Area History: The History of Pottsville to 1906

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			THE HISTORY OF POTTSVILLE TO 1906 
					Part III

As the mines in favorable situations, above water level, became exhausted, it is necessary 
either to seek new ones at a greater distance, and at an increased cost of transportation, 
or to dive deeper into the bowels of the earth.  The latter course has been adopted in 
several valuable mines about Pottsville by Mr. Charles Lawton, Messrs. Pott and Bannan, 
Mr. Charles Kilet, the Delaware Coal Company, Milne and Haywood, and by Mr. George H. Potts, 
and others.  Mr. Lawton is now by 1842 undermining the very town of Pottsville itself.  
These mines are inclined at an inclination of about 40 degrees.  A wide shaft, or descending 
passage, is first sunk at the inclination of the vein, wide enough for a double track railroad, 
upon which the loaded coal can be hauled to the top of the mine.  The Miners' Journal wrote 
in 1849, ""The colliery of Potts and Bannan is one of the most interesting of the kind in the 
region, and will well repay the trouble and, we may add, the fatigue of a visit.  The colliery 
is better known as Guinea Hill, or Black mine, and it is one of the deepest in our coal basin.  
The depth of the slope is 400 feet, which, at an inclination of 40 degrees, would give a 
perpendiculous depth of 232 feet into the wary bowels of the earth.  The pitch of the vein, 
as soon as it leaves the influence of the hill is very regular, and the coal becomes a purer 
and better quality, and is found in greater masses between the slates. The colliery is worked 
with two steam engines, one of 50-horse power and the other of 20.  This former is used in 
pumping up the water, which accumulates in the mines, and the former is hoisting the coal in 
cans to the mouth of the slope.  The pump used in the colliery is of cast iron and from 
12 inches in diameter, and extends the depth of the slope, 400 feet.  The column of water 
brought up by the engine, at each lift of this pump is equal in weight to about 3 1/2 tons.

	At the depth of 200 feet of this slope, a tunnel had been driven 20 yards south in the 
Tunnel vein and 70 yards north in the Lawton vein, both through solid rock; which enabled the 
proprietors to work three veins, with the present engines and fixtures.  As the visitor leaves 
the slope, and finds himself lantern in hand, groping his way through the gangway into the heart 
of the mine, he is half bewildered and startled, as the indistinct masses of coal, slate, dirt, 
etc. fashion themselves into something bordering upon a dark, dusky and even forbidden outlines.  
It seems as if you have fallen upon a subterranean city buried by some convulsion of nature.  
Observing workmen busily engaged in excavating the mines still further heightens this illusion. 
Or, if you are highly imaginative, and have read the Odyssey, you might readily fancy the 
feelings of Ulysses, that "godlike and much enduring man," when he paid a visit to the infernal 
Hades, for the purpose of ascertaining the shortest and most direct route to his beloved homeland.  
Homer, however, does not inform us whether or not the occupants of Hades carried lamps in their 
caps without which the pick would be of little use to our miners."

	The railroad running down Market Street from Black Mine colliery, which was built by the 
owners of the York Farm Tract, to Railroad Street, and leased with the land of George A. Potts, 
was not built until 1838.  The railroad from the Potts and Bauman colliery on Guinea Hill 
intersected the Market Street railroad at the corner of Second Street.

	In 1836 and 1837 Abraham Pott built a railroad, which was almost a half a mile in length 
and extended from the junction of Mill Creek and the Schuylkill River to a point in Black Valley.  
Previously to that time all the coal, which went to market, was hauled in wagons to the canal.  
This pioneer railroad was made with wooden rolls, laid on wooden sills, and there were no iron 
rails on it, but it was successfully operated.  There was generally a train of 12 or 13 cars 
loaded with 1 1/2 tons of coal each drawn to the canal by one horse.

	The Pottsville B---- Mill was built in 1858 by John Burnish and Company, for manufacturing 
bar iron and small rails.  It contained three puddle and one heating furnace, giving employment 
to 40 men and making 128 tons per month.  In 1864 this mill was purchased by Atkins Brothers, 
which rebuilt it in 1865 and now in 1906 owned by Eastern Steel Company, which has rebuilt the 
plant and made it one of the leading mills in the country.  

