USA > Pennsylvania > Lackawanna County > The Wyoming Valley, upper waters of the Susquehanna, and the Lackawanna coal-region : including views of the natural scenery of northern Pennsylvania : from the Indian occupancy to the year 1875 > Part 21
USA > Pennsylvania > Susquehanna County > Susquehanna > The Wyoming Valley, upper waters of the Susquehanna, and the Lackawanna coal-region : including views of the natural scenery of northern Pennsylvania : from the Indian occupancy to the year 1875 > Part 21
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His explorations commenced about 1812, and his first hope, founded upon the obscure know- ledge attainable at that early day of the contour . and geological structure of the country was to trace the coal up the valley of the Lackawanna, following the course of the mountain ranges and elevations, to the Delaware River, and by a careful survey of the gaps, Rixe's, Wagner's, and Cobb's, with a view of finding a passage to the head-springs of the Lackawaxen, through whose waters it was supposed that coal could be carried, thus affecting an eastern market. His
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OWNED, LEASED & OPERATED BY THE
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DELAWARE AND HUDSON CANAL COMPANY.
researches were extended by himself and subse- quently by his agents, over the central and northern portion of the valley.
An accidental incident at this period, which lends a romantic charm to the rugged pathway of young Wurts, seemed to be providentially cast in his way. While searching up and down the Lackawanna he came across a hunter, named David Nobles, familiar with places where black stones could readily be pointed out. The State of Pennsylvania had not at this time withdrawn its prerogative of imprisonment for debt, and Daniel Nobles, struggling in vain with poverty, being threatened for a trifling debt by an extor tionate neighbor in the adjoining county of Wayne, fled to the woods with his gun to avoid the officer and jail. Mr. Wurts found him rambling over Ragged Island, heard his pitiful tale, and, after replenishing his purse to the extent of the liability, employed hitu to hunt coal and bring knapsacks of provisions over the mountain from the township of Canaan, in Wayne County, where a few farmers seemingly prospered. He became during the summer months, the inseparable companion of the pioneer, sounding his way up the windings of the Lackawanna.
After the discovery of vast bodies of coal upon lands, the possession of which was essential in maturing the original purpose, Mr. Wurts used Nobles as an agent in securing good pur- chases, because of his rough exterior, in order to avoid the suspicion that any capitalists were en- deavoring to control vast quantities of acres, so prejudicial was the narrow minded yeomanry at that early date of monopoly, of anything that looked like an innovation.
By such artifices, honorable as ingenious, Mr. Wurts secured control of several thousand acres of coal land in the county of Luzerne, in the year 1814. The cost of the soil at this time was but fifty cents to three dollars per acre. The . average value at the present time ranges from $1,000 to $2,000 per acre. The giant timber spread over it was of no account, and much of it upon the site of Carbondale was felled and burned away to prepare it for the reception of the cabins of the workinen. These purchases
included the region where Carbondale and Arch- bald are located, with a portion of the interven- ing land, and a small section in Providence, on the Anderson farm, above Cobb's Gap, where in 1814, he opened the seven and nine feet veins of coal to obtain specimens for exhibitions in Philadelphia, New York, and other sections of country.
Hon. Paul S. Preston, of. Stockport, Pennsyl- vania, a warm friend of Col. George W. Scran- ton and the Erie road, in a letter to the Auburn Daily Advertiser, of January 19th, 1849, writes: " In the year 1814, I heard my father tell Maurice Wurts, in Market street, Philadelphia, " Maurice, thee must hold on to that lot on the Lackawanna, that you took for a debt of David Nobles, it will be very valuable some day, as it has stone coal on it and under it.' "
Maurice Wurts, above referred to was a brother of William, and from this date, 1814, their labors were united in their endeavor to develop the anthracite coal beds of the Lacka- wanna region.
The building of the Pacific Railroad will not compare in any acceptable sense to the early efforts of these two hardy men in a forest under- taking to reach the civilized world, with a com- modity that carried with it prejudice instead of favor. They hardly knew rest from body, soul, strength, and mind. They slept in the woods ; fared like barbarians; were beset with natural obstacles ; were devoid of capital sufficient to see the way clear ahead of them ; were ridiculed as adventurers ; were persecuted by their neigh- bors ; were hindered by malicious falsehoods ; and traduced by rivals, until their sublime mas- tery commanded respect.
