History of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, Part 40

Author: Bell, Herbert C. (Herbert Charles), 1868- ed; John, J. J., 1829-
Publication date: 1891
Publisher: Chicago, Brown, Runk
Number of Pages: 1424

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371

DEVELOPMENT OF THE SHAMOKIN COAL FIELD.

over bars and partially screened. Cylinder screens with several meshes, turned by hand, were next introduced, and later on the screens were moved by horse-power. But in 1853 the improvement companies of our regions built commodious coal breakers, putting in them Battin rolls, that were first used in 1844 in Schuylkill county and had there come into general use. Large breakers were built at Lancaster, Big Mountain, Luke Fidler, and Carbon Run collieries in 1853, at an average cost of thirty thousand dollars each, provided with all the improved methods and machinery then known for the preparation of coal. These breakers were also provided with some new inventions, as Martz's patent hoister, and Cleaver's spiral schutes, and were constructed of the best timber and filled with the most approved machinery. Steam engines of a superior build, manufactured at Providence, Rhode Island, furnished the power.

The shipments for 1853 only amounted to fifteen thousand five hundred tons, principally from the Gap mines and Rosser's operation. This was a year of preparation, with great promise for the coming one. During the early part of the summer of 1854 the four new breakers were completed and had commenced shipping coal. The Lancaster colliery was leased to Coch- ran, Peale & Company, who commenced active operations in 1854. This breaker, then the highest and one of the largest in the State, was put up by J. L. & W. H. Gilger, breaker builders. The breaker was one hundred thirty feet high and contained many large bins. It had two sets of rolls and three large screens driven by a forty horse-power engine. It was regarded as an object of general interest, and all visitors to Shamokin made it a point to visit this mammoth concern. Governor Pollock and a number of distin- guished persons inspected these improvements on their trip to Shamokin in the autumn of this year. The colliery firm lost no opportunity to introduce their coal. It was successfully used at the Shamokin furnace for smelting, and at the county agricultural fair held at Shamokin this year, one of the exhibits was a large mass of Lancaster colliery coal.

The Carbon Run breaker was built by Captain H. Van Gasken, who after- wards became the general manager of that company.

The Luke Fidler breaker was built with the same improvements, and was leased to Boyd, Rosser & Company.

The Big Mountain breaker, put up by Arnold & McClow under the man- agement of Mr. Marshall, was regarded as a model breaker, and when com- pleted was leased to Sheaff & Black of Lancaster, who operated for a year or so, when the colliery was leased to Bird, Douty & John. This became one of the most productive collieries in the region, especially so while operated by Patterson & Llewellyn. The following letter from Manager Marshall to his company at this time will more fully illustrate the subject :-

Shamokin, February 12, 1854.

DEAR SIR: Your favors of the 8th and 10th are received, and I am pleased to hear that the directors and stockholders of Big Mountain are satisfied with the man-

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HISTORY OF NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY.

agement of its affairs in this region; by this time next year I think they will be much better pleased. I do not think the estimate to finish our works too high. They are large and expensive, certainly; but you may rely upon it, that my big figures of cost now will multiply well in profits hereafter; and I shall have everything done as eco- nomically as possible, still keeping an eye to a permanent operation. I do not think it economy to put up temporary fixtures for a work that must go for a period beyond the close of the present century. Big Mountain coal will be wanted far beyond that length of time, and there is enough for generations to come. My opinion is, that we have about one thousand tons of coal out of the drift, and we are now taking out about thirty tons per day, besides what is coming out of the two upper gangways. The driv- ing of the gangways, under the old workings, is dead work to the company, except the coal that is taken out. The understanding was, that the company were to drive them in as far as the old ones, then the lessee to drive further in; as soon as I get that far, I shall give them up to the tenants. The cost of taking out coal at present is about as follows: two miners at seven dollars fifty cents per week is fifteen dollars; four labor- ers at six dollars per week, twenty-four dollars; five kegs of powder, two dollars fifty cents each, twelve dollars fifty cents; three gallons oil, one dollar per gallon, three dol- lars; in all, fifty-four dollars fifty cents per week. They take out about thirty tons per day-one hundred eighty tons per week-average, thirty and one third cents per ton, and we are only opening breasts and pushing the coal out by hand. As soon as we get three or four breasts open, and have a horse to take out coal, I am satisfied it can be put on the bank at twenty-five cents per ton, and when the breaker and fixtures are all completed it can be prepared and put into the cars ready for market at a cost from twelve to fifteen cents per ton; or, say mined and put into the cars, ready for market, at forty cents per ton. I am now speaking of the flat vein on the hill; I think the oth- ers will cost more.

