1 

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JOHN N. HOFFMAN Girard Estate 

[aalLands 

In Pennsyluania 

1801-1884 SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION 

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V*-r*f5E 
INTERNATIONAL BOOK YEAR • 1972 

SERIA L PUBLICATION S O F TH E SMITHSONIA N INSTITUTIO N 

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S. DILLON RIPLEY 

Secretary 

Smithsonian Institution 
Girard Estate Coal lands In Pennsuluania, 1801-1884 
irard Estate Coal Lands 

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SMITHSONIAN STUDIES IN HISTORY AND TECHNOLOGY / NUMBER15 

ennsvlu 

JOHN M HOFFMAN 

4 

SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION PRESS CITY OF WASHINGTON 1972 
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data 

Hoffman, John Nathan. 

Girard estate coal lands in Pennsylvania, 1801-1884. 

(Smithsonian studies in history and technology, no. 15) 

1. Mines and mineral resources—Pennsylvanian—History. 

2. Coal mines and mining—Pennsylvania—History. 

3. Girard, Stephen, 1750-1831. I. Title. II. Series: 

Smithsonian Institution. Smithsonian studies in history 

and technology, no. 15. 

TN24.P4H64 333.8'2 72-2909 
PAGE 

Stephen Girard, 1750-1831 3 

Land Policy in Pennsylvania, 1681-1794 4 

Girard's Purchase of the Coal Lands 9 

The Girard Will 1 5 

Girard Estate Coal Leases, 1862-1884 19 

Breaker Boys 42 

Summary 47 

Notes 48 

Appendixes 

1. Tables 52 

2. Development of Rail Connections 

Serving the Girard Estate 62 

The Danville and Pottsville 

Railroad, 1826-1840 62 

The Mahanoy and Broad 

Mountain Railroad 68 

The Lehigh Valley Railroad 68 

Michel Chevalier's Report on 

the Railroad from Pottsville 

to Sunbury, 1841 69 

3. Form of First Lease Negotiated by 

the Girard Estate, 1862 77 

4. Old Warrants and Interferences 

with New Warrants of Girard 

Estate Lands 81 

Index 85 
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p(NKiYl ' AN,A 

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FIGURE 1.-Giiarch illc, 1889. (Courtesy of the Historical Society of Schuylkill County.) 
THIS MONOGRAPH traces the historical development and consolidation of 

tracts of land on the frontier of Pennsylvania in the late eighteenth century. The 

tracts under discussion were a part of a land grant given to William Penn by 

King Charles II in 1681, and the proprietorship remained in the Penn family 

until 1775. 

Early land promoters such as Robert Morris and John Nicholson, plagued by 

financial problems, lack of inhabitants, and the reluctance of investors to participate in the development of their land schemes, eventually lost control and ownership of the large tracts which they had obtained. 

The material presented in this study entails one such land venture which, in 

later years, became known as the Girard Estate, having been purchased by 

Stephen Girard in 1830. Literally a financial tycoon of the period, Girard is 

reputed to have been worth some seven-and-a-half million dollars at the time of 

his death. 

To better understand the problems associated with the oumership of land in 

Pennsylvania during the colonial period, a short resume of land rules and regulations during this time is presented as an introduction to this study. 

THE AUTHOR.—John N. Hoffman is associate curator in the Division of Agriculture and Mining in the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of History 

and Technology. 
FIGURE 2.—Stephen Girard, 1750-1831. (Photography courtesy of the Historical Society of Schuylkill County.) 
Stephen Girard, 

1750-1831 

Stephen Girard, mariner, merchant, and philanthropist, was born on May 20, 1750, in a suburb of 

the city of Bordeaux, France. He was the eldest son 

and the second child of Captain Pierre Girard, a 

merchantman and a naval hero who was decorated 

by Louis XV in 1744 for heroic action against the 

British in the harbor at Brest. Stephen's mother, 

Ann Odette Lafargue, died in 1762. Because his 

father was at sea, the responsibility of taking care 

of his brothers and sisters fell to Stephen, then but 

twelve years of age. 

Later, Stephen's thoughts turned to the sea, not 

only as a family tradition, but also to avoid his 

father's strict discipline when his father was at 

home. He obtained his father's permission to take 

to the sea and in 1764, at the age of fourteen, he 

sailed on the vessel Pelerin for San Domingo. 

Stephen enjoyed the life of the sea and made many 

voyages between Bordeaux and the West Indies. By 

the year 1772 he had attained the rank of lieutenant. In March 1773, Stephen took command of 

a ship leaving Port au Prince for a crossing to 

Bordeaux, where he arrived in May 1773. In October 1773, Stephen was granted his formal license as 

a Ship's Captain. 

Unable to obtain a captain's berth, Stephen 

signed on as a mate aboard the Julie on a voyage 

to San Domingo. This trip provided him with the 

opportunity to enter the business world. He purchased goods on credit from Bordeaux merchants 

which he planned to dispose of in the West Indies. 

He reached the West Indies in February 1774 

and, as his goods proved difficult to sell, he was 

soon out of funds. The lack of money combined 

with his long list of creditors in Bordeaux forced 

him to return to sea, at least for the time being, to 

earn the money he so desperately needed. 

Girard signed on as first mate on the L'aimable 

Louise, a ship bound for New York. In July 1774, 

he arrived in New York, and immediately began 

to sell the supplies of coffee and sugar which he 

had obtained in the West Indies. Stephen's business ability attracted the attention of Thomas 

Randall of New York, a commission merchant and 

shipowner. For the next two years, Girard sailed for 

Randall on his ships which plied between New 

York and New Orleans. Not only was he a valuable 

navigator, but he developed quite a business by 

trading the merchandise he carried on each trip, 

which had been consigned directly to him. 

Girard was returning to New York with a cargo 

of merchandise when he received word that the 

British were blockading the port. His ship contained no arms or powder for the American revolutionaries, but he decided against confronting the 

British and sailed up the Delaware River landing 

in Philadelphia in July 1776. As the Revolutionary 

War had greatly curtailed shipping activity, he 

decided to open a small store in Philadelphia and 

become a commission merchant. From the opening 

of this small business, Girard could no longer be 

classed as a mariner, though he still continued to 

be active in the shipping business. 

On June 7, 1777, Girard was married to Mary 

Lum, the daughter of a shipbuilder, by the Reverend Mr. Stringer of St. Paul's Episcopal Church 

in Philadelphia. After many years under a doctor's 

care, Mrs. Girard became a patient at the Pennsylvania Hospital in Philadelphia where she remained 

until her death on September 13, 1815. 

Girard continued his business activities during 

the period of his wife's illness, and his financial 

fortunes continued to grow. Perhaps because of 

her illness, the fact that they had no children, and 

his brusque and reserved personality, he concentrated on business affairs for which he had great 

talent. Nevertheless, he took a tremendous interest 

in his fellowman; this fact has been well described 

in the Biography of Stephen Girard written by 

Stephen Simpson in 1832. Such interest is fully 

substantiated by the generous provisions of his 

will, not only for his relatives but for many 

charitable institutions. 
Land Policy in Pennsylvania. 1681-1794 

In the course of the investigations of the development of the Girard Estate lands, it became apparent that a view of the procedures of acquiring 

land in Pennsylvania during the colonial period 

would be desirable. Grants of lands and confirmation of titles to these lands were matters under the 

personal control of either the proprietors, their 

representatives, or both. These officials disposed of 

their territory according to their own will and 

pleasure. This was purported to be handled by 

formal methods. According to the circumstances, 

however, it was frequently done by informal 

methods and agreements—the selection of new 

officers, with probably the most important consideration being that of the special influences of those 

persons requesting ownership of land. 

William Penn obtained his charter, dated March 

4, 1681, from King Charles II.1 Before Penn's arrival in the new province in the fall of 1683, he 

sold to certain persons in England, called hereafter 

"first purchasers," a considerable quantity of land 

in the province and in return he received money 

for these land agreements.2 Penn's grants were consummated by "deeds of lease and release" for land 

in the province without specifying location or 

limits. 

A list of "first purchasers" and a warrant, signed 

and sealed by William Penn to his surveyor general 

to survey the land specified for each on the list, 

has often been presented as evidence in later legal 

entanglements. The quantity of land involved in 

this list exceeded 300,000 acres.3 

Penn's province, by calculation of the area within 

the charter boundaries, contained in excess of 35 

million acres. The final adjustment of these 

boundaries with the adjoining states of Maryland, 

New York, and Virginia took place years later, as 

did the ownership of the Delaware River—including its lands—by a compromise with the state of 

New Jersey.4 

Some of the territory included in Penn's charter 

contained Indian land, and land previously possessed by the Dutch, English, and Swedes along 

the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. These portions 

were naturally excluded in the charter and Penn 

immediately started negotiations with the respective owners to obtain them. Purchases of land from 

the Indians by Penn and his heirs began in July 

15, 1682, and continued periodically until 1768.5 

After obtaining these lands from the Indians, 

Penn's problem was to establish a system whereby 

these lands could be further distributed to settlers. 

Two courses of action were available for him to 

follow. One procedure was to have the lands surveyed as they were sold. The other procedure was 

to have his lands surveyed as soon after their purchase as practical and have them separated into 

appropriate subdivisions. Penn chose the former 

procedure and numerous title disputes followed for 

years. Penn was frequently criticized for not initiating the latter procedure. Having no experience to 

guide him, however, it was natural for him to 

continue to follow the system that existed in his 

province as well as in the neighboring settlements. 

In reading the form of the warrant used by 

officials of the colony, it appears that Penn's original design was to have his land surveyed and laid 

out in townships and any future surveys made 

should be consummated within these established 

boundaries. This plan is evident in the early 

warrants, which included the statement that the 

surveys should be carried out "according to the 

method of townships appointed."

 6 

William Penn came to the colony late in 1682 

and remained until August 1684 when he departed 

for England. His self-appointed commissioners of 

property administered his holdings during his 

absence and were empowered to purchase and to 

sell his lands according to whatever means seemed 

reasonable at the time. The commissioners of the 
NUMBER 15 

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The Commonwealth of Pennfylvania, fs. 

HottPrintedby«M»H TT7HEREA S I'tOf/d"* g/fS/tys/* ^ _ 

0 County of — 

of the 

hath requefted to take up .'/f s/s"- fVt'r'S£S//fSr' Acres of Land 

a W. & R. Dickfon. TS , > v ey/f^Y { /rf/t eTe~6cf//'St6, ^Cyrr/f %A>ff/V/f /f/eYS/a/ cY/e's'/ 

in the County of A/-, '/<e/ —(Provided the Land is not frithin the laft Purchafe made 

£L To 

of the Indians) for which he agrees to pay, immediately, into the Office of the'Receiver-general, for the Ufe 

of this State, at the Rate of Ten Pounds per hundred Acres, in Gold, Silver, Paper-money of this State, or 

Certificates; agreeably to.an Act of Affembly, pafled the firft day of April, 1784. Intereft to commence from 

the fetfer sft?/Yttp— — - Theft are, therefore, to authorife and require you to furvey, or caufe to be 

furveyed, unto the faid ('eftf it's* \£s?s*/&fS* at the Place aforefaid, according to the 

method of Townihips appointed, the faid quantity of Acres, if not already furveyed or appropriated ; and to make 

Return thereof into the Secretary's Office, in order for Confirmation ; for which this fhall be your Warrant. 

/ J* sS" e ' (~>> ' & / ' IN WITNESS whereof,/vi/ ( K-efffe /ft'f/ 9? /// ^ S, 'Stf/feZe SC ( etc „ 

PRESIDENT of the Supreme Executive Council^ hatn hereunto fet his Hind, and caufed the Lefs Seal 

of the faid Commonwealth to be affixed, the /// s^ss's/ day of f <,• 'r-/^ s' 

in the Year 17 frj f , , 

Surveyor-general. 

Efquire, 

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FIGURE 3.—Land warrant for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, 1785. 

province at this time were: Thomas Lloyd, president; William Markham, secretary; Thomas 

Holmes, surveyor general; and Thomas Lloyd, 

James Claypoole, and Robert Turner, commissioners of the land office.7 

The warrant was a formal document from the 

commissioners which was issued by the secretary 

of the land office, under his seal, that directed the 

surveyor general to make a survey according to 

certain specified terms stated therein. 

When warrant applications were taken out, the 

warrantee usually paid the purchase price stipulated 

by law. There are many instances, however, where 

this practice was omitted and warrants were issued 

"by special order" of Penn's commissioners.8 

William Penn died in 1718. By his will, the 

governmental aspects of the colony of Pennsylvania 

were to be administered by his friends, while his 

lands and rents were bequeathed to his wife, Hannah. Penn's will, dated in 1712, was contested by 

his heirs over the division of his estate into real 

or personal property and the complication that 

before his death he had agreed to sell the province 

of Pennsylvania to the Crown for £12,000. The 

suit continued lor some nine years when an agreement was effected between the heirs and the government. The province was placed in the control of 

John, Thomas, and Richard Penn, the surviving 

sons of his second wife, Hannah.9 

In 1732 after the dispute of the will had been 

resolved and the mortgage debt settled, Thomas 

Penn (acting for himself and his two brothers) 

arrived in Pennsylvania and took possession of the 

holdings of land and the operation of the provincial 
SMITHSONIAN STUDIES IN HISTORY AND TECHNOLOGY 

government. The province had been without an 

acknowledged proprietor and the affairs of the 

province had been handled by commissioners who 

lacked the vigor, influence, and efficiency of an 

active owner. There had been no land sales during 

1718-1732, and Thomas Penn proceeded to adopt 

measures that would increase land sales and also 

induce settlers to purchase the land they occupied. 

Additional lands were purchased from the Indians 

in 1732, and in the same year a lottery scheme was 

devised and announced for the sale of 100,000 

acres.10 

No record has been found that all of the lottery 

tickets were sold or that a lottery was held; however, many years later these tickets were used as 

primary titles for land. Some surveys were made, 

and, as late as 1770, warrants were issued, on special 

terms, for the 100,000 acres which had been reserved for the lottery. 

During the interval between the lottery and 

1765, history records no new plan either having 

been proposed or adopted by the commissioners 

for the disposition of their lands. 

A significant change in the procedures for granting and obtaining lands emerged during 1765, 

when a new system called the "Application System" 

was introduced.11 The measures thus adopted highlight an important era of land titles in the province, and the influence of this procedure existed 

for many years. 

The proprietaries, who were the commissioners, 

issued an advertisement, dated June 15, 1765, 

which prescribed the method that should be observed in the future for the granting of land within 

the province.12 

The new system was simple, and the language 

was easily understood. The people could obtain 

lands when ascertained by survey, before paying 

any money or customary office fees, take out a 

patent, and could have twelve months of credit to 

settle their financial obligations. 

Under the Penn regime, instructions were also 

issued during 1765 to the deputy surveyors as to 

the exact procedures to be followed in the performance of their duties. These instructions were very 

detailed and have often been referred to in subsequent court disputes over land titles and ownership. The deputy surveyors were required to post 

a bond and make a report of every warrant to the 

surveyor-general's office in Philadelphia. Each survey that was returned also had to have a name for 

each tract in addition to a complete description of 

its location.13 

The last purchase consummated by the proprietaries was made from the Indians in 1768 at Fort 

Stanwix (Rome, New York) .

14

 The lands, located 

in the northern and middle parts of the province, 

extended beyond the Allegheny Mountains to the 

western boundary. This area was to be opened to 

purchasers in 1769 under the "Application System." 

The secretary of the land office announced in 

February 1769 that applications would be received 

for this land commencing April 3. Before the date 

arrived, however, it appeared that a great number 

of persons would apply and if the priority system, 

as established by the law of 1765 was followed, 

many applicants would contest the seniority of 

applications. To eliminate this condition, the land 

office placed all the applications in a trunk and 

then assigned them a priority number as they were 

withdrawn. In the land office reports issued for the 

process, they were called "lottery application or 

location of the year 1769," each having been given 

a number.15 

Two exceptions were made before the lottery was 

applied. The first reserved acreage for inhabitants 

on the lands, and the other reserved acreage for 

officers of the provincial regiments who had served 

during the Indian campaigns. As a result, 104,000 

acres were surveyed, removed from the lottery, and 

reserved for the officers of the provincial regiments.16

 Many other individuals were also granted 

large special grants in payment for their services 

during the wars. 

The land office opened for business in 1769, but 

shortly thereafter the great struggle between the 

colonies and England started and Pennsylvania 

became a battleground. Purchases of land became 

of minor importance to the settlers, as it was uncertain at the time who might be the eventual 

winner of the struggle. 

After four years of war with England, it became 

apparent that the contest would end with a victory 

for the colonists and the independence of the 

United States. The young government also understood that individual ownership of large domains 

of land, such as was the position of the Penn 

family, was incompatible with the principles as 

declared in the Declaration of Independence. After 

due consideration, the Pennsylvania legislature on 
NUMBER 15 

November 27, 1779, passed a law to correct these 

inequalities. The law is referred to as the "Divesting Act of 1779," whereby the Commonwealth took 

ownership of the majority of the Penn family's 

landholdings and promised to pay the Penn heirs 

the sum of £ 130,000 sterling after the war ceased.17 

Exempted from the act were private estates, manors, 

and quitrents that were reserved for the proprietaries. 

The land office was closed from the passage of 

the "Divesting Act in 1779" until 1781. The legislature on April 9, 1781, established the land office 

and outlined procedures whereby holders of existing rights could pursue their rights to obtain 

patents.18 The selling of any then-vacant land was 

deferred for later legislative action. 

The legislature attempted to preserve the ancient 

land-patenting procedures and also the use of 

standard forms which were familar to all and upon 

which their existing titles were intricately connected. 

The three officers that made up the staff of the 

land office were administrative officers given certain 

powers under the Divesting Act to perform specific 

functions.19 It was soon recognized that the establishment of a legal tribunal was necessary to rule 

on existing controversies and also to settle any new 

ones. On April 5, 1782, the legislature established 

this tribunal with limiting powers.20 Its decisions 

were not to be binding, but its function was to 

guide the land office in the performance of its 

duties and bring the disputes to a proper stage of 

development. Subsequent laws extended and confirmed its power. 

The legislature authorized the sale of vacant 

land in the Commonwealth by an act passed April 

1, 1784. The date specified for the opening of the 

land office was July 1 and the purchase price for 

every hundred acres was set at £10. The quantity 

of land that one person could obtain was raised 

from 100 to 400 acres. There were the usual additional fees required for surveying and recording 

which were not included in the land price. The 

specified duties as given in the act of 1784 included 

the statement pertaining to procedures to be followed by land office personnel which alluded to 

the receiving, filing and entering locations, granting 

warrants, and issuing patents "as heretofore, agreeable to the former customs and usages of the land 

offices."21 

By the passage of this 1784 act and the act of 

1781, the entire land system of the Commonwealth 

became identified with that system that had existed 

in Pennsylvania from its settlement. Modifications 

would naturally be introduced from time to time, 

but its inclusive and extensive guidelines have 

been essentially preserved and continued. 

The residue of Indian lands within the chartered 

boundaries of the Commonwealth were purchased 

from the Iroquois at Fort Stanwix on October 23, 

1784. This purchase was confirmed by the Delaware 

and Wyandot Indians at Fort Mcintosh (Beaver, 

Pennsylvania) by their deed executed on January 

23, 1785.22 

Another act of December 21, 1784, directed that 

the land office should be opened for the sale of 

these Indian lands (except donation and depreciation land) on May 1, 1785, at the rate of 

£30 per hundred acres.23 A limit of 1,000 acres 

was allowed for each applicant and each piece of 

land was to be located and surveyed in one tract 

or parcel. Before a warrant was issued, every applicant was required to submit to the secretary of 

the land office a receipt showing the purchase 

money had been paid. 

A new policy for these lands was enacted by a 

legislative act passed on April 8, 1785.24 The new 

regulation resembled in some ways, the earlier 

proposed lottery of 1769 and the instructions issued 

in 1765 to the Commonwealth deputy surveyors. 

This act further specified that beginning on May 1 

and extending for ten days the secretary of the 

land office would receive applications for these lands 

after proof of payment from the receiver-general's 

office was furnished. Every application would include the number of acres requested, in words and 

figures, and be numbered consecutively by the 

secretary of the land office. A lottery would then be 

conducted to determine the sequence of processing 

the applicants. Those requests made after the tenday limit were to be processed in the order in 

which they were received. 

The legislature made several changes in the 

practices of selling land during the next seven 

years, with the major changes appearing in an act 

which was passed on April 3, 1792. The price of 

the land purchased in 1768 and the preceeding 

years was reduced to two and one-half pounds per 

hundred acres; and the price of the land purchased 

in 1784 was reduced to £ 5 per hundred acres. The 
8 

maximum acreage of land that one person could 

make application for was reduced to 400 acres.25 

The surveyor general was directed to divide the 

lands for sale into districts and appoint a deputy 

surveyor for each district. The deputy was to survey 

warrants according to their priority and perform 

his work only in his assigned district. 

On April 22, 1794, the legislature suspended the 

further sale of land.2fi In addition, the 1792 act had 

prohibited the issuance of warrants after June 15, 

1794, for lands in the northwest areas of the Commonwealth except in cases where actual settlements 

SMITHSONIAN STUDIES IN HISTORY AND TECHNOLOGY 

and improvements had been accomplished. By the 

same date, all applications on file for land on 

which the purchase money had not been paid were 

voided. 

A supplementary act of September 22, 1794, prohibited receiving application for any lands in the 

Commonwealth except in those areas where a 

settlement had been made, residency established, 

and grain raised.27 Many warrants were issued immediately after the passage of this act, but were 

unsettled for several years due to the war between 

the United States and the Indian nations which 

continued until December 22, 1795. 
Girard's Purchase of the 

Coal Lands 

In the early days of its history, the Commonwealth 

of Pennsylvania was not divided into as many 

counties as are found on present-day maps. For 

example, Northumberland County was established 

in 1772 and included all the coal districts of the 

Mahanoy and Shenandoah valleys, in addition to 

the area now contained in its present boundaries. 

Schuylkill County was created by a legislative act 

passed on March 18, 1811,28 and included land 

that was originally Chester (1682), then Lancaster 

(1729), and then Berks (1752), from which it was 

previously taken. Th e townships in Schuylkill 

County were Brunswick, Manheim, Upper and 

Lower Mahantongo, Norwegian, Pine Grove, and 

Schuylkill, all taken from Berks County; and Rush 

and West Penn from Northampton County. 

T h e first mention of these tracts, known as the 

Girard Estate, is found in the records for the year 

1830 of the Recorder of Deeds for Schuylkill 

County in Pottsville, Pennsylvania.20 A summary 

of the previous deed transactions also can be found 

in the Loeser manuscript collection in the Historical Society of Schuylkill County, Pottsville, 

Pennsylvania.30 

These tracts of lands had been deeded on July 

8, 1795, by Robert Morris and his wife, Mary, to 

John Nicholson, his heirs, and assignees. This 

transfer action, listing the 68 individual tracts, and 

April 18, 1797, in the Northumberland County 

containing 27,47ly2 acres, were duly recorded on 

Court House in Sunbury, Pennsylvania.31 These 

same tracts had been mortgaged by Robert Morris 

and John Nicholson to the president, directors, and 

company of the First Bank of the United States on 

March 18, 1797. This mortgage transaction also 

was recorded at Sunbury on April 18, 1797.32 

T h e 68 properties included in these transactions 

are shown in Tables 1 and 2 on pages 52 and 53. 

T h e information given in these tables includes the 

name of the warrantee, the number of acres in each 

tract, the name assigned to the tracts, the date the 

warrant was issued, the date the survey was made, 

and the date of patenting by Robert Morris. 

Mahanoy township, Northumberland (now ColumFive additional tracts of land situated in 

bia), were later included in the final transfer 

effected by the Bank of the United States; however, 

later, they were found not to be a part of this 

transaction. These five tracts had been obtained by 

Robert Morris from Cunning Bedford on July 20, 

1793, and recorded in the courthouse on April 18, 

1797.33 These lands contained 2,023i4 acres. These 

two land parcels totaled 73 individual tracts and 

contained 29,494% acres. 

T h e president, directors, and company of the 

Bank of the United States filed a record of judgement against John Nicholson and Robert Morris in 

the April 1800 session of Northumberland County 

Court. This foreclosure action was deemed necessary by the Bank as it had been disclosed that their 

partnership was in financial difficulties and on the 

verge of collapse. Proceedings were continued in 

the August 1800 session, and the court's decision 

was against Morris and Nicholson. Th e court action 

involved the 68 tracts which Morris and Nicholson 

had mortgaged in 1797. 

On January 30, 1801, Henry Vanderslice, the 

sheriff of Northumberland County, transferred 67 

tracts of the original group of 68 to the president, 

directors, and company of the Bank of the United 

States. These tracts were situated in Catawissa, 

Mahanoy, and Shenandoah valleys. Th e sheriff's 

action was duly acknowledge in open court on the 

same day that the transfer took place.34 Th e one 

deed omitted from the transfer was the Robert 

Irwin Tract "Bern." Th e location was in error, for 

it was situated in Luzerne County. 

T h e directors of the Bank of the United States 

on March 2, 1811, transferred the 67 tracts to 

Thoma s Willing, John Perot, and James S. Cox, 

as individuals not as officers of the Bank. This 

transaction was recorded in Philadelphia on April 
10 SMITHSONIAN STUDIES IN HISTORY AND TECHNOLOGY 

^ 

\ 

I 

FIGURE 4.—Sketch showing tracts belonging to Peter Swartz from the engineer's survey made 

in 1830. 

29, 1811, and included all the real estate holdings 

of the Bank in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.35 

On the same date, the last three named individuals conveyed by deed the same lands in their 

trust, to Robert Smith and twelve others—trustees 

of the bank.36 This procedure was followed because 

at this time the Bank had been placed in the hands 

of trustees, the reason being that the Congress of 

the United States had refused to extend the charter 

of the bank. 

The deed provided that Smith and the other 

trustees, their heirs and assigns, with the majority 

consent should hold the lands until they could 

be disposed of to settle the accounts of the Bank. 

At the proper time, the lands could be sold either 

in bulk or in individual tracts at public or private 

sale at the convenience of both the buyer and 

seller. 

When Congress failed to extend the Bank's 

charter, Girard being the largest American stockholder, decided to enter the banking business and 

establish his own bank. He purchased the real 

estate of the demised Bank, hired its employees, 

and received as deposits all the funds and accounts 

from the closed institution. He entered the banking business on May 12, 1812. 

Girard had previously been appointed to act as 

receiver for the First Bank to make final distribution of its assets. He diligently cleared up the old 
NUMBER 15 11 

FIGURE 5.—Sketch showing the tracts belonging to David Haines, Joseph Evans, George Derr, and 

George Moore from the engineers' survey made in 1830. 

business of the Bank, but in the early part of 1830, 

while completing arrangements for the distribution 

of its assets, a bundle of deeds—part of the First 

Bank's assets—was delivered to him by one of the 

trustees of the First Bank. 

