USA > Pennsylvania > Schuylkill County > History of Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, Vol. I > Part 11
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33
The later years have witnessed the introduction of improved machin- ery and labor-saving devices, as in all lines of human industry, and the sanitary conditions and life-saving appliances have been multiplied in corresponding ratio. A careful, intelligent supervision under state laws, and legally selected and appointed public officials, was inaugurated many years ago, and now every mine in the country, whether large or small, is visited at stated periods by the mine inspectors, a corps of state officials whose familiarity with mining in all its minutest details renders them eligible to the position. In addition to these precau- tionary measures, trusty and competent men are selected upon examina- tion as to their competency as foremen and superintendents, and a trained hospital corps is employed in the mines to render "first aid to the injured."
Electrical appliances are being installed in many of the mines and these will minimize the danger from gas explosions. They will also be employed in hauling, and in certain classes of mining work.
The following statistics give the status of the coal business in Schuyl- kill county for 1904, the latest published report : Number of collieries, 90 ; number of mines, 106; number of mines in operation, 105; number of tons of coal shipped to market, 12,407,903 tons; number of tons of coal used at the mines for steam and heat, 1,812,672; number of tons of coal sold to local trade and used by employes, 218,645; total coal produced during the year, 14,440,320 tons; number of persons employed inside, 22,272 ; number employed outside, 12,707; number of fatal accidents, inside, 107; number of fatal accidents, outside, 35; non-fatal accidents, inside, 224; non-fatal accidents, outside, 48; number of steam locomotives used inside the mines,
113
SCHUYLKILL COUNTY
43; number of same used outside, 76; electric motors used inside, 9; same used outside, 20; compressed air motors used inside, 17.
The operators who manipulated this enormous business were as fol- lows : Philadelphia & Reading Coal and Iron company; Lehigh Valley Coal company; Lehigh Coal and Navigation company ; Susquehanna Coal company; Brookwood Coal company; Thomas Coal company ; North American Coal company; W. R. McTurk & company; Cam- bridge Coal company ; M. A. Gerber and S. A. Seaman ; Brighton Coal company ; Lawrence Coal company ; Stoddart Coal company ; Lentz & Co .; Silver Brook Coal company ; Crystal Run Coal Co .; St. Clair Coal company ; Lytle Coal company ; Price Hill, Buck Run, East Ridge, Mt. Hope, Darkwater, Silverton Coal companies ; E. White & Co .; John H. Davis; Black Diamond Anthracite Coal company; Mill Creek Coal Co .; Lehigh & Wilkes-Barre Coal Co .; Coxe Brothers & Co., incorpo- rated ; Beddall Brothers; Dodson Coal Co .; Truman M. Dodson Coal Co .; Gorman & Campion; Butcher Creek Coal Co .; Shepp estate; Dunkelberger & Young; William Cooke; Joseph H. Denning; Slat- tery Brothers ; Neil Breslin; William H. Greenfield, Jr., & Company ; Smith, Meyers & Co.
The smallest production of any of the operators in 1894 was 2,500 tons and the largest was 7,718,441 tons.
The annual reports of the mine inspectors to the Chief of the De- partment of Mines of the State, include all of the minutae in relation to the condition of each mine. The installation of each new machine is noted, together with the extension of tunnels or the abandonment of workings, and the reasons for changes in all operations. The record in- cludes the names of all persons injured or killed, the manner in which the accidents occur, the nationality of the victims, whether married or un- married; the condition of the mines with relation to the presence of gas, and the methods employed to obviate its effects; the number of cubic feet of air supplied to each man, and the means employed to supply it, and, in fact, the minutest details regarding the workings of every mine, whether above ground or below the surface. All new workings are prosecuted under the direct supervision of these guard- ians of the mines.
Schuylkill county is divided into four districts, known as the Tenth, Eleventh, Twelfth and Thirteenth Anthracite districts, each in charge of a mine inspector. At the present these are, respectively, Messrs. A. B. Lamb, P. C. Fenton, Michael J. Brennan and John Curran. The office is now elective.
The department of mines was established by act of assembly, ap-
8
114
SCHUYLKILL COUNTY
proved April 14th, 1903, though an official mine supervision has existed in the state since 1870.
