Meigs County telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy [Ohio]) 1848-1859, 1854-06-27
Thn coal Trade.


number, 10 furnish 10 tho readers of the
Z Telegraph some facts in regard TO the Coal
trade, which ills hoped may prove interest.
ing. at
eCoul. il small quantities, was mined here
;H.qhI early day. There are persons row
residing in this vicinity who have aided in
shipping coal in 6a,-boais, fastened by grape
vines OF great length, and no, unfrequenly
upon ruls Of poplar logs. The price Of coal
was high, compared with presen, prices; but,
the quantity run was very small, and de.
mand very limited. The earlier history Of
The trade we do NOT propose 10 touch III this
time. Some Of our ffends may furnish us
for publication their recoleclions, and enable
US at another Time 10 CRAFTY our readers.
THE first movement, in the Coal business,
a, all systematic, was made by the Pomcroy
Company in 1888. During lhalyea few
hands were employed opening drills. A
sawrmill, and lhe,housenow occupied by A..
Runhain, Esq, was erecled that year. AT
thdt time, from Leading Creek 10 Graliam's
,Sla,ion--l3 miles--,here were, on The Ohio
sidescfi The riyersix frame houses and one
Of brick. On The Virginia side, cearings
existed only in a few places. One brick
house sYns the solitary sign Of progress ,bo-:
yonGs Gsihe cheapest sort Of log cabin. From
: The residence wof Mr.. Phillip Jtnessin
wha. Is now called Mddleporl, 10 Miners
vile, besides the frame house jus, mentioned,
and he brick house, there were a lew log
bouses, saw-nill and grisl.mll and ono
store. Some persons now wprcminent in the
Business Of Pomeroy, were then just com
mehcing business here.
In 1891 tie mines had been opened and a
quantity OF coal, which then seemed large.
taken 10 market. Al thai lime steamboais
had no, begun 10 use coal instead Of wood.
The manufacturing operations oil Cincinnati
and Towns along the river were very
small, and loridomesdc purposes c pal adopted
only 10 limited extent. The opening oil
the Pomeroy minesgaye assurance OF reg
ular supply ,f coal; for manufacturing pur'
poses, and for domestic use. And from thai
time its use steadily increased.
In 1885, STEAMBOATS, commenced tie. oc'
casional use Of COAL few boat masters
more Scniuresome ,hanlhe rest. had exper
imenled upon ii before, but the general oPin
ion ancng those interested in steam naviga
uon on the Ohio. was, thai, coal could bt
used OILY 10 limited extent on Loa,s.-
Some supposed that CRATE bars would be de-
slroyed rapidly, and tliat coal would rendc
boats uncomfortable for passengers.
In, 1885, the tow boat Condor" twas bull
a.oPomeroy for the purpose Of towing Goa
bonts G'eThe Condor came ou, in January
1886, and was the first boai employed ii
towing cool in the West, and was also lh'
frs, boa, which used ceal ulnne in generating
steam. A. The time, il was generally deemc'
doubtful whether boat could be proG,nbl!
employed in towing coal boats. That doub
was long since resolved. There are nov
fifteen STEAMBOATS, engaged in lowing coal I
the Makes on the Ohio above the Tall:
OF these, FIVE run from this neighborhoo
20 Cincinr ali, and ten from Pittsburgh {
Cincinnati and other places-as far dow
as Louisville. AaHa Is W.
,,nblS36; z and 0, the use of coal gradr
ally increased, and Pomercy cumein for he
share of the increase. We have no, befor
us the data requisite TO show the ratio oil ir
crepse, or .he quantity Of Pomeroy col
mined during those years; bu. from the IL
Gutinaiion we have beon furnished with, "
learn that The increase was considerable.
From 1889 10 l843 The increase lhoue
very gradual, on the whole, was, for SON
purposossmore rapid! ayirhe pressure whic
bore so hard upon tile business Of The coul
Try generally, taught many lessons OF ecol
omv. Owners of sicambools learned II
factqShut conl was mucricheupef fuel tho
w6od1tycn when wood grew directly .
tic bank Of the Ohio. Pnmcroy being col
ycpicRly situated for The supply Of Slcan
bsnis with coal, and the coal here being
excellent quuli,y Cor generating steam, ii
consumption for thai purpose increase
stcnd1y t 1.,, ii,f..ga r8t .frs ,,s.
From i843 forward. ,here has been
steady development, ofmanulacturing entc
Prise 20 mas, iocalilies. accessible 10 mody
power IA fen pIaccs, has The dovelopmrclr
been greater than, D Cincinnati. The we
aRd southwest hayeadeyclooed in ivarlur
~My0,heir grcatrcsoufccs. Steamboats, e
,he'nansforisllon Of freight and pssscngeI
have ipcFsassdapo only in npplbeys shali
size also alAdj 10 this lhe almost, sole a'
ostdsI foeeencrasing s,esm, ond the furh'
fdel tha,ccOi has been ppplIed very general
10 domestic purposes, and ilwill'bc seen