His investigation as to the reason for the long 

delay in revealing the existence of these lands as 

belonging to the First Bank probably showed that 

coal had been discovered in the Pottsville region, 

mines had been opened, and that coal had been 

transported on the Schuylkill Canal since 1825. It 

would also seem possible that land speculators 

knowing of the coal discoveries had possibly influenced the trustees—or at least the trustee knowing of the existence of these deeds—to withhold any 

action on these tracts until the last possible moment. Undoubtedly, this information convinced 

Girard that these lands were valuable, and he decided that his business interests would be better 

served if he acquired them. 

The trustees had held the tracts for 19 years, and 

shortly after the deeds were turned over to the 

receiver, Girard, an advertisement appeared in the 

Philadelphia newspaper that these tracts of land 

deeded to them by the First Bank would be sold 

at public auction at the Merchant's Coffee House 

on April 17, 1830.37 The auction was held as scheduled and Stephen Girard, being the highest bidder, 

purchased the 67 tracts for $30,000. 

As reported in the local paper after the sale, the 

attendance at the Coffee House for the auction was 

quite large, but with the exception of Girard, no 
12 SMITHSONIAN STUDIES IN HISTORY AND TECHNOLOGY 

ar*«*W^" 

FIGURE 6.—Map of the lands purchased by Stephen Girard and surveyed in June, July, and 

August 1830. 

one seemed to appreciate the value of the property 

being sold or perhaps no one felt financially able 

to buy and hold the purchase.38 These comments 

appear to be strictly newspaper speculation, for 

with Mr. Girard's business experience, it would 

seem quite natural that he would have taken advantage of his position in the Bank's business and 

made certain that nothing interfered with his plans 

to purchase the lands. 

The deed issued to Girard by the trustees of the 

late First Bank on April 30, 1830, lists the 67 tracts 

of land by name (see Table 1) and also the five 

tracts of land situated in Mahoning Township 

called: Clear Springs (434% acres) ; Six Springs 

(3885/8 acres); Mill Seat (401 acres) ; Three 

Springs (S87y8 acres) ; and Pleasant Valley (411% 

acres). These five tracts later proved not to be a 

part of the Estate. 

The deed to Girard was recorded in both 

Schuylkill County and Columbia County on May 

10, 1830. The recording in Columbia County was 

necessary as the five separate tracts by that time 

were a part of that county.39 

After Girard had completed his purchase, he 

engaged a team of engineers, (John Thompson, 

Enoch Lewis, Thomas Baird, and Charles Lyon 

Schlatter), to study these lands and to report the 

general character of the land complete with the 

number of acres involved, water available, topography, and mineral content of each individual 

tract. 

The engineers surveyed the lands during June, 

July, and August 1830 and submitted their final 

report to Girard on September 3, 1830.40 With but 

very little variation, the information contained in 

the report to Girard has, in later years, proven to 

be very accurate. 

As an example of their thoroughness in making 

the survey and locating the various tracts, the 

following verbatim reports for five tracts are given: 

Tract No. 64 (416y4 acres). This tract is nearly all mountain 

land. Partly rough and stony, and partly smooth table land. 

Two narrow valleys pass through it in a western direction. 

The timber on the high ground every where thin, consisting 

chiefly of Pine and Chesnut. On the low ground white oak 

prevails. On Mahonoy Creek the coal appears to abound. 

Tract No. 4 (410 acres and 93 perches). This tract is rough 

and mountainous, the soil chiefly red shell, but very little if 

any of it susceptible of cultivation. In general, the land is 

lightly timbered though in places small White Oak, Black 
NUMBER 15 13 

GIBABD LANDS 

! ' 

I 

1 

/ 

:

 L i 

*"*"• • 

Ht 

•• 

FIGURE 7.—Map of Girard Estate lands by P. W. Sheafer, 1861. 

Oak, Red Oak, Maple and Popular are found. A small 

portion towards the north appears to contain coal. 

Tract No. 3 (402yA acres). A rough tract but well timbered 

with white Oak, Black Oak, Pine, Chesnut, Maple and Gum. 

Strong indication of coal. 

Northern rough and stony, but well timbered with Chesnut, 

Tract No. 55 (417 acres). The Southern part is flat, the 

Chesnut Oak, White Pine, Maple and Hemlock. Indication 

of coal. 

Tract No. 38 (417 acres). The southern part is good red shell 

soil and the land nearly level, with but little timber. The 

Northern part, hilly but well timbered with White Oak, 

Black Oak and Pine, there are strong indications of coal. 

The results of the engineers' efforts and their 

evaluation of the property were simply and 

thoroughly stated in the preface to their report. 

We refer to the draft herewith presented for a general view 

of the tract, by means of which its situation in relation to 

the waters of the Delaware and Susquehanna may be distinctly seen, and to the particular descriptions for an account 

of the character and quality of the several tracts. But we 

may observe in general terms, that nearly from the Eastern 

to the Western extremity of this extensive range abundant 

indications of coal are observable. Along the valley of the 

Mahonoy these indications are too strong to leave in doubt 

of the existence there of incalculable quantities of this 

valuable mineral. That valley appears to be so constructed, 

as to afford very great facilities for the construction of railroads either to the neighborhood of the Schuylkill or Susquehanna by which the product of the mines may be easilytransported to the Philadelphia or Baltimore markets. This 

coal is believed to be not only abundant in quantity but of 

the best quality. The timber likewise of that valley from its 

quantity and kind, must be considered as materially augmenting the value of the land, particularly as the demand 

for timber in the erection and employment of saw mills 

cannot fail in a few years, greatly to enhance its price. These 

lands appear to possess one important advantage over most 

others in the country, and probably in the State. The soil 

seems adapted to profitable culture, either in the immediate 

vicinity of the mines or at no great distance from them. In 

conclusion, we shall subjoin our comiction that these lands. 

when fully explored and judiciously impro\ed, will pro\e 

not only a source of exhaustless revenue to their proprietor, 

but of incalculable value to the State in which they are 

located and to the rivers which shall enjoy their trade. 

The general introduction also included the procedures used by the consultants in starting their 

survey activities, and the following extracts bring 

out the difficulties they faced in laying the boundaries of several tracts contained in the deed. 

The exterior lines were not marked. And it is even questionable whether they had ever been run on the ground. 

The lands which had been taken upon warrants of anterioi 

date encroach a little upon those included in our draft. 

In many parts of the boundary, the lines have been obscure 

(even destroyed) and the timber greatly injured by frequent 

and extensive fires. 

The field notes of the engineers explain in detail 

the procedure used in locating old markings, such 

as trees or stone piles, established by the original 

surveyors some 30 to 40 years earlier. As they mentioned in their final report, many errors were found 

in azimuth readings and distances of the tract 

boundaries and several lines had to be placed anew. 
14 

The daily record of their survey activities is accompanied by a pencil sketch of the area and covers 

in detail the land features. Examples of their engineering capabilities and thoroughness are shown 

in the accompanying sketches. 

The individual sketches were consolidated at the 

close of their fieldwork and a draft of the tracts 

involved was submitted with the final report. The 

total acreage was calculated to be 28,460i/2. 

From the map of the lands surveyed (Figure 5), 

several references to the occurrence of coal may be 

seen. Along the high ridge (Bear Ridge) lying 

between Mahonoy and Shenandoah creeks is written: "This Mountain has every appearance of 

abounding in coal." On the eastern section of the 

same ridge is the notation: "Here the coal crops 

SMITHSONIAN STUDIES IN HISTORY AND TECHNOLOGY 

forty feet in width." In later years, these statements 

were proven correct for in this location three large 

collieries (William Penn, Packer No. 5, and East 

Bear Ridge) existed. 

From the very encouraging recommendation 

given by this report, Girard undoubtedly was 

greatly reassured about the prospective value of his 

holdings, and he immediately began to protect 

and perfect his titles as well as to purchase other 

lands in the county.41 Due to the distance of his 

holdings from the then terminus of the Schuylkill 

Canal at Port Carbon, Girard naturally became 

interested in transportation facilities to enable the 

coal from his holdings eventually to be transported 

to markets. Girard's participation particularly in 

the construction of a railroad is discussed in Appendix 2. 
The Girard Will 

Stephen Girard's will, dated February 16, 1830, 

included two codicils, one dated December 25, 

1830, and the other dated June 20, 1831. The will 

was probated on December 31, 1831.42 

After giving certain legacies to various persons 

and for specified purposes, all of them being evidenced by personal regard or goodwill to benevolent institutions in the city of Philadelphia, to 

the mayor, aldermen, and citizens of the city of 

Philadelphia, Girard bequeathed the entire residue 

of his estate including all real and personal properties to the following four trusts. 

1. The leading trust was for the erection of a 

college and necessary buildings for the residence 

and accommodation of at least 300 orphans, under 

the description and character set forth in his will. 

This amounted to two million dollars. 

2. The second trust in the amount of $500,000 

was for the city to improve the street fronting 

along the Delaware River, to demolish all wooden 

buildings within the city limits, to improve Water 

Street, and to distribute Schuylkill water throughout the city. 

3. The third trust was a grant of $300,000 to the 

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for the purpose of 

internal improvements by canal navigation. 

4. The fourth and last trust was to the city for 

improvements in city-owned property, to provide 

for the security of persons and property within the 

city by adequate police, to improve the general appearance of the city, and to diminish the burden of 

taxation. 

Girard's family consisted of his brother Etienne 

and his six children, the daughter of his late sister 

Sophia, and three children of his late brother John. 

These relatives and some more distant relatives 

were not satisfied with his bequests. They felt that 

he should have shared more of his estate with them 

instead of the city of Philadelphia. As a result of 

these dissatisfactions, lawsuits were started by all 

those who felt that they should have had a larger 

share of the estate. 

Attorneys were engaged and proceedings were 

started to have the vvill set aside during 1833. The 

heirs continued their attempts to break the will 

many times during the next 25 years, with the final 

case beginning during 1868 and ending with the 

decision by the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania on 

March 11, 1870, against them.43 The legal battles, 

never really successful in breaking Girard's will, did 

pick away at his enormous holdings. Also, the titles 

to many of the lands were found to be defective 

either as to proper location or previous land sales, 

and some titles were of necessity settled by compromise with the so-called original purchaser. 

When the last suit had been settled, the Girard 

Estate consisted of 17,36214 acres (43 tracts) as 

compared to the 29,4943^ acres (73 tracts) when 

the lands were purchased. 

The following list accounts for the reduction in 

the number of tracts involved in the Girard Estate 

from 73 to 43. 

Balance 

73 tracts 

— 5 later found not to be part of original transaction 68 

— 1 through error of location 67 

— 10 lost to Girard heirs 57 

—13 lost in Loeser case 44 

— 1 to Girard Water Company 43 

Between the time of Girard's purchase of these 

lands and his death $17,246.37 had been spent to 

develop and improve his holdings in Schuylkill 

County.44 

The lands were surveyed many times after 

Girard's death. When the list of lands and those 

persons claiming interferences was tabulated, as 

shown in Appendix 4, the complications of proving 

ownership becomes quite apparent. 

In the first case to be tried before the courts, it 

was argued that Girard's will had been made prior 

to his purchase of the coal lands. By a codicil, and 

registering of the will in December 25, 1830, Girard 

stated "that all his land purchases which he might 

make after this date, to be applied in the same 

manner as the real estate." 

15 
16 SMITHSONIAN STUDIES IN HISTORY AND TECHNOLOGY 

This statement in the codicil was quite a legal 

loophole and the lawyers for the heirs pursued this 

matter vigorously. On March 29, 1833, the Supreme 

Court of Pennsylvania handed down its decision 

which stated "the real estate acquired after the 

making of a will does not pass under a devise of 

the residue of the testators real estate, without a 

subsequent republication of the will, even where 

the testator in addition to the general device of the 

residue, declares in a codicil that it is his wish and 

intention that all the real estate, which he shall 

hereafter purchase, shall pass by the said will."

 45 

By this decision, ten tracts consisting of 4,069 acres 

went to Girard's heirs. These are itemized in Table 

3 on page 55. 

Except for the mining operations conducted by 

the Pottsville and Danville Railroad as discussed 

in Appendix 2, the period from 1831 to 1863 was 

marked by legal battles; tract resurveys and settlement programs all of which kept the Girard trustees in a continuous state of indecision for the 

future workings of their non-city holdings. 

Girard upon receiving the questionable ownership of these lands in 1830 had appointed William 

Boyd as his agent for the non-city lands in Schuylkill County.46

 The trustees continued this policy 

and appointed a series of agents for the estate for 

the years 1830 to 1911 which are listed in Table 4 

on page 56. 

Court battles and suits continued and, again, on 

June 21, 1848, Christopher Loeser instituted court 

proceedings for 13 tracts of land contained in the 

Girard holdings.47 After much legal debate, the 

court decided that the lands under dispute should 

be sold at public auction after all parties had refused to take possession at the valuation fixed by 

the court. This distribution of money from the 

auction offered by the court according to the 

priority of ownership, determined that the mayor, 

aldermen, and citizens of Philadelphia acting as 

trustee for the Girard Estate owned six-eighths of 

the lands, and that Christopher Loeser and 

Cornelius Stevenson each owned one-eighth. 

The sheriff's sale was held on September 3, 1851, 

at the Court House in Orwigsburg, Pennsylvania.48 

The successful bidder was Christopher Loeser who 

offered $73,000. After settlement costs had been 

deducted, $72,132 was turned over to the court for 

distribution to the three owners. The trustees of 

the Girard Estate received $54,099, and Christopher 

Loeser and Cornelius Stevenson each received 

$9,016.50. The tracts of land lost by the Estate in 

this sale are listed in Table 5 on page 56. Years 

later, these same parcels of land became the property of the Delano Land Company and eventually 

became the property of the Lehigh Valley Coal 

Company. 

The agents for the estate in the early years attempted to get the property opened for settlement 

and eventual development of the wealth it contained. The trustees were aware not only of the 

great value of the coal contained in their holdings, 

but also of the huge stands of natural forest containing many board feet of lumber. To induce 

settlers to come to the wild county, sawmills and 

gristmills were established to provide some help in 

making the area more livable. 

J. D. Meredith, the agent from 1847 through 

1855, reported to the commissioners on November 

8, 1847, the condition he found on the tracts during his first inspection.49 

The great stands of timber have been ravaged by fire, theft 

and neglect in former years by the former management and 

I shall give my most serious attention to the preservation of 

these stands as they have definite value when these lands are 

to be worked for coal. 

There are in Catawissa Valley, 3 sawmills, one connected 

with the grist mill, one a short distance above it and one 

on the farm occupied by Lois, still further up the Valley. 

These mills have been allowed to remain under the plea of 

sawing the logs cut from land cleared for the purpose of 

cultivation. I can prove by competent testimony, that all 

there have been used barefacedly as instruments of wholesale 

robbery. 

There are in the Mahanoy (Valley) 2 mills, one on the 

Mahanoy Creek and the other on the Shenandoah Creek, 

both leased to Mr. Chas. Babcr, whose lease expires in the 

middle of the coming January. 

The timber has also suffered severly from another depredation, who infest it in all parts, but most, in the valley of the 

Mahanoy. They li\e by making shingles, and the white 

pine, the most valuable tree of all the different species there, 

is the sole object of their attack. 

He suggested to the commissioners that "he be 

allowed to employ the services of F. W. Hughes, a 

Pottsville lawyer, as attorney to assist him in vigorously carrying out his views for the preservation of 

the timber contained upon the lands." 

The commissioners' committee on coal lands was 

so engaged in timber preservation and land titles 

that very little importance was given to the granting of coal leases upon the remaining tracts of 

Girard lands. In early 1855, however, J. J. Conner. 
NUMBER 15 17 

a mine operator, made an application for a lease on 

some Girard lands. Although his application never 

coal estate to the commissioners' attention, 

was acted upon, it did bring the idleness of their 

The commissioners also visited the Estate in 

Schuylkill County during July 1855 with the 

officials of the Mine Hill Railroad Company.50 The 

Mine Hill Railroad had been completed to a point 

that was one-half mile from the southwestern 

boundary of Girard lands and the company was 

interested in increasing its coal traffic. The committee report was submitted to the committee of 

the City Council in September 1855, but only two 

recommendations were approved, the first being 

that the land of the estate in Schuylkill County 

should be thoroughly surveyed with geological and 

topographical maps constructed; and the second, 

to advertise for proposals to lease the lands for 

mining purposes.51 

Under discussion at the same meeting was the 

stipulation in Girard's will that the estate properties could only be leased for a period of five years. 

The committee naturally was concerned because 

of the possible reluctance of any potential lessee to 

be required to make such large investments in 

mine operations with such a short lease period; 

however, no definite recommendations were made 

at this meeting. 

The survey of the lands was completed by H. 

W. Poole, their agent in Schuylkill County in 

1856-1857, and the committee made another inspection tour of the estate during 1857.52

 The 

result of the trip was quite convincing and the 

committee decided that it was time to make the 

lands productive, and that all timbering operations 

were to cease pending the start of coal-mining operations. 

In December 1857, the committee instructed F. 

B. Kaercher, who had succeeded Poole as their 

agent in residence, to negotiate a coal lease. A 

lease was granted to Bernard Eisenhuth to mine 

coal on the Israel Cope tract with the coal to be 

sold to persons residing in Catawissa Valley.53 It 

appears that some mining was done with the coal 

being sold locally, but on such a small scale that it 

never resulted in a large prosperous operation. 

Two other lease proposals were received by the 

agent, one during 1859 and another in 1860, but 

both were rejected as the proposals did not include 

mining the coal from the Girard Estate but only 

using the estates property as travel ways for coal 

mined on adjacent properties. 

Kaercher continued to pressure the City Council 

into action on the proposals and estimated 15 collieries could be erected and operated on the Estate, 

It would appear that the Council members still 

seemed reluctant to pursue the coal leasing operations, but again they did consent to having their 

agent again insert advertisements in the press for 

leasing proposals.54 There is no record of how many 

proposals were received, but none are on record as 

having been accepted. 

The problem of an accurate survey of the Estate 

again appeared among the council members and in 

November I860, P. W. Sheafer, a prominent mining engineer of Pottsville, Pennsylvania, was engaged to make a new map of the Estate lands. 

Sheafer's map was completed during the following 

year and became the standard map for the land' 

for many years. 

The completion of the Sheafer survey marked 

the beginning of active coal operations on the 

Girard Estate and between 1862 and 1875, a total 

of eleven leases had been made for lands on the 

Estate.55 The operations of these leases are given 

in the next section of this study, which also includes the engineering aspects of the individual 

operations. 

From the very beginning of coal operations by 

the first lessee, the committee of council members 

was constantly being asked to grant longer leases, 

as many proposals suggested that more efficient 

operations would result if longer terms were available. After several years of discussion among themselves and reviewing the present conditions of their 

operations, the Council finally petitioned the Court 

of Common Pleas in June 1868 for permission to 

grant leases for a term of 15 years.56 

The court appointed two referees to take testimony pertaining to the Council's petition and to 

report to the Court as to the propriety of the Court 

granting the petition. After all the testimony had 

been collected and reviewed, the referees recommended to the Court on July 1868 "that in accordance with the facts and laws herein [report] 

stated, we are of the opinion, that the prayer of 

the petition should be granted, and that, for the 

benefit of the charity, the lease of the Girard Coal 

Lands should be extended from five to at least 

fifteen years, and that the court, under the circum-
18 SMITHSONIAN STUDIES IN HISTORY AND TECHNOLOGY 

stances, have full power and authority to extend 

the term."

 57 

The judge of the Court of Common Pleas made 

the final review of the testimony and despositions, 

and the Court's decision was in favor of the Council's petition.58

 Beginning on January 1, 1869, the 

Council began to execute leases for a maximum 

term of 15 years. The conditions of the leases were 

similar to the former lease except for a change in 

the royalties charged. In this new lease, the royalty 

was 25 cents per ton for all sizes of coal above chestnut (see Table 10 on page 61) with the rate increasing one cent per ton during each year of the 

lease (final-year royalty was 39 cents per ton) ; ten 

cents per ton on chestnut increasing one-half cent 

per ton per year (final-year royalty was 17 cents 

per ton) : and for pea coal a fixed royalty of six 

cents per ton was charged.59 

The administration of the Girard Estate was in 

the hands of the City Council for Philadelphia. 

The cry was often heard that with the constantly 

changing City Council membership, the administration of the affairs of the tracts was affected by the 

personal desires of Council members and the varying political moods of the times. After some seven 

years, a law was finally passed which established a 

Board of City Trusts consisting of a more permanent membership which would administer the 

affairs of all City Trust's including the Girard 

Trust. The Board of City Trusts officially took 

over on February 25, 1870,r,° and its first action was 

to publicly state "that regardless of the conduct of 

operations of other city departments, the management of the Girard Estate by the previous members 

had been well managed." 

In summary, up to this time the affairs of the 

Girard Estate had been handled by four district 

administrative organizations. These were: the 

Board of Directors of Girard Trusts from 1832 to 

1847; the Board of Directors from 1847 to 1856; 

the Board of Directors elected by the Council of 

the city of Philadelphia from 1856 to 1870; and the 

Board of Directors of City Trusts after 1870. 
Girard Estate Coal 

Leases, 1862-188461 

Lease No. 1 

The first lease for mining coal on the Girard Estate 

was signed with Colonel James J. Conner on March 

15, 1862. (A listing of lease holders is given in 

Table 6 on page 57.) The term of the lease was for 

five years and the royalty payments on prepared 

coal was 25 cents per ton and on chestnut coal 10 

cents per ton. Other considerations found in the 

lease (see Appendix 3) required the lessee: (1) to 

build a breaker complete with all the machinery 

(including at least a 30-horsepower steam engine) 

necessary to break and prepare for the market not 

less than 100,000 tons per year; (2) to erect 12 

blocks of tenant houses, with each block containing 

two 2-story houses (the kitchen, attached at the 

rear, was one and one-half story); (3) to pay for 

at least 50,000 tons of coal in each and every year 

of the lease; and (4) to be reimbursed up to a 

maximum of $20,000 for the improvements constructed by him under the terms contained in the 

lease. 

The lease covered all the south dipping seams of 

coal between the northern outcrop of the main 

Shenandoah Basin on Locust Mountain and the 

first synclinal axis south of it, on the John Alexander, James Chapman, and Samuel Scott tracts. 

Mining operations were started by Colonel Conner 

on the James Chapman tract where Raven Run 

had exposed the coal measures. The Mammoth and 

Buck Mountain veins were both exposed and 

gangways, above water level, could be easily driven 

into the coal measures. Conner also opened the 

Holmes vein and, during his tenure of operations, 

most of the coal produced was obtained from this 

seam. 

Conner Colliery was completed by April 1863 

and the amount of coal prepared during 1863 was 

40,788 tons. Conner was anxious to increase his 

tonnage and within a period of several months an 

additional breaker was built, thereby giving him 

two breakers on the property. One breaker located 

on the eastern side of Raven Run was called the 

McMichael, and the other located on the western 

side was called Conner. Shipments from both collieries were combined and reported as Conner 

colliery shipments during the time of Conner's 

mining operations. 

During the period of Conner's lease, another 

mining operation was started at Wild Cat Run 

where, in the ravine, both the Mammoth and 

Primrose veins were exposed. A small colliery 

named Locust Run was in operation for several 

years and the production was included with that 

reported for Conner Colliery. 

The lease was renewed by Conner on May 31, 

1869, for 15 years and the Conner Colliery was renamed the Girardville Colliery. The operations 

were inspected several times during 1869 by the 

district mine inspector of the Commonwealth of 

Pennsylvania, and his report contained the following remarks concerning the condition of the 

property.62 

Part of these mines is ventilated with a nine-foot diameter 

fan powered by a six horse power engine. The air courses 

are not large enough, and I have instructed their enlargement. Mr. Conner contemplates erecting a large fan soon. 

The colliery consists of two breakers, each powered by a 

25 horse power steam engine. Additional steam engines total 

5, for a combined horse power of 125. There are 108 employees; 16 mules and 70 coal wagons with a shipping 

capacity of 100 cars per day. 

General condition of the colliery is fair with many improvements taking place and no fatalities during the year. 

The lease was transferred with the consent of 

the Board of Directors of City Trusts to Agard, 

Moodie, and Company and became effective December 1, 1870.63

 All physical improvements made 

upon the lands by the former lessee necessary for 

the conduct of mining operations, including the 

machinery in the two breakers, were included in 

the transfer negotiations. 

19 
20 SMITHSONIAN STUDIES IN HISTORY AND TECHNOLOGY 

i ^ < 

OF THE FIRST AND SECOND c 

'"JUTE PQAC-FIELDS 

em F3KWCN UlilttftlllA • 

FIGURE 8.—Portion of a map by Stranch and Cochran, 1875, locating the collieries on the 

Girard Estate, 

Agard, Moodie, and Company made extensive 

repairs and improvements to the machinery and 

buildings, and opened three new drifts into the 

Buck Mountain vein. Nine drifts, all above water 

level, were in operation by 1871, and the operators 

were prepared to make large shipments in succeeding, years. The success of the improvements can be 

seen as the shipments for 1871 amounted to approximately 118,000 tons, a sizable increase over 

the production of the previous years. 

In 1872, the operations were inspected by the 

Ashland district mine inspector for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and his report includes 

the following remarks concerning the property 

under Agard and Moodie's management.64 
NUMBER 1 5 21 

GENERAL COLUMNAR SECTION 

Or TMK ««A L MEASURE S 

>•- - OH TH I Mms-

«IRAW » B»TAT E 

— HEBER S.THOMPSON mi l K M r»T«TI 

LITTLE DIAMOND BIO 21 I" 

DIAMOND BCD 8 3' ||jjj^ijgB$B' 

filial; 

'H'fjvj'oj : 

L1TTLI ORCHARD D ' • -• fVftV^V v 

ORCHARD BIO J4 -

PRIMROSE BCD *'° " 

HOLMES BCD lOOT 

roUft FEET BED »"t" ^jtSg^j^ 

MAMMOT H BED WO" 

SKIDMORC BED 5'0 

iti'l-ff'fiA ,iSaitet.itone and 

ft*W4*W« " conglomerate 

SEVEN FEET BEO »° " 

BUCK MOUNTAIN BED II 6 

COAL BED 

43 a-;Varuts£o*r and jteftc 

Sandstone and 

conglomerate 

•ra-Sandstone 

•ya-state and sandstone-' 

u»<r Sandstone and slatelao-Slate and sandstone 

Td- or Sam Is tone > 

2S-0-,Sandstone 

..-.Sandstone state 

and conglomerate. 

/XLCSS B sraeConqtomcmte Xslate 

• 4-nri fiTT l

 J 

Total Coat beds 

. /tM c „ 

thickness 

.110 0" 

736 10" 

FIGURE 9.—General columnar section of the coal measures on 

the Girard Estate. 

Girardville Colliery. 

Ventilation is good and is produced by natural draft in 

the drift operations of this colliery. No gases of any consequence is met with. There are 207 inside employees: 175 

outside hands; 110 wagons; 45 mules and 6,300 yards of track 

in use. The mining community consists of 102 houses with 

120 families on the premises. Monthly shipments are approximately 1,200 tons and the value of improvements for 

the year totaled $200,000. 

McMichael Colliery. 

Ventilation is by natural means and is found to work 

tolerably well. There are 55 inside employees; 83 outside 

hands; 5 mules; 26 wagons and 2,500 yards of track in use. 

Monthly shipments are approximately 750 tons and the 

value of improvements for the year totaled $100,000. 

