New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1863-12-05
TIL, Mines nj H,nuch Chunk md Vicinity
Cause Of the Esigb Price OF Coal, &c'

ton Of tie public has very naturally oeen 1ra"n to"au
tho subject and deep interest has been manieS'ed 70
learn and know something as to the various causes 'a'
have brought about this advance Many have been inc
questions asked by those who were SO unfortunate rs
not TO have supplied themselves with fnll Winter
stock ere the high prices were attained a TO way cor
wns 30 high aud very nns9iisflctory 70 heni,oH' az
Toast have thew been answered. Numerous also nave
been the charges Of certain (suspecfed) comHhauos
existing either among the coal producer % gr~es
them and the transportation companies. Ana .t!' aiu
following AL have come the questlon5 now "I : 10 =,
going 20 last thusf Wil coal be oIy higher, OF WIN
It be owori" To seek an answer TO me- yI"sli I,l
your reporter visits the Leigh wyoming ana osiiu, AZ
Valleys where are situated the three greet coa ieS VI
Tho town Of Manch Chunk occupies small area
AZ tho confluence II tie Janch Chunk Creek
and the Leligh River IL is encrcled comp!eteF
by a chain Of mountains some OK WhicA A,t.ln
ma elevation Of over thousand feet and mas 9e,i
truly described living in TIE SwlIeri"hu Va
Peunsylvnna" Tho pass between the mountain spurs
ut this point Is narrow as to permit oi Out s.s
street In the main part OF the town. The population
il about 1900 Considerable omusei1enf u, me- 81
nr9.d the inhabitants ~ the manner IN wch straub'n
pronounce The name II thoir town AL"ns lne va
iious pronunciation. and names tna nave h.Ia 80
ara The following MIuEh Chunk. NaWtch Cbuth huieH
CHUNK and sometimes Mush Chunk, hut C1nhA' NO
Chunk Mug Chunk Mud Chunk. and not rnirefucnsi!
Mind Junk The residents Of tie vicinity often speak oi
IL "a Chunk only. Tie name originated rom me iu'
dian word Machktschlnk, when itnlbes t,eLr 1nl"
tain and is properly pronounced Mauk Chunk. INC
coal landing end the mining operations IN tIe
yirin,y. The region surrounding mo .hnhk ~
one of tie wealihlcst IN coal 70 be LoBhd III
tle state two millions Of TINS having been nineG1
aud shipped daring the past year (iron December -
Doccmb.l) from this one fed. The lehish Naiey' LIS
Is average increase Of about 10000 tnns Per teI
since 1850 The coal ohrinel from this district IS az
anthracite which is tho most condensed FORM 0, mineral
coal ard far the richest IN carbon. ana j. ciash ~
white and rcd ash. Il IS shipped direct ron 70 ,-'
BY both csnnl ard railroad 10 Philadelphia anl NeN
York IN the afternoon. wishing o. See sonethlnS OF
he mines themselves and OF mining oper tons. We
seated ourselves an open ear ready % make the ~
cent VI Mount fsgah. At gwen signal We were
hosted up an inclined plane $40 feet In length over
grade OF foot TO every three steadily upN IRA, into
mo very conds as i were. Here then We stood ~ w
tod esi feet above tie town of hanch lhuhA NAi'n
Itself 5ol feet above tde-watcr 40 Philadelphia lie
Lehigh valley lies, seemingly. but Just uIder or
feet Mauch Chunk dvinde. into insign!hc1nee While
AZ around "a. every SIDE, ire tier upon tier nc
mountsin ranges. But We IRE not ye, NJ $40 summit
20 passing light mi.es further over the pra'ty
Roads ne 81 la't zach 3oant JEFFERSON rs ,nAc
summit dill The Mount Jeferfon Piano !. neither rs
long nor A. Ugh that of Mount Psyel beng only
90 feet Ia length and ta3 fec; IN night We are Do"
KS feet above Nguoh Chunk and $50 feet above tde-
water az Philadelphia. From this poit Ne eaten
glimpse Of tie mines. On our len CEN De seen large
volumes Of smoke ascending. Inqurlng tho cause
thereof ascertain than II comes from nine that las
been burning for some Elk or seven years. some
600 have been sper during the past year in cutns
openings through above the hrv Ia order eventually 20
stop 10 progress and prevent iis spreading FROM
Summit I'm can descend over what Is called The
Switchlack Eoad ,to The mines IL being now Late IN
tho afternoon the conductor deemed prudont bot t.