	"The Pioneer Furnace at Pottsville was commenced in 1837 and was the first one built to 
use anthracite coal for fuel, in making iron.  It was here that the first successful blast was 
made with anthracite.  This furnace passed through many hands and was finally in 1853 purchased 
by the Atkins Brothers."

	The furnace was much improved by them immediately after its purchase, and was in 1868 
torn down and a new one erected.  Since then two more have been built with a total annual 
capacity of 28,000 tons, giving employment to 150 men, while in 1840 but 2,000 tons per annum 
were produced and only 20 men employed.  For a number of years prior to the purchase of the 
Eastern Steel Company, the furnaces were idle.  At the present time there is nothing upon the 
Island, the old furnaces having been torn down during 1865.

	In 1846,John L. Pott, employing nearly 109 men and boys, founded The Orchard Iron Works 
and some times the number would increase to 150.  The special lines of work of this establishment 
were making machinery for the manufacture of iron and from it such machinery had been sent to 
many parts of the county.  Shortly before it closed down, Mr. Vastine operated it. A few years 
ago the buildings on the west side of Coal Street, corner of Washington, were destroyed by fire.

	Besides these establishments may be mentioned the following names: Washington Iron Works, 
Fessenny & Sons Iron Works, now the site of the lower shops of the P&R C&I Company, Joseph Derr's 
Stove Foundry, now the site of the Pennsylvania Depot, Simon Derr's Stove Foundry, still in 
existence under a new firm name.

	The Pottsville Water Company was christened April 11, 1834, and commenced supplying water 
in 1835.  Since that date they have gradually increased the storage supply.

	The Pottsville Gas Company was organized in 1840, and erected the works the same year.  
The works were rebuilt and enlarged in 1856, and were again enlarged in 1874.  On Thursday night 
March 8th, 1888 the purifying house was built.

	Lee, Bright & Company had established another Iron Works in 1855.  It became the property 
of Benjamin Haywood & Company and Mr. Haywood became the sole proprietor.  When first erected, 
Palo Alto Iron Works could boast but one heating furnace and three single puddling furnaces.  
And at the same time that Mr. Haywood closed the mills they had a capacity of ten heating furnaces 
and 9 single puddling furnaces.  To run both mills when full operation required 500 men and boys.

	In 1835 Haywood and Snyder erected the steam engine works called the "Colliery Iron Works" 
to which they added a foundry in 1836.  Mr. Haywood withdrew from the firm in 1860, and 
George W. Snyder from that time until taken over by the P& R C&I, ran the business.  
"So early as 1799 coal made business to abound in this county, but the coal had a different 
quality than of bituminous coal.  It was denounced as useless at first until 1795 when a blacksmith 
named Whe----- started to use it in his smithery. His success induced several to dig for coal and 
when found, to attempt the burning of it, but the difficulty was so great that it did not succeed."

	About the year 1800, a Mr. William Morris owned a large tract of land in the neighborhood 
of Port Carbon, produced a large quantity of coal, and took it to Philadelphia, but he was unable 
to successfully sell it.  He abandoned all of his plans and sold his lands to Mr. Pott, the late 
proprietor. From that time to about the year 1806, no further efforts to use it were made.  About 
that time in outfitting the tailrace for the Valley Forge, on the Schuylkill, they struck on a 
vein of coal which induced David -----, a blacksmith in the neighborhood, to make a trial of it. 
His success was complete and from that period it has been partially used.

	In the year 1812, Col. George Shoemaker, procured a large quantity of coal from a shaft on 
the tract he recently purchased on the Norwegian and owned by the North American Coal Company and 
known as the Centreville Mines.  With this he loaded nine wagons and proceeded to Philadelphia.  
Much time was spent in endeavoring to introduce it but all of his efforts were unsuccessful.  
Those who tried it, declared Shoemaker an imposter for attempting to impose stones on them for 
coal, and were they were clambering against him.  Now discouraged by the sneers and sarcasms 
cast upon him, he persisted in disposing of two loads, for the cost of transportation.  The 
remaining seven he gave to persons who promised to try and use it.  Messrs. Mellon and Bishop 
were persuaded to use it at their rolling mill in Delaware County.  They found it as useful as 
described by Shoemaker, they published their findings in the Philadelphia papers.  From that 
period onwards we may date the triumph of reason aided by perseverance over prejudice."