The operators soon discovered that the present 

preparation facilities were inadequate to handle 

the increased production, and they began the construction of a new and larger colliery during 1873. 

Production from the newly erected colliery, called 

the "Hammond," began early in 1874.65 The tonnage processed that year amounted to 146,600 tons 

and was the largest quantity produced from this 

lease since its beginning twelve years previously. 

Agard and Moodie continued the operation of 

this lease until August 12, 1876, when the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company took 

possession. The first tonnage produced under the 

new ownership began on September 16, 1876.60 

During 1877, the P & R C & I Company closed the 

McMichael Colliery and the Girardville was renamed the Conner Colliery. Anthracite mined from 

this lease was prepared for markets in two collieries—Hammond and Conner. 

The P & R C & I Company began an extensive 

improvement program for the property and during 

1877 installed the following major items: a large 

pole-type pump; a new ventilating fan; four steam 

boilers; and the main slope was relaid with new 

and heavier rails."7 The results of this new effort 

to improve the company's property resulted in 

doubling the annual production and for that year 

approximately 223,700 tons of prepared coal was 

sent to market. 

The annual inspection of these two collieries by 

the district inspector of the Commonwealth of 

Pennsylvania gave repeated accounts of the improvements made in the physical plant by the 

company. In the inspection report for the year 

1884, "at Hammond Colliery were 197 inside employees (including 8 door boys) and 153 outside 

employees [including 89 breaker boys]; and at 

Conner Colliery were 183 inside employees (including 6 door boys) and 131 outside employees [including 81 breaker boys]. A new 15-foot Guibal 

fan was installed at Hammond Colliery and 4 new 

steam boilers had been installed at Conner Colliery".68 

This lease was renewed by the P & R C & I Company for 15 years on June 9, 1883, and it continued 

operations thereafter until 1938, when the operations ceased. During the life of this property, this 

lease had yielded more coal than any of the other 

leases on Girard lands. 
22 SMITHSONIAN STUDIES IN HISTORY AND TECHNOLOGY 

>.r,v~ 

haed'• Jiff/tee ->)'£*/ . . r 

.//a'"- C^i-i r-si<yjeec/' . 'ff„ f/ecc 

Jtzi/c •"'/?</ /wcA. 

atftMut. /(cfccc 

St*. */;.' .fi..< fyi 

FIGURE 10.—Plan of Buck Mountain water-level drift on Agard, Moodie, and Company lease No. 

1 in 1872. 

FIGURE 11.—Map of lease No. 1, Hammond and Conner collieries, 1876. 
NUMBER 15 23 

Lease No. 2 

The second lease of Girard coal lands was negotiated with Cornelius Garretson on May 1, 1863. 

The lease covers all the coal veins of the anticlinal 

axis of Bear Ridge westward to the western boundary of the David Reese tract, upon the David 

Reese and Samuel Reese tracts. The breaker 

erected on this property during 1863-1864 was 

known as the Girard Colliery. 

The lease contained the same provisions as outlined previously including the five-year-term provision. Mining operations were started by driving 

gangways from the outcrops in both an easternly 

and westernly direction. The lease covered all coal 

in both dips of the Mahanoy Basin and extended 

some li/2 miles in length. The coal basin in this 

site was located entirely on the northern slope of 

the Mahanoy Mountain and gradually narrows to 

the westward and ends at Ashland. The Mammoth 

vein provided all of the coal from this lease during 

its early years, and mining was successfully accomplished above water level. 

In 1866, the lease was transferred to Theodore 

Garretson who did some additional development 

work in the Buck Mountain vein which was also 

found on this lease. Mining conditions in the main 

gangways were dangerous and occasionally were 

partially closed due to roof falls. To eliminate this 

roof condition, a new slope and gangway was 

driven. The new development connected with the 

existing workings and provided more space for the 

installation of new pumps. 

The lease was renewed on May 31, 1869, for 15 

years, and improvements continued to be made to 

increase the capacity of this property. Some new 

gangways were driven into the Seven Foot vein 

which was above the Mammoth, and additional 

openings were made into the Buck Mountain vein. 

The Mammoth vein was worked continuously and 

provided most of the production at this operation. 

The property was inspected by the district mine 

inspector of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania 

during the years 1870 to 1872, and the following 

remarks point out the size of the colliery. 

A 20-horse steam fan produces ventilation, but improvements are needed to adequately ventilate the entire mine. 

A 60-horse steam engine hoists at the shaft and runs the 

breaker and two 60-horse steam engines are used for hoisting 

at the slope. The firm employs 125 hands.69 

There are 160 inside employees and 70 outside hands 

employed. On the premises are 16 houses housing the majority of employees. Equipment in use includes 5 steam 

engines with a total horsepower of 230 (and additional 20 

horse ventilating fan installed during 1871) ; 10 mules; 75 

wagons and 2,236 yards of track. Monthly shipments estimated at 6,000 tons of prepared coal.TM 

During 1875, the operations at this property 

were considerably reduced due to the six-month 

strike of all work within the industry. Improvements continued to be made, but very little progress resulted in either 1875 or 1876, with coal 

being produced in the latter year from only one 

portion of gangways in the Mammoth vein. 

Garretson was delinquent in paying royalties; 

therefore, the Girard Estate requested that the 

property be sold at a sheriff's sale on October 31, 

1876. The Philadelphia & Reading Coal & Iron 

Company began to mine and ship coal on November 6, 1876.71 

The first year under the operation of the 

P & R C & I Company saw a substantial increase 

in the quantity of coal produced from this property. Development work was extended in the 

gangways in the Mammoth vein and all of the 

production came from this one seam. Additional 

development in the future will be necessary to 

develop mining sections in the Buck Mountain 

vein which contain a large reserve of almost untouched coal. 

The property inspected by the district mine inspector during 1877 showed that 252 persons were 

employed at this operation, two slopes were in 

operation, fan ventilation was improved, and all 

coal production continued to come from the Mammoth vein.72 

Development work on the adjacent beds of coal 

in this lease were continually underway, and the 

production from this mine was directly attributable 

to the engineering ability possessed by the company 

mine officials. The Philadelphia & Reading Railroad hauled the coal to market. 

The lease was renewed for 15 years in June 9, 

1883, by the P & R C & I Company, and it continued as lessee until November 25, 1895, when all 

mining of coal was stopped and the breaker was 

converted into a jig house for recleaning small-size 

coals from other collieries.73 
24 SMITHSONIAN STUDIES IN HISTORY AND TECHNOLOGY 

'fc, 

PHfiAti£tPH1A &R£MiNG COAt UnbliCO. 

J kM$3&-

JTeberS. Trwnyison,. 

Engineer. InmnisXslaU, 

ZUiiilofCoat arufs SoulfurrUtimJl ofZ6cose< 

Scalt,8<X)fal' l iT i TlTl T 

FIGURE 12.—Map of lease No. 2, Girard Colliery, 1876. 

• ' i • •."•:.-. - <••"' <i:: f^W^W^MZ. 

:%#$&& *& 

FIGURE 13.-Girard Colliery, 1864. 
NUMBER 15 

Lease No. 3 

The third lease was negotiated with John Anderson and Company on July 1, 1863. The term of the 

lease was for five years, contained similar royalty 

rates as in the previous leases, and included all the 

north dipping veins (Buck Mountain and Mammoth) found in the Robert Hiltzheimer, William 

Shannon, and George Beckham tracts. 

Miring operations were started in the Mammoth 

vein which was exposed in a ravine on the east side 

of Big Mine Run. This coal seam measured 35 feet 

and lay at a pitch of 45 degrees. The gangway was 

eventually driven for a distance of two miles to 

the eastern limits of the lease. A breaker was 

erected during the year near Centralia in Columbia 

County and was known as the Union Colliery. In 

1864, the first year of operation, 15,388 tons were 

produced. 

The lease was renewed on May 29, 1869, for 15 

years and exploration for the location of the Buck 

Mountain vein on this property was actively pursued. The outcrop of the Buck Mountain vein was 

discovered on an adjoining property and the lessees 

drove a tunnel from their existing gangway in the 

Mammoth vein to reach this seam. The tunnel was 

25 

completed during 1870 and two additional gangways were driven to obtain this newly exposed 

vein. Up to this time, all mining operations had 

been conducted above water level. 

The property was inspected during 1871 by the 

district mine inspector of the Commonwealth of 

Pennsylvania, and his report contains the following 

information on the conditions he found.74 

The ventilation is effected by natural means and air holes 

open from the breasts to the surface, and mining here is 

considered a safe operation. 

The coal is hauled along the main drift by a 20-horse 

power locomotive. The breaker engine is 40 horse powered 

and in addition to operating the machinery in the breaker, 

also hoists the coal wagons on the plane and runs a saw 

mill. Two 60 horse power steam hoisting engines have been 

placed on the mine slopes and will eventually be used when 

lower levels are to be worked. 

There are 14 blocks of tenant houses on the place including a large stable, carpenter and blacksmith shops, and an 

office building. Employees total 150 men and boys, and daih 

productions is about 120 wagons of coal per day. 

The slope in the Mammoth vein was begun 

early in 1874 and completed to its full depth of 

330 feet during the year.75 From the Mammoth, 

slope tunnels were driven to connect the Primrose 

and Buck Mountain veins and coal was mined from 

the three seams. When all the veins were opened 

ZiBAfaBJfo.a 

NORTH ASHLASD COLLIERY. PHTUQA& MlWm CDAL $ SON CO. IXSSEX 

=£fy* JWt UTJttW JHO.9 <s*—• 

Continental Colliery, J .T.Audenried. Lessee. 

^jm&riVfflW -*,;> CO»TmtKT*t tag. 

Of coat sTates tro** ^sMammotti^ e*r 

FICURE 14.—Map of lease No. 3, North Ashland Colliery, and lease No. 5, Continental Colliery, 

1876. 
26 SMITHSONIAN STUDIES IN HISTORY AND TECHNOLOGY 

and developed, mining was increased in all locations and this property became one the most productive on the Girard Estate. 

sheriff's sale on August 22, 1876, as royalty payAnderson and Company's lease was sold at 

ments to the Girard Estate were delinquent in the 

amount $13,526.88. The lease was transferred to 

the Philadelphia & Reading Coal and Iron Company with coal being shipped under its operation 

on October 11, 1876. At this time, the colliery was 

renamed the North Ashland colliery.76 

The district mine inspector in his annual report 

for the year 1877 stated "that the colliery had a 

total horsepower of 270. There were 88 inside employees and 148 outside employees, for a grand total 

of 236. The property appeared to be in satisfactory 

working condition."

 77 

The P & R C & I Company immediately began 

improvements on the property which included extension of the gangways in the Mammoth vein and 

development gangways were driven for the future 

mining of the Buck Mountain vein that was quite 

extensive on this lease. Two new pumps, manufactured by Robert Allison of Port Carbon were 

installed; one pump was located at the bottom of 

the main slope and the other at a reservoir halfway 

up the slope from which location the water was 

lifted to the surface. 

The annual report for the year 1879 given by 

the district mine inspector showed that "134 persons were employed inside and 160 outside, making 

a grand total of 294."78 The increase of inside 

personnel was required by the addition of new 

working areas that were opened by the extensive 

development of the mine's existing gangways. 

The royalty rates for 1879 were 35 cents a ton 

for large coal, 15 cents a ton for chestnut, and 6 

cents a ton for pea coal. The P & R & C & I Company continued development gangways into the 

Mammoth vein and additional tunnels were driven 

to reach the Buck Mountain vein. Additional improvements continued to be made in preparation 

for below water-level operation by the erection of 

new pumps and pumping facilities. North Ashland 

colliery production reached its highest rate of 

production during the period 1879 to 1884 with 

an average annual production of approximately 

113,000 tons. 

The Philadelphia & Reading Coal & Iron Company continued to mine coal from this property 

until 1898 when the lease was transferred to the 

Lehigh Valley Coal Company and, thereafter it 

was considered as part of the Continental Colliery 

lease No. 5 which was held by the same company.79 

Lease No. 4 

The fourth lease was made to F. B. Kaercher, the 

land agent for the Girard Estate in Girardville, 

1857-1863. The lease, effective in December 1863, 

contained the same general provisions as those in 

the previous three leases, and included the south 

dipping veins of coal on the John Brady and 

Joseph Paschall tracts near Lost Creek, on the 

southern slope of Locust Mountain. 

Kaercher erected a breaker, the Shenandoah 

Colliery. The first slope was sunk into the Mammoth vein that measured 40 feet, on the west side 

of Lost Creek ravine and which provided adequate 

tonnage for the life of this lease. The operation of 

the colliery for the years 1864 and 1865 were under 

Kaercher's watchful eye, but in 1866, the Girard 

Mutual Coal Company took over the lease and 

operated the property until the end of the five-yeat 

lease in 1869. 

The Girard Estate negotiated a new 15-year lease 

on January 4, 1870, with the Philadelphia Coal 

Company which began operations at once. The 

property was inspected by the district mine inspector of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania 

during 1869 who made the following statements 

about the conditions of the property at that time.80 

The mine is ventilated by a 15-horse powered Beadle 

steam fan, 12 feet in diameter, located on the surface near 

the slope house. A 60-horse pumping engine in the mines 

is used for drainage purpose. Two 60-horse hoisting engines 

are in use on the slope. The breaker engine is 30-horse 

power which makes the total horse power of this colliery, 

equal to 225. 

Employment during the year equaled 225 men and boys. 

There are 12 mules and 50 coal wagons in use and the 

shipping capacity is approximately 10,000 tons per month. 
NUMBER 15 27 

SttCt^tStCTieASOfKMKMOTttYtffl j ^ggmaamg^A WJi&l®, JuA 

P«JJLAPELFH1A COAL., (TO. LESSEE 

(T JforVurn. t<""* 9 omn" 

SCALE ..g^T-J'rfr T <-

FIGURE 15.—Map of lease No. 4, Shenandoah Colliery, and lease No. 10, Packer and Lehigh 

collieries, 1876. 

fftcixifi/i yi1'forte <mct To HH-CI 

father Colliery. -T * 4 .. 

jnourino Tau.it. in. rrunr-ase YLisc and fSFtmated 

fiin/uL Jf-oxi. -CoantertTunquraii. 

ffcalz. frnch - /ooJL 

FIGURE 16.—Cross-section through slope and tunnel, Packer No. 4 Colliery, 1880. 

The new management made extensive repairs to 

the property and added new equipment to increase 

the monthly output. By the end of 1872, eight 

steam engines were in use with a total 400 horsepower capacity and monthly shipments increased 

to approximately 12,000 tons.81 Also in 1872, a new 

siding track had been laid to their breaker to connect with the Lehigh Valley Railroad. This gave 

the company the choice of shipping either by the 

Lehigh Valley or by the Philadelphia & Reading 

railroads. 

The tonnage shipped to market during 1873 was 
28 SMITHSONIAN STUDIES IN HISTORY AND TECHNOLOGY 

FIGURE 17.—Packer No. 4 Colliery, Lehigh Valley Coal Company, 1889. 

approximately 2y2 times the 1872 production and 

placed this property as the leading producer of all 

the Girard Estate holdings. 

Even with the increased production being 

handled through this one colliery, the company felt 

that it could not adequately meet the demands of 

the market and decided to erect another colliery on 

the property. Construction of this new facility 

began late in 1876 and was completed on March 

1, 1877. It was named the Packer Colliery in honor 

of the president of the Lehigh Valley Railroad 

Company.82 

This new breaker was erected at a point halfway 

between the Shenandoah Colliery and the eastern 

limit of the lease, and would process the coal from 

the flat seams lying in the eastern portion of the 

property to the midpoint of the Joseph Paschall 

tract. The Shenandoah Colliery would process the 

coal coming from the steeply pitching coal seams 

on the western half of the property to the midpoint of the Joseph Paschall tract. 

The mine inspector's report for 1877 called these 

new facilities, including the newly opened slope, as 

"one of the best installations in the country."83 A 

first for the industry was also reported—a telephone 

hookup was put in this new slope in order to talk 

between the bottom of the slope and the surface. 

The length of wire used was 1,000 feet. 

Development work at both collieries continued 

constantly and production was maintained at a 

highly efficient rate. The Lehigh Valley Railroad 

moved the coal produced at the Packer Colliery, 
NUMBER 15 29 

while at the Shenandoah Colliery coal was moved 

by both the Lehigh Valley and Philadelphia and 

Reading railroads. The Mammoth, Buck Mountain, and Holmes veins provided the coal that was 

mined from this property. 

The royalty rates for coal produced during 1879 

was 35 cents a ton for large coal, 15 cents a ton for 

chestnut coal and 6 cents a ton for pea coal. 

The lease on this property was transferred to the 

Lehigh Valley Coal Company at the close of the 

year 1880, and active operation of this lease continued until 1939. 

On October 12, 1882, a fire of an undetermined 

origin destroyed the Shenandoah Colliery and 

drastically curtailed production during the remainder of the year.84

 A new and larger breaker 

was erected with the greatest urgency and, in 

February 1883, the first shipments were made from 

this newly constructed breaker. Even with the 

temporary loss of production, this property continued to be the major coal producer of the Girard 

Estate during the period 1882 to 1884. 

A new lease for a 15-year period was made with 

the Lehigh Valley Coal Company on June 9, 1883. 

From that time, the Shenandoah Colliery became 

known as Packer No. 2, and the Packer Colliery 

became known as Packer No. 4. 

The annual report of the district inspector for 

the year 1884 showed the following information on 

the numbers of employees at this property. Packer 

No. 2 had 280 inside employees, including 3 door 

boys, and 159 outside employees for a total employment of 439. Packer No. 4 had 289 inside employees, including 7 door boys, and 175 outside 

employees for a total employment of 464. The 

grand total of employees at this property equaled 

903.85 

Lease No. 5 

The fifth lease was granted to Carter, Shoener and 

Company on July 1, 1863. The provisions of the 

lease were similar to the previous ones and covered 

all the south dipping veins of coal of the Big Mine 

Run Basin on the Robert Hiltzheimer, William 

Shannon, and George Beckham tracts in Columbia 

County. 

Several months after obtaining the lease, the 

owners of the company transferred the lease to the 

Continental Coal Company, which built a breaker 

called the Continental and shipped coal mined 

from the property late in 1864. The company continued production until its lease expired in 1869, 

when it went out of business. 

A new 15-year lease was negotiated with Charles 

L. Goodridge and J. T. Audenried. They took over 

the operation of this property in 1869. 

The operation was inspected during 1870 by the 

district mine inspector. His report included the 

following statements concerning the conditions 

which he had found.86 

The main slope is 175 yards long into the south dip of 

the Mammoth vein, which is 35 feet thick at a dip of 45 

degrees and is in good condition. This slope is used as a 

downcast for ventilation and a 15-horse engine runs a 12-foot 

steam fan that circulates the air in the workings. 

Total horsepower equals 260 and consists of two 50-horse 

slope engines; a 50 horse pump on the upper lift and a 

70-horse pump on the lower lift; a 25 horse engine powers 

the breaker; and a 15-horse engine drives the fan. 

There are 170 hands employed at the operation with a 

daily shipment of 80 cars of prepared coal. 

In late 1871, Robert Gorrell replaced Goodridge 

and the operation continued under the management of Gorrell and Audenried. Development work 

continued by driving gangways into the Mammoth 

vein and driving tunnels to expose the Buck 

Mountain and Holmes veins which were also found 

during this lease. 

In 1872, the mine was inspected by the district 

mine inspector. From his statement, the status of 

the mine's improvements can be noted.87 

Ventilation is now produced by a 20-horse fan, the operation of which supplies a sufficient quantity of air. There are 

179 hands employed, 77 miners inside and 102 outside [including 50 breaker boys]. Six steam engines with a total 

horse power of 290 are in use along with 14 mules and 38 

coal wagons. Monthly shipments are estimated to be 9,000 

tons of prepared coal. 
30 SMITHSONIAN STUDIES IN HISTORY AND TECHNOLOGY 

FIGURE 18.—Plan and profile on new slope at Continental Colliery, 1868. 

^ECTION THROtTon LKIIKJII COLLIERY DEE P SLOPE 

SHOWING THE BASINS OF WILLIAM PENN. SHENANDOAH a LEHIGH COLLIERIES 

FIGURE 19.—Section through Lehigh Colliery deep slope showing coal basins of William Penn, 

Shenandoah, and Lehigh collieries, 1876. 
NUMBER 15 31 

Mining operations continued to improve during 

the next few years. In 1877, the lease was transferred to J. T. Audenried who then operated the 

property as an individual. Audenried made extensive repairs and improvements during his twoyear management; however, in 1879, the lease was 

transferred to the Lehigh Valley Coal Company. 

The Lehigh Valley Coal Company continued to 

make extensive repairs both in the mine and the 

breaker. The timbering in the slope was wholly 

replaced, and a new set of jigs was added to the 

breaker installation. Even with all the modernization of the operations and only ten months of 

operation, the colliery was able to double its output 

for 1879—as compared to 1878. The royalty rates 

for 1879 were 35 cents a ton on large coal, 15 cents 

a ton on chestnut, and 6 cents a ton on pea coal.88 

From the mine inspector's report for the year 

1879, this operation had 148 inside employees, including 4 door boys, and 117 outside hands for a 

total employment of 265.89 

A new 15-year lease was made with the Lehigh 

Valley Coal Company on June 9, 1883, and became 

effective on January 1, 1884. The mine inspector's 

report for 1884 showed 131 inside employees (including 2 door boys) and 154 outside hands (including 85 breaker boys) for a total employment of 

285.90 He also noted the following improvements made on the property: erection of a new 

underground engine house; installation of a speaking tube in the slope; erection of a new outside 

boilerhouse; and purchase of an ambulance to convey the injured to their homes. 

The last shipment of coal from this operation 

was made in January 1885 as the result of the apportionment of the production of the different 

anthracite mining regions in Pennsylvania. This 

agreement permitted the closing of certain collieries for the purpose of operating others to better 

advantage; however, the Lehigh Valley Coal Company continued through the ensuing years to make 

repairs throughout the mine and the working areas 

were kept free of water. 

Finally, in January 1899, when it again became 

time for the Lehigh Valley Coal Company to renew 

its lease with the Girard Estate, the North Ashland 

Colliery lease was consolidated with this property 

and both properties were considered one operation.91

 New mine facilities were constructed and 

the combined properties began sending coal to 

market during 1900. The Lehigh Valley Coal Company continued leasing the property until 1932. 

Lease No. 6 

Lease No. 6 was granted to Jeremiah Seitzinger 

and G. W. Huntzinger on July 1, 1863. The term 

of the lease was for five years and contained the 

same provisions as in the previous leases. This included all the north dipping veins of coal lying 

between the anticlinal axis of Bear Ridge on the 

James Chapman, Samuel Scott, and John Brady 

tracts. The first coal mine on the Girard Estate 

t ai^&6&fo«u>o Qm 

Xo f f l'liil»del|rfii» Coal Co> 

jbmmtvtm. 

FIGURE 20.—Map of lease No. 6, Colorado Colliery, and lease No. 11, Philadelphia Coal Company, 

1876. 
32 SMITHSONIAN STUDIES IN HISTORY AND TECHNOLOGY 

'J 

Q 

o 

r-2 T) 

o 

eo 

SUu ^ 

5 Sl«w-. 

FIGURE 21.—Section through tunnel at Colorado Colliery, 1867. 

leased by the Danville and Pottsville Railroad in 

1833 was located on part of the ground included in 

this lease. The lessee began to develop the property 

and erected a breaker which was called the Colorado Colliery. 

Active mining operation continued for four years 

until, in 1867, the lease was transferred to the 

Philadelphia Coal Company. Two years later on 

July 27, 1869, the Philadelphia Coal Company 

negotiated a new 15-year lease with the Girard 

Estate. 

The Mammoth vein on this property was entered 

by driving a tunnel into the north side of Bear 

Ridge with gangways extending east and west to 

the property limits. The mine workings were quite 

extensive and all were placed above water level. 

The Mammoth vein measured 30 feet on this 

property and was nearly flat. 

The operation was inspected during 1869 by the 

district mine inspector and his report included 

the following information on the conditions he 

found.92 

The colliery is worked some 60 feet above water level and 

ventilation is by natural means with air holes from the 

working area directly to the surface. No gas is present and 

the drainage is complete. 

A 30 horse engine is in use at the breaker with steam 

power provided by 4 new boilers. The firm intends sinking 

a slope into the north dip of the Mammoth vein to provide 

more efficient mining operations on this property. 

There are 358 employees (inside and outside hands) , 29 

mules and 70 coal wagons with an estimated monthly 

capacity of 10,000 tons. 

The Philadelphia Coal Company planned an extensive development program to provide additional 

working faces in the seams found on their property. 

The new slope, which had been proposed in 1869, 

was started in 1871. After it had been driven 100 

yards, a 60-horsepower hoisting engine was installed. During this period (1869-1872), the colliery continued to be the major coal producer in 

the region while, at the same time, working conditions were improved on the property. 

The operation was inspected by the district inspector during 1872, and his remarks attest to the 

efficient management of this colliery.93 

There are 3 drifts in operation, all above water level, 

from which coal is produced. The Mammoth vein is nearly 

flat and averages 30 feet in thickness. Employment totals 

331, with 181 inside miners and 150 outside hands. There are 

72 families living in the houses provided by this company. 

Monthly shipments average 14,000 tons and the coal is 
NUMBER 15 33 

transported on the property by 26 mules and 180 coal 

wagons. Total horse power is 135, which is provided by 5 

steam engines run by 6 boilers. 

The company's gangway development program 

continued at the same time as the extension of the 

slope into lower working areas. The advancement 

of these gangways and slopes brought an increasing 

amount of water flowing into the workings and 

larger pumps were continually being installed. By 

the end of 1877, the following coal veins had been 

exposed: Buck Mountain, Holmes, Primrose, and 

Mammoth. With these four seams plus others expected to be opened, it was hoped that the reserves 

of coal on this property would be quite extensive. 

A fire destroyed the slope engine house and 

seriously damaged the hoisting machinery on October 28, 1880, and limited the production from this 

colliery for the remainder of the year. Even though 

the rebuilding operations were completed in one 

month, the tonnage lost was never regained. 

At the close of business on December 31, 1880, 

the Philadelphia Coal Company transferred the 

remaining three years of its lease on the property 

to the Lehigh Valley Coal Company. Moderate 

repairs were begun and some extension of gangways were made, but the increased pitch of the coal 

presented new mining problems. In addition, an 

extensive settling had occurred on the eastern section gangway and the workings were closed for 

eight months while repairs were being made. The 

effects of this settling on the continuous conduct of 

mining operations can be clearly seen when one 

compares the decreasing annual tonnage for the 

period 1881 to 1884. 

The lease on this property was renewed on June 

9, 1883, effective January 1, 1884, for another 15-

year term. The area covered by the new lease included the property presently being worked as well 

as the property included in Lease No. II.94 

Plans made by the new lessee included opening 

new sources of coal for the present colliery by driving new tunnels to the coal seams lying above and 

below the Mammoth and erecting a new colliery, 

Packer No. 5, as close to the midpoint of the lease 

as was practicable. Packer No. 1 colliery was taken 

down during 1885, and all coal mined on this lease 

was henceforth processed through Packer No. 5. 

