Report of the Coal Mining Association

of Schuylkill County.

The Board of Trade submit to the Coal Mining Association, the following report:

Your board regret that the business of the past year, has not been marked in its progress and conclusion, with those many evidences of successful exertion, which we believe can only be realized and permanently maintained in connexion with the general prosperity of the country.

The business of the past year has been but little different from 1838, either in the amount sent to market or the demand for coal at any particular period of the season. The prices obtained for coal were but little if any better than those of the preceding year; which has been ruinous to some of those engaged in mining, as is now fully apparent to the most casual observer. And it has been so, not only to individuals in the Schuylkill district, but to those operating in other places; and no less so to the incorporated companies, some of whom have in their candour acknowledged this fact, as a part of their experience derived from the operations of the last two years.

By examining the statistics of the coal trade for some years past, it will be found that the ratio of the increase of consumption is much less now than it was some time since; and that the supply increased in a much greater ratio than the consumption for the two years preceding the close of 1837. On the 1st of April1838, it was admitted by all, that 200,000 tons of Anthracite coal remained in the market unconsumed; and by many the amount was supposed to be not less than

250,000 tons.

On the 1st of April last, there were supposed to be about

150,000 tons in the market unconsumed; and in this as well

as in other sections of the coal region preparations had been made during the preceding winter, for prosecuting the mining operations so extensively, as to involve a large amount of capital in the merely preparatory measures; which capital could not be withdrawn in any other way than by the lar mining operations.

regu

It now became evident that there was too much capital in the business, unless those who had invested it, had also possessed sufficient unemployed means to sustain their credit, which was pledged for a part of the money already invested. This not, however, being the case with the majority, working the mines as the only apparent means of relief was resorted to, hopefully believing, that by exercising the most rigid economy, a little clear profit might be made upon each ton mined; or at least that the money already invested might be returned. Thus many individuals thought to sustain their integrity in the mercantile world, until the dawn of a more auspicious day.

Some, however, believed that the only efficient plan, was to shorten the supply until it approximated more nearly to the wants of the community; and such a most strenuously urged by them, but was not adopted as a general rule of action.

course was

Each one in order to relieve himself, pushed on and continued sending large quantities of coal into the market, than which no course was better calculated to increase the already existing difficulties; and did in truth keep the price of coal so low that instead of a profit there was very generally a loss sustained by mining.

Could there have been a course pursued, which was based upon the dictates of calm judgment derived from the known results of certain causes, instead of what appeared to be the necessities of the case, the position of all the operators, in this as well as other coal regions, would have been far better than it now is.

The operations of the past year have sent into the market about 68,000 tons more than the business of the previous year, as will be seen by the following table:

April 1st, 1838, remaining in market

unsold....

Sent this year from all sources.

200,000 tons. 738,968

938,968

Of the coal sent from the Schuylkill and Pinegrove mining districts, 49,3 5 tons were taken for the supply of places on the line of the Union and Schuylkill canals; and we are led to believe that an amount fully equal to this, has been supplied along the lines of the Lehigh and Lackawanna canals; thus showing a total amount of 98,630 tons that did not reach the tide water, and leaving 707,562 tons for the supply sent the past year to the Atlantic markets.

This, with the amount remaining over on the 1st of April last, will give a total of 857,562 tons for the consumption of be an ample supply. the year ending the 1st of April next, which we believe will

of the advantages to be derived from a proper apportionment In our last report we entered briefly into an examination of the labour of the country to its various objects;-we adpoint in our particular business; and carnestly requested all verted to the apparent necessity of some investigation on this those engaged in mining and selling coal to devote more attention to this subject; and will now again renew this request, believing that enlarged benefits may arise from such investigation.

coal operations; 1 for driving a blast furnace smelting iron There are at present in this vicinity 12 steam engines for with Anthracite coal; and 7 for various other purposes.

Since the transportation of coal by the Schuylkill canal, Delaware river and Delaware and Raritan canal, directly to New York, was first regularly established by Messrs. Stockton and Stevens, many others have adopted the plan, and a considerable amount of coal has been carried in this manner directly to that city, thereby saving the cost and charges, and the wastage that is unavoidably attendant on transhipping it from boats into vessels at Philadelphia.

The amount of coal that appears to have been sent in this manner directly to New York is 27,000 tons, at a cost of about $3,75 per ton, including tolls and transportation, the whole trip requiring about sixteen days.

