The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1889-08-22
A GREAT ENTERPRISE.
The NewBurg oueI Coal and
Coke company's Works,
A MILLION DOLLARS CAPITAL
Invested in the company's Mining
Operations In this state-some
Interesting History-The Elk.
plosion Of 's8-The Strike,

Special Correspondence Of Ae HltslIi0neF,
NEwBURa, W, Va, August 20,-Al
one travels eastward from Grafton oyel
the Baltimore & Ohio railroad, the first
thing that greets his eye on entering
Newburg is the extensive plant Of the
Newburg 0rel Coal and Coke Com
pany About thirty,ave years ago
Harris Ressley, a citizen Of Maryland
came to this locality and purchased q
considerable tract Of coal lands, These
lands were obtained from the father ol
Major U. N, Orr, one Of the present
members OF the House Of Delegates from
Preston county, and from Others, This
formed the beginning Of the extensive
works above referred to, which now
represent q capital Of $250,O00,
Mr., Ressly commenced operations In
the spring OF 1855, and built the incline
plane and narrow gauge railroad, laying
q wooden track, In the fall OF 1856 the
Newburg Orrel Coal and Coke Company
took hold Of the property, appointed
Lawrence Henry, a native OF Scotland,
General Superintendent, who extended
the narrow gauge railroad and replaced
the wooden tracks with iron rails. The
whole length Of this road, including
branches and two tunnels, formerly oC.
cupied about two miles and half. As
fast, however, as the coal IN the mines
on the hill property has become ex-
hausted the rails have been taken up,
leaving the road at present not more
than one half its former length. The
incline extends from the shaft in the
suburbs OF the town TO the brow OF the
hill, distance Of 2,lO0 feet, with an ay.
erage ascent OF about 80 degrees.
Mr.. Henry, after a brief illness, died
In March, 1887. He had served the
company faithfully and well thirty.one
years. He was man OF broad and de.
libtrate executive ability, OF high moral
worth, and was much beloved, both by
the company and It's other employees.
a MILLION OF CAPITAL.
Mr.. John A. Clark has, until recently,
been the General Superintendent since
the death Of Mr.. Henry, He first en-.
gagged with the company as manager OF
their store at this place In March, 1880.
He has been active and efficient, and
made many warm friends In NeWburg
and vicinity, but recently resigned his
position to accept q situation with an
other company. Mr.. Paul s. II. Lee,
relative Of tue President OF tho company,
is the present Superintendent.
This company also owns the Tyrcon.
mel mines on the Parkersburg branch Of
the Baltimore 4 Ohio railroad, west OF
Grafton, the Aurora mines on the Nor.
gantown branch, and the Palatine mines
east Of Fairmont, the whole represent
ing a capital OF about s., ZOO, 600.
The lands OF the company at Newbure
have been added to from time 10 time
until they now embrace more than
thousand acres. The company owns at
this place some forty tenement houses
on tue hill and in tue suburbs OF New.
burg, for which its miners are charged
an average rental Of only S2 per month.
II also owns at this place l05 coke ovens.
Ten were built In 1875, twenty.three in
1880, and seventy.twO In 1885. Some OF
the coal from the mines is sold to citi.
zens for fuel, some 10 the Baltimore &
Ohio railroad company for It's lOcomo.
tives, much Of It is shipped to distant
parts, and the balance manufactured into
coke OF u superior quality, for which
there is an extensive demand.
The sinking Of the famous Newburg
shaft was commenced on the first day OF
January, 1882. Charles MaCkall took
out the first shovel full OF dirt. A Aity.
four.inCh vein Of superior Coking coal
was struck on November 10, 1884, at q
depth OF $50 feet. The coal is hoisted 10
the surface by pair Of monster engines
OF seventy.tive horsepower each, the
combined capacity being 15O horse.
power.
NOW rERFRCTLY SAFE.
After the disastrous explosion Of fire.
damp which shook the State from centre
to circumference on January 81, 1886,
aud by which thirty.nine brave and
sturdy miners lost their lives, the com.
pany commenced sinking an air shaft.
This was commenced In May, 1885, and
completed in May, 1887. The mine Is
now, through the opening OF this addi.
tional shaft, and by the force OF an i'm.
mense revolving fan at It's mouth which
is run by an engine Of thirty.fve horse.
power, thoroughly ventilated. This
renders mining $50 feet below the sur.
face OF the earth perfectly healthiul and
safe, and is decided improvement over
former arrangements.
AT the various parts OF the works
when running full l5O men are employ.
ed, and the miners get out about $4,000
tons OF coal per month. The wages trBt
paid for mining at these works we're 80
cents per ton; they gradually increased
up 10 the civil war, when there was paid
81 per ton. Aitorthewar they came grad.
ually down TO 30 cents; then advanced to
40 cents and now the rates offered are
35 cents per ton. The present "strike"
was caused by thereduction OF the wages
from 40 cents TO 35 cents. Tho severe
competition between the owners Of
plants for the manufacture Of coke In the
various parts OF the country and conse.
quent reduction Of prices, caused the re.
cent reduction Of wage ut these works
The company has recently reorganiEed
its whole force Of managers, and will be
ready 10 open up In full blast again as
soon as the miners are willing 10 accept
the proGered wages Of 36 cents per ton
for mining.
AN HISTORIC FAMILY,
Connected with this company ior
twenty.nine years, and who has acted
In the various capacities Of manager oi
the store, paymaBter and chief book.
keeper, 10 Thomas NJ, Russell, q native
Of Georgia, and for many years Citi.
zen OF baltimore. In tho capacity oI
chief book.keeper especially, he has
been Of great and lasting service 10 the
company, and has guarded itS interests
In every capacity with conscientious
care. His valuable services are evident.
| y appreciated by the company, He ID
Of English ancestry, aud came Of Reyo.
| lullonary stock. Ills great grandmother
was the FIRST white child. born in BalLi,
more. Ills great grandfather, John
Moale, was q member oil the "AsaoCla'
tlon Of FfeemVn Of Maryland aud 1
sipaer Of the declaration under thil
head made July ~, l77d, Of which Mr.
Russell has q complete copy, This Wal