During 1886, the mine existing on Packer No. 1 

tract was reopened and new development work 

began on the western end of the property. Coal 

mined from this operation was processed in the 

Packer No. 5 breaker. The Lehigh Valley Coal 

Company continued operations on this lease until 

1939. 

Lease No. 7 

Lease No. 7 was granted to C. H. Dengler and 

Morris Robinson on October 1, 1863. The term of 

the lease was for five years and the provisions were 

similar to the preceding leases. The property included in this lease was all the south dipping coal 

veins in Bear Ridge, and all other coal veins lying 

south of the anticlinal axis of Bear Ridge on the 

Nathan Beach, Joseph Paschall, John Brady, and 

Samuel Scott tracts. Also included were such parts 

of the John Blacky, Thomas Paschall, William 

Brady, and Thomas Grant tracts which were owned 

by the Estate and not covered by older warrants. 

The lessees spent considerable time and money 

attempting to open up the coal veins on the west 

end of the property, but eventually gave up their 

western operations and sank a slope into the Mammoth vein almost in the center of their property. 

A breaker was erected and named the Mahanoy 

Colliery, with the first coal shipments being made 

in 1865. 

The management continued to have problems in 

getting this property developed and in 1867 transferred the lease to the Boston and Mahanoy Coal 

Company. When it became time for a renewal of 

the lease, the Girard Estate granted this company 

a 15-year lease effective May 25, 1869. From the 

report of the district mine inspector for the same 

year, it appears that the company was not succeeding in its attempts to get a successful operation 

underway. The inspector made the following comments about the ventilation practices at this operation.95 

The mines are ventilated by a steam fan, 20 horse power 

with a 14-foot fan; the air courses in some places are 

crushed and the fan is exposed and in that manner cannot 

ventilate as it should, though at places the air is good. I 

have directed driving a monkey gangway to relieve the air. 

The railroad crosses over the outcrop of the vein and 
34 SMITHSONIAN STUDIES IN HISTORY AND TECHNOLOGY 

S/HUC.L SCOTT TRJICT I |_•*•*«' 

FIGURE 22.—Map of lease No. 7, Bear Ridge collieries, 1876. 

threatens disaster at any moment; the railroad company employs a person to avoid a calamity. 

There is an immense amount of coal on this propert) 

with the entire coal measures totaling 87 feet and consisting 

of the following veins: Mammoth—40 feet; Buck Mountain— 

16 feet; Primrose—12 feet; Skidmore—8 feet; the Four Foot 

vein; and the Seven Foot vein. 

Total horse power equals 220 and five steam engines—a 

30 horse breaker engine, a 60 horse pump engine, a 20 

horse fan engine, a 70 horse slope engine and a 40 horse 

pumping engine—receive their driving steam from 12 boilers. 

The machinery and engines are in excellent condition. 

Employees total 240 men and boys with a daily shipping 

capacity of 135 cars. The present daily output is 65 cars 

using 16 mules and 60 coal wagons. 

The district inspector was apparently quite concerned over the ventilating conditions and inspected the property at frequent intervals. His 

report for 1870 was even more disheartening, and 

the ventilation problems were more critical than 

during his previous inspections.96 

I found no ventilation in these mines; the smoke was in 

such volume the men could not work in it, and found no air 

to dilute or remove it. I found no means of ingress or egress 

except that in the slope. A 15 horse power steam fan is used, 

but the manner in which the air courses are driven, and 

their contracted areas, does not afford a sufficient passage of 

air. 

A joint stock company, the Bear Ridge Coal 

Company, took over this lease in 1870 with the 

former owners retiring from the business. The 

Estates officials seem to have been well aware of 

the difficulties at this property under the former 

operators, for their report for 1871 noted that the 

affairs of this property were progressing quite well 

under "new and very energetic management."

 97 

The new management made extensive repairs to 

the property and installed additional machinery to 

support their increased tonnage program. They 

began prospecting another basin on the property 

that contained the Mammoth vein to determine if 

additional working areas could be developed. As 

the old Girard Tunnel (1833-1837) was located 

on this lease, a drill hole was driven from the end 

of the tunnel towards the Mammoth vein. 

The district's inspector stated in his report for 

1871 that many improvements had been made, and 

that he now found the condition of this colliery to 

be "very satisfactory."

 98 

Six steam engines were in use with a total horse power of 

525. The engines were: a 50 horse engine on the old slope; 

two 80 horse engines on the new slope; a 200 horse pumping 

engine; a 50 horse breaker engine; a 15 horse fan engine; 

and a 50 horse pole-type pumping engine. The new slope 

and gangway were well timbered and adequate and safe 

ingress and egress were provided for the mines. 

T h e company , havin g bee n successful i n their 

exploratio n program, continue d to develo p ne w 

workin g place s from th e gangway s from th e old 

tunne l whic h ha d bee n drive n t o mee t th e Mam -
NUMBER 15 35 

moth vein. As a result of this new and enlarged 

area of coal, a new breaker, Bear Ridge No. 2, was 

built and began preparing coal for shipment in 

October 1873. The older breaker, Mahanoy, was 

renamed Bear Ridge No. 1. The company finally 

felt secure and looked toward prosperous times.99 

Misfortune struck again, and on August 1, 1875, 

No. 1 breaker was destroyed by fire. The management, determined to turn this property into a 

successful venture, rebuilt the breaker, and on 

April 18, 1876, coal was again shipped from this 

installation. 

Annual production increased gradually from 

these two breakers and the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad transported the products to market. 

The coal market was lower during 1879 and the 

company had difficulty in obtaining buyers for its 

coal. 

This slowdown apparently dampened the spirits 

of the company, and in January 1880, the lease 

was transferred to Myers, McHenry, and Company. 

The new management extended several gangways 

and installed a new pumpway in Colliery No. 1. In 

Colliery No. 2, additional gangways were driven to 

expose the coal veins lying on the top of Bear 

Ridge. Coal production increased during 1882 and 

1883. In the latter year, the greatest tonnage ever 

produced from this property was recorded. 

Colliery No. 1 was renamed West Bear Ridge, 

and Colliery No. 2 was renamed East Bear 

Ridge.100 During the management of this company, 

the first surface mining of anthracite was done in 

this field near the top of Bear Ridge. The coal 

thus quarried was chuted into the East Bear Ridge 

breaker and processed with the deep-mined coal. 

The lease expired on December 31, 1883, and as 

the result of negotiations made during November 

1883, the new 15-year lease was transferred to the 

Philadelphia & Reading Coal & Iron Company, 

which operated the property until the lease expired on January 1, 1899. 

Lease No. 8 

Lease No. 8 was granted to Richard Lee, William 

Grant, and Frederick Patterson on October 1, 1864. 

The lease covered all the north dipping veins of 

coal on the north side of Bear Ridge on the Nathan 

Beach, Joseph Paschall, and part of the John Brady 

tracts, the northern limits being the first synclinal 

axis north of Bear Ridge. The term was for five 

years and the provisions were the same as in the 

other previous leases. 

The lessees began to develop the Mammoth vein 

which was exposed by a drift driven above water 

level. During the early months of this lease, other 

claimants began legal proceedings stating that prior 

claims gave them ownership rather than the Girard 

Estate. On December 6, 1864, the lease was transferred to the claimants headed by Samuel E. Griscom who agreed to continue the operations until 

the court could decide the rightful owner. The 

colliery erected on the property was called the 

William Penn, after the founder of Pennsylvania, 

and the operations were conducted under the name 

of Samuel E. Griscom and Company. 

The new lessees began to open the Holmes vein 

found on the property and drove gangways in this 

vein to the boundary limits. In addition, a shaft, 

250 feet deep, was sunk during 1869, to open the 

deeper lying Mammoth vein, as the above-waterlevel portion of this vein had been mined. 

On July 12, 1869, a new 15-year lease was made 

with Griscom and Company with similar provisions as contained in the newly instituted leasing 

program. 

The district mine inspector visited the property 

in December 1869 and reported the status of the 

mining operations.101 

The mine is ventilated by a 10 horse steam fan and airholes from the surface into the 3 drift gangways. Doors are 

placed on the outcast airshaft with counter and sliding doors 

used to supply fresh air to the miners passing up and down 

into the mines. 

There are 8 engines in use for a total horse power of 
36 SMITHSONIAN STUDIES IN HISTORY AND TECHNOLOGY 

FIGURE 23.-Map of lease No. 8, William Penn Colliery, 1876. 

310: 2 breaker engines—one 20 horse and one 40 horse; 2 

hoisting engines of 70 horse each; one 40 horse pumping 

engine; one 30 horse saw mill engine; one 10 horse steam 

fan; and one 30 horse engine for sinking the shaft. 

The Company employs 200 hands together with 13 mules 

and 74 coal wagons. Present shipping capacity is 60 cars per 

day with a future capacity of 160 cars per day when the 

mine is at full operation. 

The size of the mine was enlarged by extending 

the lengths of the gangways, and with this expansion of underground workings a larger steam ventilating fan (20 horsepower was installed during 

1870. The district mine inspector in his report for 

the year 1870 said that "the government of the 

works warrants a security to the employees."

 102 

The lease was transferred to the William Penn 

Coal Company at the close of business in December 

1872. This company continued to expand the mine 

workings and by October 1874, the mine was producing 20,000 tons of coal per month. The total 

number of employees increased as the mine improvements continued with the number reaching 

430 during 1881.103 

During 1878, the Girard Estate approved the 

transfer of the lease held by the William Penn Coal 

Company to Edward and George Brooke, who retained the same name of the company. The property at this time was well developed and had three 

working lifts in the Mammoth vein and an inside 

slope driven into the Holmes vein. The only perpendicular shaft on the Estate was located at this 

colliery. 

The annual production for 1878, as in the five 

preceeding years, exceeded that of every other colliery on the Estate. The royalty rates for 1879 were 

35 cents a ton for large coal, 15 cents a ton for 

chestnut coal, and 6 cents a ton for pea coal. 

During 1879, new development work and extension of old workings continued and a new vein 
NUMBER 15 37 

of coal, the Skidmore, was opened. A new ventilating fan was installed which allowed for separate air 

courses in the Mammoth vein and in the Holmes 

vein. With its production rate still at a high level, 

the average annual output for the past seven years 

was 140,000 tons. 

Gangway development continued to be made 

each year with the eventual expansion of workings 

into the Four-Foot and Primrose veins. Annual 

production reached 221,900 tons during 1881, and 

again this colliery's output exceeded all others on 

the Estate. 

During 1882, the Company found that the extension of the workings was causing an overload 

on the capacities of their steam engines, and, if 

continued, could more than likely cause failures in 

maintaining a constantly high production. Two 

powerful Allison air compressors were installed, 

thereby substituting compressed air for steam in 

their underground machinery, hoisting engines, 

and pumps.104 Plans also were started for the installation of a much larger ventilating fan which 

could provide sufficient air courses throughout the 

mine and also eliminate all steam engines from 

the interior of the mine. 

Negotiations were completed on June 9, 1883, 

between the Girard Estate and the William Penn 

Coal Company for a new 15-year lease that would 

become effective January 1, 1884. Production for 

the years 1883 and 1884 continued at a high rate 

and this colliery continued to be the largest producer of anthracite on the Estate. The William 

Penn Coal Company continued operations undeT 

the Brookes until 1892 when the lease was transferred to Stickney and Conyngham who retained 

the same company name. 

Lease No. 9 

Two men named Wadleigh and Vandyke were 

granted Lease No. 9 on August 1, 1865, for all the 

dipping seams of coal south of the anticlinal axis 

of Locust Mountain, on the Jeremiah Jackson, 

William Steadman, and James McNeal tracts. 

Claimants under an adverse title were able to gain 

control of the lands before the lease was finally 

approved and began to work those coal seams 

which were exposed. The claimants, operating as 

the Thomas Coal Company, were Daniel Fisher, 

Henry Sailor, John B. Reber, and B. B. Thomas. 

The City Council then agreed to lease the tracts 

Spurawr Stocrmtr* <, IIOAL SHAMS 

wemnto ar Ktm.tr ao» cotuear 

.rorfhrrn limit itC Lew* 

mm&9 -j,vr«*LLlK,lv 

I.KHNKK 

£ Tfftjlt I -'.'*'.-<.-

( A S M'NEA L TRAC T 

MiMierrMi 

^UJJP; 

I pi 1! :: 

riLLIA M 5TtADMA N TRAC T 

&r 

fofiUtrtn linr QfMe ibrnnt Estate 

a*'"* * * 

T J 

FIGURE 24.—Map of lease No. 9, Kehley's Run Colliery, 1876. 
38 SMITHSONIAN STUDIES IN HISTORY AND TECHNOLOGY 

tTttdeyj /fun Colticry 

JE^EM/AH JACKSON 

4arAi(Ds n. OF 

THOMAS COAL COS PEW SLOPE 

Oct*der- /*'/? 

FIGURE 25.—Thomas Coal Company's new slope, 1878. 

to the Thomas Coal Company with the provision 

that all royalties paid were to be placed in a 

separate trust fund until the courts could decide 

whether Girard had the proper title. After years 

of litigation, the court decided on May 11, 1874, 

that the city was the rightful owner of the land in 

dispute. 

The breaker erected on this lease was called the 

Thomas Colliery and 2,372 tons of coal were 

handled during 1865. 

The colliery, including slope, breaker, and mine 

opening, was located immediately north of the 

Shenandoah lease, and was the easternmost operation on the Girard Estate. The slope was driven 

into the Mammoth vein, and gangways were driven 

from it to the eastern and western boundaries of 

the property. 

The following conditions of the property were 

reported by the district mine inspector in his report 

for the year 1869.105 

The slope is 130 yards deep, on an angle of 45 degrees and 

contains 2 tracks of 44-inch gauge with a 4%-foot pump road 

and planked stairway. Two 60 horse engines work in the 

slope and provide adequate hoisting power. 

The mines are ventilated by a furnace at the bottom of 

the slope which I have condemned as not being satisfactory 

to provide sufficient air for the workings. A 20 horse steam 

fan will be installed as soon as possible to provide adequate 

ventilation. 

A 30 horse power engine operates the breaker and is kept 

in an excellent condition. The total engine capacity of this 

operation is 130 horse power. 

There are 71 men and boys employed at the property 

along with 10 mules and 60 coal wagons. Estimated shipping 

capacity is 70 railroad cars daily. 

A new 15-year lease was negotiated with the 

Thomas Coal Company on May 19, 1869, and the 

name of the property was changed to Kehley's Run 

Colliery. 

The district mine inspector apparently was quite 

concerned about the much needed improvements 

in the ventilating system and visited the colliery 

again early in 1870.106 He reported that: 

a 20 horse steam fan with a 16-foot diameter fan had 

been installed and with the use of double doors on the 

gangways, the air current is constantly in motion. 

A new dirt plane had been built and a 20 horse engine 

installed thereon. Also a new 120 horse pump had been 

acquired to handle the pumping operations. Total employment was 175 men and boys and the daily output was 80 

cars. 

Development work continued and during 1870 

a new slope was sunk, below water level, into the 

Mammoth vein. From this new level a tunnel was 

driven into the Buck Mountain vein and the top 

splint of the Mammoth. The Mammoth vein at this 

colliery had a thickness of 50 feet and was separated 

into two splits by a layer of rock and slate that 
NUMBER 15 39 

averaged 20 feet. With the increased efforts made 

in the development of additional working areas, 

this colliery was prepared to begin large annual 

shipments. 

The largest tonnage ever produced from this 

property was during 1879 when over 151,000 tons 

were sent to market. The royalty rate on coal for 

1879 was 35 cents a ton for large coal, 15 cents a 

ton for chestnut, and 6 cents a ton for pea coal. 

The company seemed well on its way for another 

productive year in 1880, but in early July a large 

quantity of gas was found in the air currents in 

such a large concentration that the district mine 

inspector was at the point of asking for a court 

order to stop the working of the colliery.107 The 

cause for the accumulation of gas was attributed 

to two locomotives, fired with anthracite, that were 

used to haul coal in the old slope workings. These 

locomotives were removed immediately from that 

section of the mine upon the instructions received 

from the district mine inspector. This action improved the quality of air in the mine until the 

July 14, when another gas accumulation was discovered in the new slope workings. 

In an effort to clear up the air circulating in the 

mine, the owners connected their operations with 

Kohinoor Colliery, that had been mined into previously from the Kehley's Run gangway. This action 

appeared to correct the gas problem temporarily, 

but on July 26, the miners again complained of 

foul air. 

On the night of July 26, 1880, between ten and 

eleven o'clock, Jonathan Wasley, Frank Willman, 

and John Reese entered the mine through the old 

water-level gangways that previously had been 

abandoned. Why they entered the workings at this 

location, at that late hour, and for what purposes 

were never really ascertained, and the disaster that 

struck them has never been fully determined.108 

The following morning the district mine inspector was preparing to leave his home for the colliery 

when a messenger from Mrs. Reese arrived to inquire about the whereabouts of her husband. The 

inspector immediately proceeded to the colliery 

and talked with the night watchman who attested 

to the presence of the three men at the colliery the 

preceding evening and stated that they had not 

gone down into the mine, but had walked westward toward the stables. At about the same time, a 

miner reported that on his way to work he had seen 

footprints around one of the old cave holes. In 

company with other miners who had arrived for 

work on the morning shift, the group proceeded to 

the cave hole and discovered, without a doubt, that 

the tracks indicated that the three missing men 

had entered the mine. 

A search party, under the supervision of the mine 

inspector, entered the cave hole and proceeded for 

approximately 140 feet, when the inspector, who 

was leading the party, was overcome with gas. He 

was quickly removed to the outside by his companions. Immediate action was taken to restore 

ventilation, so that another rescue party could continue the search for the three missing men. Shortly 

before one o'clock, a party headed by William 

Hemingray and Colonel Brown was able to enter 

the mine and discovered the bodies of the three 

men.109 

On August 9, workmen coming out of the gangway discovered a fire in one of the chutes of the 

No. 8 face. A conference was immediately called 

between the owners and officials associated with 

or connected with the collieries adjoining Kehley's 

Run to formulate plans to extinguish the fire. 

After several explosions of gas, the fire was still 

out of control despite attempts to extinguish it. 

As a result of that, and the commencement of 

legal proceedings by the owners of the adjacent 

Kohinoor Colliery, the Schuylkill County Court on 

December 13, 1880, ordered the city of Philadelphia 

to take possession of the colliery—the Thomas Coal 

Company gladly released its control—and make an 

effort to extinguish the fire under the Court's previously issued order of November 24, 1880.110 

Immediately upon receipt of the court order, 

Heber S. Thompson, engineer in charge of the 

Girard Estate, started preparations to subdue the 

fire by flooding the mine. Thompson's plan was to 

seal off the area containing the fire by constructing 

masonry dams at appropriate locations and then 

allow water to fill the walled-in area. 

By June 10, the dam work was completed and 

preparations were begun to allow the water to 

flow into the mine. Materials used in the construction of the dams were 600,000 bricks and 1,800 

barrels of cement (American and imported) at a 

cost of approximately $67,000.m A water flume, 

2,360 feet in length, connected the colliery with the 

reservoir of the Shenandoah Water Company and 

provided the means for the handling of the hugh 
40 SMITHSONIAN STUDIES IN HISTORY AND TECHNOLOGY 

quantity of water that would be required. From 

Thompson's calculations, approximately eight million gallons of water would be required to extinguish the fire. Periodic testing during June and 

July indicated that the fire was slowly being extinguished, and by August 25 the fire was out. 

On August 26, 1880, two hoists equipped with 

cast-iron tanks were placed in operation to de-water 

the mine. One tank had a capacity of 1,800 gallons 

and the other 800 gallons, which allowed the removal of 2,600 gallons of water every three minutes.112

 De-watering operations continued and on 

February 13, 1882, a new 15-year lease was made 

with the Thomas Coal Company to again take 

control of the colliery and continue mining operations. 

The successful completion of this project was the 

first time a colliery fire under the conditions that 

existed at Kehley's Run had been extinguished. 

The Mammoth seam presented difficult mining 

problems as it was, and the engineering skills of 

Thompson were greatly demonstrated by his efforts 

to extinguish the fire. The seam was 50 feet in 

thickness, dipped at an angle of 45 degrees, and 

was open to mine workings of an adjacent colliery 

farther down the dip. 

On April 3, 1882, the hoisting of coal was begun 

and the breaker was again in full operation. Coal 

production increased gradually each month thereafter, and the tonnage for 1882 amounted to 79,645. 

Development work continued throughout the mine 

and by 1884 approximately 110,784 tons were produced, with coal being mined from the Mammoth, 

Skidmore, Buck Mountain, and Seven Foot veins. 

Thomas Coal Company continued their leasing 

agreements with the Girard Estate until 1905 when 

the lease was transferred to the Thomas Colliery 

Company. 

Lease No. 10 

The lands included in lease No. 10 were claimed 

under an adverse title filed by W. L. Williams, who 

during 1866 erected a small breaker east of Shenandoah Colliery on the Israel Cope tract. Williams 

mined a small amount of coal during the next four 

years and on January 4, 1870, sold his right to the 

newly formed Philadelphia Coal Company which 

immediately negotiated with the Girard officials 

for a 15-year lease on the property. The new colliery erected was called the Lehigh Colliery as its 

production would be transported over the Lehigh 

Valley Railroad. 

The lease on these lands included all the coal on 

the Edward Lynch, James Howell, Israel Cope, 

John Brady, Joseph Paschall, and Nathan Beach 

tracts, between the anticlinal axis of Locust Mountain, and the first anticlinal axis south, which was 

the line that defined the northern limit in the 

description of the Shenandoah and Packer leases. 

The state mine inspector visited the property on 

July 12, 1869, and commented on the condition of 

the property in his published report.113 

The mine is served by two drifts driven above water level 

to expose the veins of coal found on this property. Five 

veins are present and consist of the Mammoth, 35 feet; 

Skidmore, 6i/2 feet; Buck Mountain, 18 feet; Seven-Foot, 7 

feet; and the bottom part of the Mammoth, 14 feet; making 

a total thickness of 8O14 feet. As the mine is currently developed above water level, no fan or furnace is required to 

provide ventilation for the working breasts. 

One 15-horsepower breaker engine was used in 

the preparation of the coal with steam being supplied by two old steamboat flue boilers. The inspector apparently did not approve of this type of 

boilers, as he said "flue boilers are not much used 

in coal mines." 

The company employed 53 men and boys, 5 

mules, and 14 coal wagons to haul the coal. There 

was an estimated daily capacity of 16 railroad cars. 

Commenting on the development of the property, the inspector remarked that he felt the colliery 

should have been opened first on either the railroad 

or water level with tunnels driven in a northward 

direction in order to cut through all five coal veins. 

In this way, the colliery would have become an 

important producer. As will be seen later, the new 

owner (Philadelphia Coal Co.), started to sink a 

new slope in order to develop new areas and open 

up the vast reserves of coal still on the leased lands. 

The same inspector visited the property on January 8, 1870, and noted that the new company had 

made progress in sinking a new slope and remarked 
NUMBER 15 41 

that when the new slope—approximately 300 feet 

in length—was completed along with other surface 

improvements, "this colliery will constitute one of 

the very best in this region."114 The construction 

of new additions to the breaker would increase the 

shipping capacity to 120 railroad cars per day. 

During 1871, the company installed a 90-horsepower engine for hoisting and drainage, a 12-horsepower fan for ventilation, and a 20-horsepower 

engine in the breaker.115 Production for the year 

amounted to 17,400 tons, almost a six-fold increase 

over the previous year's shipments. 

With the continued improvements, it became 

necessary to increase the working force and transportation equipment. By 1872, the total number of 

employees—inside and outside—had increased to 94, 

and 8 mules and 22 coal wagons were in use for 

transporting the coal. Tonnage for the year 

amounted to 53,400 tons.116 

According to the annual statistics for the district 

in 1879, the total number of employees had reached 

345, with 10 mules and one locomotive transporting 

the coal to the breaker.117 The larger number of 

operating personnel did increase the annual production during the year, and this provided another 

reason for the driving of a trial slope below the 

second working level in an effort to reach additional reserves of coal. At year's end, the slope had 

reached a length of approximately 1,080 feet. 

Other improvements to the property included 

the installation of a new and larger steam-fan 

engine, the addition of 6 steam boilers, regrading 

the coal plane, and the opening of a newly timbered airway.118 

The Philadelphia Coal Company surrendered its 

lease at the end of 1880, and the remaining four 

years of the lease were transferred to the Lehigh 

Valley Coal Company which continued the operation of the colliery until 1939. The first year under 

the new management resulted in doubling the 

annual production, which reached approximately 

170,000 tons. New development work during the 

year resulted in the driving of eight new gangways 

which extended the mine workings to the sixth lift 

below water level.119 As a result, the annual yield 

in future years was to continue at a high rate. 

The first 15-year lease on this property expired 

on December 31, 1884, and the Lehigh Valley Coal 

Company renewed the lease for another 15-year 

period commencing January 1, 1885. The terms 

and royalty rates were the same as all the other 

coal leases on the Estate. During 1885, the name 

of the colliery was changed to Packer No. 3, thus 

bringing this property in conformance with the 

names assigned to the other properties operated by 

the Lehigh Valley Coal Company. 

The importance of the coal found on this property, especially the outstanding characteristics of 

the Mammoth Vein, was highlighted by the selection of a 3,255-pound block of coal for exhibition 

by the city of Philadelphia at the New Orleans 

exposition during 1884 and 1885. 

Lease No. 11 

The Philadelphia Coal Company obtained Lease 

No. 11 on March 8, 1875. This property covered all 

the coal from the west line of the James Chapman 

tract (the western limit of the Colorado colliery) 

to Vine Alley, Girardville. This fell between the 

main synclinal axis of the Shenandoah Valley and 

the anticlinal axis of Bear Ridge. All the coal was 

found on the John Alexander tract. 

The company did no exploration work on this 

property until September 1878, when diamond 

drilling operations were begun to verify the coal 

outcrops and the geological formations in the eastern end of the property in Girardville.120

 The 

Lehigh Valley Railroad traversed the ground 

covered by the lease and, when a breaker was 

erected, would transport the coal to market. 

Exploration work continued for the next two 

years to verify the coal measures and to develop 

the basins and dips. During 1880, a trial slope was 

sunk to help in locating the various veins of coal 

on the property. 

No mine opening was ever developed as a result 

of the exploration program; however, during 1883, 

this lease was consolidated with that of Colorado 

(Packer No. 1) Colliery and turned over to the 

Philadelphia Coal Company. 

Statistics pertaining to the output of the eleven 

leases are given in Tables 7 through 10 in Appendix 1. 
Breaker Boys 

Breaker boys, the common name for slate pickers, 

normally included all boys employed on the surface 

around a coal breaker. A coal breaker, as the name 

implies, was a large wooden structure that contained mechanical equipment for the crushing, 

screening, and cleaning of anthracite run-of-mine 

material into sized commercial grades. During this 

period, the entire treatment process was a dry operation and pickers were forced to work in the 

"dust bowl" for ten-hour shifts. Sometimes old men 

and crippled miners with good eyesight were employed as pickers. 

