The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1884-06-15
DAVE MOBILES DEBT OF s3.
ON WHICH TH1 WEALTH OF A GREAT
CORPORA1XON ~ FOUNDEn

AwannA coal field from CarbondAle to Provi-
denoo. q portion OF the city Of Scranton. abso-
lutely In 1917 the valley above Wilkesbarrs
was almost entirely uninhabited. In spite Of
all tho efforts that had been made BY onterpris-
ing and enthusiastic individuals In what 10
now known as tho Lehish GOAL field. people had
not yet been Induced to look favorably on an
thraclto as fuol. The subject was being agi-
tsted. however. and those who believed In
tho coal foresaw groat future for II as
an article Of commerce. Among those who
wero Arm believers that anthracite was des-
tined to DO the fuel OF tho future were Maurice
and William Wurts. two Philadelphia Quaker
merchants Of means. Thoy believed that they
would exercise great wisdom In getting posses-
sion OF as much coal land as possible. All In
vestigations and explorations on the subject
had previously been made In tho Lehigh and
lowor Luzernc and Schuylkill regions. the idea
being that the Lehigh River would afford cheap
and feasible means OF TRANSPORTATION for the
coal to market as soon as q demand had been
created for 1t. Philadelphia was the objective
The Wurts. brothers entered tho upper Laeka-
wanna Wilderness to prospect Tor coal. Their
70 S St S ta
stream might be used as tho highway to trans
port the product Of the mines e Phtiadslpha
coal fields, Of England and Virginia had sup:
piled the demands OF this country for fuel Of
tS ho Tss Sof %s
turned into other directions. circumstance
TINT more than any other thing hastened the
tho tines s presented. and from iSi5 until isii
1 Ss or fSss
were not realized. and they were discussing
o es Of mssn ons ay Whit e
stands, AraurIce ,wurts came upon man In
DO a, Hermit addressed him. and by question
ns ts 70 sssp
iiVW I for debt he owed a man on the
every rod " tho wderness h% Mf' at some time
SsS Sa sso 9sd iSa
owned lot near there whore he had noticed
some peculiar black stones. and that II these
flow much do you ask for your lotS asked
~, Il you will pay of my debt Of s., replied
Mobiles. will give YOU deed for the lot;
IN ssSs Ss ss n setns
s %pS n guilds s S hGn i.oe
and. where wurts Iiscoyered the fugitive hun
different tracts except one known Us the An
derson farm. now In the city OF Providence, be-
TO h who Sppea
ons for the parshans. Of the property th9 lat;
more value than the land that would induce a
stall and distinguished-looking Quaker to
n ness anG shas tho own r @shs other decne
Sto sell or set largo price upon the property.
Wurts hit upon A. A.. tngeSS ITs. plan a., to
what to DO. Nobles s gained an interview WITH
self as ono Of several brothers who desired to
engage In forming on large scale. somewhere
eoua bo oStanea at sma asked
was named and agreed uro2n: aud none OF ,the
some Of il was rated at nifty cents. Then Mobiles
sent for his friend ,Wprts.' who appeared on
@se IN bis hs o tho
tween Garbondale and Providence were secured
| which part OF Carbondale now stands and the
Anderson tract in Providence.
the Lackawanna valley were opened-one a
rRd Ss oT They hey
YorR (! and 9f sd 70 'A0 IN
The idea OF tho Wurtses that they would
tarles Of tho Delaware. they found to BIO incor:
or otsr q tae
Delaware. Nine miles from their mine. on
siderable size now known as Jones's Creek; II
emptied into. the .hendwatars Of the WALTON.
,Se asHa
Waxsn River: Tie LackswaxeH emptled int
the Delaware sixteen miles further on. From
and trsacherous Route that tho &urtsss deter
During tho entire summer Of 1918 DayIt
Mobiles was kspt busy remoying obsiructi,op1 7.
first fall OF snow two sled loads OF COOL. takor
Hauled f shTensh q The os WOODS By oxen III
creek. The coal was loaded on a raft Of dr.!
cargo p Sns SSss eo e hss R I'M
paupack. Tho creek was high and oil wen
for mile when the a WIS
narrowly escaped drowning.
snpr sat TSSa 80 bSt
lions on the Anderson farm. they opened VIVA
David NeSes ass s% sand From ths q 70
they cut . road through tho woods to a point Of
%snty mese Thsy hauled two
Of Goa, to ths banks Of tho creek and GSadsa
lenpanpack. "A mile and a half above III
mouth Of that sstreHm the water rupgss dow Do
At that point the coal was taken from RATS an
hnnlod around tho falls f. the Lasknynxel
the purpose. and started on It's way to Philn
delphin via the Delaware. One Of the ark
Tho other WINS run safely to Philadelphia.
This mode OF getting coal to market was 8
to secure another route still, They made ron
from their mine on tho Mobiles lot over tn
distance of twenty miles. which stream
reached a mile below who're the. village Q
ing apparatus ut their mine. but shipped n
S coal until iS2s 10 that s9r, they %pe
the L.SkavsIsn during The winter. There va
tons could bs transported over the me cunt III
That quantity Was RIM mr. safely 70 market: an
price. and, ~ navigation IN the I.ackawaXs
} river which y q rough and turbulent stream
, | they had solved the problem that was thon ag