Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1858-04-28
The Mineral Ridge, Coal Mines, Town,

e..
On Thursday of last week. we placed our
selves under the direction of VIM. G. barley.
Esq =. at Niles, for the purpose of seeing what
had been done within the past year, in develop
ing the mineral resources of Weathersfeld We
tok the Austintovn road, to the top of Mineral
Ridge. and were greatly surprised at the change
made since our last visit. If we hal been told
one week ago, that within seven miles of this
plsc.. a town containing one hundred and seven
" buildings. with a porulation ofone Thousand
iahabit,nt.. had been built within less than one
year. we should have doubted the truth of the
stat ment, exceedingly: and yet s tch is the fact.
A town has s,ruag into existence with 4 IA
p;Jity which equals any of the tales told OF ives
tern city building.
1t is growing still with the same rapiiity as
that of the last year. There are two churches.
school houses, four stores. and grog shops with
out number.
Application has been, o. is about to be made
for the establishm mt OF a post office, which
ought TO be successful.
We went through the town and visited first
Al Cfal thiius ci hlf-STc- lOlr ctlS Il ~, WHICH
nre farther s,uth tina any which are opened.
or are in process of being opened. on a IargA
scale. They have l6o acres, 100 acres OF which
ara proved coal. They have erected Substantial
buildings, stack &c The shaft is now about g.
feet deep and will soon be completed. as the
machinery is al NJ. There a. two first class
steam engines. one for pumping. AMI one for
ahoissing coal By a perpen lic1lar shaft and three
large hoiIers. Their investment. (when the
branch of the Mineral Rilga Railroad is COM
pleted to this mine } inclu ling real estate, will
be FROM Sc to SAD $4,000.
The next. north. are those of Morris. Price &
c.: l:2 acres, of which about so acres are prov
sd to contain coal. Herr all is complete. The
engine is massive and suhsta utial; II inch cyl
Under. 4 feet stroke. pump 10 inch. diameter, 6
fe-t stroke, throwing about $40 gallons per min
ute.
This mine is enter.l by a sloae. laii with a
light rail (made at the Rail Mill at N.wl,urg,
and is q beautiful specimen of rail r,ai iron } IN
which the coal cars are drawn by a chain. to
about Is feet above the ground. OF the chutes.
where the coal will run over a screen. and fall
into the Rail Road ears. This mine is running
night and day under the superintendent of Mr..
J W. Blunt. who is thoroughly posted in his
business. It's capacity with the present machin-
cry. !. 10 ship about 900 tons per day. 1t was
commenced last fail. The Investment is about
$3o.00O,oa.
The next belangs t, Mr.. ]. W. Warner, of
youngstown. This consists of 100 acres. He
"a engaged night ard day ia driving an entry,
which will connect wild, Norris. Price. & Co.'S
1.raneh of the NJ. R. Rail Rad. His outlay will
.Tbe about $50. 10000.
North Of ibis. lie the lands Of Messrs. Rice
French & Co., about 80 acres. (They also have
323 acres farther south, just over the Austintovn
line.} Here the engine is smaller. 10 inch eyiin-
der, 9 feet stroke. This mine is also catered bv
= slope. and the coal ears broGsht ~ by an end
sess chain. From the mouth of the mine the cara
are drawn by horses to the chntes, and the coal
Is dropped into car. on the NJ. &. Rsil Road.
The works are under the superintendance Of
Nr. Isaac Holforl. a skilful, experienced and
successful miner.
This is the present terminus of the Mineral
Ridge Rail Road, and over this road. from this
mine is shipped daily. to Cleveland, about one
hundred and eighty ions of coal. Theroad is a
private enterprise. having been built By Messrs
Rice. French & Co. 1t is over two miles IN
length from it's junction at the Miles station. with
she c. d NJ. r. R., crosses the Mahoning river
on a trestle bridge $50 feet in length, the whole
laid with T. iron, of the same size and WEIGHT
as thatof the C-tM r. Il.
A large force is nov at work extending this
road to Morris, Price & Cos mine, from whence
at will be Immediately extended to that of Tod,
Wells L. Co.
Aessrs. Rice, French { Co.. shipped, last year
orer2o.OO9 tons of coal, andtkis year will proba-
by exceed that amount. Movie, Price q Co
~ill also ship. probably. abosIt the same amount.
These gentleman have by their enterprise and
liberal investment, greatly aided an develoring
the RESOURCES Of these coal fields, and we are
glad to add that the result is proving that they
are shrewd, far seeing business men, and that
Their investment will be as profitable to them.
selves, as 1t Is beneficial to the country.
North of their mine is that of sfessrs. Perry.
Cross Il Co. They haze so acres, 50 of which
fbSs are now putting IN en-
gines to drain their mine. and will soon be ready
20 ship between so and GO tons per day. They
too, connect directly with the N r. r. K.
Aessrs. Weddell. Parks & Co, OF Cleveland.
own coal lands farther south, but we are not
advised of the quantity, or whether they will
connect, soon, with N. Il. Z. x. Their invest
nent On lands, is some $4,000.
The black band iron ore which underIies the
greater pat OF this coal. is from seven to ten
inches in thickness contains full IS Der GEM.
OF metal, and there is about one ton Of ore TO eve
~ three tons of coal. The yield of coal is about
5000 tons to the acre.
The amount expended. thus far. and to be ey-
pshded before the close of the seasop, by the
foas haa mentioned companies, viii reach the
fppf little sum of a quarter of a million of dol-
lar. sad that Investment, large as it is. will pay
~ lstgsiy. About 10 per eent. ofihe Investment