The total production of anthracite coal in the state for the year 1904 was 73,594,369 tons, the product being over a million and a half tons less than that of the preceding year. Pennsylvania produces, prac- tically, all of the anthracite coal in the United States, all in the following contiguous counties : Schuylkill, Luzerne, Lackawanna, Le- high, Carbon, Northumberland and Columbia, and about 27 per cent of the bituminous product. The total value of all coal pro- duced in the state in 1904, was about $550,000,000. The value of all gold and silver mined in the United States during that year was $138,- 154,300, representing but little over 25 per cent of the value of Pennsyl- vania's coal product.
CHAPTER VIII.
THE RAILROAD SYSTEMS IN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY-STEAM AND ELEC- TRIC ROADS.
The first railroads built in this county were those for the accommo- dation of the coal trade, of which mention was made in the article on coal. These were operated by horse power, usually on a forty- inch gauge, the rails being made of sawed timber of the dimensions of 4 by 6 inches. The ties were notched to receive the rails, the notches being made wider than the rail, and wooden keys used to maintain the proper gauge and prevent the rails from spreading. A flat iron bar from one and a half to two and a half inches wide, and less than a half-inch in thickness, was spiked on top of the rail to obviate the wearing of the wood by the friction of the car-wheels, and contribute to ease of draft. Many of the mines are equipped with these roads for underground work at the present time; but most of them are sup- plied with steam power from the outside, or operated by locomotives and electric motors inside of the mines. "Lateral" roads of this character were established at an early day to connect the mine roads with those which conveyed the coal to the canal, and are continued to the present as auxiliaries to the steam railroads.
Mention has been made of the railroad constructed by Abraham Pott, in 1826, that being recognized as the first attempt at railroading in the state of Pennsylvania, or, possibly, in the United States. It introduced two principles in railroading, which, though tardily adopted, have become almost universally used in the coal transporting business throughout the country. These are the process of unload- ing through the bottom instead of dumping the cars, and the prin- ciple of the revolving axle instead of the wheels revolving around a fixed axle. The practical utility of each is fully apparent. The latter is especially advantageous since the wearing of the "hub" could not be remedied as readily as the wearing of the "boxes," hence the danger of accidents was greatly reduced.
In 1826 the first act authorizing the construction of a railroad in the county was passed, and in 1828 and 1829 additional acts of a similar import brought into existence other enterprises of a like character, and by the close of 1829, portions of several railroads were
115
116
SCHUYLKILL COUNTY
in operation. These roads were chartered as common carriers and were open to the use of all who paid the freight rates. They were also operated by horse power, and a car carried from one to two tons of coal, and one horse could draw thirteen loaded cars on favorable grades.
The Mine Hill & Schuylkill Haven railroad was the most important of all the lateral roads in the early days, in that it reached a wider range of the coal fields than any of its competitors. It extended from Schuylkill Haven to the coal fields north and south of the Broad mountain, and by means of short branches penetrated every ravine of the mountains wherever a suitable. place for a colliery was found. It reached in its various ramifications more than a hundred square miles of the anthracite coal fields. Its original charter was approved by the governor on the 24th of March, 1828, though several supple- mentary provisions were rendered necessary from time to time to meet the requirements of its expanding trade. The road was finished in 1831, and in April of that year the first load of coal passed over it. The cost of construction up to that time aggregated $185,783. During this experimental stage in railroad building, and the igno- rance of engineers as to the cost of construction work, the promoters were often deceived as to the cost of their road-building enterprises, and sorely hampered for funds to push their work. This road was no exception to the general rule which seems to have existed. Start- ing with a capital stock of $13,000, its final completion over-reached that amount about fourteen times. Such was the varying experi- ences of other promoters that, unless fortified with abundant capital at the initial point, they were more or less embarrassed before realiz- ing anything from their investments. The method of construction on all the early railroads was similiar, and all were constructed for feeders to the Schuylkill Navigation canal, the only points of difference being as to the time of construction, and that was determined, largely, by the development of mines in the different sections of the coal fields.