The coal from the mine was raised to the top 

of the breaker, occasionally as high as 100 feet, 

dumped into a storage bin, and directed through 

the treatment processes which consisted of crushing 

and screening apparatus. The coal traveled by 

gravity through wooden chutes that connected the 

different stages of processing. After being crushed, 

screened, and hand cleaned, the coal was directed 

into storage pockets or bins prior to loading into 

railroad cars for shipment to markets. 

The breaker boys were stationed at wooden 

chutes running from the screening stage, and they 

were required to remove all foreign materials from 

the cleaned and sized coal before it was directed 

into the loading pockets. 

Throughout the anthracite industry, various 

picking arrangements were used, but the following 

two method were the most prevalent. 

The first method found the pickers seated on 

boards that reached across wide, wooden chutes. 

They were required to sit on the board, place their 

feet on the bottom of the chute, and thereby interrupt the flow of coal in the chute long enough to 

pick out the foreign materials that were found in 

the flowing clean coal. The foreign materials included slate, pieces of wooden timbers, chunks of 

iron, and low grade or "boney" coal. The pickers 

were placed in sets of three, four, or five, depending 

on the quantity of coal flowing in the chute and 

the quantity of impurities in the coal. 

The second method found the pickers seated 

along both sides of narrow wooden chutes. The 

chutes were located either in the direct route to 

the storage pocket or on smaller side chutes for 

more efficient handpicking. These pickers were also 

arranged in a series of three, four, or five depending on the length of the chute and the speed of the 

coal flowing past them. In this method, the pickers 

did not interrupt the flow of coal, and had to move 

quickly to remove the foreign material as it passed 

by them. 

The pickers were controlled by the picker-boss 

who was so positioned that he could watch the 

effectiveness of their work. The boss more often 

than not was equipped with a switch or whip to 

remind the pickers of their slowness or ineptness 

in removing all the foreign materials. In some 

breakers, the boss was equipped with a wooden 

handle or baton, indicating the speed at which the 

pickers should work. 

The age of breaker boys ranged from eight to 

sixteen years. The first law in Pennsylvania setting 

the minimum age of twelve for boys working 

around the mines was passed in 1885. Previous 

legislation had set the minimum age of twelve for 

boys employed in the mines, but had not made any 

provision for boys working on the outside. The 

only proof required was a certificate signed by a 

parent or guardian claiming the boy was of age. 

The state never enforced this requirement, and 

many underage boys were employed on the outside. 

This action by the state was an acceptable practice 

of the times, because many of the boys so employed 

were children of fathers that had been killed or 

injured in the mines. More often than not, they 

were the only working member of a family and 

their income, religiously handed over to their 

mother, provided food for the table. The boys 

worked the same hours per day as the miner when 

he worked, and only obtained a shorter workday 

when the miners obtained the eight-hour day. 

42 
NUMBER 15 43 

FIGURE 26.—Girard Estate Trustees visiting orphan children in Girardville, Pennsylvania, 1891. 

(Photograph courtesy of the Girard Estate.) 

The boys were the lowest paid employees around 

the mines and during the period of this study received between 50 and 65 cents per day. Using the 

standard six-day working week, the boys averaged 

between three and four dollars per week for their 

hand labor. According to labor statistics collected 

in 1883, there were 15,369 boys employed as pickers 

in the Pennsylvania anthracite fields. 
44 SMITHSONIAN STUDIES IN HISTORY AND TECHNOLOGY 

FIGURE 27.—Girard Estate Trustees visiting orphan children in Girardville, Pennsylvania, 1891. 

(Photograph courtesy of the Girard Estate.) 
NUMBER 15 45 

FIGURE 28.—Examples of breaker-boy operations. (Courtesy of the Library of Congress.) 
46 SMITHSONIAN STUDIES IN HISTORY AND TECHNOLOGY 

FIGURE 29.—Examples of breaker-boy operations. (Photograph courtesy of the Girard Estate.) 
Summary 

The foregoing brief discussion of the development 

of the Girard Estate brings out the varied problems that faced the trustees during the early years. 

Not only were they confronted with court action 

challenging the provisions of Stephen Girard's will, 

but they also had to contend with: how many acres 

of land were owned; the lack of transportation facilities into the property; the excess production of 

anthracite in the 1840s and 1850s; and the lack 

of inhabitants on these lands. 

The oversupply problem in the Schuylkill fields 

was of particular importance, in that the majority 

of the mining operations were conducted on leased 

lands, and the profits obtained by the lessees were 

reinvested in their respective operations. Considering the long life that was possible due to the large 

reserves of anthracite, these business ventures could 

be classed as short-term operations. 

This problem was realized by P. W. Sheafer, a 

prominent mining engineer of the region, who said 

in a paper presented to the Pottsville Scientific 

Association in 1858 that: 

It is doubtless unfavorable to the profitable working of 

our coal beds that there is frequently both a want of capital 

and of the proper concentration of that which exists. Certainly no method of mining coal can be less economical that 

to fit out a number of separate operations upon comparatively small estates, with all the necessary engines and 

other improvements, instead of selecting a suitable point 

from which the coal of several adjacent tracts could be 

worked by one large operation equipped in the best manner. 

This policy can only be carried out effectively by the union 

of the proprietors of adjacent tracts. Indeed the pursuit of 

the coal below water level, requiring increased capital, has 

already tended to the concentration of the business of mining in fewer hands; and as the necessity of shafting to the 

lower coals becomes more apparent, the discussion among 

those interested, of an enlightened system of harmonious 

action is more and more frequent. 

The operators did not heed Sheafer's advice and 

continued to operate on a small scale and with 

limited financial resources. This is also evidenced 

when reviewing the lessees for the Girard lands 

beginning in 1862, even though the size of each 

lease was approximately 500 acres. The leases were 

granted to either individuals or groups of individuals, and the larger companies with better management and equipment did not enter the mining 

business until the mid-1870s. With the entrance 

of larger companies, it became quite evident that 

more stable and efficient mining operations resulted. 

The improved conditions of the mines also can 

be seen from the annual reports of the Inspector of 

Mines of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. 

During the early small-size operations, the inspector 

reported many deficiencies in ventilation practices, 

unsafe mining conditions, and the use of inefficient 

haulage and sizing machinery. With the entrance 

of the larger size companies, came an improvement 

in safety conditions and the installation of more 

efficient equipment. 

The question that is usually raised is why did 

the Girard Estate begin leasing operations during 

1862 at a time when the anthracite industry as a 

whole was not enjoying much prosperity. Two 

reasons which seem logical are the increased need 

for manufactured goods during the Civil War, and 

the entrance of rail service into their property. 

Their anticipation of better conditions within the 

industry proved correct for by 1863 shipments had 

increased almost 20 percent and few stocks of coal 

remained at the end of the year. 

All was not peaceful within the industry, however, as the price of coal began to rise and the 

shortage of miners—with the resulting importation 

of foreign labor—led to serious problems that were 

to plague the industry in later years. 

During the period 1869 to 1884, the industry experienced labor stoppages, the "Molly Maguire"121 

activities, the formation of operators' associations 

to regulate the coal trade, the control of large coal 

acreage by transportation companies, and the country's economic depression during 1873. 

Each of these conditions sorely affected the industry, but the lessees of Girard Estate lands survived the industry's difficult times and gradually 

seemed to improve their operations. From 1863 to 

1884, the lessees shipped to market approximately 

18.4 million tons of anthracite and paid royalties 

to the Estate of over $5 million. 

47 
Notes 

1. Thomas F. Gordon, History of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia: Carey, Lea & Carey, 1829) , p. 55. 

2. Thomas Sergeant, View of the Land Laws of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia: James Kay, Jr. & Bros., 1838) p. 23. 

Also Gordon, op. cit. (note 1) , p. 58. 

3. Samuel Hazard, Annals of Pennsylvania, 1609-1682 

(Philadelphia: Hazard & Mitchell, 1850) , pp. 637-643. 

4. Hazard's Register of Pennsylvania (vol. 10, no. 9, 

September 1, 1832) , p. 130. 

5. Sergeant, op. cit. (note 2) , pp. 27-32. 

6. Ibid., pp. 280-292. 

7. Gordon, op. cit. (note 1) , p. 83. 

8. Sergeant, op. cit. (note 2) , p. 37. 

9. Gordon, op. cit. (note 1) , p. 178. Also Sergeant, op. cit. 

(note 2), p. 47. 

10. Sergeant, op. cit. (note 2) , p. 47. 

11. Ibid., p. 55. 

12. The Pennsylvania Gazette, June 20, 1765. 

13. Sergeant, op. cit. (note 2) , p. 272. 

14. Ibid., p. 64. 

15. Ibid., p. 62. 

16. Ibid., p. 63. 

17. The Pennsylvania Gazette, December 8, 1779. 

18. John Purdon, Digest of the Laws of Pennsylvania 

(Philadelphia: M'Carty & Davis, 1837), p. 605. 

19. Ibid., p. 627. Secretary of Land Office—David Kennedy; 

Receiver General—Francis Johnston; Surveyor GeneralJohn Lukens. Office of Receiver General abolished by act of 

March 21, 1809. 

20. The Pennsylvania Gazette, May 1, 1782. 

21. Purdon, op. cit. (note 18) , p. 608. 

22. Sergeant, op. cit. (note 2) , p. 75. 

23. Purdon, op. cit. (note 18) , p. 609. 

24. Ibid., p. 610. 

25. Ibid., p. 618. The usual allowance for roads and highways was 6 percent. 

26. Ibid., p 621-622 

27. Ibid., p. 622. This section of the act was repealed by 

acts passed on March 28, 1814, and March 10, 1817. 

28. Pennsylvania Legislative Acts, 1811 (Harrisburg: C. 

Gleim, 1811) , p. 205. The act was passed on March 18, 1811. 

29. Recording of deeds for this county, prior to its formation on March 18, 1811, were in Northumberland County 

and, at a later date, deeds were recorded in Schuylkill 

County. 

30. Loeser Manuscript Collection, Historical Society of 

Schuylkill County, Pottsville, Pennsylvania, vol. 10. 

31. Northumberland County, Deed Book I, April 18, 1797, 

p. 357. Also Schuylkill County, Deed Book, no. 9, June 3, 

1830, p. 316. 

32. Northumberland County, Mortgage Book 1, April 18, 

1797, p. 286. Also Schuylkill County, Mortgage Book 3, p. 

662. 

33. Northumberland County, Deed Book 1, April 18, 1797, 

p. 356. 

34. Extract, Northumberland County Court, Sunbury, 

Pennsylvania, Record no. 43, session 1801. August 28, 1800. 

35. Philadelphia County, Deed Book IC. 13, April 29, 1811, 

p. 551. 

36. Ibid., p. 553. 

37. The Philadelphia Gazette, February 17, 1830. 

38. Ibid., April 24, 1830. 

39. Schuylkill County, Deed Book 10, May 10, 1830, p. 28. 

Also, Columbia County, Deed Book E, p. 407. 

40. Report made to Stephen Girard by John Thomson, 

Enoch Lewis, Thomas Baird, and Charles L. Schlatter on 

March 3, 1830. From original records found in manager's 

Office, Girard Estate, Girardville, Pennsylvania. 

41. Hazard's Register of Pennsylvania (vol. 9, no. 23, 

June 9, 1832) , p. 365. One important tract (700 x 1200 feet) 

was purchased at Mount Carbon, fronting on the Schuylkill 

River, for loading canal boats. 

42. Stephen Simpson, Biography of Stephen Girard (Philadelphia: Thomas L. Bonsai, 1832) p. 42. 

43. Annual Report of the Directors of City Trusts for the 

year 1870 (Philadelphia: King & Baird, 1871) , p. 43. 

44. Hazard's Register of Pennsylvania (vol. 11, no. 21, 

May 25, 1833) , p. 320. 

45. J. B. Gibson, Pennsylvania Supreme Court, delivered 

an opinion on March 29, 1833, in case of Girard vs. Mayor 

Alderman and citizens of Pennsylvania (4 Rawle, p. 322). 

46. Hazard's Register of Pennsylvania (vol. 9, no. 15, 

April 14, 1832) , p. 234. 

47. Christian M. Straub, Prothonotary of Schuylkill 

County, Pennsylvania, issued in partition on June 21, 1848, 

for return to September 1848 court term. 

48. Pottsville Miner's Journal, August 9, 1851. Sheriff sale 

announced. September 20, 1851, sale to C. Loeser reported 

as effected. 

49. J. D. Meredith, Report to Commissioners of the Girard 

Estate i?i Philadelphia. Pottsville, letter dated November 8, 

1847. 

50. Pottsville Miner's Journal, August 4, 1855. 

51. Report of the Select Committee of Girard Estate 

(Philadelphia: Privately printed, 1856) , p. 10. 

52. Pottsville Miner's Journal, September 14, 1857. 

53. Ibid., January 5, 1858. 

54. Ibid., August 25, 1860. 

55. Refer to Appendix 3 for a copy of the lease agreement. 

56. Application of city of Philadelphia, trustee under the 

48 
NUMBER 15 49 

will of Stephen Girard, to Court of Common Pleas, June 30, 

1868. 

57. Referees Report to Judge of the Court of Common 

Pleas of Philadelphia County (Pottsville: Privately printed, 

July 7, 1868) . 

58. Philadelphia Press, August 17, 1868. 

59. Journal of the Select Council of the City of Philadelphia (Philadelphia: Privately printed, 1870) , pp. 159-166. 

60. Annual Report.. .City Trust.. .1870, op. cit. (note 

43) , p. 7. 

61. Tracts included in each lease are from original leases 

on file in the Office of the Engineer of the Girard Estate, 

Girardville, Pennsylvania. 

62. Report of the Inspector of Mines of Schuylkill County 

for the year 1869 (Harrisburg: Benj. Singerly, 1870) , pp. 

35-36. 

63. Annual Report.. .City Trusts. . .1870, op. cit. (note 

43), p. 13. 

64. Reports of the Inspectors of Mines of the Anthracite 

Coal Regions of Pennsylvania for the year 1872 (Harrisburg: 

Benj. Singerly, 1873), p. 116. 

65. Annual Report of the Directors of City Trusts for the 

year 1874 (Philadelphia: James B. Chandler, 1875) , p. 38. 

66. Annual Report of the Directors of City Trusts for the 

year 1876 (Philadelphia: James B. Chandler, 1877) , p. 46. 

67. Annual Report of the Directors of City Trusts for the 

year 1878 (Philadelphia: James B. Chandler, 1878) , p. 38. 

68. Reports of the Inspectors of Mines of the Anthracite 

Coal Regions of Pennsylvania, for the year 1884 (Harrisburg: 

Lane S. Hart, 1885) , p. 35. 

69. Reports of the Inspectors of Mines of the Anthracite 

Coal Regions of Pennsylvania for the year 1870 (Harrisburg: 

Benj. Singerly 1871) , p. 170. 

70. Reports of the Inspectors. . .Anthracite Coal Regions 

1872, op. cit. (note 64) , p. 114. 

71. Annual Report. . .City Trusts, 1876, op. cit. (note 66) , 

p. 47. 

72. Reports of the Inspectors of Mines of the Anthracite 

Coal Regions of Pennsylvania for the year 1877 (Harrisburg: 

Lane S. Hart, 1878) , p. 29. 

73. Annual Report of the Board of Directors of City 

Trusts for the year 1895 (Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott Co. 

1896), p. 72. 

74. Reports of the Inspectors of Coal Mines of the 

Anthracite Coal Regions of Pennsylvania for the year 1871 

(Harrisburg: Benj. Singerly, 1872) , p. 189. 

75. Annual Reports of the Board of Directors of City 

Trusts for the year 1875 (Philadelphia: James B. Chandler, 

1876), p. 81. 

76. Annual Report of the Board of Directors of City Trusts 

for the year 1877 (Philadelphia: James B. Chandler, 1878), 

p. 40. 

77. Reports of the Inspectors. . .Anthracite Coal Regions 

.. .1877, op. cit. (note 72) , p. 35. 

78. Reports of the Inspectors of Mines of the Anthracite 

Coal Regions of Pennsylvania for the year 1879 (Harrisburg: 

Lane S. Hart, 1880) , p. 67. 

79. Annual Report of the Board of Directors of City 

Trusts for the year 1898 (Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott, 

1899) , p. 88. 

80. Report of the Inspector.. .Schuylkill County.. .1869, 

op. cit. (note 62) , pp. 34, 35. 

81. Report of the Inspectors. . .Anthracite Coal Regions.. . 

1872, op. cit. (note 64) , p. 122. 

82. Annual Report.. .City Trusts 1877, op. cit. (note 76), 

p. 42. 

83. Report of the Inspectors.. .Anthracite Coal Regions 

. . .1877, op. cit. (note 72) , p. 32. 

84. Annual Report of the Board of Directors of City 

Trusts for the year 1883 (Philadelphia: Burk & McFetridge, 

1884) , pp. 44-45. 

85. Report of the Inspectors. . .Anthracite Coal Regions 

. . .1884, op. cit. (note 68) , p. 48. 

86. Reports of the Inspectors. . .Anthracite Coal Regions 

. . .1870, op. cit. (note 69) , p. 171. 

87. Reports of the Inspectors. . .Anthracite Coal Regions 

. . .1872, op. cit. (note 64) , p. 119. 

88. Annual Report of the Board of Directors of City 

Trusts for the year 1879 (Philadelphia: The Chandlers 

Printing House, 1880) , p. 39. 

89. Reports of the Inspectors.. .Anthracite Coal Regions 

. . .1879, op. cit. (note 78) , p. 87. 

90. Reports of the Inspectors.. .Anthracite Coal Regions 

. . .1884, op. cit. (note 68) , p. 80. 

91. Annual Report of the Board of Directors of City Trusts 

for the year 1899 (Philadelphia: Allen Lane & Scott, 1900) , 

p. 77. 

92. Report of the Inspector.. .Schuylkill County.. .1869, 

op. cit. (note 62) , p. 33. 

93. Report of the Inspectors. . .Anthracite Coal Regions 

. . .1872, op. cit. (note 64) , p. 120. 

94. Annual Report.. .City Trusts.. .1883, op. cit. (note 

84) , p. 46. 

95. Report of the Inspector.. .Schuylkill County.. .1869, 

op. cit. (note 62) , p. 137. 

96. Reports of the Inspectors.. .of Anthracite Coal Regions 

.. .1870, op. cit. (note 69) , pp. 153, 154. 

97. Annual Report of the Directors of City Trusts for the 

year 1871 (Philadelphia: John C. Clark 8c Sons, 1872) , p. 29. 

98. Reports of the Inspectors. . .Anthracite Coal Regions 

.. .1871, op. cit. (note 74) , p. 199. 

99. Annual Report of the Directors of City Trusts for the 

year 1873 (Philadelphia: James B. Chandler, 1874) , p. 61. 

100. Annual Report. . .City Trusts, 1883, op. cit. (note 

84) , p. 47. 

101. Report of the Inspector. . .Schuylkill County for 1869, 

op. cit. (note 62) , p. 165. 

102. Reports of the Inspectors. . .Anthracite Coal Regions, 

1870, op. cit. (note 69) , p. 188. 

103. Reports of the Inspectors of Mines of the Anthracite 

Coal Regions for the year 1881 (Harrisburg: Lane S. Hart, 

1882) , p. 92. 

104. Annual Report of the Directors of City Trusts for 

the year 1882 (Philadelphia: Buck & McFetridge, 1883) , p. 

51. 

105. Report of the Inspector. . .Schuylkill County 1869, op. 

cit. (note 62) , p. 48. 

106. Reports of the Inspectors... Anthracite Coal Regions 

1870, op. cit. (note 69) , p. 185. 
50 SMITHSONIAN STUDIES IN HISTORY AND TECHNOLOGY 

107. Reports of the Inspectors of Mines of the Anthracite 

Coal Regions for the year 1880 (Harrisburg: Lane S. Hart, 

1881) , p. 25. 

108. Ibid., p. 23. 

109. Ibid., p. 26. 

110. Ibid., p. 50. 

111. Annual Report of the Board of Directors of City 

Trusts for the year 1881 (Philadelphia: A. T. Zeising, 1882) , 

p. 25, and Report for 1882, op. cit. (note 104) , p. 27. 

112. Reports of the Inspectors. . .Anthracite Coal Regions, 

1881, op. cit. (note 103) , p. 77. 

113. Report of the Inspector.. .Schuylkill County, 1869, 

op. cit. (note 62) , p. 59. 

114. Report of the Inspectors. . .Anthracite Coal Regions, 

1870, op. cit. (note 69) , p. 189. 

115. Reports of the Inspectors.. .Anthracite Coal Regions, 

1871, op. cit. (note 74) , p. 173. 

116. Reports of the Inspectors.. .Anthracite Coal Regions, 

1872, op. cit. (note 64) , p. 119. 

117. Reports of the Inspectors. . .Anthracite Coal Regions, 

1879, op. cit. (note 78) , p. 43. 

118. Annual Report. . .City Trusts, 1879, op. cit. (note 88) , 

p. 43. 

119. Reports of the Inspectors... Anthracite Coal Regions, 

1880, op. cit. (note 107) , p. 22. 

120. Annual Report. . .City Trusts, 1878, op. cit. (note 67), 

p. 58. 

121. A secret organization, active in the Pennsylvania 

anthracite fields between 1863 and 1877, which attempted to 

alleviate oppressive management conditions. 
Appendixes 
APPENDIX i. Tables 

TABLE 1.—Tracts of land purchased by Stephen Girard in 1830 and listed by patent date. 

Warrantee 

Daniel Hurley 

Paul Hannah 

Thomas Davidson 

William Dewart 

Alexander Gibson 

Joseph Evans 

David Haines 

John Alexander 

Thomas Hiltzheimer 

Robert Hiltzheimer 

Johnston Beasly 

Amos Wickersham 

Nathan Beach 

William Steadman 

Jeremiah Jackson 

George Beckham 

Thomas Paschall 

W. P. Brady 

James Chapman 

Joseph Howell 

Israel Cope 

Isaac Norris 

Joseph Paschall 

Samuel Reese 

Edward Lynch 

Robert Johns 

Robert White 

Thomas Lytle 

Peter Johns 

David Taggart 

Roger Beatty 

Alexander Rohrson 

George Moore 

Walter Beatty 

Peter Beatty 

John Palmer 

John Johns 

George Derr 

Simon Beatty 

Warrant date 

13 

10 

13 

30 

I!i 

30 

13 

Jun 

" 

" 

" 

" 

" 

" 

Jan 

" 

" 

« 

" 

" 

>> 

" 

" 

>• 

•» 

" 

•» 

«» 

»» 

" 

H 

" 

Jun 

" 

»» 

» 

" 

Jun 

Jun 

" 

Jun 

Jun 

M 

»» 

t » 

ft 

1793 

1794 

1793 

1793 

1793 

1793 

1793 

Surve) 

28 

1 

Sep 

Oct 

14 Oct 

30 

10 

11 

14 

16 

8 

7 

8 

3 

1 

7 

I 

4 

6 

4 

3 

8 

4 

6 

4 

1 

14 

30 

3 

Sep 

Oct 

Nov 

Oct 

Mar 

Mar 

Mar 

t i 

Mar 

Mar 

Mar 

" 

Mar 

Mar 

Mar 

Mar 

Mar 

Mar 

Mar 

Mar 

Mar 

Mar 

Oct 

Oct 

Sep 

I I 

Oct 

2 Oct 

14 

11 

2 

1 

Oct 

Oct 

Oct 

Oct 

9 Oct 

30 

11 

1 

Sep 

Oct 

Oct 

ed 

1793 

1793 

1793 

1793 

1793 

1793 

1793 

1794 

1794 

1794 

1794 

1794 

1794 

1794 

1794 

1794 

1794 

1794 

1794 

1794 

1794 

1794 

1794 

1793 

1793 

1793 

1793 

1793 

1793 

1793 

1793 

1793 

1793 

1793 

1793 

1793 

Acres 

403 

400 

400 

400 

400 

400 

415 

400 

400 

400 

400 

400 

39414 

400 

400 

400 

400 

400 

400 

400 

400 

423 

400 

400 

400 

400 

400 

400 

400 

400 

415 

400 

408 

400 

400 

400 

400 

408 

400 

Name 

Derry 

Jamaica 

Morrisville 

Worchester 

Alexandria 

Beau Dessart 

Smyrna 

Adris 

Blamont 

Colonna 

Dublin 

Essex 

Fidelity 

Japan 

Dango 

Lybia 

Norristown 

Nantz 

Naples 

New Castle 

New Mark 

Missa 

Orwell 

Ottawa 

Straban 

Evershot 

Hampton 

Littleton 

Lutter 

Lycia 

Newark 

Newtown 

Oswego Hill 

Pleasant 

Verlin 

Betis 

Birza 

Bucks Den 

Chatham 

Patented* 

1 Jul 1794 

2 Jul 1794 

" 

» i 

3 Jul 1794 

" 

" 

16 Oct 1794 

•• 

u 

" 

» i 

I I 

I t 

" 

r i 

tt 

If 

PI 

" 

tt 

tt 

tt 

tt 

t t 

" 

17 Oct 1794 

M 

I I 

1 1 

•» 

I I 

11 

>i 

11 

» 

20 Oct 1794 

•« 

» 

52 
NUMBER 15 53 

Warrantee Warrant date Surveyed Acres Name Patented* 

James Chapman 

Thomas Barnes, Jr. 

John Barber 

Peter Benson 

Andrew Kennedy 

Thomas P. Cope 

Josiah Haines 

Herman Beatty 

John Blackey 

Charles Cockran 

John Donaldson 

John Lockart 

James McNeal 

Thomas Grant 

John Brady 

John Barron, Jr. 

Solomon Beatty 

Nathaniel Brown 

Francis Nicols 

Samuel Scott 

William Shannon 

Thomas Hammer 

Thomas Palmer 

Daniel Reese 

Robert Irwin** 

George McCandish 

William Black 

Samuel Beatty 

John Lytle 

• I 

10 Jan 1794 

13 Jun 1793 

10 Jan 1794 

» 

i t 

" 

13 Jan 1793 

10 Jan 1794 

13 Jun 1793 

* f 

10 Jan 1794 

I I 

" 

" 

rt 

30 Jun 1793 

10 Jan 1794 

13 Jun 1793 

10 Jan 1794 

If 

13 Jun 1793 

" 

10 Jan 1794 

24 Jun 1793 

13 Jun 1793 

" 

" 

10 

8 

Oct 

Mar 

14 Oct 

6 Mar 

1793 

1794 

1793 

1794 

5 Mar 1794 

3 

1 

1 

1 

10 

1 

3 

5 

Mar 

Mar 

Oct 

Mar 

Oct 

" 

Mar 

Mar 

Mar 

4 Mar 

5 

2 

1 

10 

5 

7 

4 

3 

6 

10 

14 

30 

1 

30 

Mar 

Oct 

Mar 

Oct 

Mar 

Mar 

Oct 

Oct 

Mar 

Oct 

Oct 

Sep 

Oct 

Sep 

1794 

1794 

1793 

1794 

1793 

1794 

1794 

1794 

1794 

1794 

1793 

1794 

1794 

1794 

1794 

1793 

1793 

1794 

1793 

1794 

1793 

1793 

1793 

400 

428 

400 

400 

400 

465i/2 

359i/2 

400 

478 

400 

400 

434 

400 

400 

400 

400 

400 

400 

400 

400 

400 

400 

400 

400 

4501/2 

400 

400 

412 

400 

Collima 

Elburg 

Estella 

Estonia 

Languadoc 

Larado 

Lutzen 

Mount Rose 

Natobia 

Neyland 

Nichomedia 

Norristown 

Oudenberg 

Bermuda 

Bilboa 

Blanco 

Fara 

Hope 

Mount Royal 

Otoque 

Africa 

Berlin 

Cliff 

Norfolk 

Bern 

Evesham 

Fayette 

Hempstead 

Safe Retreat 

" 

11 

11 

i t 

> i 

H 

I t 

II 

" 

" 

l » 

" 

" 

21 Oct 1794 

" 

" 

11 

» i 

" 

23 Oct 1794 

" 

" 

" 

24 Oct 1794 

6 Nov 1794 

" 

11 

Source: Girard Estate Records, Girardville, Penna. 