For a long time past the heavy losses sustained in transporting coal on the canal, has caused a great dissatisfaction among the dealers, and been the source of much solicitation to the Schuylkill Canal Company to adopt some means whereby this evil might be remedied in part at least.

This loss appears to have been caused by the impossibility of preventing the accumulation of water in boats from leakage; and also through the dishonesty of some of the boatmen, who sold a part of their cargo between this and the city, and added water sufficient to make up the weight thus abstracted from the coal.

After considerable investigation on this subject, the Navigation Company decided, that certain mean depths of water on the bottom of a boat, added to the cargo certain fixed weights; and concluded that by fixing two or more tubes permanently, in a perpendicular position, in a boat, and using a sounding rod, the depth of water in a boat might at all times be determined, and a deduction from the cargo made accordingly.

This plan was adopted, and has undoubtedly prevented much of the fraud carried on heretofore; and it is highly important in another view, protecting as it does from unjust accusations those who are honest and faithful in the performance of the trust reposed in them.

In some of our former reports, we suggested for the consideration of the Navigation Company, the advantages that might result, both to them and us, by reducing the toll charged on small coal and coal dirt. We believe it to be common on all the public improvements in this and other

If this was not the case, many of the articles now transported 100 miles to market could not be sent a distance of 10 miles, and afford a nett profit to the producer.

There are many articles in foreign countries of small value, which being subject to a moderate import duty, are brought into this and sold to advantage; but if the duties were double, or treble, what they now are, there would be a complete prohibition of such articles.

And in all public improvements, we shall in the same manner find that certain tolls charged, will so far from being productive, be merely prohibitory; whereas a reduction of the tolls one-half would add materially to the income of the stockholders, and be decidedly beneficial to the producers.

During the past year, the company have made some important improvements on the line of the canal calculated to facilitate the carrying trade; and we understand they did at one time contemplate an important and costly alteration throughout the whole length that would have increased to 5 or 6 feet the depth of water in the canal; but we believe that such views are entirely discarded for the present.

The canal was closed by ice on the 25th of November, but opened again, on the 2d of December, and remained open until the 14th of December, when it was finally closed. There is, however, another improvement in progress and rapidly advancing, which is to connect our region with Philadelphia. In this, the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad, we feel a deep interest, believing that it will bring our section of the Anthracite coal basin into fair competition with any ether in the country for supplying the eastern markets.

From the time the coal is taken out of our wagons here, we may count the cost and wastage on the landing, the toll and transportation on the Canal; the charges and wastage on the wharves in Philadelphia, including all expenses until the coal is in the vessel at Philadelphia, from $3 to $5,25 per ton.

This it must be understood, does not include the value of coal at our landings, which must be added to show the total cost of coal in the vessels.

In this charge for carrying a ton of coal 100 miles on a canal and putting it on board of a vessel, we feelingly know that there is much dead weight, and are led to look round and inquire, whether there is now, or likely soon to be, any means within our reach by which the trade can be relieved from a portion of this burden? We believe there is.

The Philadelphia and Reading Railroad, which is already completed from Reading to the Columbia Railroad at Peter's Island, will be the means by which we can have our coal transported to Philadelphia and discharged into vessels at a imuch cheaper rate than it has been done heretofore.

We do not suppose, as some have assumed, that the coal will all be discharged directly from the cars into vessels; for we have every reason to believe that not a year has passed since the establishment of the trade, in which there have not been times when the scarcity of vessels in port has rendered it necessary to discharge the coal from the boats on the wharves, and pile it. And undoubtedly such will continue to be the case; but whatever coal it may be necessary to pile, will be done at less expense when brought on the wharf by a railroad, than when carried by a boat and thrown out on the edge of the wharf, And when vessels are there to receive the coal, it can be discharged from cars into them at less expense and wastage than from boats.

The wastage now caused upon our landing here can then be saved; and the labour spent on the landings, can be applied to loading the coal with more care at the mines, which, we believe, will fully prepare it for being received into the vessels at Philadelphia, as we do not think any material waste will be caused by transportation on the road.

From the manner in which coal can be transferred from cars into vessels, we feel fully satisfied that a saving of at least 50 cents per ton may be made, which is now lost in wastage and labour on the wharves at Philadelphia.

When we come to examine this road and the cost of transportation on it, we must keep in mind that there is none other in this country, that we can properly compare with it;

It is a continuous line of 94 miles to the Delaware river at Philadelphia, with a moderately descending grade throughout its whole length, with the exception of a short distance near Philadelphia, which one additional locomotive will overcome.