I have got all the breaker builders running races, to see which will be done first; Arnold feels quite confident he will be ready almost as soon as any.

I think well of leasing the eastern end of the flat vein; it may cost considerable to get the improvement to bring the coal down to the road; but it will produce a large quantity of coal and must some day be brought out. This place can he made to yield from forty to fifty thousand tons per year; and I have made a rough estimate of the amount of coal in that end of the basiu. I make it out about one million three hun- dred fifty-two thousand tons, the rent of which, at thirty-five cents, would amount to four hundred seventy-three thousand two hundred dollars.

This I think worth looking after.

Respectfully,

WN. H. MARSHALL.

To Bettle Paul,

President Big Mountain Coal Company.

At the same time mines were opened by McArthur & Company on lands of Hegins & Sill, and a small amount of coal prepared by the old process was shipped for a year or so, when the drifts were abandoned.

During the latter part of 1854 the Philadelphia and Sunbury railroad was completed from Shamokin to Mt. Carmel, which extension led to the opening and development of a number of collieries in the Mt. Carmel region. The Green Ridge Improvement Company opened up four gangways upon their lands, erected a breaker similar to those at Shamokin, and leased the colliery known as the Green Ridge to Ayers, Lewis & Company. A few cars of coal were shipped at the close of this year, making this party the first

373

DEVELOPMENT OF THE SHAMOKIN COAL FIELD.

shipper from the Mt. Carmel region. They continued to operate until 1859, when Montelius & Adams took the colliery and worked it until 1861; it then remained idle until 1864, when it was leased by Samuel John & Sons and operated as the Green Mountain colliery for about six years. Upon their retirement the colliery was not again worked until it came into the posses- sion of the Mineral Railroad and Mining Company.

The Susquehanna and Coal Mountain Improvement Company, under the management of Colonel Hough, opened up the Coal Mountain colliery and completed a breaker in 1855; it was leased to Mears & Davis and worked by them until their failure in 1857, when the colliery was operated by Fah- rion & Company in 1858-59. In 1860 the Coal Mountain colliery was leased by Hough & Hersh, who operated for several years and were suc- ceeded by Captain Rhodes, the last operator at these mines.

During the same year (1854) the Locust Mountain Coal and Iron Com- pany commenced making extensive openings and improvements upon their valuable coal lands in the vicinity of Mt. Carmel, building breakers for two collieries-the Coal Ridge and Locust Mountain collieries, which were oper- ated by Muir, Fulton & Company and others with varied success. Shipments from these collieries were commenced in 1855. At about the same time Schall & Donohoe secured a lease from the same land company, opened a colliery called the Rough and Ready, and commenced shipping furnace coal. In 1861 they commenced shipping from the Coal Ridge colliery, and contin- ued operations there for some years. At this period (1854) a small breaker, known as the College colliery, was built on the Brobst tract and leased to Cleaver, Fagely & Company. But little mining was done here. Judge Hel- fenstein deeded this tract with some others in trust for use of the Shamokin College, an institution then being built, and now known as the Academy school building at Shamokin. The tonnage for 1854 reached sixty-three thousand five hundred tons, the largest amount yet mined in our region. Lancaster colliery shipped nineteen thousand six hundred forty tons, being the heaviest shipper.

We now come to 1855, which was an eventful period, new outlets being furnished and many additional improvements made.

On the first of this year, the Mahanoy and Shamokin Improvement Com- pany completed their railroad to the river and built a bridge across it, three · thousand six hundred feet in length, connecting the mines with the Pennsyl- vania canal. An immense breaker was completed to prepare the coal mined at Zerbe gap, said to be the largest one ever erected. Its capacity was one thousand tons per day. Over one million dollars had been expended in these improvements and the town of Trevorton was now in the height of its pros- perity. The delay in the completion of these works was caused by the failure of the party that started them and they were not resumed until some New York capitalists took hold of the management with James L. Morris as pres- ident.

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HISTORY OF NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY.