proceed further aud Therefore cltrr few r-Oulenis
stop az ID, Ill., start by orcuitoGs route ~ several
miles down tAe mountains. Oar Isie Of speed i much
faster than iha. ordinarily attained ~ locomotive ana
our course lies through tlo ldesi woodland scriety
The excitement produced by he ride i astonishing ara
ia strrngrr s1er having reached more tie TOW
Inspired by the rlouutin mir and TIE cxcioment 81 rs
ride feels himself a. have iascr new lcase OF NE ara
looks with disgust uTon al riding uu",s IL be upon
iraL" Arer enjoying ~ al the rae over iAe nE''
and Switch back roads, one cen siy N SAKE, and
with lsss iatlge and moro truth than D. do.
ooh bless mo. ,hi. is peasant.
hi44rs On faL"
BIT now 70 some fic.s and statements IN relation 20
the mines aud operations there ard O. The causes which
have tended O. produce tue rf'ssn high price ~ coal
Ana in starting rt i1e ny THAI certainly 50 r IN ny
lnvrst-n un- Ind but ono con, lIsl0n az which 81
rive and that - that IN the Mauch Chuak region
combination either las az does exist IN any manner
among either tho coal psoducrs or the sp.rtailon
pau~ By means q which the price Il coal has nd
,aaccd further than this. hfy hare got tes and are no'
n0r able 10 supply by ycIy considerable amount. ,he
demands made upon iAem. III, mct j. sab'taniiaiei
not only heres bat when I'm philadelphia. was shown
~ parties there the private correspondence that had
been carried between the firms hero aud .helr cor
sgncc there almost every letter 81 which spoke Of TIC
utter inability ~ tie producers 10 I'll their ordera On
Goals. cAcaAut for inst pee one ~ the largest
producers IN tie haEeion district Which Is Just above
herr Wrole: d" We arc month bohiud In h!hng our
orders The demand for coal lar exceeds the capaci
either Of those working tho mines 10 supply or u
the Transporting companies 20 send forward.
This Is ono cause of the advance for coal Lko any
other article. VIXEN demanded TO q larger amount
than can De supplied. must o. necessity rise IN value
That Tie Producers sle not holding back thor supplies,
KNOW. That they doing all that they do a.
satisfy t.e demand also know, aud the few figures
have gathered Will bear mo out IN tho statement Tho
Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company. whose mines
ntgatcd here who tho owners OF tho Lehga
Canal VIII this year muo 10000 tuls Of coal. They
have shipped by canal already nom this district over
oja 90 trns to market. Tho Lclieh valley Railroad
has carried forward los SOP tuus. making total NJ
s.0 so tuns forwarded from this region during the
present year Til, Will De incroascd II is expected. C.
about OOOOo Of turs which Will b. AL Increase from
last year Of over 10000 ,rls. And his IL must be
borne M mln has been d-no notwithstanding the vast
obstaoles that have been thrown IA the way The price
Of labor IN these mines has al nncsd from 80 10 lOO PER
cent over l1st years prices. This has had tendency
to mako the men FESTIVE aud lazy Gu an average hund
rds o. both The miners and common lahorcrs work
INK but nom three TO four days m tho week and making
Glen aA much OF more for themselves than they did Last
year ole Aalf 81 the present wages Strikes have
been frequent. and riots threatened. an writing now.
II vii sbe remembered, IN Ito region Of tho recent
Disturbance aloukh ttls particular point no SERIOUS
damage Was done. Tho 10th AowJerscy Regiment Is
On dug hcru, the several companies beng scattered
through snd about the various nilnci.
That here there combination exist among tho
transportation companies "a o. dcnt from tie fact that
Ito Limit ~ their charges for freight xed by law and
oppressed IA thor charters. Take. for instance The
Lchigh Coal and Navigation Company. They are now !
receiving On thoir canal toll 81, cents per tnn 1As
O. ba sue, II up 10 tho limit allowed them. bur Is tho
sann price received by tom last yeas and several
previoi. years when coal low The actual cost "
mining and delivering the coal NJ Alluch Chunk Is |
~ -. The cost Of delivery ia Now.Nork about a. |
The coal IA sold o. tie middlemou at from a. to 81 /
small lots sometimes bring 60 3D. Tho demand for |
siovo conf Is very great and IL brings about 81 more
than any other IL In sold for from s6 10 90 50 IN |
hhuch 'huas. certainly shall GOT attempt To De y
That tho coal prodncer afe making money. For years
pct, however they have not. The Transporting CON
panies preyIolsy nave mado by fr the LARGEST portion
Of the profits NON Che scale has urnodthe transport
ems not being able Ia advance beyond certain point,
which has not given them the opportunity % advance
their rates In proportion 10 the In coal l say tho