The road so far as completed, has been constructed in the most approved and substantial manner, being well calculated to use steam power to great advantage.

It is universally admitted that whenever fuel is cheap, steam power is far less expensive than horse power for any purpose whatever.

In Scotland it has been thought advisable, and a railroad has actually been constructed on the banks of a canal, in order that this cheap motive power, steam, might be employed for towing on the canal.

There being no railroad in this country or Europe possessing the same advantages as the Philadelphia and Reading Road, it necessarily follows, that some calculation must be resorted to, in order to arrive at a correct estimate of what will be the cost of transportation on this road.

After much examination into this part of the subject, and making what we consider liberal allowances, we conclude that the cost for motive power and use of cars, cannot exceed 56 cents per ton from this place to Philadelphia.

If then the toll charged on coal should be 50 cents, and to this be added the receipts from all other kinds of merchandise, and from passengers, we believe the total receipts will so far exceed the expenditures, that the stockholders will receive a handsome remuneration for the capital invested.

But in the event of the charge for motive power and cars, being 75 cents, and 75 cents for toll, making together $1,50, our trade will then occupy a position far superior to what it now does; and such a position as will enable us to compete more fully with any other region.

In addition to this we shall also have the advantage of sending coal to market at all times in the year, and of its being but twenty-four hours, instead of four or five days, from the time it is mined, until it is in the vessels, or on the fires of the consumers in the city.

In the cheap transportation of coal to Philadelphia, we undoubtedly have a deep interest and will be greatly benefited by it. There is however another branch of business now in an incipient state, intimately connected with the coal regions, and which will in a few years be of the first importance to us, and not to us only, but to the whole country.

We have reference to smelting iron with Anthracite coal, which has been so successfully carried on for nearly three months past by Mr. Wm. Lyman, of this place. The furnace was placed under the direction of Mr. Benjamin Perry, an able and experienced iron founder from England.

To appreciate the vast advantages that will accrue to the coal regions, from the manufacture of iron with anthracite coal, needs but a very cursory examination of the subject.

The amount of coal sent from here the past season, as before stated, was in round numbers 442,000 tons, which at an average valuation of $2 25 per ton on the landings, will give $994,000 as the annual produce from our coal mines.

The permanent investment which has been made in canal, railroads, boats, cars, landings, opening mines, building houses, &c., cannot be much if any short of 10 millions of dollars, and all this is intended for the accommodation of the coal trade.

We will now see how much may be accomplished with the additional investment of only $200,000, which by allowing most liberally for each, will be sufficient to construct ten blast furnaces with their steam engines, and requisite appendages, open iron ore veins, and build such additional houses as may be necessary.

Each of these furnaces may be of such size, as to make 80 tons of pig iron per week; and by allowing 50 working weeks, we shall have 4000 tons of pig iron for each furnace per year; --which valued at $25 per ton will give $100,000 per annum as the gross produce of one furnace. The ten furnaces will consequently yield 40,000 tons, equal in value to 1 million of dollars annually. This is an amount as we have already

shown, more than equal in value to all the coal produced annually.

To generate steam for the blowing engine, heat the blast, and smelt one ton of pig iron, it is computed that from 2 to 3 tons of coal are required; consequently an additional supply of nearly 120,000 tons of coal will be wanted to produce 40,000 tons of pig iron.

If this truly important branch of business should be pursued still further, and $200,000 more be spent in suitable buildings and machinery, these 40,000 tons of pig metal, may be drawn out into 30,000 tons of har iron.

To drive the machinery and work out these 30,000 tons of bar iron, will require about 90,000 tons of coal, allowing 3 tons of coal to produce one ton of bars.

Thus it will appear that to make 30,000 tons of bar iron from the ore about 210,000 tons of coal will be consumed.

These 30,000 tons of bar iron, at an average of $75 per ton, will yield an aggregate value of $2,250,000 as the annual product.

To produce this quantity of iron, it will probably require about 120,000 tons of ore, such as has been found in our coal regions.

Here then we have estimates based upon data sufficiently attested, to convince us that they cannot deviate far from the truth. The result of which is that about 5 millions of dollars have been spent in preparations for producing coal, the annual value of which at our landings does not exceed 1 million of dollars-and near five millions more have been spent in constructing a canal and boats to carry this coal to market. And that with an additional permanent expenditure of only about $400,000, the annual product will amount to 23 millions of dollars.

