Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1868-12-05
Goa H.,

In 1850 the total product of the mines
according to government records -distrbu-
ted through twelve States, was valued at
Si,lt3,I5Oi Of which some $5,26S,35l, or
upwards OF i3 per cent, was the value of
the anthracite mined Gy the State of Penn.
syivanla. In ten years time, between 1850
anu io60, including returns from sixteen
states and Territories, (and from 622 cstab-
lishments, of which the aggregate capitsl
ameunted to S20. .42S,670,) in the year 1860.
the product swclcd TO 6,218,Oe0 tons. or
100, ,452000 bushels of bituminous coal and
=, ,ll5,Sf2 tons of anthracite, valued top ether
at S2O,243,63T. This shows an increased
value OF not less than $4,000, ,S87, or l62 per
cent over the returns of $50 The internal
revenue tax on all mined coal is three and a
half cents per ten. In 1864 the amount
realized by Government from this source on
PennsyIvsnia's quota of l,249,21l tons, was
Sl3!, l92. The whole amornt from tfe entire
mining interest was but $572,436, which
proves concIusively that PENNSYLVANIA alone
contributed over four.ffths of the total re-
turns. But although this State monopolizes
the hons share of the anthracite trade, in
| limited quantities this same coal is found in
M one states of Rhode Island, Massachusetts.
ieNas' Missouri, Iowa and Illinois. The
"nl.,aCte ,::e coal region of PENNSYLVANIA is
Ti.'oI'' ih'o three principal districts First.
inI WI tnetn or Wyoming district, where
anthracite coal was first applied to practical
purposes. ms rcgicn comyt,ises the Shick
shinny, Wilhcsbarre, Newuort pittston
Lackawanna, and CarbondaIe in all ON orsa
! OF l2O square miles, or $780, acres II il
celebrated FOR The very hardest specios or
white ash coal. AS carly rs 1775 the Grst
cargo was shipped from this region down the
/ Il, 4
| The Southern or Schuyikili coal (leld contains
three principal basins, and extends on the
east from the Lehigh district nearly to the
Susquehanna on the west. This division
embraces the districts known as the Lchiph
Tamaqna, Tuscarora, Schuylkill Valley
| Pottsvile, Minersville, Swatara, Lyken'
Valley, DaupEin, together with several othe
minor districts. Its area of workable Goa
is estimated to be 164 square miles, or 106,
800 acres. Thirdly. What ia known as thu
Middle Anthracite coal region of Pennsyl
! vania extends from Shamokin to the Lehigh
and covers fully seventy-three acres of Goa
land, or about 115 square miles, divided
between the two large basins of Mahono,
and Shamokin, and q few smaller colleries
and an eastern cluster Of from twenty t
thirty smaller basins, such as Beaver Meadow
fIazeton, etc.
The Cumberland mines were not worked
| until le42. The Scranton were not openec
| until 1886.
OF the relative valuo of the two Goals. rec
and white ash, the latter is greatly preferred
for domestic use-tor though this latter
! (anthracitej in consumption deposits NOR,
ashes, the heat is thought to be more intense
! Indeed the better qualities of anthracite have
been sufficient to decompose and burn water
when submitted in small quantities to its
fierce heat. BiLuminous coal leaves rcd
ash, and but iilso Of it. II burns with a
greater fame than the former.
The manufactures are the largest consum.
er5 Of coal Next IN order is the ordinary
cooking range.