	At this period the mountains were but partially explored and the scant but hardy population 
of the county depended in a large measure on hunting for their immediate wants, and on lumber 
for supplying those articles of foreign product that were required for their comforts and 
necessities.  The lumber procured during the winter was formed into rafts and sent down when 
the spring fresh rains made the river navigable.  By this uncertain and at all times precarious 
mode of conveyance, the product of this county was conveyed to market until the canal was completed 
in 1825.

	In the year 1814, a few of the most enterprising of the citizens projected a canal from 
Philadelphia, to this place, under the impression that the lumber of Schuylkill county, and the 
grain off the counties bordering on the Susquehanna would find a market and ultimately afford a 
dividend to the shareholders.  At that period there were few who looked forward to a time when 
the coal from this county would be the principal article of export, and would become an article 
of general use, but the number was small and a vast majority looked on the formation of the canal 
through this wild and mountainous region as a chimerical scheme more fitted for speculators in a 
stock market than from any benefit that might result to the stockholders or the public." 

	In the year 1813 several small openings were made in different parts of the county, by 
sinking shafts; and the coal taken out was vended to smiths and others in the neighborhood, at 
25 cents per bushel, or $3.50 per ton, at the pit's mouth.  These shafts were sunk but a few feet 
in the crop of the vein and the coal raised by means of a common windlass and brickets; and, so 
soon as they attained a depth where the water became troublesome (which seldom exceeded 30 feet) 
the shaft was abandoned and another sunk, and the same process undergone."

	In the year 1820 an improvement was made in the mode of working by substituting horse power 
by the gin, for the windlass heretofore used; by which they are enable to clear the water from the 
shafts with greater facility and to sink further on the vein.  But with this great improvement 
they were only enabled to run down the vein for a short distance, and the coal, in point of 
comparison was inferior, as experience has since taught that the crop is not equal to the coal 
that is taken out lower and when the roof and floor have attained the regularity and hardness as 
necessary to ensure good coal."

	As far aback as 1814, drifts had been run on the heads of veins in several places, and the 
coal brought from these in wheelbarrows; but it was not until 1827 that the railroad was introduced 
into the drifts.  From that period to the present, drifts have been the universal work.  
Improvements have been made since then and it is believed they have attained a degree of 
perfection which has so long been desired, and such as it enables the miner to work on the 
best and cheapest plan.

	The Schuylkill Navigation Company was incorporated without mining and trading principals, 
and hence it was, and of consequence, must continue to be in their interest to invite tonnage 
from every quarter, and from every source.  This valuable improvement, 108 miles in length was 
commenced in 1815, and completed at a great expense.  Tolls were first taken in 1816, amounting to 
$233. From that time until 1825, it does not appear from the annual reports of the company that 
ay amount was kept of the tolls on the tonnage, but that the whole amount for the year 1824 was 
$625.  The next year 1825, at which time records were kept on the coal trade, the tolls increased 
to $15, 775. and of this sum, $5,700., was received from coal.  Having a free navigation, open to 
all who chose to participate in its facilities and entering the first coalfield at its center, 
individuals of capital and enterprise were attracted to the scene, and railroads constructed, 
diverging in all directions to the mines.  Laborers and mechanics, of all kinds and from all 
nations, thronged to the place and found ready and constant employment.  A new era seemed to 
have dawned in the mountains.  The wilderness was subdued.  The coal basin seemed to be literally 
reaming over with active and resolute adventurers; a rapidly growing population became established; 
the wild animal was driven back to give place to host the miners, who now pierce its thousand hills.  
Houses, many of which are costly and splendid, and towns, the principal of which is Pottsville, 
sprang up in various places in the area.  Coal lands, the basis of all this promising superstructure 
grew rapidly in value.

	Capital was thus introduced and important public improvements made.  The country has 
grown and flourished beyond example.  The farmer shared alike the general prosperity in the new, 
convenient and cordial market for all his produce.  In the midst of this hum of industry, this 
tide of prosperity and flow of capital, it was not to have been expected that a spirit of speculation 
should have remained entirely dormant, or all who purchased lands did so with the bona fide intention 
of either occupying them themselves, by actual resident settlement, or of realizing their expenditures 
from the product of the mines." 

The above article on coal is an extract from the report made by Samuel J. Packer, Esq., to the 
State Senate in 1834.

The information contained in the above article was obtained from various sources by CHARLES G. REED