This subject is of paramount importance to the country, and worthy the consideration of every patriot, if we are correct in believing that the production of domestic iron, at a cheap rate, is at this time of the first importance in rendering us independent of foreign nations.

However, before these supposed benefits can be realized, we must find in the coal regions, an abundant supply of iron ore, which can be mined at prices that will warrant the construction of furnaces.

And we will now proceed to lay before you the information we possess of some of the deposits of ore.

In a tunnel in Mine Hill, on the west branch of Mount Carbon railroad, and on land belonging to Messrs. Mann, Williams, Morris & others, there are several deposits of ore cut through. One, which they are now working, measures from 9 to 10 feet in thickness,

Commencing the measurement at the bottom rock, we first have a solid stratum of ore 12 inches thick; next there is 2 feet of slate with a few balls of ore intermixed; then 6 inches of soft coal, and next to this there is 6 feet of slate, in which is embedded ball ore amounting to nearly one third of the mass.

In Guinea Hill, and in lands of Charles Lawton, within the borough, several beds of ore have been opened, which promise to be valuable.

Deposits of ore have also been struck in lands of Mr. Mc Dermot, and of Mr. Whitney, near Port Carbon, and on lands of Messrs. Hubley, Messrs. Wetherill, Palmer & Garrigues, and Messrs. White & McDermot, up the Schuylkill valley; and in lands of Messrs. Carey, Lea & Hart, at St. Clair, and in many other places. But further explorations are necesssary to prove the extent and value of these beds of ore.

We have no doubt that all the stratified deposits of iron ore are as continuous throughout the coal region, and as regular in size and distinctive character, as the coal deposits; and we generally find a band of ore accompanying and lying near to each vein.

We will also remark that in many of the deposits of ore already opened, there has been found intermixed a portion of limestone; consequently requiring less of this stone to be added when the ore is cast into the smelting furnace.

After examining several of these deposits of iron, Mr. Perry unhesitatingly says, that there is an abundant supply of ore in this region for any number of furnaces; and that it can be mined as cheaply, as it is in England or Wales.

From the evidence contained in the works that have been published on the method and cost of mining ore and coal in those countries, we are fully satisfied that Mr. Perry is correct in his statements.

Then, is not the coal region also the proper place for manufacturing iron into many of the articles required in civilized life? More particularly the large and heavy pieces of workmanship, that consume a large quantity of fuel in their manufacture, such for instance as steam engines, locomotives, wheels, axles, anchors, axes, picks, spades, hollow-ware and many other articles.

By a careful examination of the anthracite coal regions, the General Government may perhaps find a location for the national foundry, embracing more fully than any other the desired objects.

The coal basins are about 100 miles from tide water, and connected with it by canals and railroads; and being west of the great Blue Mountain barrier, can easily be defended against foreign aggression.

In closing this report, we offer to the members of this association our sincere wishes that the new era now opening upon them, may secure a more ample reward than their perseverance has yet acquired.

Respectfully submitted,

Pottsville, January, 1840.

G. G. PALMER, President.

the works.

Seven yards south of this deposit there is another small band, immediately in connexion with which we find a deposit of ore balls and slate, from 20 to 25 feet in thickness, which the proprietors intend shortly to try the working of. There are also some other smaller deposits of ore in the

same tunnel.

In proceeding eastward in the same range of coal measures, we have at several different places seen deposits of ore, that will no doubt eventually be identified as the large deposit first mentioned.

First, to the east we find it in a tunnel cut by Mr. D. J. Ridgway, on the east hranch of Mt. Carbon railroad; then at Mr. Sillyman's tunnel on a branch of Mill Creek; then on the valley furnace lands at Hewes, Baber & Co's works on Zachariah's run; and at Porter & Whitney's works at Silver creek, and also in Messrs. Wm. Wallace & Co's. tunnel at Tuscarora. On the west branch of Schuylkill, a deposit of ore is opened, which from its position in the coal measure, is probably a continuation of the one just spoken

of.

Physicians, 2 cabinet makers, 2 lumbermen, 1 furrier, 1 gardner, I mariner, 1 joiner, 1 blacksmith, 1 post master, 1 saddler, 1 mechanic, 1 grocer, 1 yeoman, 1 agriculturist, 1 teacher, 3 with blank occupations and one with none. Of the whole number 74 were born in the State of New York; 22 in Connecticut; 13 in Massachusetts; 10 in Vermont; 3 in New Hampshire; 2 in Rhode Island; 2 in New Jersey, and 1 in Prague, Germany.