•Robert Morris was patentee for all tract on date shown. 

*'Later proven to be incorrect as location was in error. 

TABLE 2.—Size and location of lands in the Girard Estate based on original surveys and warrants. 

Acres 

Warrantee 

John Barber 

Alexander Rohrson 

Herman Beatty 

Peter Beatty 

Robert White 

George McCandish 

Samuel Beatty 

Simon Beatty 

Thomas Davidson 

Peter Swartz 

Joseph Evans 

Warrant date 

13 Jun 

" 

" 

" 

" 

" 

" 

w 

.. 

" 

1793 

Official 

400 

400 

400 

400 

400 

400 

412 

400 

400 

400 

400 

Actual 

487.144** 

448.152 

446.144 

416.24 

453.09 

455.124 

457.128 

431.60 

422.124 

106 

458.339^ 

Official situation* 

Mahanoy Township 

290.28** Union Township 

112.46 Rush Township 

20.50 Mahanoy Township 

Union Township 
54 SMITHSONIAN STUDIES IN HISTORY AND TECHNOLOGY 

Warrantee 

Charles Cockran 

James Chapman 

John Donaldson 

Warrant date 

II 

II 

II 

Officio 

400 

400 

400 

Acres 

I Actual 

476.07 

445.53 

464.08 

Official situation* 

>i 

rl 

179.70 Union Township 

Alexander Gibson 

George Beckham 

Isaac Norris 

Thomas P. Cope 

Peter Benson 

John Barron, Jr. 

Andrew Kennedy 

Edward Lynch 

James Howell 

400 

400 

521.126 

George Moore 

George Derr 

David Haines 

Roger Beatty 

Solomon Beatty 

Walter Beatty 

Francis Nichols 

Robert Johns 

John Palmer 

David Taggert 

Daniel Hurley 

William Dewart 

William Black 

Peter Johns 

Paul Hannah 

Thomas Hammer 

Thomas Palmer 

John Lytle 

Thomas Lytle 

John Johns 

Johnston Beasly 

Thomas Hiltzheimer 

Amos Wickersham 

Thomas Barnes, Jr. 

Robert Hiltzheimer 

William Shannon 

i » 

" 

,f 

30 Jun 1793 

»» 

13 Jun 1793 

• 

i t 

TM 

i t 

>i 

« 

»• 

i » 

I I 

i t 

i t 

n 

r* 

10 Jan 1794 

" 

i t 

I I 

i t 

i t 

407.8 

408 

415 

415 

400 

400 

400 

400 

400 

400 

403 

400 

400 

400 

400 

400 

400 

400 

400 

400 

400 

400 

400 

428 

400 

400 

554.10414 

545.33 

628.149i/2 

507.136 

446.136 

473.14 

515.19 

444.24 

453.10 

440.90 

325 

472.71 

472.71 

475.89 

457.14 

457.14 

438.52 

472.71 

472.71 

466.11514 

380.18 

430.17 

466.20 

366.127 

412.83 

426.96 

423 

465.5 

400 

400 

400 

400 

400 

406.55 

362.77 

385 

431.132 

423.132 

424.104 

892.61 

284.98 Rush Township 

109.97 Union Township 

412.29 Rush Township 

Union Township 

553.22 Union Township 

75.1271/2 Mahanoy Township 

Union Township 

255 Union Township 

211.136 Rush Township 

Rush Township 

Mahanoy Township 

457.67 Mahanoy Township 

18.22 Rush Township 

412.98 Mahanoy Township 

45.42 Rush Township 

Rush Township 

Mahanoy Township 

385.7514 Mahanoy Township 

31.40 Rush Township 

Conyngham Township, Columbia County 

328 Conyngham Township, Columbia County 

138.20 Union Township 

36 Conyngham Township, Columbia County 

Conyngham Township, Columbia County 

405.58 Conyngham Township, Columbia County 

7.25 Union Township 

64.100 Conyngham Township, Columbia County 

345.52 LInion Township 

16.104 Butler Township 

LTnion Township 

338.45 Union Township 

24.32 Mahanoy Township 

310.125 Union Township 

74.35 Butler Township 

275.145 Union Township 

56.159 Butler Township 

98.148 Mahanoy Township 

198.110 Union Township 

225.22 Mahanoy Township 

122.135 Union Township 

301.129 Mahanoy Township 

44.151 Union Township 

347.70 Mahanoy Township 
NUMBER 15 55 

Acres 

Warrantee Warrant date Official 

400 

400 

400 

400 

400 

Actual 

399.78 

399.12 

452.56 

456.60i/2 

466.119 

Official situation* 

1.02 Union Township 

398.76 Mahanoy Township 

Butler Township 

408.61 Butler Township 

43.155 Mahanoy Township 

32.100 Butler Township 

423.120i/2 Mahanoy Township 

Mahanoy Township 

Israel Cope 

John Alexander 

James Chapman 

Samuel Scott 

John Brady 

Joseph Paschall 

Nathan Beach 

Daniel Reese 

Samuel Reese 

Thomas Grant 

William P. Brady 

Thomas Paschall 

John Blackey 

James McNeal 

Jeremiah Jackson 

William Steadman 

Josiah Haines 

Nathaniel Brown 

John Lockhart 

400 

400 

394.25 

400 

400 

400 

466.119 

439.14 

463.14 

381.75 

459.26 

456.60 

400 458.85 

400 

478 

400 

400 

400 

359.5 

400 

434 

424.92 

524.65 

488.73 

481.117 

486.43 

645.140 

467.99 

410.10 

Butler Township 

403.23 Butler Township 

53.37 Mahanoy Township 

54.12 Butler Township 

404.73 Mahanoy Township 

Mahanoy Township 

484.50 Mahanoy Township 

4.23 Union Township 

Mahanoy Township 

215.60 Mahanoy Township 

430.80 Union Township 

458.122 Mahanoy Township 

8.137 Union Township 

112.90 Mahanoy Township 

397.80 Union Township 

•All situations located in Schuylkill County, unless otherwise noted. 

••Numerals to the right of the decimal in actual acres and in official situation represent perches. 160 perches — 1 acre. 

TABLE 3.—Lands lost to heirs of Stephen Girard after the Pennsylvania Supreme Court decision of 1833. 

Warrantees Name of tract Acres 

Peter Benson 

John Barron, Jr. 

Andrew Kennedy 

Samuel Bitler ) 

George Moore / 

George Derr 

Daniel Haines 

Roger Beatty 

Walter Beatty 

Solomon Beatty 

Francis Nichols 

TOTAL 10 

Estonia 

Blanco 

Languedo 

Oswego 

Bucks Den 

Smyrna 

Newark 

Pleasant Hill 

Fara 

Mount Royal 

400 

423 

400 

408 

408 

415 

415 

400 

400 

400 

4,069 
56 SMITHSONIAN STUDIES IN HISTORY AND TECHNOLOGY 

TABLE 4.—Agents of the Girard Estate on lands in Schuylkill and Columbia counties, Pennsylvania, 

1830-1911, inclusive. 

Name Service Remarks 

William Boyd 

L. Whitney 

Jacob Sheaf 

J. D. Meredith 

E. T. Farquahar 

H. W. Poole 

1830-1836 

1837-1838 

1839-1846 

1847-1855 

1856-1857 Served only a few months and 

was succeeded by Poole 

F. B. Kaercher 

Stephen Harris 

Heber S. Thompson 

1857-1864 

18 Feb 1864-10 Mar 1874 

Apr 1874-19 Mar 1911 

1st Engineer 

TABLE 5.—Lands lost to Christopher Loeser through public sale on September 3, 1851, 

Warrantees Name of tract Acres 

Daniel Hurley 

William Dewart 

John Lytle 

Thomas Lytle 

William Black 

Peter Johns 

John Johns 

Paul Hannah 

Robert Johns 

John Palmer 

Thomas Hammer 

David Taggart 

Thomas Palmer 

TOTAL 13 tracts 

Derry 

Worcester 

Safe Retreat 

Littelon 

Fayette 

Lutter 

Birza 

Jamaica 

Evershot 

Betis 

Berlin 

Lycia 

Cliff 

403 

400 

400 

472 

400 

400 

400 

400 

400 

400 

400 

400 

400 

5,275 

5,29914 (re-survey) 
NUMBER 15 57 

TABLE 6.—Lease holders of Girard Estate collieries, 1862-1884. 

Lease No. Colliery name and owner Years of operation 

10 

11 

Conner (Girardville, Hammond) 

Col. James J. Conner 

Agard, Moodie, & Company 

Philadelphia & Reading Coal & Iron Company 

Girard 

Cornelius Garretson 

Theodore Garretson 

Philadelphia & Reading Coal & Iron Company 

Union (North Ashland) 

John Anderson & Company 

Philadelphia & Reading Coal & Iron Company 

Shenandoah (Packer No. 2 & No. 4) 

Franklin B. Kaersher 

Girard Mutual Coal Company 

Philadelphia Coal Company 

Lehigh Valley Coal Company 

Continental 

Carter, Shoener & Company 

Continental Coal Company 

Goodridge & Audenried 

Gorrell & Audenried 

Lehigh Valley Coal Company 

Colorado (Packer No. 1 ir No. 5) 

Seitzinger & Huntzinger 

Philadelphia Coal Company 

Lehigh Valley Coal Company 

Bear Ridge (East it West) 

Dengler & Robinson 

Boston & Mahanoy Coal Company 

Bear Ridge Coal Company 

Myers, McGeary & Company 

Philadelphia & Reading Coal & Iron Company 

William Penn 

Samuel E. Griscom & Company 

William Penn Coal Company 

Edward & George Brooke 

Kehley's Run 

Thomas Coal Company 

Lehigh (Packer No. 3) 

Herring & Williams 

Philadelphia Coal Company 

Lehigh Valley Coal Company 

Combined with Packer No. 1 

Philadelphia Coal Company 

Lehigh Valley Coal Company 

1862-1869 

1870-1876 (Aug.) 

1876-1938 

1863-1866 

1867-1876 (Oct.) 

1876-1895 

1863-1876 

1877-1898 

1863-1865 

1865-1869 

1870-1880 

1881-1939 

1863-1866 

1866-1868 

1869-1871 

1871-1878 

1879-1898 

1863-1867 

1867-1880 

1881-1939 

1863-1866 

1867-1869 

1870-1879 

1880-1883 

1883-1898 

1864-1872 

1873-1878 

1878-1892 

1865-1905 

1866-1869 

1870-1880 

1881-1939 

1875-1883 

1883-1939 

Source: Annual Reports of the Board of Directors of City Trusts, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1870 to 1884. 
58 

Lease Colliery and lessees 

10 

Philadelphia ir Reading Ctrl CoHammond Colliery / 

Conner Colliery ) 

Philadelphia ir Reading CM Co. 

Girard Colliery 

Philadelphia ir Reading Cirl Co. 

North Ashland Colliery 

Lehigh Valley Coal Co. 

Packer No. 2 Colliery \ 

Packer No. 4 Colliery \ 

Lehigh Valley Coal Co. 

Continental Colliery 

Lehigh Valley Coal Co. 

Packer No. 5 Colliery 

Philadelphia ir Reading Cirl Co. 

West Bear Ridge Colliery ) 

East Bear Ridge Colliery \ 

William Penn Coal Co. 

William Penn Colliery 

Thomas Coal Co. 

Kehley's Run Colliery 

Lehigh Valley Coal Co. 

Packer No. 3 Colliery 

SMITHSONIAN STUDIES IN HISTORY AND TECHNOLOGY 

TABLE 7.—Annual shipments in thousands of gross tons 

1863 1864 1865 1866 1867 1868 1869 1870 1871 

40.8 84.4 66.7 90.7 76.8 62.4 67.5 29.7 118.0 

- 13.7 32.8 49.1 67.9 54.8 60.5 38.8 40.3 

15.4 36.5 41.3 49.4 48.4 45.0 41.1 44.4 

1.5 36.4 33.6 30.3 59.5 71.9 81.1 80.9 

- 2.8 24.0 38.7 43.3 37.0 31.4 37.7 73.6 

- - 22.4 55.4 95.4 117.4 112.7 125.1 121.9 

- - 10.1 44.6 43.8 19.3 4.7 0.5 2.3 

- 9.1 59.9 65.4 28.3 27.0 35.4 53.6 

- - 2.4 10.1 35.2 18.9 67.9 79.6 68.6 

1.0 10.4 5.7 4.0 3.0 17.4 

TOTAL 40.8 117.8 240.4 424.4 517.9 541.7 492.6 472.0 621.0 

Source: Annual Reports of the Board of Directors of City Trusts, 1870 to 1884. 
NUMBER 15 59 

from the leases on the Girard Estate, 1863-1884. 

1872 1873 1874 1875 1876 1877 1878 1879 1880 1881 1882 1883 1884 

98.2 142.1 146.6 123.9 114.6 121.1 99.2 116.6 70.7 97.1 93.8 117.2 95.8 

102.6 78.7 130.8 105.3 134.4 135.4 147.8 135.9 

38-0 33.1 48.8 46.0 46.3 95.0 67.6 101.9 80.9 69.2 103.8 81.4 59.3 

53.4 89.4 59.3 56.5 36.0 38.7 70.6 127.9 98.7 118.8 120.5 122.0 102.1 

60.7 149.9 137.3 63 0 112 1 89 2 88 5 144 1 117°

 126 8 98 3 11 U l2SA 

101.9 118.8 248.3 167.1 200.6 218.1 225.4 206.5 

82.2 69.7 54.8 48.9 59.6 25.2 53.9 107.2 79.4 62.1 16.8 63.9 62.5 

121.2 89.1 45.6 46.0 59.9 86.0 62.2 85.3 64.6 81.6 61.5 48.5 34.2 

4 6 33 0 7L 8 40 3 47 3 23>5 U-

5 89 3 73 4 63

-

2 70

-

1 72"8 45

-° 

71.8 40.3 47.4 85.0 51.1 30.0 64.5 74.7 77.5 108.3 70.7 

85.6 140.7 146.4 106.6 118.2 164.5 120.4 178.5 173.2 221.9 227.9 228.1 233.2 

102.8 99.3 87.7 65.5 89.4 68.9 100.5 151.3 82.1 - 79.6 115.3 110.8 

53.4 65.6 97.4 67.6 75.7 117.2 84.0 111.5 74.7 170.0 158.0 155.5 122.2 

700.7 911.9 967.6 704.6 806.5 1,118.7 1,040.0 1,622.7 1,251.6 1,420.0 1,451.3 1,597.9 1,406.5 
6 0 SMITHSONIAN STUDIES IN HISTORY AND TECHNOLOGY 

TABLE 8.—Annual shipments and royalties for Girard Estate leases, 1863-1884. 

Year Gross tons Royalty 

1863 

1864 

1865 

1866 

1867 

1868 

1869 

1870 

1871 

1872 

1873 

1874 

1875 

1876 

1877 

1878 

1879 

1880 

1881 

1882 

1883 

1884 

TOTALS 

40,788 

117,814 

240,466 

424,386 

516,014 

451,787 

492,644 

471,898 

621,016 

700,750 

910,818 

967,602 

704,545 

791,558 

1,118,729 

1,039,968 

1,622,728 

1,250,422 

1,419,990 

1,451,305 

1,597,958 

1,406,516 

18,359,702 

4,245.87 

12,115.87 

36,937.71 

68,052.37 

93,273.23 

113,484.24 

110,904.68 

81,278.82 

125,543.69 

135,382.69 

230,450.40 

263,498.61 

158,013.64 

217,679.63 

321,792.24 

337,332.20 

463,644.60 

408,328.95 

414,443.66 

467,809.82 

498,961.00 

450,949.21 

,009,123.12 

Source: Annual Reports of the Board of Directors of City Trusts, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1870 to 1884. 
NUMBER 15 61 

TABLE 9.—Quantity and percentage of shipments of anthracite from the Girard Estate collieries, by sizes 

and in tons, 1863-1884. 

Year 

1863 

1864 

1865 

1866 

1867 

1868 

1869 

1870 

1871 

1872 

1873 

1874 

1875 

1876 

1877 

1878 

1879 

1880 

1881 

1882 

1883 

1884 

Larger 

than chestnut 

36,709 

106,176 

220,756 

384,891 

453,163 

396,979 

427,153 

397,623 

519,284 

581,940 

755,354 

791,830 

550,758 

614,404 

862,931 

803,182 

1,211,126 

962,207 

1,070,869 

1,082,303 

1,147,559 

979,702 

% 

90.0 

90.1 

91.8 

90.7 

87.5 

87.9 

86.7 

84.2 

83.6 

83.0 

82.8 

81.8 

78.2 

76.2 

77.1 

77.2 

75.3 

76.9 

75.4 

74.6 

71.8 

69.7 

Chestnut 

4,078 

11,647 

19,710 

39,485 

62,943 

50,628 

55,153 

57,544 

76,229 

83,333 

110,860 

111,776 

93,799 

117,063 

153,062 

130,196 

212,377 

141,890 

159,687 

136,959 

194,392 

167,251 

% 

10.0 

9.9 

82 

9.3 

12.2 

11.2 

11.2 

12.2 

12.3 

11.9 

12.2 

11.6 

13.3 

14.5 

13.7 

12.5 

13.1 

11.3 

11.2 

9.4 

12.2 

11.9 

Pea 

1,800 

4,179 

10,336 

16,830 

25,503 

35,475 

45,724 

64,000 

59,987 

74,992 

102,765 

105,962 

185,661 

135,832 

158,712 

163,524 

190,245 

177,243 

% 

0.3 

0.9 

2.1 

3.6 

4.1 

5.1 

5.0 

6.6 

8.5 

9.3 

9.2 

10.2 

11.4 

10.9 

11.2 

11.3 

11.9 

12.6 

Buckwheat 

696 

3,581 

11,755 

30,722 

68,518 

65,788 

82,318 

% 

0.1 

0.1 

0.9 

2.2 

4.7 

4.1 

5.8 

Source: Annual Reports of the Board of Directors of City Trusts, 1870 to 1884. 

TABLE 10.—Screen sizes of anthracite. 

Trade name 

Lump 

Steamboat 

Broken 

Egg 

Stove 

Chestnut 

Pea 

Buckwheat 

Size range 

+7 

+3y 2 - 7 

+23/4-3y2 

+ 2 -23/4 

+ l%- 2 

+ 3/4 -1 % 

+ y 2 -VA 

+%2 -y 2 
APPENDIX 2. Development 

of Rail Connections 

Serving the Girard Estate 

The Danville and Pottsville Railroad, 

1826-1840 

The purpose of the proposed Danville and Pottsville Railroad was to open both the Shenandoah 

and Mahanoy valleys, connect them by a tunnel, 

and mine the coal from the lands encompassed. On 

April 8, 1826, the Pennsylvania legislature passed 

an act which incorporated the Danville and Pottsville Railroad Company and granted it the right 

to hold not more than 1,000 acres of coal lands.1 

Originally, when the company had been set up 

in 1826, it was authorized to acquire $300,000 in 

capital stock. A supplementary act passed by the 

legislature authorized that the capital stock could 

be increased to $1,000,000, to reopen their subscription book for stock sales, and to construct a 

branch line to Sunbury.2 

Moncure Robinson, then employed by the 

Pennsylvania Canal Commissioners, made a survey 

and determined the route of the railroad. The cost 

of this survey was absorbed by the Commonwealth.8 

Robinson surveyed the route during the summer of 

1. Laws and By-Laws of the Danville and Pottsville Railroad Company (Philadelphia: L. R. Bailey, 1832) , p. 19. 

2. Ibid., pp. 20-22. 

3. Pennsylvania Canal Commissioners Annual Report to 

the Senate of Pennsylvania, December 13, 1828 (Harrisburg: 

C. Stambaugh, 1829) , p. 7. 

1829, and in his report stated that "from the confluence of the North and West Branches at Sunbury, the survey line will be 45 V2 or 49% miles, 

according to the course pursued; and the distance 

from Danville, 42Vz or 45% miles to Pottsville. 

The total expense will be $626,611."4 

A public meeting by the railroad's backers was 

held in Sunbury, Pennsylvania, on November 22, 

1830, in an effort to encourage support from the 

residents of Columbia and Northumberland counties and to endorse a resolution that immediate 

steps be taken to begin construction of the railroad.5

 A similar meeting was called in Pottsville, 

Pennsylvania, on November 27, 1830, to obtain 

the same type of support from the residents of 

Schuylkill County.6 Encouraged by the support received from these meetings, the officers of the railroad company began to make preparations for the 

early construction of the line. 

Early in 1831, public subscriptions of stock in 

the railroad were made available. As the projected 

route of the railroad would traverse lands held by 

Girard, he became very much interested in this 

project and on March 6, 1831, subscribed $200,000 

towards its construction.7 

Girard, learning of the engineering abilities of 

Robinson—at this point, the engineer for the Little 

Schuylkill Railroad—offered him the position as 

engineer of the Danville and Pottsville system. 

Robinson undertook the assignment, and according 

to his calculations based on new surveys and additional engineering considerations, he estimated that 

the construction costs for the eastern portion of the 

road would be approximately $649,534.69. F. W. 

Rawle, engineer on the western portion of the 

road gave his estimate of construction costs at 

S267.648.40.8 The engineer reports, presented to 

the stockholders at a meeting held on November 

4. Ibid., p. 8, and Engineer's Report Series 6, p. 14 (attached) . Also Considerations of Immediately Constructing a 

Central Railway (Philadelphia: privately printed, 1830) , 

p. 5. 

5. Hazard's Register of Pennsylvania (vol. 3, no. 24, 

December 11, 1830) , p. 380. 

6. Ibid., p. 381. 

7. Stephen Simpson, Biography of Stephen Girard (Philadelphia: Thomas L. Bonsai, 1832) , p. 199. 

8. Engineer's Report of the Danville and Pottsville Railroad Company (Philadelphia: Clark & Raser, 1831) , pp. 12 

and 27. 

62 
NUMBER 15 63 

12, 1831, were accepted and authorization was 

given to proceed with the construction of the line.9 

The company received a temporary setback when 

its chief patron, Gerard, passed away on December 

26, 1831. At the time of his death Girard had not 

completed providing the funds under his subscription, and for a while there was some doubt whether 

the estate would follow his wishes; however, when 

the financial plight of the company was made 

known, Girard's executors agreed to provide the 

amount of money still due.10 

Robinson suggested that the proposed route 

would permit the subdivision of the construction 

effort into three parts.11 

The first section, five miles in length, extends from the 

point of intersection with the Mount Carbon Railroad to 

the top of Broad Mountain. 

The second section, eleven miles 218 poles12 long extends 

from the top of Broad Mountain, to the ground between 

the Mahanoy and Shamokin Creeks. 

The third section, thirteen miles 275 poles long, from this 

last named Summit to the terminus of the eastern division 

of the road. 

Construction of the railroad began at Wadesville 

where the proposed road was to connect with the 

Mount Carbon Railroad which had handled coal 

traffic since April 19, 1831. The Mount Carbon 

Railroad was constructed at a cost of $97,000 for 

6% miles of road, with the eastern section extending from Mount Carbon to the main fork of Norwegian Creek, then up the eastern side of the fork 

to Wadesville, and also up the western fork to Oak 

Hall.1* 

During the year 1833, while the construction of 

the railroad was in progress the officials of the 

company made an application to the Philadelphia 

City Council—under whose control the operation 

of the Girard Estate had been placed—for permission to begin mining operations on Bear Ridge by 

drilling a tunnel through Bear Ridge to reach the 

coal seams known to exist there.14 Moncure Robinson's plan for the tunnel (later to be named the 

9. Hazard's Register of Pennsylvania (vol. 8, no. 21. 

November 19, 1831) , p. 330. Annual Report of the President 

and Managers of the Danville and Pottsville Railroad, 1832 

(Philadelphia: I. Ashmead, 1833) , p. 5. 

10. Ibid. (vol. 9, no. 23, June 9, 1832) , p. 365. 

11. Engineers Report.. ., op. cit., p. 10. 

12. Pole is equivalent to rod. 

13. Pottsville Miner's Journal, April 23, 1831. 

Girard Tunnel) was to drive the tunnel for a 

distance of 125 yards, when according to engineering surveys of the area the top of the large coal 

seam lying buried in the mountain would be revealed. The development work on the tunnel proceeded for a distance of approximately 100 feet 

when solid rock was encountered. To continue the 

operation would require the purchase of additional 

drilling equipment for which no funds were available.15 

After several attempts by the management to 

obtain the required capital, all of which proved to 

be fruitless, the work on the tunnel was terminated 

and a broad search was begun for new sources of 

anthracite. 

During the early months of 1834, the company 

found itself in an unusual situation. The eastern 

portion of the railroad had been completed, but no 

coal had been uncovered and mined. 

The company also found itself in such a financial 

situation that it appeared the road would never be 

completed from the Danville terminus to connect 

with the section already completed within the time 

limit specified in the original charter. This stipulated that the road had to be completed within 

three years. 

A supplementary act passed by the Pennsylvania 

legislature in 1828 extended the completion date 

for seven years. Again, by another supplementary 

act approved in 1832, the completion time of the 

road was further extended to April 14, 1838.16 

The directors of the company applied to the 

legislature for financial assistance to complete the 

construction of the road. The legislature came to 

their aid and on April 8, 1834, approved an act 

whereby the state agreed to pay the annual interest 

charges of five percent to any person or persons 

who would supply the 5300,000 required to complete the railroad.17

 As this guarantee by the state 

was for a 27-year period, the amount of capital 

14. Hazard's Register of Pennsylvania (vol. 11, no. 21, May 

25, 1833) , p. 321. 

15. Report of the Superintendent of the Danville and 

Pottsville Railroad (Philadelphia: privately printed, 1833) , 

p. 7. 

16. Laws ir By-Laws of the Danville and Pottsville Railroad Company (Philadelphia: L. R. Bailey, 1851) p. 24. 

17. Ibid., p. 30. Also Pottsville Miner's Journal, June 14, 

1834. 
64 SMITHSONIAN STUDIES IN HISTORY AND TECHNOLOGY 

needed by the company was quickly obtained 

when the subscription books were opened in 

Philadelphia. 