The operators of Shamokin and Mt. Carmel at this period complained that the canal board discriminated against them and in favor of Wilkesbarre in shipping over the public works, and asked that the toll be equally levied. At this time the tolls from Shamokin to Sunbury were fifty cents and from Mt. Carmel to Sunbury sixty-two cents. Among the improvements to be noted for this year was a breaker at Lambert colliery leased to Ammerman, Zuern & Wetzel, and two at Locust Gap, the Locust Gap and Locust Summit collieries, the first leased to Haas & Bowen and the latter to Anthony, Lloyd & Rosser. Kase, Reed & Company, the lessees of the Gap colliery, sold out their interest in July to Zimmerman & Pursell.

One of the most important events that occurred at this time for the wel- fare of Shamokin interests was the opening up of a continuous line of rail- road from Shamokin to Elmira, by which large shipments of Shamokin and Mt. Carmel coal were afterwards made to western New York, the Lakes, and Canada. A new and large market was thus opened, which for years was the chief dependence of our coal shippers. At the State agricultural fair of New York held at Elmira in September, 1855, a large lump of white ash coal from Lancaster colliery was placed on exhibition, and a train of cars, loaded with coal from those works, just reached Elmira, Governor Bigler repre- sented our county and State, and, standing on this lump of anthracite, spoke for Pennsylvania. He said :-

The particular occasion for these ceremonies was the arrival of a train of cars freighted with superior anthracite coal direct from the Lancaster colliery, mined by Cochran, Peale & Company, and coming direct from Shamokin to Elmira without trans-shipment. Pennsylvania will send you up her anthracite coal to keep you warm in winter, to roast your beef and boil your potatoes, to drive your steam mills and grist mills and manufacturing machinery, to help to drive the iron horse on the railroads, and to propel the steamboats on your lakes and rivers. We expect to see this element of heat and power distributed to every county, township, village, and family circle of your great State, performing its good offices.

The Governor's words were prophetic, and in a few years were fulfilled. This display of coal on this occasion and the Governor's happy remarks had much to do in hastening the introduction of Shamokin coal in the new and growing market which to the present time is one of our best consumers.

Tonnage for 1855 was one hundred sixteen thousand one hundred seven- teen tons, more than double that of the previous year.

For 1856 there is but little to notice. Locust Mountain colliery was oper- ated by Bell, Lewis & Muir. The legislature passed an act consolidating the Mahanoy and Shamokin Improvement Company with the Trevorton and Susquehanna Railroad Company. This was the first movement in our county allowing railroad companies to own coal land and. mine coal. The Shamokin and Mt. Carmel operators thought that this movement was against their interests and severely commented upon it. Coal shipments this year reached one hundred twenty-nine thousand five hundred forty-eight tons, for the

375

DEVELOPMENT OF THE SHAMOKIN COAL FIELD.

Shamokin district, and from Trevorton, seventy-three thousand one hundred twelve tons (all from one breaker), making the tonnage from Northumber- land county two hundred two thousand six hundred sixty tons, a large gain on 1855.

The year 1857 was ushered in with financial depression all over the country. Banks suspended specie payment, and failures of business firms became a common event. The Philadelphia and Sunbury railroad with all its franchises, equipments, and many valuable tracts of coal land, was sold at sheriff's sale, and was purchased by E. S. Wheelen, in the interest of the second mortgage bond holders. Notwithstanding the stringency of the times W. L. Dewart put up a splendid breaker at the Gap colliery. The structure was put up by Cherington & Weaver, experienced breaker builders, and was regarded as a model breaker for those times. All the machinery except steam engines were from the shops of S. Bittenbender, who had become largely engaged in this branch of business. This year the Northern Central railway was completed to Herndon, affording Trevorton coal another new outlet to Baltimore.