The Mill Creek railroad extended from Port Carbon to St. Clair, and was commenced in 1829. The Schuylkill Valley railroad was opened for traffic in 1830, and operated between Port Carbon and Tuscarora, a distance of ten miles. The Norwegian & Mt. Carbon was built about the same time as the last named, and served the mines to the north and northwest of Pottsville, connecting with the head of navigation. The Little Schuylkill railroad extended from Port Clinton to Tamaqua, a distance of twenty-two miles. Like the Norwegian & Mt. Carbon road, it had a 5613-inch gauge, and formed an important link in the lateral system to the coal fields.
117
SCHUYLKILL COUNTY
The Mine Hill & Schuylkill Haven road inaugurated an aggressive career from the 'start, and, as enabled by various increases of its capital stock by legislative enactments, extended its branches to almost every available point in the coal fields. The Tremont extension of this road was completed in 1847, and a very considerable exten- sion was added to the main line when it was connected with the old Sunbury & Pottsville railroad, a few miles below Shamokin, at the western end of the Girard railroad, previously mentioned. Between 1849 and 1852, many improvements were made on the old tracks; and the Swatara and Middle Creek branches were built. The session of the legislature in 1852 for the second time authorized the construc- tion of the "Ashland Extension." This extension was completed in September, 1854. An extension of the Tremont branch was made to Mt. Eagle in 1856, under a charter creating the Mt. Eagle & Tre- mont Railroad company. In the same year the Big Mine Run branch was built as far as Locust Dale, and subsequently extended westward through the Big Run valley to Locust gap, where it connected with the Shamokin Valley & Pottsville railroad, thus connecting with the western and southern railroads through the Philadelphia & Erie and Northern Central railways. On the 16th of May, 1864, the Mine Hill & Schuylkill Haven railroad, which had done more towards the development of the interior mining districts than any other corporation then in existence, passed under control of the Philadelphia & Read- ing Railroad company, and went out of existence as a separate road.
Union Canal Railroad company was the first chartered corporation of the kind in the county. It was incorporated by a supplement to the several acts incorporating the Union Canal company, which supplement was approved March 3, 1826. The company was author- ized to "construct a railway or railways branching from said naviga- tion to any point or points which may be required for the communica- tion between the said Union Canal and the coal mines of the Swatara and the country west and northwest thereof." The road was con- structed to the junction of Lorberry and Swatara creeks, and used for the transportation of coal.
The Little Schuylkill Railroad company came into existence on the 14th of April, 1828, on the same conditions as the preceding, except that the railroad company was to supersede the Navigation company in any or all of its territory from a point at or near the junction of the Big and Little Schuylkill to a point where the Wilkes- Barre state road crosses the Little Schuylkill, or to a point at or near the foot of Broad mountain. The work on this road was commenced promptly, but the time of completion was extended by various acts
118
SCHUYLKILL COUNTY
of the legislature, and it was not all completed until 1852. Locomo- tives were used on this road as early as 1833. Of one of these the Miners' Journal said at the time of installation: "It is able to travel at the rate of ten miles an hour, leading a train of fifteen cars, each carrying three tons. Now, allowing two trips a day for each engine, this would be equal to go tons a day; or 540 tons per week." This company was incorporated as a common carrier, but subsequently, like many others, became owners of coal lands and producers of coal. Strenuous efforts were made by the people in those times to prevent the incorporation of companies with monopolistic tendencies, but, with all their antipathy, companies were chartered with exclusive privileges.
Forming a connection with the Catawissa railroad, this line became a link in the through service between Philadelphia, Buffalo and Niagara Falls, and thus became a passenger line. A branch of the Little Schuylkill was extended west from Tamaqua about a mile and a half, and afterward the Mountain Link railroad connected this branch with the Schuylkill Valley at Tuscarora. Other short branches were connected with the different collieries along its course.
The Schuylkill Valley Railroad was incorporated by a supplemen- tal act, the original of which brought the Schuylkill Navigation com- pany into existence on the 20th of March, 1827; and on the 14th of April, 1828, the supplementary act was approved which authorized the construction of a railroad from near the mouth of Mill creek to a point at or near the mill of George Reber. An extension of six miles was authorized on the 14th of April, 1844, providing for the extension of the line from Middleport to Tuscarora. This supplement to the charter also imposed certain restrictions upon the road as to freight charges, and the return of empty cars without charge; and in addition to this one cent per mile rate for transporting loaded cars, they were denied the privilege of charging extra rates for the use of engines belonging to other companies used on the road. Time extensions were made at frequent intervals, the last on the 2d of April, 1860, extending the time of final completion until a year later. Doubtless the restrictions as to freight rates had something to do with the tardiness in building. This road was extended through the Mountain Link railroad over to Tamaqua and, through it, with the system of railroads running out from Tamaqua.