After several prospectings pits had been dug in 

the area surrounding the tunnel, the company's 

efforts proved successful and a coal seam was uncovered on the northern side of Bear Ridge. Work 

in this location proceeded at a rapid rate, and it 

now finally appeared that the company was in the 

coal business. The eastern end of the road was 

officially opened with a coal train passing over it 

on September 24, 1834.18 

It is estimated that approximately 1,000 tons of 

anthracite were mined during 1834 with 290 tons 

being transported on the railroad to market. The 

difference between these two tonnages represents 

the amount of coal used locally by the company for 

its auxiliary enterprises such as sawmills, steam 

boilers, and heating. 

The construction effort in the eastern section of 

the road involved the driving of a railroad tunnel— 

200 feet long, arched with brick and stone masonry 

—through Mine Hill (part of the Broad Mountain 

range), the installation of six inclined planes, and 

the laying of I2y2 miles of single track. The total 

cost of this section of the railroad amounted to 

approximately $300,000 which included $22,000 for 

the tunnel development. 

A contemporary account of the activities at the 

mine, has been excerpted from an article that appeared in Hazard's Register.19 

At present the mines are wrought on the North side, some 

fifty feet below the summit [Bear Ridge], to which the coal 

is brought and emptied from the car into a chute, down 

which it descends about 200 feet, when it enters another 

chute which passes down an air shaft 100 feet into the 

tunnel [Girard] near its present termination from which it 

falls into cars and [is] brought to the railroad. With all 

these disadvantages and all this extra labor, the Company is 

now getting out and sending down the railroad to Mount 

Carbon, about 80 tons per day. The tunnel [Girard] when 

completed will open a passage to the great Mahanoy coal 

beds and the eastern part of the Girard lands, and will give 

value to both, which are comparatively valueless now. 

The railroad and colliery operations continued 

to grow for the next two years as the eastern 

markets were hungry for anthracite. The expenses 

connected with both operations were relatively 

stable and at a low level, and after many troublesome times the future of the company seemed 

bright. 

The mining operations required large quantities 

of lumber and, to have a supply readily available, 

four sawmills had been established in the valley. 

With work readily available, the company established a mining community, Montgomery,20

 for 

their employees to provide them with respectable 

living conditions. At about the same time, two 

grist mills were placed in operation. With a total 

of three industries in the area, increased tonnage 

became available for the railroad. 

According to the annual report for the railroad 

issued in January 1838, the following tonnages of 

items had been transported:21 

1834 

1835 

1836 

Coal tons 

290 

6,200 

12,304 

Lumber in feet 

— 

493,705 

400,000 (1,300 cross ties 

not included) 

According to the same report, Thomas Sharp 

stated that in 1836 repairs to the road totaled $755 

and for 1837 the amount was $487. He also tabulated the estimated cost of the transportation and 

repairs for the inclined planes to equal $9,012 for 

the ensuing year. 

The estimated cost for each incline plane, including labor and repairs, is listed below. 

Mahanoy Plane (No. 5) 

Rope expenses $1,000 

Engineers (2) 34 weeks @ $20 680 

Plane tenders (8) 34 weeks @ $48 1,632 

20 tons of coal for engine: 

$l/ton-34 weeks $680 

Expense of machinery—34 weeks 680 

TOTAL $4,672 

18. Pottsville Miner's Journal, September 27, 1834. 

19. Hazard's Register of Pennsylvania (vol. 16 no. 2, July 

8, 1835) , p. 62. 

20. Named after General Daniel Montgomery, the first 

president of the Danville 8c Pottsville Railroad Company and 

an active supporter of the rail system in this area. 

21. Annual Report of the Danville ir Pottsville Railroad 

Company for the year 1837 (Philadelphia: privately printed, 

1838) , p. 5. 
NUMBER 15 

Planes 1,2, 3 ir 4 

2 men-$7.50/week/plane/34 weeks $2,040 

Expense of machinery—34 weeks 800 

$2,840 

Superintendent for railroad 1,500 

TOTAL $9,012 

To cover the estimated cost of $9,012, the Company calculated the capacity of the road to be a 

minimum of 960 tons per day and for a 34-week 

annual operation to be 195,804 tons. Using a 

freight charge of five cents per ton, the annual 

income received for moving coal amounted to 

$9,792, thus leaving a surplus for contingencies of 

$780. 

During 1837 work proceeded at a rapid rate on 

the remaining western section of the road, and on 

August 15, 1837, this section was formally opened.22 

The western section extended a distance of 20 

miles, beginning at the Susquehanna River at 

Sunbury and ending at Shamokin. This terminus 

actually extended 214 miles into the Shamokin 

Coal field. By this time, the company had expended 

the total amount of $659,641.01 on the railroad 

construction and there still remained the middle 

section of the road, some 1214 miles that needed to 

be built. It is interesting to point out that the 

amount expended to date exceeded the original 

estimate made by Robinson, and the middle section 

still remained to be built. 

Work continued favorably at the mines and during the year the Girard Tunnel was extended to a 

length of 120 yards in the search of the coal seam 

which was later named the Mammoth. No coal was 

found, however, and it was estimated that another 

80 yards of tunnel had to be driven at an additional cost of $6,000.23

 As the money was not available, the work on the tunnel (Girard) again was 

stopped. 

The company, however, was not so fortunate in 

its projects for future expansion due to the general 

financial unrest within the country that began in 

the spring of 1837, and it barely continued to exist 

65 

during 1837 and 1838. The coal market suffered 

greatly during this period and many large coal 

mining operations closed down. Even after financial 

conditions improved, the demand for anthracite 

did not increase according to the company's estimate. In fact, the markets were overstocked with 

coal as every remaining producer attempted his 

re-entry into the supply system. The total anthracite production for Pennsylvania in 1837 was 

738,697 tons, a decrease of 140,747 tons or 16 percent below the preceding year's high of 897,444. 

By the end of 1839, tonnage was up by 79,805 tons 

over 1838, but still not above the high output of 

the mine during 1837. 

During 1838, the Company applied for financial 

assistance to the Pennsylvania legislature for continuing the construction and operation of the road. 

The legislature came to their aid again and in a 

section of an act passed on April 14, 1838, agreed 

to continue the internal improvements of the state 

and authorized the governor to subscribe for stock 

in the railroad in the amount of $50,000.24 The 

act also listed the following conditions for which 

this money was to be expended: (1) in making the 

necessary improvements upon the western section 

of the road: (2) further extension of this road 

eastwardly from its present point of completion, 

2O1/9 miles from Sunbury; and (3) the line of the 

railroad from Pottsville to Port Clinton should be 

located through or near the borough of Orwigsburg 

unless the ground, on examination, be found unfavorable. 

The money was used to complete the Sunbury 

branch which was approximately 14 miles in length 

and extended between the Susquehanna River 

basin at Sunbury and Paxinos. 

The road was opened for use in August 1838, 

and the Shamokin field was connected to the rivertransportation facilities at Sunbury.25 

The coal trade from this region actually gof moving in full swing the following year, 1839. 

While this effort proved satisfactory for the mines 

located along the western section of the railroad, 

the eastern end was idle and no coal moved over 

22. Pottsville Miner's Journal, August 22, 1837. 

23. Annual Report of the President and Managers of the 

Danville ir Pottsville Railroad, 1838 (Philadelphia: J. & W. 

Kite, 1839) , p. 9. 

24. Laws of Pennsylvania (Harrisburg: Theo. Fenn, 1838) , 

p. 442. Also Pottsville Miner's Journal, April 25, 1838. 

25. Pottsville Miner's Journal, August 18, 1838. The engine 

"North Star" and tender cost $6,500. 
66 SMITHSONIAN STUDIES IN HISTORY AND TECHNOLOGY 

•I 

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CAJ'ITAL STOi'liuFTnnDAyVlLLE 

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ffflr?%^/Z^£zfz* 

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FIGURE 30.—Copy of a stock certificate for two shares in the Danville and Pottsville Railroad 

Company issued January 1, 1834. (Courtesy of the Historical Society of Schuylkill County.) 

the road and planes. The track and planes eventually deteriorated and, thereby, ended the company's effort. The portion constructed to transport 

the coal from the Girard Estate lands and its extensive coal-bearing areas was to lay idle for some 

27 years. 

Appendix 2 provides a translation of Michel 

Chevalier's report on the engineering and construction methods of the Pottsville to Danville 

Railroad that was included in his published work 

"Historie et Description Des Voies De Communication Aux Etats-Unis," published in Paris in 1841. 

Planes on the Danville and Pottsville Railroad 

Number 

Elevation 

in feet 

Length 

in feet 

Inclination 

in degrees 

105 

202 

159 

147 

345 

166 

667 

807 

550 

861 

1,625 

884 

9 

14 

16 

93/4 

12 

103/4 

Total rise and fall 

Total length of planes 

1,124 

5,394 
NUMBER 15 67 

FIGURE 31.—Plan and profile of the Danville and Pottsville Railroad, 1831. 

Distance between Planes on the Danville and Pottsville Railroad 

Foot of Plane No. 1 from Mount Carbon 

Center of Tunnel from Mount Carbon 

Foot of Plane No. 2 from center of Tunnel 

Foot of Plane No. 3 from Foot of Plane No. 2 

Foot of Plane No. 4 from Foot of Plane No. 3 

Head of Plane No. 5 to Foot of Plane No. 4 

Head of Plane No. 5 to Girard Tunnel 

Head of Plane No. 5 to Head of Plane No. 6 

Railroad completed beyond Head of Plane No. 6 (within 600 feet of Girardville) 

Miles 

3.73 

4.00 

1.26 

1.61 

.95 

1.77 

.65 

2.41 

.63 

Source: Annual report of the company for the year 1838. 
68 SMITHSONIAN STUDIES IN HISTORY AND TECHNOLOGY 

The Mahanoy and Broad Mountain 

Railroad 

were merged into the Mahanoy and Shamokin 

Railroad.29 This new company, on March 25, 1871, 

became part of the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad system.30 

The Mahanoy and Broad Mountain Railroad Company was granted a charter by the Pennsylvania 

legislature on March 29, 1859.26 One of the commissioners appointed was F. B. Kaercher, the agent 

for the Girard Estate. The charter authorized the 

construction of a railroad from a point in Mahanoy 

or Butler townships, Schuylkill County, by the 

most expedient and practicable route to connect 

with the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad, or 

any of its lateral roads. The charter also granted 

the privilege of making lateral roads into the Mine 

Run, Shenandoah, Mahanoy, and New Boston coal 

basins. 

During 1861, the construction of the railroad 

began with a connection at the Mill Creek and 

Mine Hill Navigation and Railroad near St. Clair. 

The Philadelphia and Reading was greatly interested in this new construction for it opened up 

new territory and the anthracite mined would 

eventually be shipped over its line. The Reading 

offered financial assistance in the construction of a 

portion of the railroad which, needless to say, was 

eagerly accepted by the Mahanoy and Broad Mountain officers. The contract between the two companies took effect on July 1, 1862, and the Reading 

acquired control of a portion of the Mahanoy and 

Broad Mountain road from a point about one-half 

mile west of the plane over Mahanoy Mountain 

into Mahanoy City and St. Clair.27 

The road was formally opened on May 30, 1862, 

when a shipment of anthracite from the Conner 

and Patterson mines was delivered to St. Clair.28 

The most interesting part of the Mahanoy and 

Broad Mountain was the Mahanoy Plane, which 

handled both loaded and empty cars at the same 

time. The Plane was 2,466 feet in length, and overcame a vertical descent of 350 feet with a maximum 

inclination of 22 feet per 100 feet. The capacity 

of the Plane was 700 tons per hour. The steel cables 

were 2i/2 inches in diameter and 2,900 feet long. 

On September 1, 1870, the Mahanoy and Broad 

Mountain Railroad and several other lateral lines 

The Lehigh Valley Railroad 

The Lehigh Valley Railroad gained control of the 

Lehigh and Mahanoy Railroad on July 1, 1866.31 

The acquisition of this railroad provided the 

Lehigh Valley with a main line extending from 

Black Creek Junction (connecting with the Beaver 

Meadow and Hazleton divisions) to Mount Carmel, a distance of 40 miles, including an additional 

20 miles of sidings and short laterals. This line was 

designated as the Mahanoy Division of the Lehigh 

Valley Railroad and included stations at Mahanoy 

City, Shenandoah, and Raven Run, each an important producing center of anthracite from lands 

belonging to the Girard Estate. 

The Lehigh Valley Railroad, being unable to 

own coal lands under its charter, acquired the 

Lehigh Valley Coal Company to provide sufficient 

coal tonnage. The Lehigh Valley Coal Company 

acquired lease No. 5 for the Continental Colliery 

from the Girard Estate in 1879;32 on January 1, 

1880, the company acquired lease No. 4 from the 

Estate which included the Shenandoah and Packer 

No. 4 collieries; and on January 1, 1881, it had 

acquired leases 6 and 10 for the Colorado and 

Lehigh collieries from the Estate.33 

26. Laws of Pennsylvania, 1859 (Harrisburg: State Printer, 

1860), p. 822. 

27. Annual Report of the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad Company, 1862 (Philadelphia: Moss and Company, 

1863), p. 22. 

28. Pottsville Miner's Journal, May 31, 1862. 

29. Laws of Pennsylvania, 1870 (Harrisburg: State Printer, 

1871) , p. 724. Other railroads were the Mahanoy Valley, 

Enterprise, Shamokin and Treverton, and Zerbe Valley. 

30. Laws of Pennsylvania, 1871 (Harrisburg: State Printer, 

1872), p. 91. 

31. Annual Report of the Lehigh Valley Railroad Company, 1866 (Philadelphia: H. G. Leisenring, 1867), p. 11. 

32. Annual Report of the Board of Directors of City Trusts 

for the year 1879 (Philadelphia: The Chandlers Printing 

House, 1880) , p. 39. 

33. Annual Report of the Board of Directors of City 

Trust for the year 1881 (Philadelphia: A. T. Zeising, 1882) , 

pp. 39 and 41. 
NUMBER 15 

Michel Chevalier's Report on the 

Railroad from Pottsville to Sunbury, 

1841 

T h e Pottsville to Sunbury Railroad, an undertaking of Moncure Robinson, was still unfinished 

when visited by M. Chevalier during 1835 and the 

following description of the construction of the 

road includes illustrations. This literal translation from his publication "Mechanical Engineering 

in America," published in Paris in 1841, was made 

by John N. Hoffman. 

T he railroad begins at the eastern terminus 

(Wadesville) some three miles from Pottsville 

where it joins the Mount Carbon Railroad. Th e 

railroad climbs Broad Mountain by six inclined 

planes, of which four are on the east side and two 

are on the west side along Mill Creek Valley. It 

reaches an altitude of 692 feet at the top of Broad 

Mountain, 180 feet above the point of departure. 

T h e railroad descends Broad Mountain gradually, keeping as close as possible to the flanks of 

the mountain, into the Grand Mahanoy Valley. It 

continues some distance through flat county, near 

the proposed site of Girardville, then by means of 

three inclined planes over Locust Mountain it 

continues into the Shamokin Valley. Th e line follows the valley of Shamokin into Sunbury for a 

total distance of approximately 45 miles. Th e main 

purpose of the railroad is to facilitate the exploitation of the very rich coal seams, found in the 

Broad Mountain and at Girardville. 

T h e group of six inclined planes that cross 

Broad Mountain are now complete. Th e three 

inclined planes on Locust Mountain are still to be 

erected. 

T h e longest plane is No. 5, called the Mahanoy, 

and it extends 1,625 feet at a twelve-degree inclination. 

Of the six planes on Broad Mountain, five have 

a right profile; one, No. 5, has a curve for a profile. 

As each of the planes are very steep, the slope has 

been reduced at the foot of each with a short 

extension. 

T h e first four numbered Planes (1 through 4) 

all face in a southernly direction and are operated 

without the aid of steam engines. Between them 

the railroad has a descending grade toward the 

south of approximately 20 feet to the mile, and 

the coal cars are easily able to negotiate these 

planes. 

69 

T h e construction and operation of Planes 1 

through 4 are all on the same principle and the 

following description serves them equally. [Th e 

engineering details of the system seem crude, when 

compared to later systems, but it must be kept in 

mind that at the time of the construction of this 

railroad capital was difficult to obtain and Moncure 

Robinson was required to develop a workable system at the lowest possible cost.] 

Each of the four planes are equipped with an 

endless chain lying in the grooves of two wheels 

[pullies], one placed at the top of the plane and 

the other placed at the bottom of the plane. Th e 

chain runs through a slot of wood that is notched 

to fit each link and avoid the rubbing action 

normally found with a cast-iron pulley [wheel]. 

T h e wood was oak and even though it doesn't 

wear away very quickly, it is easily replaced when 

excessively worn. 

Each of the wheels is formed of two flat iron 

parts joined together by bolts between which the 

crown, made of pieces of oak, is placed. Each wheel 

is installed in a masonry cavity and covered by a 

plank floor on which the railway passes. 

T h e wheel [pulley] at the top of the Plane is 

equipped with a band brake that rests on the castiron edges of the wheel. Th e operator tightens the 

brake by means of a lever attached to the squared 

end of the pulley axle. 

All along the inclined plane the chain is supported in the groove of a series of cast-iron pullies. 

T h e vertical link of the chain rests in the groove 

of the pulley thereby reducing friction to a 

minimum. 

T h e brake described above is sufficient to control 

the speed of the cars on Planes 1 and 4, but not 

adequate for the control of cars on Planes 2 and 3. 

T o each of these two last-mentioned Planes, in 

conjunction with the band brake, a fan-type 

regulator is installed. This regulator, used previously with success by M. Jervis on the Carbondale 

to Honesdale Railroad, was improved by Moncure 

Robinson for use here. 

At the head of the incline—between the wheel 

that holds the pulley and the wheel on which the 

brake band bears—is placed a large toothed wheel 

meshing with two others; each being fixed to a 

shaft which has fan paddles at the upper end. This 

very simple apparatus regulates the speed of the 

cars almost instantaneously and since at the end 

of each incline the slope diminishes, the cars arrive 

at this point with very little speed. 
70 SMITHSONIAN STUDIES IN HISTORY AND TECHNOLOGY 

The fan regulator is so constructed that when it 

becomes necessary to lessen the speed of the cars, 

the number of arms [blades] can be increased. 

Each arm is two inches thick, six inches wide, and 

fifteen feet long. The cost of the entire installation 

at the top of Plane 2 was aproximately $2,800; the 

cost of the mechanisms for each plane averaged 

$1,000. 

To avoid delays in the operations of Planes 1 

through 4 ballast cars are provided to help keep 

the system in balance when loaded coal cars were 

not available. 

The construction of Planes 5 and 6 were somewhat similar, as both dipped toward the north 

leading into Mahanoy Valley. The operation of 

these Planes were exactly opposite those of the first 

Planes discussed, in that the movements of coal 

was up and both required more suitable control 

apparatus for the loaded wagons on the Planes. 

Moncure Robinson undoubtedly felt that steam 

engines would better serve the operations; however, being limited in financial resources, he first 

devised a working system without them. The 

counterbalance mechanism consists of sheet-iron 

tanks each mounted on a spring carriage, and filled 

with water for the downward descent. The water 

required for the tanks was stored in a reservoir 

at the top of each Plane, and by an interconnecting 

wooden pipeline the water for Plane 6 comes from 

Plane 5. The capacity of each watertank is 1,056 

gallons. 

The unusual curvature on Plane No. 5 requires 

some special arrangements as the circumstances do 

not permit the use of a endless rope or chain. 

Therefore, it was necessary for the rope to be 

coiled around a drum mounted on a horizontal 

axis and placed at the head of the Plane. 

To improve the balance system at this Plane, a 

90-horsepower steam engine—at a cost of approximately $7,500—was installed to aid in the control 

of the speed of the cars. The engine is the largest 

one in the county with a 33-foot-diameter drum 

for holding the nine-inch-diameter cable. The combination of these two control systems solved the 

speed problems, and the eastern section of the road 

is now in use. 

The wagon in use on the railroad for the transport of the coal is very solid, well built, easy to 

empty, and weighs approximately one ton. Each 

wagon holds approximately three tons of coal, and 

four wagons hooked together travel the Plane. At 

the top and bottom of each inclined Plane, there 

are three railroad tracks—one of them serving as 

siding. These tracks, independent at the ordinary 

crossovers, connect with each other through the 

use of three turning platforms. 

Between Planes 1 and 2, a tunnel was driven 

through the mountain with one track. The tunnel, 

lined with brick, was 800 feet in length and cost 

approximately $22,000. The total amount of money 

expended in the construction of the eastern section 

of the railroad was $360,000. The cost is fairly 

high when compared to other railroads constructed 

in the region, but one must consider that the district where the work is being undertaken is far 

removed from easy supply sources. 

The details of laying the railroad, as followed by 

Moncure Robinson, consisted of laying cross-sills 

of white oak upon a well-packed, crushed-stone 

base. In certain locations, two-foot-square cubes of 

stone were used. The sills were eight inches in 

diameter by seven and one-half feet long, hewn out 

in the center, and placed on six-foot centers. On 

top of the sills are placed wooden rails, three-byseven-inch in random lengths, secured to the sills 

by wooden wedges (keys). The iron plates 

[bands], one-half by two inch in various lengths 

are fastened to the wooden rail by four-inch iron 

spikes placed fifteen inches apart. Broken stone, 

filled in between the rails, serves as a horse path. 

The capacity of such a railroad system is calculated 

to handle locomotives weighing six tons. 

At the end of 1837, the Pottsville to Sunbury 

Railroad was sufficiently complete to begin to send 

forth the products of the rich mineral region, one 

part toward the waters of the Susquehanna, and 

the other toward those of the Schuylkill. The rails 

were laid from the point of intersection of the 

Mount Carbon Railroad on the eastern end to 

Girardville some fourteen and one-half miles. On 

the west side, the railroad was extended some 

twenty and one-half miles from Sunbury. Five 

branches connect many various anthracite mines. 

The western section could be served by locomotives 

over a development of some thirty miles. Thus, 

only some fourteen miles remains to be opened 

between the two sections of the east and the west. 

The following illustrations are reproduced from 

Michel Chevalier Report on the railroad from 

Pottsville to Sunbury. 
NUMBER 15 71 

FIGURE A.—Ballast car. 

SIDE ELEVATION END ELEVATION 

^ I _ 

©jpru 

n 

H§> 

cm 

TJ 

J I 

TIT ^zr 

LAYOUT OF WHEELS 

SCALE 1" = 2' 
72 

SIDE ELEVATION 

SMITHSONIAN STUDIES IN HISTORY AND TECHNOLOGY 

FIGURE B.—Water tank car. 

END ELEVATION 

K 

T , , I 

TOP VIEW CHASSIS SUPPORTING THE TANK 

SCALE 1" — 2' 
NUMBER 15 73 

FIGURE C—Coal wagon. 

SIDE ELEVATION 

END ELEVATION 

11 

I {L{ 

Jl—1 

LAYOUT OF WHEELS 

.M Ii— J2L 

> ? 

J T 

SCALE 1" = 2' 
74 SMITHSONIAN STUDIES IN HISTORY AND TECHNOLOGY 

IX, 

g> 
NUMBER 15 75 

FIGURE E.—Plan view of mechanism of the fan regulator at top of inclined Plane No. 2. 

FIGURE F.—Horizontal plan of fan blades. 
76 SMITHSONIAN STUDIES IN HISTORY AND TECHNOLOGY 

FIGURE G.—Details of brake and shed enclosure on Mahanoy Plane No. 5. 

END SECTION 

SCALE 1" = 6' 

FIGURE H.-Detail of brake control and pulley on Mahanoy 

Plane No. 5. 

SCALE 1" = 6' 
APPENDIX 3. Form of First 

Lease Negotiated by the 

Girard Estate, 1862 

Form of Lease for Coal Lands Belonging to the 

City of Philadelphia, in Schuylkill County, Pa. 

MEMORANDUM of a lease made the day 

of A.D. 1861 between the City of Philadelphia, Trustee under the will of Stephen Girard, 

deceased, of the first part, and of the other 

part, as follows: 

FIRST. The said City of Philadelphia, Trustee 

as aforesaid, hereby leases to the party of the second 

part, the right to mine, dig, and carry away, as the 

property of the said party of the second part, the 

coal above water level on, in and from a certain 

tract of land known as in the warrantee name of 

in township, Schuylkill County, 

Pennsylvania, bounded as follows, and as more 

fully set forth and described in the plan hereto 

annexed, for the term of five years from the date 

hereof. 

SECOND. The said lessee, in consideration 

thereof, covenants and agrees to take from and 

ship in each and every year of said lease, not less 

than fifty thousand tons of coal, and to pay for at 

least fifty thousand tons of coal in each and every 

year of said lease, in monthly payments on the 

tenth day of each and every month of said lease, to 

the said City Trustee as aforesaid, a rent or royalty 

of 25 cents per ton for each ton of prepared coal, 

and 10 cents per ton for each Chestnut coal taken 

from the said mines. It being understood that the 

Chestnut coal shall not exceed in any one year 

more than ten per cent of the whole amount mined 

in each and every year, or if said Chestnut coal 

shall exceed such ten per cent, the excess shall be 

paid for at the rate hereinbefore provided for prepared coal: And provided further, That all coal 

passing over a one-inch mesh screen shall be 

deemed and taken and paid for as prepared coal. 

The weight of said coal to be determined by 

the certificates of weight from the scales of the 

railroad on which said coal may be shipped, which 

certificates are to be furnished by the lessee to said 

party of the first part, or their agent, together with 

a detailed statement of the kind and amount of 

coal mined, one in each and every month, at the 

time said rent is paid. 

THIRD. The said lessee shall work said mines 

in the most approved way of modern mining, with 

due regard to developing the several veins worked, 

driving proper gangways, laying proper railway 

tracks therein and therefrom, to convey the coal 

mined from the breaker, as also the dirt and slate 

from the breaker to the place of deposit, and in 

propping up, draining and ventilating said mines; 

all said mining and work, draining and ventilating 

to be done in the most approved and workmanlike 

manner; the location of all improvements, and 

opening of veins, to be under the direction of the 

party of the first part; their agent and engineer. 

All the veins on the said tract to be worked by said 

lessee simultaneously and continuously, and the 

dirt to be deposited on such parts of the surface as 

shall be designated by the party of the first part, 

their agent, or engineer: and provided, That no 

deposit of dirt shall be made by said lessee in or 

so near any stream of water that the same shall be 

liable to be washed therein. 

Said lease shall not be assigned in part or in 

whole during said term, nor shall any person or 

persons be associated in interest with said lessee 

in said mining operations, without the consent in 

writing, of the said party of the first part, or its 

successors, being first had and obtained; and said 

mines, gangways and mining operations, and the 

machinery connected therewith, together with the 

buildings and houses to be erected as hereinafter 

provided, shall at all reasonable times be open to 

the inspection of the said lessors, or any person or 

77 
78 SMITHSONIAN STUDIES IN HISTORY AND TECHNOLOGY 

persons appointed by them; and in case said lease, 

or any right therein, shall be attached, levied upon, 

or taken in execution by virtue of any proceedings, 

judgement, or decree, whether at law or in equity, 

as the property of said lessees, or any parties holding with, under, or from the, and sold during said 

term, said lease shall thereupon cease, determine, 

and become void, and all machinery, improvements, and buildings, erected by said party of the 

second part, in accordance herewith, shall in such 

case become absolutely the property of the said 

lessors, as though originally erected by them. 