The coal tonnage for 1857 was increased considerably, the shipments from the Shamokin region being one hundred fifty-five thousand eight hundred five tons and from Trevorton one hundred ten thousand seven hundred eleven tons, making a total from Northumberland county of two hundred sixty-six thousand five hundred sixteen tons-an increase of over twenty-five per cent. as compared with 1856. This tonnage was produced by thirteen collieries provided with thirteen steam engines with aggregate power of four hundred thirty- four horses, and one slope engine of sixty horse-power. All this coal was taken from above water-level, except from one colliery which had sunk a slope. The heaviest shipment made this year from the Shamokin district was by Cochran, Peale & Company from Lancaster colliery, who shipped over thirty-five thousand tons, and next was Bird, Douty & John of the Big Mountain colliery, who put out twenty-eight thousand five hundred ninety- eight tons. These two collieries, by their contracts with J. Langdon of Elmira, were able to work through the winter season and thereby make in their ship- ments one third of the Shamokin product. It is but proper to remark, that from no one source has the Shamokin coal trade been so much benefited as that established by J. Langdon at this time and for many years maintained through his able manager at this point, Mr. Alexander Fulton, long and prom- inently connected with the coal business of our region. At this period all the coal operators leased the collieries from the improvement companies, and paid a royalty of about thirty cents for prepared sizes and from ten to fifteen cents for nut coal. All improvements, as breakers, etc., and rails for gang- ways, were furnished by the improvement companies to the lessees. The mining capacity of the Shamokin and Mt. Carmel districts was estimated at five hundred thousand tons per annum.

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HISTORY OF NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY.

During 1858 there was a general falling off in shipments. No new coll- ieries were started up, but a number of changes took place in operators. In July of this year the Northern Central railway was completed to Sunbury, opening a continous line of rail to Baltimore. Toll and freight on coal from all collieries of our region to Baltimore was fixed at two dollars fifty cents per ton. Trevorton tonnage one hundred six thousand six hundred eighty- six tons, all from one breaker, and Shamokin and Mt. Carmel shipments, one hundred thirty-five thousand eight hundred ninety-three tons from twelve collieries. Bird & Douty, of the Big Mountain colliery, were the heaviest shippers, closely followed by Haas & Bowen, of the Locust Gap colliery.

For 1859 there is but little to record. At Trevorton, Mr. Mowton, the manager, erected a gas plant at the colliery with sixty jets to illuminate the works so they could run night and day. John B. Douty, having withdrawn from the Big Mountain colliery, associated with Thomas Baumgardner, started the Henry Clay colliery, erected a first-class breaker, and commenced shipping a grade of coal that was highly valued in all the markets. Trevorton tonnage reached one hundred twenty-four thousand two hundred ninety tons, the high water mark of its shipments. Shamokin and Mt. Carmel sent away one hundred eighty thousand seven hundred fifty-three tons. This year, Haas & Bowen exchanged places with Big Mountain in shipments and led in tonnage.

The year 1859 began the third decade of the coal trade in Northumber- land county, and, while the progress made was not as great as that predicted by the original movers, it was sufficiently so to be a source of pride and satis- faction. In the place of the most primitive methods of mining and prepar- ing coal and with only one poor outlet to market, the business was now rep- resented by some fifteen mining operations, with first-class breakers and several outlets to market. Shamokin and Trevorton coal had found its way to the Lakes and Canada; New York and Philadelphia had become acquainted with its rare qualities for house use, while in Baltimore and in the South it had enlarged its sales. With prospects of soon being able to ship over the Reading and Lehigh roads, the future prospects were certainly somewhat more encouraging.

The year 1860 is a noted one for the coal trade. A new outlet east was opened in October by the Mine Hill railroad connecting with the Shamokin road and now called the Shamokin Valley and Pottsville railroad at Locust Gap. Some two thousand four hundred twenty-one tons of Shamokin coal were shipped over the new route in November and December. During March of this year the Big Mountain breaker was burned down, the first breaker lost by fire in this county. Work was immediately commenced on a new breaker, which was completed in a few months greatly improved. Sha- mokin coal tonnage reached two hundred twelve thousand five hundred twenty-nine tons and Trevorton sent off ninety thousand one hundred forty-

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DEVELOPMENT OF THE SHAMOKIN COAL FIELD.

eight tons. This year the Henry Clay led in Shamokin shipments, closely followed by Haas & Bowen. On resuming work in April, 1861, a strike occurred among the miners which was soon settled. This was the first strike among miners in our county. The trade gradually improved, but ship- ments were limited by scarcity of cars.

With the year 1862 a great improvement took place in the coal trade. A great freshet in the Lehigh region stopped all shipments from those dis- tricts to the eastern markets and caused a great demand for Shamokin coal. Prices at Sunbury advanced to three dollars and a half per ton, which a year or so before would have been regarded as fair at two dollars per ton. Many of the operators made some money, and wages were advanced to the men. In April of this year Haas & Bowen, who had been operating at Locust Gap for several years, leased the Lower Gap colliery also and changed the name to Cameron colliery. They sunk a slope, one of the first in the region, and made preparations to do a large business.