The Mill Creek & Mine Hill Navigation and Railroad company was incorporated on the 7th of February, 1828. This thoroughfare was to extend from the Schuylkill river near the mouth of Mill creek to a point on the Center turnpike near the foot of Broad mountain.
119
SCHUYLKILL COUNTY
The time for its completion was extended to 1845, and in 1847 the charter was amended permitting the company to build branches to accommodate its business, and ten years later it was authorized to construct branch roads to the Mahanoy coal fields.
The Mount Carbon railroad was incorporated on the 29th of April, 1829. By the terms of the act of incorporation it was to extend from "the lower landings at Mount Carbon, in the county of Schuylkill, thence up the River Schuylkill to the mouth of Norwegian creek, and thence up the west branch thereof, to the south side of the Broad mountain in the said county; and also a single or double railroad from the forks of Norwegian creek, up the east branch thereof, to the south side of Mine Hill." The road was constructed in accord- ance with the provisions of its charter, but the main line was never extended beyond the original limits prescribed in the charter. In 1848 it was empowered to construct laterals not to exceed one mile each in length, and was thereby enabled to reach a large number of collieries. The wooden track was superseded in 1848 by the iron rail system, but the company continued to use horse power for many years, and in 1862 the road was leased to the Philadelphia & Reading Railroad company for a period of 99 years. .
The Catawissa railroad was originally an extension of the Little Schuylkill & Susquehanna railroad, and was to extend along the valleys of Messer's run and Catawissa creek to a point on the north branch of the Susquehanna at or near Catawissa. It was incorpo- rated March 21, 1831. The time limits for building and completion were extended by the legislature from time to time, and the main line was not completed until about 1854. In 1846 the construction of lateral branches to the mines was authorized, with the proviso that the mine operators should have the privilege of transporting their products in their own cars and with their own motive power. On the 20th of March, 1849, the name was changed to the "Catawissa, Williamsport & Erie railroad," and the time of completion was again extended. The promoters suffered serious financial embarrassments, and the work was suspended for a number of years. In 1861 the company was authorized to extend its lateral lines to other mines and iron works along its line. This road has two tunnels, one under the Mahanoy mountain and another passing under a spur of the mountain projecting into the Catawissa valley. It has a uniform grade of about thirty feet to the mile, and as a consequence of this uniformity, has seven high viaducts or trestles running from 90 to 130 feet in height, and lengths varying, the longest being 1,100 feet.
The Swatara & Good Spring railroad was chartered on the 2d of
1
120
SCHUYLKILL COUNTY
April, 1831. It was to operate "from the northern end or the Union Canal company's railroad, up the Swatara river to its junction with the Good Spring creek, and thence up the said creek to a point most suitable in the heart of the coal region." "On the 25th of March, 1841, its name was changed to the Swatara Railroad company." By reason of various extensions of the time limit, the road was tardy in building, and its laterals and main line scarcely exceeded six miles in 1863, when it was leased to the Philadelphia & Reading Railroad company, and afterward purchased by that corporation. It was later extended to unite with the Philadelphia & Reading railroads. The last named company was re-chartered in March, 1838, when it was empowered to extend its line, then in operation between Philadelphia and Reading, to "some suitable point in or near the borough of Potts- ville, in the county of Schuylkill, or to connect with the Mount Car- bon road, if deemed expedient." The act of incorporation required that the work be completed between Mount Carbon and Port Clinton within two years, and throughout its entire length within four years. It was completed within the prescribed limits, and the first train of cars passed over the line on the roth of January, 1842. A supple- mental act, approved March 29, 1848, required that the road be ex- tended into the borough of Pottsville, and a depot established there. This extension was made through the Mount Carbon railroad. Pre- vious to the building of this road the network of railroads in the county had been used almost exclusively in the interest of the coal- carrying trade in making connections with the head of navigation on the Schuylkill; but the opening of this through line to Philadelphia not only established a means of reaching the markets in the winter season, but it also divided the traffic at other seasons of the year, and thereby became a formidable rival to the Navigation company at all times.