FOURTH. The said lessee hereby agrees to put 

up and erect on the property of said lessors, trustees 

as aforesaid, a substantial and properly arranged 

breaker, with proper screens, with a steam engine 

of at least thirty horse power, and all the necessary 

fixtures, tracks, and railways, and machinery 

capable of breaking and preparing for the market 

not less than one hundred thousand tons of coal 

per annum, and for the successful working of the 

said mines. Also a blacksmith shop and a carpenter 

shop, a substantial stone-house for storing powder 

and twelve blocks of frame tenant houses, each 

block containing two houses; said houses to have 

a kitchen attached to each house, and said houses 

to be two stories each in height for the front house, 

and the kitchens each one and a half story in 

height; said blocks to be thirty-two feet in front, 

by twenty-eight feet in depth, including the 

kitchen; the houses and kitchens to be built on a 

stone foundation, with a cellar under each kitchen, 

and said houses and kitchens to be erected under 

the direction of the party of the first part, their 

agent, or engineer; and said lessee agrees to keep 

said houses and kitchens in good repair, when completed, and to pay a rent of 50 cents per week 

during said term for each house when completed, 

payable at the time the rent for said coal is payable, and said rent to commence on the day 

of and thence until the close of the said 

lease. 

And said lessee further agrees to lay and put 

down the railroad leading from the drift to the 

breaker, as also, the railroad from the breaker to 

the branch road, together with all necessary lateral 

railroads under the breaker, and leading to the 

main railroad, under the direction of the party of 

the first part, their agent or engineer. 

Said breaker and all improvements, to be completely finished, and to be made and erected of 

good materials, and in a workmanlike manner, 

within six months from the date thereof, and the 

shipments of coal to commence on the day 

of the year for the delivery of the said fifty 

thousand tons to commence from the last mentioned date, and all said breakers, machinery, engine, railway, or other tracks, inside or outside the 

mine, as also, all such railroads, fixtures, houses, 

and improvements whatever, mentioned, in this 

item, at the expiration of said lease to be the property of said lessor, who thereupon shall have the 

right, without any other process, to take possession 

thereof. 

FIFTH. The said City Trustee, as aforesaid, 

hereby agrees that the said lessee shall be allowed 

a sum not exceeding twenty thousand dollars for 

the breaker, railways, roads, trucks, machinery, and 

all houses, improvements, and items whatever 

stipulated to be erected by him, as set forth in the 

foregoing fourth section. The said lessee to retain 

towards said sum the whole rent and royalty of the 

coal mined by him during the first six months said 

rent shall be payable as herein provided, and thereafter one-half of the rent or royalty of the coal so 

mined, as also to retain the whole of the rents of 

the miners' houses during the said first 

months the same shall be payable, and one-half 

thereof, thereafter, until the whole of said sum of 

not exceeding twenty thousand dollars, is fully 

repaid by such retention to said lessee. It being 

understood and agreed, that said lessee shall not 

be absolutely allowed the sum of twenty thousand 

dollars for said breaker, railways, tracks, roads, 

machinery, houses, improvements, and items aforesaid, but only such sum, whatever, the same may 

be, not exceeding twenty thousand dollars, that he 

may have actually laid out and expended for such 

breaker, railways, tracks, machinery, houses, improvements, and items whatever stipulated to be 

erected by him as aforesaid; said sum to be ascertained by receipts or vouchers furnished by said 

lessee to the said party of the first part, or their 

agent. 

And provided further, That said lessee shall only 

be allowed to retain said rent during the first six 

months, on satisfactory evidence being furnished 

by him to said party of the first part, or their agent, 

of the payment by said lessee, from time to time, 

to the parties employed by him to finish, build, and 
NUMBER 15 79 

construct, such breaker, tracks, railways, houses, 

machinery, and improvements whatever, of the 

amounts severally due them, or a proportionate 

part thereof. 

And provided further, Tha t said lessee shall only 

be allowed to retain such part of said rent after the 

expiration of six months from the completion of 

all such breaker, tracks, railways, machinery, and 

improvements, as said lessors or their agent may 

deem proper, in order to indemnify and protect the 

said lessors against any loss by reasons of liens, or 

other incumbrances being filed or held against said 

premises, breaker, machinery, houses, and improvements, by workmen or others. And the said lessee to 

keep said breaker, engine, machinery, improvements, and miners's houses, well and sufficiently 

insured from loss by fire, at his own expense, in 

such amounts, and in such office as said lessors 

shall designate during the continuance of this lease; 

the policy or policies to be assigned to said lessors, 

or taken out in the name of said lessors, as said 

lessors may, at their option, determine. 

SIXTH. It is understood and agreed by and 

between said parties, that said lessee shall have the 

right to procure timber from the lands so leased, 

for the erection of said breaker and miners' houses, 

and prop timber for the working of said mines, as 

also to use the lumber at the Shenandoah and 

Mahanoy saw mills for the erection of said houses, 

the value of the lumber and timber so used to be 

credited to the party of the first part as against said 

lessee, as a payment on account of the said sum of 

thousand dollars, except for prop timber, 

for which no charge shall be made, said timber, 

however, only to be cut under the direction of said 

party of the first part, or their agent, out of the 

space designated for that purpose in the draft 

thereto annexed. 

SEVENTH. It is further understood and agreed, 

that at the expiration of the said lease, in case the 

said lessor shall not relet to said lessee for a further 

period of five years, said lessor shall pay said lessee 

for any coal mined, remaining undisposed of at 

the expiration of said lease, and the actual cost for 

gangways driven in the vein where the coal remains 

unmined, at such rate and price as shall be agreed 

upon by three disinterested persons, one to be 

chosen by said lessor, one by said lessee, and the 

third by the two so selected, whose decision, or 

that of a majority of them, shall be final and conclusive between said parties. In case said lessor shall 

not relet to said lease, the said lessee, at the expiration of said term, shall re-deliver possession of said 

premises, and all breakers, engines, machinery, 

railways, inside and outside, improvements and 

miners' houses to be put up, constructed, and 

erected on said premises, and in said mines during 

said term, in good order and condition, reasonable 

wear and tear only excepted. 

EIGHTH . Th e said lessor, trustees, as aforesaid, 

reserve the right to take, or grant to others the 

right to take wood, timber and stone from any part 

of said demised premises, as also of leasing any 

portion or portions of the surface of the tract 

hereby leased, which is not in the use or occupation 

of said lessee, or of farming or improving the same: 

Provided, the same shall not interfere with the 

actual working of the tenant, under said lease; and 

said lessee hereby agrees to prevent any squatters 

from locating on said premises. 

NINTH . It is understood and agreed, that this 

lease, and all the terms, provisions and conditions 

thereof, are binding upon the said lessor, and its 

successors, trustees as aforesaid, and said lessee, 

executors, administrators and assigns, provided license shall be given to assign as herein 

provided, and that in case said lessee, 

executors, administrators or assigns, shall refuse or 

neglect to pay said royalty or rent within thirty 

days after the same shall fall due, or shall without 

the written consent of said lessor, assign said lease 

in whole or in part, or join any other person in its 

management or the working of said mines, or shall 

discontinue working said mines, or preparing to 

work the same, or refuse or neglect to erect, or stop, 

after commencing the erection of the breaker, machinery and buildings, stipulated to be made and 

erected in the third article of this lease, for thirty 

days, or shall abandon said premises or said mines 

for said length of time, or in case of a fire shall 

refuse to use the moneys insured under the direction of the lessors in re-building or repairing the 

whole or any part of the breaker, machinery or 

buildings that may be destroyed, or to suffer the 

same to be rebuilt or repaired by said lessor, in 

case said lessor should prefer so to do; or in case 

said lessee shall refuse permission to said lessor, 

its servants and agents, to examine said mines, or 

if said lessee shall work the same unskillfully, or 

shall put up insufficient machinery or of bad work-
so SMITHSONIAN STUDIES IN HISTORY AND TECHNOLOGY 

man ship, or neglect or refuse to keep the same in 

good repair; or in case at the expiration of said 

lease he shall refuse to deliver up said premises, 

with all the engines, machinery, breaker, and 

miners' houses in good order and condition, reasonable wear and tear excepted, or shall in any other 

manner break or violate, or refuse compliance with 

the provisions of this lease, or any of them, then, 

and in every such case said lessors may at once 

re-enter and take possession of said premises, machinery, mines, breakers, railroads and miners' 

houses, and appurtenances whatever connected 

therewith, and determine said lease; and in each 

and every such case said lessee for executors, 

administrators, and assigns, if this lease shall be 

assigned in accordance with the provisions hereof, 

hereby authorizes any attorney of any Court of 

Record of this Commonwealth to appear for 

and confess a judgement in ejectment against 

in favor of said City Trustee as aforesaid, 

at the mere request of said lessor, with a full release of all claims and damages against said attorney by reason of his so doing; and thereupon a 

writ of habere-facias may at once issue to put the 

said City Trustee, as aforesaid, in possession of 

said premises without stay of execution, certiorari 

or writ of error; Provided, however, said judgement 

shall not prevent said lessor from proceeding to 

recover any rent due by distress or otherwise, which 

right of distress it is hereby understood may be 

exercised by said lessor for non-payment of said 

rent or royalty as in ordinary cases of landlord 

and tenant, and like manner, nor shall such judgement debar said lessor from an action of damages 

for any loss sustained by any breach of said lease, 

but said lessor may have and use any or all of such 

remedies as may be deemed proper; and in case of 

any such writ of possession being issued before the 

said full sum of thousand dollars is allowed 

to said lessee, or before the machinery, breaker, 

improvements and miners' houses, in the fourth 

article mentioned, are completed, no allowance 

shall be made to said lessee therefore, but the same 

thereby shall be deemed forfeited, and the title and 

possession thereof accrue to said lessor, trustee as 

aforesaid. 

TENTH. It is further understood and agreed, 

that in case said lessee shall be dispossessed at any 

time during the continuance of said term by virtue 

of any adverse legal or equitable proceedings whatever, commenced to recover possession of said 

premises, and shall thereby be prevented from mining and taking away said coal, said lessor shall pay 

said lessee the value of any machinery, breaker, 

apparatus, or miners' houses whatever, built, placed, 

or erected by on said premises, or balance 

due thereon at the time said lessee was so dispossessed or prevented from mining and carrying 

away said coal, to the extent of the actual value 

thereof, not exceeding twenty thousand dollars as 

hereinbefore set forth, or the balance due on said 

actual amount, if any payments have been made 

thereon, and upon such payment said lessee shall 

make no further claim for damages by reason 

thereof. 
APPENDIX 4. Old Warrants 

and Interferences with 

New Warrants of 

Girard Estate Lands 

Warrantee 

George McMannus 

George McMannus 

Daniel Probst 

Daniel K. Weston 

John B. Moyer 

John B. Moyer 

William Miller 

Levy Reber 

Levy Reber 

Nathan Reber 

Catherine Blue 

Lewis Audenried 

John Probst 

Daniel Probst 

Peter Kelhley 

Daniel Goddard 

Daniel Goddard 

John Hard 

John Fertig, Jr. 

Benjamin Turner 

John Spohn 

Jacob Krebs 

George Heiser 

Warran 

12 Mar 

20 Feb 

25 Jan 

>i 

>» 

>» 

6 Jan 

r* 

n 

n 

NA 

15 Jan 

20 Jan 

" 

M 

8 Feb 

20 Feb 

20 Jan 

2 Feb 

20 Feb 

22 Feb 

15 Feb 

9 Feb 

t date 

1830 

1830 

1830 

1830 

1830 

1830 

1830 

1830 

1830 

1830 

1830 

1830 

1830 

1830 

Survey date 

23 

22 

21 

14 

13 

6 

29 

30 

29 

Apr 

»» 

Apr 

•» 

Apr 

>» 

Jan 

Jan 

" 

Aug 

Jan 

Jan 

Jan 

n 

18 Feb 

19 Feb 

30 

20 

19 

9 

8 

Jan 

Apr 

Apr 

Jun 

Jun 

• • 

1830 

1830 

1830 

1830 

1830 

1829 

1830 

1830 

1830 

1830 

1830 

1830 

1830 

1830 

1830 

1830 

Acres 

312.29i/2 

390.90i/2 

262.155 

277.118 

192.943/4 

106.87 

296.88 

297.13 

146.89 

149.19 

300 

300 

116.62i/2 

138.14/2 

149.5414 

149.1221/2 

187.148 " 

103.5734 

220.16414 

199.98 

301.79 

164.14 

206.15 

Interference 

Thomas Hiltzheimer 

Amos Wicker sham 

Israel Cope 

Robert Hiltzheimer 

Thomas Hiltzheimer 

Thomas Hiltzheimer 

Amos Wickersham 

William Shannon 

George Beckham 

George Beckham 

George Beckham 

John Alexander 

Peter Benson 

Peter Benson 

James Chapman 

James Chapman 

Samuel Scott 

John Brady 

John Alexander 

John Alexander 

James Chapman 

Thomas Grant 

Daniel Reese 

Samuel Reese 

Samuel Scott 

David Reese et al 

David Reese et al 

David Reese et al 

David Reese et al 

David Reese 

Samuel Reese 

81 
82 SMITHSONIAN STUDIES IN HISTORY AND TECHNOLOGY 

Warrantee 

George Heiser 

Daniel K. West 

John Brobst 

Samuel Heffner 

Henry Hoy 

Joseph Hoy 

George Body, Jr. 

Abraham Hoy 

George Body 

Philip Hoy 

George Flower 

Conrad Mertz 

Jack W. Seitzinger 

Pusey W. Jackson 

Jesse Reber 

Peter Yoh 

Richard Stevens 

Henry B. Smith 

Isaac S. Stauffer 

William Wheeler 

Barbara Wheeler 

Christopher Dimm 

Aaron Bowen 

Catherine Blue 

Sarah Moore 

Henry Miller 

Robert Whitehead 

Richard Whitehead 

David Evans 

Mary Stembuck 

George Stonemetz 

Thomas Palmer 

James Tremble 

John Reese 

James Houston 

John Ward 

Richard Heath 

Samuel May 

God fried Lehman 

Warrant date 

•• 

11 Dec 1829 

" 

7 Mar 1854 

24 May 1815 

** 

n 

tt 

*t 

»• 

21 Jul 1784 

4 Sep 1784 

13 Feb 1829 

14 Feb 1829 

3 Mar 1829 

19 Nov 1793 

1 Sep 1787 

8 Dec 1855 

3 Jun 1830 

18 Feb 1794 

tt 

19 Nov 1784 

19 May 1792 

3 Mar 1829 

11 Feb 1794 

" 

H 

n 

>t 

»» 

n 

n 

n 

H 

» 

12 Jun 1829 

6 Jun 1829 

n 

8 Feb 1793 

Survey date 

•> 

21 Dec 1829 

22 Dec 1829 

20 Nov 1854 

9 Jun 1815 

" 

8 Jun 1815 

•• 

7 Jun 1815 

" 

5 May 1787 

4 May 1787 

6 May 1829 

" 

7 May 1829 

6 Oct 1829 

5 Nov 1805 

21 Dec 1855 

6 May 1857 

15 May 1794 

15 Nov 1794 

1 Nov 1788 

10 May 1794 

3 May 1829 

7 Jun 1794 

8 Jun 1794 

tt 

9 Jun 1794 

10 Jun 1794 

11 Jun 1794 

13 Jun 1794 

9 Jun 1794 

10 Jun 1794 

13 Jun 1794 

7 Jul 1829 

tt 

*9 

16 May 1794 

Acres 

219.85 

322.4 

390.5i/2 

312.05 

412.91 

412.91 

399.56 

407.38 

400.57 

400.40 

400 

400 

202.1514 

201.281/2 

398.135 

400 

450 

439 

51.137 

404 

407.18 

400 

400 

429.147 

402.67 

402.67 

403.37 

401.47 

400 

400 

400 

400 

401.57 

401.120 

401.49 

394.44 

400 

400 

430 

Interference 

Thomas Grant et al 

Thomas P. Cope 

Thomas P. Cope 

James Howell 

Israel Cope 

Thomas Paschall et al 

Nathan Beach 

Thomas Grant 

William P. Brady 

Thomas Paschall 

Joseph Paschall 

John Blackey 

Nathan Beach 

Nathan Beach 

William P. Brady 

Thomas Paschall 

John Blackey 

Thomas Paschall 

John Blackey 

Thomas Paschall 

John Blackey 

John Blackey 

John Blackey 

Thomas Paschall 

Thomas Grant 

William P. Brady 

John Lockhart 

John Barber 

John Lytle 

Thomas Lytle 

Thomas Lytle 

Thomas Lytle 

Thomas Lytle 

Thomas Lytle 

Thomas Lytle 

Nathan Beach 

Israel Cope 

Thomas Paschall 

James Paschall 

John Brady 

Joseph Paschall 

Samuel Scott 

John Brady 

James Chapman 

Samuel Scott 

John Alexander 

James Chapman 

John Alexander 

Peter Benson 

Thomas Grant 

William P. Brady 

Thomas Grant 

Samuel Scott 

David Reese 

James McNeal 

Jeremiah Jackson 

William Steadman 

Samuel Reese 
NUMBER 15 83 

Warrantee 

Elizabeth Reber 

Andrew Love 

James Grimes 

Henry Stochter 

Samuel Hoffman 

John Dreher 

John Dreher 

Andrew Gilbert 

Henry Johnston* 

Warrant date 

3 Mar 1829 

20 Sep 1792 

6 Feb 1793 

29 May 1829 

29 May 1829 

29 May 1829 

29 May 1829 

19 Dec 1837 

NA 

Survey date 

13 Jul 1829 

NA 

NA 

4 Nov 1829 

3 Nov 1829 

3 Nov 1829 

3 Nov 1829 

7 Aug 1838 

NA 

Acres 

291.62 

404.40 

121.80 

160.114 

150.32 

150.32 

161.107 

170.130 

398.44 

Interference 

Daniel Hurley 

Nathaniel Brown 

Nathaniel Brown 

John Lockhart 

George Beckham 

William Shannon 

George Beckham 

William Shannon 

Robert Hiltzheimer 

Solomon Beatty 

Rodger Beatty 

James Chapman 

NA = Not available. 

•Deed dated February 19, 1820. 

Index 

Agard, Moodie and Company, 20 

Agents, Girard Estate, 56 

Allison, Robert, 26 

Allison air compressor, 37 

Ambulance purchased, 31 

Anderson, John and Company, 25 

Annual shipments by companies, 1863-

1884, 58, 59 

Anthracite, preparation, 42; screen 

sizes of. 61; shipped, 1863-1884, by 

sizes and tonnage, 61 

Application system, 6 

Audenried, J. T., 29, 31 

Baird, Thomas, 12 

Bear Ridge Coal Company, 34 

Bear Ridge No. 1 Colliery, 35. See also 

Mahanoy Colliery 

Bear Ridge No. 2 Colliery, 35 

Bedford, Cunning, 9 

Berks County, 9 

Boston and Mahanoy Coal Company, 

33 

Boyd, William, 56 

Breaker boys, 42 

Breaker machinery, 19 

Broad Mountain, 69 

Brooke, Edward, 36; George, 36 

Brown, Colonel, 39 

Brunswick Township, 9 

Carter, Shoener and Company, 29 

Catawissa Valley, 9, 17 

Chester County, 9 

Chevalier, Michel, 69 

City Trusts, directors of, 18 

Claypoole, James, 5 

Coal breaker, 42 

Coal lands, 11, 12 

Coal Lease No. 1, 19; No. 2, 23; No. 3, 

25; No. 4, 26; No. 5, 29; No. 6, 31; 

No. 7, 33; No. 8, 35; No. 9, 37; No. 

10, 40; No. 11, 41 

Colorado Colliery, 32, 41; fire, 33 

Columbia County, 12 

Commissioners, Land Office, 5 

Conner, James J., 16, 19 

Conner Colliery, 19, 21 

Continental Coal Company, 29 

Continental Colliery, 29 

Cox, James S., 9 

Dam construction costs, 39 

Danville and Pottsville Railroad, 16, 

32, 62; Planes, 64-67, 69, 70 

Delano Land Company, 16 

Dengler, C. H„ 33 

Divesting Act of 1779, 7 

East Bear Ridge Colliery, 35. See Bear 

Ridge No. 2 

Eisenhuth, Bernard, 17 

First Bank of the United States, 9 

"First purchasers," 4 

Fisher, Daniel, 37 

Fort Mcintosh, 7 

Fort Stanwix, 7 

Garretson, Cornelius, 23; Theodore, 23 

Girard, Etienne, 15 

Girard, John, 15 

Girard, Mary Lum, 3 

Girard, Captain Pierre, 3 

Girard, Sophia, 15 

Girard, Stephen, 3, 10, 11; Bank of, 

10; land purchases, 1830, 12, 52, 53; 

will of, 15 

Girard Colliery, 23 

Girard Estate, agents for, 56; first coal 

mine, 31, 64; first lease, 1862, 77; 

lands lost to heirs of Girard, 55; 

lease royalties, 1863-1884, 60; legal 

cases, 15, 16; tracts in, 15; tracts, 

sizes and locations of, 53-55 

Girard Mutual Coal Company, 26 

Girard Tunnel, 34, 63 

Girardville Colliery, 19, 31. See also 

Conner Colliery 

Goodridge, Charles L., 29 

Gorrell, Robert, 29 

Grant, William, 35 

Griscom, Samuel E., and Company, 35 

Hammond Colliery, 21 

Harris, Stephen, 56 

Hemingray, William, 39 

Holmes, Thomas, 5 

Hughes, F. W., 16 

Huntzinger, G. W., 31 

Indian land purchases, 4, 6, 7 

Irwin, Robert, 9 

Jervis, M., 69 

Julie, 3 

Kaercher, F. B., 17, 26, 56, 68 

Kehley's Run Colliery, 38; explosion 

and fire, 39; fire extinguished, 40 

King Charles II, 4 

Kohinoor Colliery, 39 

V aim able Louise, 3 

Lafargue, Ann Odette, 3 

Lancaster County, 9 

Land Office, tribunal of 1782, 7 

Lands lost in court decision, 1833, 55 

Lease, extended, 17, 18 

Lease holders, 1862-1884, 57 

Lee, Richard, 35 

Lehigh and Mahanoy Railroad, 68 

Lehigh Colliery, 40 

Lehigh Valley Coal Company, 16, 26, 

29, 31, 33, 41, 68 

Lehigh Valley Railroad Company, 27, 

28, 40, 41, 68 

Lewis, Enoch, 12 

Lloyd, Thomas, 5 

Locust Run Colliery, 19 

Loeser, Christopher, 16; land sale, 

1851, 16, 56; manuscript collection, 9 

Lottery of 1732, 6; 1769, 6; 1785, 7 

Lower Mahantongo Township, 9 

Lum, Mary, 3 

Mahanoy and Broad Mountain Railroad Company, 68 

Mahanoy and Shamokin Railroad, 68 

Mahanoy Colliery, 33 

Mahanoy Plane, 64, 68, 69, 70 

Mahanoy Township, 9 

Mahanoy Valley, 9 

Mahantongo Township. See Upper 

and Lower 

Manheim Township, 9 

Markham, William, 5 

McMichael Colliery, 19 

Merchant's Coffee House, 11 

Meredith, J. D., 16, 56 

Mill Creek and Mine Hill Navigation 

and Railroad Company, 68 

Mill Creek Valley, 69 

Mine Hill Railroad Company, 17 

"Molly Maguire," 47 

Montgomery, Daniel, 64 

Morris, Mary, 9; Robert, 9 

Morris and Nicholson lands, 10 

Mount Carbon Railroad, 63, 69 

Myers, McHenry and Company, 35 

New Orleans exposition, 41 

Nicholson, John, 9 

North Ashland Colliery, 26, 31 

Northampton County, 9 

Northumberland County, 9 

Norwegian Township, 9 

Packer, Asa, 28 

Packer No. 1 Colliery, 33 (see also 

Colorado Colliery) ; No. 2 Colliery, 

29 (see also Shenandoah Colliery) ; 

No. 3 Colliery, 41 (see also Lehigh 

Colliery) ; No. 4 Colliery, 29; No. 5 

Colliery, 33 

Patents, land, 6 

Patterson, Frederick, 35 

Pelerin, 3 

Penn, Hannah, 5 

Penn, John, 5 

85 
86 

Penn, Richard, 5 

Penn, Thomas, 5, 6 

Penn, William, 4, 5 

Pennsylvania land policy, 4 

Perot, John, 9 

Philadelphia and Reading Coal and 

Iron Company, 21, 23, 26, 35 

Philadelphia and Reading Railroad 

Company, 23, 29, 35, 68 

Philadelphia City Council, 17 

Philadelphia Coal Company, 26, 32, 

33, 40, 41 

Picker boss, 42 

Pine Grove Township, 9 

Poole, H. W., 17, 56 

Port Carbon, 14 

Pottsville to Sunbury Railroad, 69 

Proprietors of Pennsylvania, 5, 6 

Pumps, Allison, 26 

Randall, Thomas, 3 

Raven Run, 19 

Rawle, F. W., 62 

Reber, John B., 37 

Reese, John, 39 

Regulator, fan-type, 69 

Robinson, Moncure, 62, 69 

Robinson, Morris, 33 

Royalties, lease, 1863-1884. 60 See 

Girard Estate 

Royalty rates on coal, 1869, 18 

Rush Township, 9 

Sailor, Henry, 37 

Schlatter, Charles Lyon, 12 

Schuylkill County, 9; Township, 9 

Screen sizes of anthracite, 61 

Seitzinger, Jeremiah, 31 

Sharp, Thomas, 64 

Sheafer, P. W., 17, 47 

Shenandoah Colliery, 26, 29 (see 

Packer No. 2) ; fire, 29 

Shenandoah Valley, 9 

Shenandoah Water Company, 39 

Sheriff sale, Girard Colliery, 23; Loeser 

lands, 16; Union Colliery, 26 

Slate pickers, 42 

Smith, Robert, 10 

Speaking tube, 31 

Stevenson, Cornelius, 16 

Stickney, and Conyngham, 37 

Stringer, the Reverend, 3 

Surveyors, deputy, 6 

Tenant houses, 19 

Thomas, B. B., 37 

Thomas Coal Company, 37 

Thomas Colliery, 38 

Thompson, Heber S., 39, 56 

Thompson, John, 12 

Turner, Robert, 5 

Underground telephone installed, 28 

Union Colliery, 25 

Upper Mahantongo Township, 9 

Vanderslice, Henry, 9 

Wadesville, 63, 69 

Wadleigh and Vandyke, 37 

Warrant, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania land, 5 

Warrants, interferences with, 81-83 

Wasley, Jonathan, 39 

Watertank, railroad, 70 

West Bear Ridge Colliery, 35. See Bear 

Ridge No. 1 

West Penn Township, 9 

Wild Cat Run, 19 

Will, Stephen Girard, 15 

William Penn Coal Company, 36 

William Penn Colliery, 35 

Williams, W. L., 40 

Willing, Thomas, 9 

Willman, Frank, 39 

For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office 

Washington, D.C. 20402 - Price $1.25 

Stock Number 4700-0207 

•ft U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 1972 O 452-324