In the year 1816, they made an attempt to transport the coal already mined to the Wailen- paupack, or some stream leading into it. The whole summer of this year was spent by Mr. Nobles in clearing Jones's Creek, of the inter- locking logs and drift-wood. After a raft had been constructed, two sled-loads of the first coal ever carried from the Lackawanna coal re- gion, were loaded upon it. This stream is one of the upper aud larger branches of the Wallen- paupack, being eight or ninc miles from the coal mines opened in Providence, and was select-
134
THE LACKAWANNA VALLEY.
ed as one of ample capacity to carry light rafts and small cargoes down to the Paupack. A long heavy rain had so swollen the volume of water, that when the raft swung out into the current with its freight of black diamonds, it ran safely for a distance of nearly a mile, when, encountering a projecting rock, the frail float went to pieces, and the coal sank into the flood. This unfortunate mishap was not allowed to affect the maturing of the grand scheme of their minds, and they turned their attention to the slackened waters of the Wallenpaupack, one of the tributaries of the Lackawaxen, about twenty miles distant from the coal beds to this point; then coal was drawn on sleds by slow ox teams on the old Connecticut road from the Delaware, where it could be floated to Philadelphia. But, the staid old notious of that modest city, did not appreciate the black stones, and " blowing" and "stirring it up" would not make it burn. They had seen the black stuff before ; had seen it put the fire out when it was "dumped on " (for grates had not been introduced affording draft), and true to their economy they broke it up for street gravel and sidewalks.
This route was abandoned as a complete failure, and what little coal had passed over it had incurred a ruinous expensc. Operations farther up the valley in the wilderness, in the vicinity of Rixe's Gap were next attempted. Here we find them mining at a spot now called Carbondale. This was in 1822, and ten years of failures and sad disappointments had elapsed since the time when the proud young merchant of Philadelphia had appeared on the scene. Ten such years are rarely recorded in the history of men.
Nothing daunted, however, they still adhered to their mission. At these mines (there were but two, designated on their rude map by a couple of dots, called north and south mines), these determined veterans kept their force at work until late in the fall, forming a sort of en- campment in the woods, sleeping on hemlock boughs and leaves before a large camp-fire, and transporting their provisions for miles upon horseback. The mine was kept free from water by a rude pumping-apparatus moved by the
current of the river, and when the accumulation of ice upon it obstructed its movements, a large grate made of nail-rods was put in blast, in which a fire of coal was continually kept burning and removing the dificulty. In this slow, laborious manner, they succeeded at great expense in taking out about eight hundred tons of coal, which they intended to have drawn upon sleds over the mountain through Rixe's Gap to the Lackawaxen during the winter, in order to be floated down the Delaware to Philadelphia in the spring.
A new misfortune awaited them; the winter which succeeded these trying efforts was un- usually mild, the snow falling in limited quan- tities, remaining on the ground but a few weeks at the most, and high winds prevailed which heaped it in drifts, leaving part of the highways bare, and the remainder difficult of passage. Only one eighth of the summer's labor, or about one hundred tons were drawn to the rafting place, by the way of Cherry Ridge.
Arks were tound to be too expensive, and easily damaged in their downward passage. In- stead, they resorted to rafts of dry pine trees, as before-mentioned, and succeeded in finding a' market at last, in Philadelphia at ten and twelve dollars a ton. At these figures it was estimated that a remunerative profit could be realized on coal transported in this manner, or even in arks, provided the navigation of the Lackawaxen was niade safe by practical slack-water improvements.
About this time it became generally known that inexhaustible mines of stone coal existed in the Lehigh, the Schuylkill, the Susquehanna, and the Lackawanna. The coal of the two former valleys, from their proximity to Phila- delphia would unquestionably first be carried to that city, and from thence find its way to the markets along the sea board. No coal having been discovered in the State of New York, it , was deemed an object of primary importance, to supply the great commercial metropolis with this excellent fuel, by a shorter and more direct communication.
An inspection of the map of Pennsylvania, showed the Lackawanna Coal Valley, extending more than forty miles in a north-easterly direc-
135
DELAWARE AND HUDSON CANAL COMPANY.
cion from the Susquehanna-its head waters interlocking with the tributary streams of the Delaware, and less than a hundred miles distant from the North River. This extraordinary fact forcibly struck the minds of the Messrs. Wurts and their friends. They conceived the project of improving the navigation of the Lackawaxen, and of making a canal from the Delaware to the Hudson, along the valleys of the Neversink and the Roundout. Such a canal when completed, would form an uninterrupted water communica- tion between the city of New York and Keene's Pond, at the head of the Vanorka Branch of the Lackawaxen-leaving a portage of only nine and a half miles from that point to the coal mines on the Lackawanna.
This splendid scheme of improvement, pro- mised a golden harvest to the projectors, and should have commanded the unqualified appro- bation of the people, but here, these noble- minded pioneers were beset with almost every conceivable impediment which a selfish and bigoted people could thrust in their way.
