REPORT

OF

THE BOARD OF MANAGERS

OF THE

BEAVER MEADOW

RAILROAD AND COAL COMPANY,

TO

THE STOCKHOLDERS:

January, 1839

_______________

PHILADELPHIA:

HOGAN & THOMPSON.-77 CHESTNUT STREET

1839.

REPORT.

The operations of this Company, since the last annual meeting of the Stockholders, have been conducted with all the success that could have been expected under the depressed state of the Coal Trade, and the high price of provisions; the price of coal being at least twenty-five percent less to the coal operator than in 1837; while it was impracticable to make any reduction in the expense of labour.

The amount of coal sent to market, from the various anthracite collieries in Pennsylvania, except those on the Susquehanna, was --

The stock on hand last spring, at the opening of the navigation, was estimated at 200,000 tons, including the ordinary stock of the various yards. The diminished supply for 1838, and the improving business of the country since 1837, cannot fail to revive the demand for coal; and, with the continued extension of its use in place of other fuel, must have a sensible effect on the market price during the ensuing year.

The efforts of the Board have been earnestly directed to improvements in the economy of the various branches of their operations. A new locomotive engine with six driving wheels, has been built at the Company's shops, of great power, and better adapted to drawing heavy loads on undulating and curved roads, than any heretofore used by the Company. The success of this engine, aided by the eight-wheeled engine used last year, furnish an enlarged means of transportation, sufficient for a considerable increase of business.

The stationary engine at the Weatherly mine (or Slope No. 1,) has been proved capable of raising 35,000 tons of Coal during the past year, besides the water, which gradually increases with the extension of the excavated surface in the mines. The work at the Wilson mine (or Slope No. 2,) was resumed early in the season, above water level, with animal power. It now promises to furnish a considerable quantity of excellent coal. The new vein on the south side of Beaver Creek, called the Wharton mine, has been opened, and a slope entered into it with a view to be as extensively worked during the ensuing year, as can be done with animal power. This coal measure is between seven and eight feet thick, and of very superior quality. From present appearances, the vein has the form of a basin or trough of great depth; a section of it from the entrance of the mine, where it is most contracted by the contiguous ridges, measured on the submerging curve, may be estimated at 260 yards, and its length from east to west throughout the Company's land, upwards of two miles, widening as it progresses eastwardly according to the surface of the valley. It cannot now be determined, whether this vein is the same with that referred to in the last Report, which was found cropping about one mile east of the present opening, near the southern base of Pissmire Hill, or whether it forms an additional body of coal overlaying that immense stratum; probably the latter, as may be inferred from its dissimilarity in fracture, and in the thickness of the measure. It will require 16 chains of railroad and tressle work to connect the Wharton mine with the main railroad, which, with the excavation for the coal bank, and other preparations for a spoil bank and screens, &c., will be completed early in the spring. The slope has been sunk 160 yards on the dip of the coal, and twenty-five yards of perpendicular depth. The coal and water are now raised by animal power, which it is expected will suffice for another year; but should the water increase materially, it will be necessary to erect a stationary engine, which, on account of the depth and distance to be eventually opened and worked, should be at least of a sixty horse power. No attempt has been made to open the Levis mine. It was not necessary for present business, and it was thought best to ascertain, by the working of the old mines, whether any connexion existed between those coal measures and the Levis vein, which might suggest a plan of working very different from what would be proper if no such connexion could be found. The explorations west of Beaver Creek, indicate an extension of the veins found on the east side. But it cannot be necessary to make any new work there for many years; nor is it improbable that a considerable portion of that coal, can be taken out through the mines already opened on the east side.

The capacity of the works now opened and nearly ready for business will be a supply of from 60 to 70,000 tons for the present year; and with the addition of forty new cars, the other means of the Company will be sufficient for the largest quantity, subject to some unprofitable expense in using small engines for part of the transportation.

Considerable inconvenience has been felt during the past year, for want of boats. More than 5000 tons of coal were left on the bank at Parryville, at the close of the navigation, which could all have been shipped with very small additional expense at the landing, if there had been a regular supply of boats. In a work of this nature, where there is a constant connexion and continuity of the operations from the mines to the market, the success of the whole, depends on the punctual and prompt management of each of the parts. It would avert much disappointment as to boats, if the Company had a number of their own, to be let in the usual way for a portion of the gross proceeds.

The Board promised, in the last Annual Report, to deliver 50,000 tons at Parryville, within the year. The quantity so delivered was 49,500 tons, of which 44,296 were shipped to market. The quantity promised would have been exceeded if there had been boats to receive it. The railroad has been kept in good order, no serious accident having occurred to interrupt the work. The total expense of repairs, proper, was $4,722. The repairs of engines and cars, will always be a heavy item of expense. Efforts have been made to reduce this as much as possible, by improved construction of them, with the means of prompt and vigilant attention to this branch. Among those improvements, that of chilling the solid nave of the car wheels. in a new method invented by H. Thomas, with conical hardened axles, promises to be of great advantage, as also the oil cup in the pedestals of the axles, by which much waste is avoided in lubricating their journals.

The Company have now five locomotive engines. Three of them have one pair of driving wheels. One of them (the Beaver,) has two pair; and one (the Nonpareil.) built by H. Thomas at the Company's shops, has three pair of drivers.

The last is of great adhesive power, and more than double the traction of the three former engines. One of the light engines might now be sold; and if another of them was replaced by an engine similar to the Nonpareil, it would greatly increase the Company's means of transportation, and improve its economy.

All the Company's engines burn coal with the greatest facility; no difficulty occurs in raising and keeping up `steam. The apparatus for improving their draft, was introduced into the United States, by the Company's machinist, H. Thomas- The whole expense of it is not more than twenty dollars, including the labour of attaching it, which can be done in one day.

In the extension of the operations of the Company. it became necessary to raise an additional sum of money. which the Board have deemed it most expedient to effect by a sale of stock. They have, therefore, in pursuance of this determination, sold 3261 shares, principally at a premium of 2 per cent., making the total shares of stock now sold 12,461, and the capital $623,050.

The permanent works referred to. are three commodious dwellings for the superintendents and clerks; double track and turn-outs on Black Creek and Quakake; the enlargement of the landing at Parryville; the construction of the locomotive Nonpareil; opening the Wharton mine, with the appendages, coal bank, horse gin, pump, tressle work, and rail-road, and thirty-seven new rail-road cars.

The preparations for the ensuing year, are intended for supplying at least 60,000 tons at Parryville, and some expectation is entertained that the Board will be able to contract for the whole work, or at least for the transportation and wear and tear, upon terms more favourable than it would be practicable for the Company to do it for, through their own agents. The transportation of lumber, merchandise, and passengers, has amounted to $3,061 19, and the amount accruing for tolls from Hazelton and Laurel Hill, &c., were $2,720 52.

The coal of these companies passes five miles over the Beaver Meadow Rail-road. It will probably be trebled next year, and the Summit Rail-road being nearly completed, that Company are expected to commence business early next summer. Their coal must pass twelve or fourteen miles over the Beaver Meadow Rail-road. The tolls accruing from these operations, will be more than sufficient to pay all expenses of repairs on the Beaver Meadow Road for the ensuing year, and in a very few years produce a considerable net revenue, which, aided by the general improvement in business, and the constantly increasing demand for coal, cannot fail to render the property of the Company a source of profit to the Stockholders, equal to every reasonable expectation.

S. D. INGHAM, President

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