The increased facilities for transportation stimulated the develop- ment of the coal fields, and other avenues were opened to meet the increasing demand for transportation. With the progressive policy which has always characterized the Philadelphia & Reading, it sought to extend its powers to embrace land ownership and mining privileges, and securing these, it inaugurated a policy of absorption which has placed it in control of the mining and coal-carrying trade for many years. To accomplish this purpose, the Laurel Run Improvement company was incorporated at the procurement of the Reading com- pany and soon thereafter the name was changed to the "Philadelphia & Reading Coal and Iron company," a corporation still existing, owned by and practically a twin sister of the Philadelphia & Reading
121
SCHUYLKILL COUNTY
Railroad company, which latter company, after its failure some years ago, assumed the name of the "Philadelphia & Reading Rail- road company." These corporations, by a system of purchasing the capital stock of same, and long leases of other, roads, have now acquired control of every railroad line in the county excepting, of course, the lines of its rivals the Pennsylvania and the Lehigh Valley. Millions of dollars were expended by this company in the purchase of coal lands and collieries, and in opening and operating the same, so that this company now owns the bulk of the coal lands in Schuyl- kill county. By means of these aggressive operations, an immense debt was incurred and the affairs of the company were finally adjudi- cated in insolvency proceedings in the United States supreme court. But the twin corporations still flourish with increasing power and influence, and control a large share of the mining and transportation interests of the county.
The Schuylkill & Susquehanna railroad was incorporated on the 25th of April, 1844. It runs from Auburn to the county line in Tre- mont township, and extends thence to Dauphin, where it connects with the Northern Central and the Reading Western system to Harris- burg, and through these with the northern and southern systems of railways, operated also by the Reading.
The East Mahanoy railroad was incorporated on the 21st of April, 1854. It was built under the patronage of the Little Schuylkill Railroad company, and after its completion, it was leased by that company. The act of incorporation provided that it should "connect with the Little Schuylkill Navigation Railroad and Coal company, about five miles north from Tamaqua, and thence by a route con- sidered favorable by the directors to any point or points in the Maha- noy second coal field, with suitable branch roads thereon not exceed- ing in the whole twenty-five miles in length." It was constructed in accordance with the provisions of the charter, as amended in 1859, to the southern base of Mahanoy mountain at a point about four miles from Mahanoy City, and subsequently built into that borough, where it connects with the railroad systems in the eastern part of the county. This road passes through a tunnel under Mahanoy mountain, a distance of about four thousand feet. One of the prin- cipal railroad systems of the county is the Lehigh Valley. This branch was chartered as the Lehigh & Mahanoy railroad, or the "Quakake" railroad, but was built by the above named company under the provisions of supplemental charters. The original charter was granted on the 25th of April, 1857, which authorized the con- struction of a road from the Beaver Meadow railroad, at the junction
122
SCHUYLKILL COUNTY
of Quakake and Black creeks, westwardly up the Quakake valley, and thence to make connection with the Catawissa railroad between its two summit tunnels in the township of Rush. On the 22d of March, 1859, authority was granted to extend this road westwardly to the head waters of, and down the Mahanoy creek, as "far as may be deemed expedient," and to make connections with any railroad in the valley, and to construct branches. Under the provisions of this charter and supplement, the Lehigh & Mahanoy railroad was built, being completed as far as Mount Carmel in 1865. The fol- Iowing year it was merged into the Lehigh Valley railroad by which corporation it has since been owned and operated. It has a branch to Ashland, and many laterals communicating with the collieries. It connects at Mount Carmel with the Northern Central, and through that with the northern and southern system of railways. This road is one of the important thoroughfares of the county, and has always maintained a prosperous and progressive career. The company is extensively interested in mining operations, having large investments in the Locust Mountain Coal and Iron company, with the collieries of which its lines connect. This company also owns extensive lease- hold and mining interests on the Girard estate.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.