On the 13th of March, 1823, the Legislature of Pennsylvania passed an Aet authorizing Maurice Wurtz to improve the navigation of the river Lackawaxen ; on the 23rd day of April in the same year, the Legislature of New York in- corporated the Delaware & Hudson Canal Com- pany. By the former Act, authority was granted " to levy a toll on all commodities passing down that river, if improved by slaek-water navigation, of twelve-and-a-half cents per ton per lock ;" and by the latter it was enacted, "that the toll on stone coal should not exceed eight cents per ton per mile." In 1824, a pamplet was published by the Wurts brothers, as proprietors of the Lacka- wanna coal mines, containing an estimate of transporting coal from those mines to the city of New York by the Delaware and Hudson Canal, together with the reports of Judge Wright and Colonel Sullivan, under whose direction the route of the canal bad been surveyed, aud whose opinions were favorable to the project.
The original Act of the State of New York, authorized the company "to make a canal be- tween the rivers Delaware and Hudson." On the 7th of April, 1824, a supplement was passed
enlarging the capital from $500,000 to $1,500,- 000. with authority to extend the eanal from Carpenter's Point to the mouth of the river Lockawaxen. A second supplement was ob- tained in November of the same year, by which the company was permitted "to employ 8500.000 in the business of banking, and to establish a banking house in the State of New York."
About this period also, Professor Griscom, of New York, was engaged by Messrs. Maurice and William Wurts to visit their coal mines on the Lackawanna. He make a favorable report of the quality and immense quantity of Anthracite coal in this region, with a special reference to the superior location of the mines belonging to these gentlemen.
Being now fortified by legislative sanctions, the projectors boldly entered the money market of New York, and displayed to capitalists their magnificent scheme. They offered mines rich and inexhaustible-the exclusive command of the coal trade in that direction, and a bank charter. The profits on coal would be immense, it could be delivered in New York, after paying all charges, for an estimated price of three dollars per ton, and was then selling for ten or twelve dollars per chaldron. In Europe, as they represented it, every eanal supported by the coal trade had yielded an abundant revenue ; the stock had risen an hundred, and in some in- stances a thousand per cent., merely from tolls. . The canal would be able to transport 300,000 tons per annum to market when in complete operation, and the profits of a few years would be sufficient to replace the capital expended. Besides the coal, it would be in the power of the company to monopolize the lumber of all the branches of the Lackawaxen, of the Delaware, and the Susquehanna-abounding with forests of white and yellow pine. While they were diverting from a rival city a rich and valuable trade, they would augment the tolls of the canal and aggrandize the commercial metropolis. Such were the arguments put forth by what was de- nominated an address of the Coal Mine and Navigation Company. just before bearding the monied lions of New York. In this sanguine strain let it be understood, the Messrs. Wurts
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THE LACKAWANNA VALLEY.
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had infused an equal amount of earnestness and sincerity, although the crude notions concerning machinery to ship from one lake or pond to another seem, at the present age of improve- ments, an absurdity.
Early in January, 1825, the Commissioners appointed under the Acts of the State of New York for that purpose, opened the books to re- ceive subscriptions to the stock of the Delaware & Hudson Canal Company. And now; the light began to herald a dawn of better times for the long dwelt on scheme of the indefatigable brothers. Such was the rage for speculation in coal mines, that the capital stock of one million and a half was instantly subscribed, and the company soon after became legally organized.
On the 4th of February in this year, Mr. Duncan, Chairman of the Committee of the Senate of Pennsylvania, to whom was referred the resolutions relative to foreign corporations, made his report, which excited much attention abroad. He contended " that a corporation ir this State has not the power to hold lands in mortmain, without the license of this Common- wealth, and that lands conveyed to trustees named in the deeds of conveyance in trust and for the uses of the Company, as doc'ared in the deeds, are subject to forfeiture."
This report had its significance in relation to the Delaware & Hudson Canal Company, and it was thought advisable to obtain a declaratory Act in their favor. Mr. John Wurts, a ney character in the grand .drama of progress, was therefore deputed to Harrisburg, and introduced a bill into the House of Representatives, making it lawful for "the president, managers, and company of the Delazare & Hudson Canal Com- pany, by, and with the consent of Maurice Wurts, his heirs, or assigns, to improve the navi- gation of the siver Lackawaxen, and of any one of its branches, in the same manner authorized and provided by an Act entitled ' An Act to improve the navigation of the River Lacka- waxen," passed the 13th day of March, 1823 ; and that the said company shall hold and enjoy the same, as fully and effectually as the said Maurice Wurts, his heirs, or assigns might or could do, &c .; and it shall be lawful for the said
company to purchase and hold any quantity of lands, situate within ten miles of the river Lackawanna, not exceeding five thousand acres."
