisting shaft-, but which will be continued the shaft down to the Mam- worked practically as one colhery, can. moth vein, thus accomplishing the feat! when they reach their full productive which has made his name so well known capacity, which will be in two or three wherever the history of this region has years, easily prepare 2,000 tons of coal been studied. The Mammoth vein was per day, which, assuming 250 working days for the year, will make a product of
reached at the depth of 438 feet.
A deep boring was made in Crow Hol- 500,000 tons.
As early as 1810, John Coleman ran low, on the land of the North American Coal Company It was located and di- stages once a week from Reading to Sun- rected by P. W. Sheafer, and was com- bury, and b ck carrying the mail.
menced in 1852 and finished in 1853. The Mammoth vein was reached at the depth says: "A daily mail commenced running of 385 feet,.
The Miners Journal of June 27th. 1820, between this place and Philadelphia. on
The next shaft in the vicinity of Potts- Wednesday 1.st. This is a very desirable ville, sunk to the Mammoth vein, was and happy arrangement, as the inter- that of the Hickory Coal Company, loca- course carried on and the bu iness trans- ted in September. 1864, by Messrs. P. W. acted between the two places has become & Walter S. Sheafer (civil and mining so great. that it is of the most vital im- engineers) at Wadesville, on the East Nor- portance that , daily . communication wegian creek. and which was about should be kept up between the ci :zens of half a mi'e north of the point both places.
where the present deep shaft of · We have been informed by a citizen of the Philadelphia & Reading Coal this place, that fon- years ago he left and Iron Company has since been located the city of Philadelphia. for the purpose by Gen. Henry Plea ants. The location of going to Pottsvil! , and when he ar-
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rived at Reading, he ascertained that the mail stage passed through Pottsville only once a week, and he was compelled either to procure private conveyance or lie at Reading several days. Now we have a daily mail conveyed in a large stage, which is not sufficient to carry all the passengers, as the proprietor was com- pelled to run three additional stages on Wednesday, which were all crowded. We wish no better proof than the above to show the prosperity of our borough."
In the year 1830, three lines of stages were competing for the patronage of the passengers between this place and Phila- delphia, the Coleman line, the Reside line, and another line which had poorer horses, and was called the "Clover" line. Three stages left Pottsville for Phila- delphia every day, arriving at Philadel- phia in about eighteen hours. For some time the hour for leaving Pottsville was 2 A. M., and Philadelphia was reached at about 8 P. M.
The Miners' Journal of May 2d, 1829, in- forms us, that "the bill entitled ' An Act to incorporate the Mount Carbon Rail- road Company,"" has passed the Legisla- ture, and according to an advertisement in this week's paper, books will be opened simultaneously in the city of Philadelphia, Reading and Pottsville, on the 18th inst." And from other sources we learn that the Mill Creek Railroad was built to the canal landings, at Port Car- bon, in 1829.
The Mine Hill Railroad was built to the canal landing in Schuylkill Haven in 1831.
The Valley Railroad was built to the canal landing at Port Carbon in 1830.
The Mount Carbon road extended from Mount Carbon to Mount Laffee and also to Wadesville. It must not be imagined however, that these roads were enlivened by the swift passing trains of to-day. Even when locomotives were first brought into use, some careful directors in ob- taining powers, in charter supplements, authorizing the use of locomotives, re- served the right to return to horse power should the engines prove unprofitable.
Before me lies a printed notice dated "Collectors' office, January 2nd, 1854," and signed "M. Bright, superintendent and collector," which prohibits, under penalty, the running of cars on the Mount Carbon Railroad at a less speed tban three miles or at a greater speed than four miles per hour.
Previous to the last named date, the Philadelphia and Reading Rail- road had been completed to Mount Car- bon. That road did not extend up to Pottsville, and its first passenger depot at Pottsville was not erected until 1851. The first ground had been broken in 1835 and the first through passenger train passed over the road, from Mount Carbon to Philadelphia, January 1st, 1842, making the trip of 92 miles in about 8 hours. The first regular schedule time, for trav- eling the same distance, was for passen- ger trains about 5} hours. Locomotive engines then were running at what seemed wonderful speed, but how slow they seem when compared with the train which carries us in 1876 to the Centennial Exposition in 24 hours
In 1835, an engine was put up at the Spohn Colliery, worked by Dr Gideon G. Palmer and George Spencer, near Centre- ville, a short distance north of Pottsville. The Spohn colliery was then the princi- pal one of the region, and was one of the first considerable collieries working below water level. The engine was put up by Haywood and Snyder, the castings having been made by Levi Morris & Co., of Philadelphia. It was used for hoisting coal and pumping the water. The cylin- der was 10 inches in diameter and 4 feet stroke, and the engine was twenty horse power. The pump was 6 inches in diam- eter and 4 feet stroke. In the same year, Haywood and Snyder built the first steam engine ever built in Schuylkill county. It was made for the North American Coal Co., for hoisting coal and pumping water, and was thirty horse power. It had 12 inches cylinder diam- eter and 4 feet stroke.
