Pomeroy weekly telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy, Meigs County, Ohio) 1860-1866, 1860-01-17
Communicated.

For the Pomeroy Weekly Telegraph.
Coal Shaft-Coal found near Racine-Orfg~
inator OF Enterprise First Efforts
Failure-ssTry Again"-New Company
Success of-No EIumbug-Quality ofCoal
Coal Privileges-Good Landing7-"All
Right"-Racine Ahead:!- -"Big ShoOtin"
Sensation! 4
RACINE, Jan. II, 1860.
Editor of Telegraph: Dear Sir-The
citizens of Racine were agreeably sur
prised on Thursday, the 9th inst, by the
welcome news that the workmen en-
ployed to sink shaft for the "Racine
Coal Company" short distance above
town, were at last down to very fine
vein of coal. Combinations of the good
tidings, STRONG as proofs from Holy
Writ, rapidly came in from all quar-
ters; but in few hours, the Coal itself,
''black and shining" was exhibited to
our astonished gaze-thus forever set
ting all doubts as to the coal-wealth OF
our town and it's vicinity.
To have coal or not to have it:
That a0as the question (but is not noa0!)
Or whether it is better
To take Boats and stow from Syracuse,
Than with good ssPicks and Shovels,"
To dig down and get coal of our own.
(Which last "aoas didl'
The original mover in this enterprise
was Mr.. w. H. B. Page, of Middleport.
His first efforts were during the winter
of 1866, but did not extend further
than to present the subject to the minds
of our community, and ascertain the
public feeling as to granting privilege of
coal to the individual or company who
would open bank or sink shaft The
result, I believe, was, in very high de-
gree, gratifying and encouraging; and,
in the Spring of 1857, Mr., Page com
menced sinking shaft upon the land of
Thos. Pickens, just above town. After
going seventy feet, and finding no indi-
cations of coal, the water also coming
in in large quantities, the work was, for
the time being, abandoned. Its perse
vering protector, however, did not seem
in the least discouraged at the partial
failure in theefforts first put forssh- Bat
the financial reverses Of the year Grip
pling his operations, he was enabled Ia
do but little for some time, beyond en-
deavoring to keep the matter constantly
before 'the people" and to enlist the
active sympathy and cooperation of cap
itllists who would be able to prosecute
the work, Notwithstanding the severe
pressure in the money market, After
much anxiety and labor he was so very
successful as to form !, Company COM
posed of 7. Horton, R. R. Hudson, G..
Young, Thos. Pickens and himself This
was late in the winter or very early in
the spring of 1859. Immediate ar
rangements were completed for resum-
ing active operations. This time, how
ever, it was deemed best to locate the
shaft little further up the river. Ac-
cordingly eighty four acres of land were
purchased by the Company from Mr.. A.
Weaver, of Letart, and a contract at
once given for sinking the shaft. The
result of this second attempt we have
. already announced. A vein of coal tfue
and one-haB feet IN thickness, and of a
very superior quality; has been the
crowning success with which the Com
pany have met. In addition to this, the
shaft is in close proximity to the river,
at point which has plenty of water the
year around, and a frst-rate landing.
They have, also, from fifteen hundred to
two thousand acres of coal secured them
by the surrounding landowners; which,
altogether, must be a very valuable
property.
On Tuesday last, the day that the
Company met at the shaft, the men who
had opened it resolved to give them a
miners welcome "Old Zack" was
therefore, in requisition from Pomeroy
: and the hills and valleys made to rever,
: berate with the echoes of his thunders
The day passed off pleasantly to all con-
, cerned, and its events demonstrated
that Racine, ahead in nearly everything
else, is destined soon to be even in de-
: veloped mineral resources. The dis.
covery of coal will, in it's results, aid tc
; climax our growing improvement anc
prosperity. $50 mote it be!'
t OBSERVER.
P. S. I almost forgot to state that t.
the untiring exertions of Mr.. Page
: may, in great measure, be attributed
, the existence of coal shaft SO near t.
, our town. l say this with no design t,
disparage others, but as simple act O
( justice to Mr.. Page, in which all who ar,
e acquainted with the facts Ill the case will
f agree. o.
: mEIt will be seen by refarenca to