After elaborate surveys and examinations, it was determined to locate the head of the canal at Honesdale; when it was found that a railroad of sixteen-and-a-half miles in length would be. required to reach from thence to Carbondale. On the 5th of April, 1826, a further supple- mens to an Act, entitled an "Act to improve the river Lackawazen," was therefore obtained by which the company was authorized " to con- struct a railway or railways from the coal beds owned by the company to the forks of the Dyberry, on the river Lackawaxen," &c .; and to " collect and receive by toll on the said rail- road," &c.
The first Board of Managers was elected on the 8th day of March, 1825. Philip Hone was the Erst president of the company, his Erst annual report being made in 1825. The engineers having completed their surveys and estimates. reported the same to the managers, with their opinion as to the best and least ex- persive route. They recommended the con- struction of an independent canal, instead of a - - a! in rart, and a slack-water navigation in the Roundout, Delaware and Lackawanna Rivers, and h ween the great rivers. The managers after due deliberations, decided on prosecuting the work mainly, according to the recommenda- tion, and adopted the valley of the Roundout, Thirty-four sections rere advertised to be let on the 13th of July, 1825. On that day the Presi- dent, attended by a large concourse of citizens, delivered an appropriate & "ess, and performced the ceremony of opening the ground upon the summit level, forty miles from the Eudson River. Contracts were at the same time med for all the sections prepared for letting. A. several subse- quent periods, portions of the work were let between the summit and the Hudson River, and on the 6th of December of the same year, a com- mittee of the managers attended the letting which placed under contract the remainder of the line, from tide water on the Hudson, below Eddy's Factory, to Montgaup, on the Delaware River, being sixty-five miles, which included the
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DELAWARE AND HUDSON CANAL COMPANY.
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most formidable difficulties (and to the unprac- ticed eye of many individuals, apparently insur- mountable), on the whole of the projected work. This line of the canal, passing through a valley by which, at some distant period, the Delaware poured its waters into the Hudson, is supplied by numerous streams issuing from the moun- tains ; the Roundout River, which empties into the Hudson, and the Neversink, which empties into the Delaware. The supply of water was found to be ample, and indeed superabundant, and placed at the disposal of the company a valuable water power at several points on the canal.
To guard against drouths, of which that summer had furnished a warning caution, the engineers deemed it advisable to bring in the Neversink River. This added $30,000 to the original estimates of the engineers, but it gave a continued level for sixteen miles, supplied water in descending towards both the Hudson and the Delaware, lessened the descent to the latter about twenty-two feet, and reduced the ascent the same number of feet in the valley of the Delaware.
The estimated distance from the tide-water of the Hudson to Saw Mill Rift, on the Delaware, upon the first projected line of the canal, was sixty-four miles, and the estimates had been re- vised, and although the Neversink had been brought in at the increased expense, above- named, and an aqueduct across the Roundout had been built entirely of stone, at an additional expense of $5,000, Judge Wright assured the - company that the saving would be at least $44,000 and a strong probability existed, that the work would be performed at an expense less by $50,000 than the estimates which the mana- gers had before them when they determined on the prosecution of the work. From the termina- tion of the line then under contract to the mouth of the Lackawaxen river, is about fifteen miles. Reasons sufficiently strong induced the managers to abandon the plan of a slack water navigation on the Delaware, and to construct an indepen- dent canal on the New York bank of the river.
It was stated by President Hone in his first report that a route which would combine the
greatest advantages both in the procuring of coal and in affording inducements to a connec- tion with the Susquehanna, at a point west of their termination, would be adopted, and instead of incurring the expense of building locks to overcome a considerable elevation within the space of a few miles. that an inclined plane and railway would probably be substituted, and thereby reduce the expenditure about $100,000 below the original estimates ; and, he adds :
It may also be stated that coal, almost unlimit- ed in quantity, and of an excellent quality, is the property of the company; that this coal is so easy of ignition, and supports combustion so well, that a fire made of it can be graduated to the temperature of the weather, a quality to say the least, which is not found in all anthracite coal."
On the 4th day of March, 1828, President Bolton submitted his second annual report for the year previous. A bill had been granted since the last report, by the Legislature of New York, giving a loan of the credit of the State of New York, for five hundred thousand dollars. It was no small gratification to the Company, that this legislative aid was granted on its simple merits, and on the ground of public utility. This act offered a strong inducement to pursue honor- able ends by honorable means, and to faithful- ness in performing all the duties imposed on the corporation. It relieved the Board of Managers from the pecuniary difficulties with which they were threatened, and assured the completion of the great work in which they were engaged-a work not inferior in quality to any other-and for rapidity and cheapness of execution, was without a parallel in our country. It conferred, also, a lasting benefit on a large and populous portion of the State of New York, by furnishing at a reduced price an abundant supply of a species of fucl that was daily appreciating in the public estimation.
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