At the Colliery Iron Works, has been manufactured some very heavy machinery
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a comparison between which and the en- | do not seem to be excited, in equal de- gine and pump just described will aid to gree, by the rarest and most extraordi- demonstrate the advance Pottsville has made in her large shops. For example may be mentioned the pair of
engines made for the inclined Krupp cannon feel quite jealous. The plane on the railroad at Mahanoy Plane, more knowing of the crowd inquire the which are 32 inches cylinder diameter and ; power of the engines, and upen being 7 feet stroke. ant are now working at the told that they are developing 1,400 horse rate of 500 horse power, and have raised power, declaim to the less enlight- a million and a half tons of coal annually ened upon the wonderful might. But, after all can be said about the Corliss engines and they are in-
from the Mahanoy Valley to the top of Broad Mountain-three pairs of vertical engines 36 inches cylinder diameter and deed a splendid piece of machinery, still 4 feet stroke, a pair for each of the three planes respectively 5,000 feet, 3,700 feet, and 3,000 feet long. These engines,
the engines which I have described as being built at Pottsville, for the Potts- ville Colliery, are, under the same circum- stances, at least one-fourth more powerful
last described, are working at Solo- mon's Gap, Wilkes-Barre, and were | than the Corliss engines. The Cor-
made for the Lehigh and Sus- | liss engines are 40 inches cylinder diam- eter and 10 feet stroke, and running at 30 revolutious per minute and said to de- velop 1,400 horse power. The Pottsville Colliery engines are 45 inches cylinder diameter, 5 feet stroke, running 60 revo- lutions per minute (making the piston speed the same in both cases) while the relative areas of steam cylindersare as 12 to 15; and the Pottsville Colliery en- gines develop actually about 1.800 horse power collectively; but are capable of developing about three times as much if
feet 9 inches at small diameter; to hold contrast with the colliery pump of 1835 with 6 inch cylinder and 4 feet stroke : may be mentioned a pair of Bull pump- ing engines acting in conjunction-made for the Tunnel Colliery at Aslı- land. They are 80 inches, cylinder di- ameter and 10 feet stroke; to work 6 pumps 24 inches in diameter and 10 feet stroke. In three lifts they could elevate 3,000,000 gallons of water 900 feet perpen- dicularly each day.
As we tread the mazes of the Centen- nial Exposition, we see that the powerful
nary exhibit. The people gather around them and stare at the massive forms in a manner which must make the great
cle in which the writer, after calling at- tention to the magnitude of the coal trade in Schuylkill county, states that there were then 31 steam engines in this county, including colliery engines, amounting to upwards of 1,000 horse power, also that previons to 1841 the horse power was only 350, but that dur- ing the succeeding two years, 370 horse power had been added, making in the aggregate 720 horse power engaged in collieries in 1843.
Then as we, the American people, cele- Corliss engines, which furnish the mo-, brate this day-having looked upon the tive power for the machinery in Machin- grand display at the Centennial Exposi- ery IIall, are looked upon by the crowd tion, having seen all of the useful and the with interest and wonder, which really ; beautiful the world has to show us, and
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quehanna Coal Co. They develop 900 horse power at each plane and hoist coal cars by endless steel wire ropes driven by drums 20 feet in diameter. The same works are now manufacturing for the Pottsville Collieries, of the Philadelphia; & Reading Coal & Iron Company, for hoisting coal, a pair of engines to work together, 45 inches cylinder diameter and 5 feet stroke, with conical spiral grooved drums, cast iron, cast in one piece, weigh- ing each 24,000 pounds. The drums are 20 feet S} inches large diameter, and 12 ; required, say 5,000 horse power.
In Day's "Historical Collections" of 1,700 feet of 11 inch steel wire rope. In : Pennsylvania, published in 1843, is an arti-
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having learned that American progress is | derful patience, struggle to accomplish unequaled in other lands-and that our good for themselves; may we not con- clude-that without the light of Christi- anity a nation cannot achieve great tri- umph-, even in works which seem least affected by religion, and that even when God grants the highest good to a Chris- tian nation, he does so through the agency of a free and equal government. young nation surpasses all others -- should we not try to learn the secret of our century's prosperity ? And as we see the products of far off countries, where the Christian religion and man's arbitrary power both are felt; and of those still darker places where pagan hands with unremitting toil, and won-
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