The year 1863 is not noted for much progress and improvement in the coal business, and the trade in our county was suspended for some weeks during the summer, owing to the Rebel invasion of the State. A number of the miners enlisted for the emergency, and the mines remained idle until all danger had disappeared and the railroads had commenced operating again. At the beginning of this year, the Luke Fidler breaker was destroyed by fire. It was rebuilt again in a few months. At this time the Shamokin Valley railroad was leased to the Northern Central Railway Company. Samuel John & Sons leased the Green Ridge colliery and continued to operate it for a number of years. They changed the name to Green Mountain colliery.

During 1864 the price of coal advanced, and in the month of August it was sold at the mines at five dollars fifty cents per ton, but later in the sea- son the prices fell. A reduction in miners' wages followed the fall in prices, which led to some dissatisfaction among the men. The price of coal at Philadelphia in August this year reached ten dollars seventy-five cents per ton-the highest price it ever attained. A number of improvements were made in 1864. S. Bittenbender & Company secured a lease on the Big Mountain lands on Gearhart run and put up a first-class breaker known as the Burnside colliery. At about the same time, the Shamokin and Bear Valley Coal Company put up a large breaker at their new tunnel on Carbon run, having been granted the power to mine, prepare, and ship coal from their own lands. For nearly four years previously they had been engaged in driving a tunnel in the Mahanoy mountain of over one thousand feet, cut- ting three large veins. The progress and results of this work were watched with great interest by coal men.

Pennington, Douty & Company sunk a slope on the red ash vein south of Bittenbender's iron works, erected a breaker, and called the operation the Daniel Webster colliery. This slope was afterwards known by the miners as

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HISTORY OF NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY.

the "fiery slope." It was worked for some years by Henry & Company, but was finally abandoned. The same year, May, Patterson & Brother secured a lease on the Renshaw & Johnston tract at Buck Ridge, opened up several drifts, and put up a breaker at the close of this year. This operation was named the Buck Ridge colliery, and for many years was famous for its large shipments of mammoth white ash coal of a very superior quality.

During 1865 several new breakers were erected. A colliery was opened on the lands of the Fulton Company by the Excelsior Coal Mining Company, and a large breaker erected which was called the Excelsior colliery. The Brady colliery was started in 1863 and in 1865 a breaker was put up and shipments of coal commenced. John B. Douty was the lessee. Thomas Baumgardner, of Lancaster, leased a tract adjoining the Excelsior Company and put up a large breaker and opened several veins of very fine coal. This was called the Enterprise colliery. A short time afterwards this firm started another colliery on their lease and called it the Margie Franklin. During August this year a large coal breaker at Trevorton was destroyed by fire, throwing a large number of men out of employment. In November, a small breaker put up in the short space of forty-two days to supply its place; was completed. During this year, the breaker of the Bear Valley colliery was thoroughly remodeled by A. A. Heim & Company, who, from September 1864, to 1872, had the contract of mining, preparing, and putting in cars for shipment, all the coal from this colliery.

At the close of 1866 an outlet to New York was opened by the Mahanoy branch of the Lehigh Valley railroad connecting with the Northern Central railway at Mt. Carmel.

In 1867 the Reliance colliery, near Mt. Carmel, situated on lands of the Mt. Carmel Locust Mountain Coal Company, was started up by Thomas Baumgardner, and Robertson, Guiterman & Company secured a lease on the Brady tract and commenced the Greenback colliery. In November, J. Lang- don & Company, of Elmira, New York, purchased from the Bird Coal and Iron Company their lease of the Big Mountain colliery and made many improve- ments. The Coal Mountain breaker (F. Rhodes, lessee) was destroyed by fire. About this time (1867) the Coal Ridge Improvement Company sunk a slope and put up another breaker on their lands, known as Coal Ridge, No. 2. The land owners operated the colliery a short time and then leased the works to Douty, Reed & Gable who continued until December, 1869, when S. P. Longstreet and later Burton Brothers & Company became the operators.

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History of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, Part 40

Author: Bell, Herbert C. (Herbert Charles), 1868- ed; John, J. J., 1829- Publication date: 1891 Publisher: Chicago, Brown, Runk Number of Pages: 1424

Author: Bell, Herbert C. (Herbert Charles), 1868- ed; John, J. J., 1829-
Publication date: 1891
Publisher: Chicago, Brown, Runk
Number of Pages: 1424