Coal-related
Updated - 09/17/2023
While Auburn is located a little too far south to have been involved in large-scale mining of coal, it had several "related" businesses ranging from hearths that produced charcoal, to canal boats and locomotives that transported coal, to "washeries" that would dredge coal from the Schuylkill River to clean and sell, to those businesses that offered coal for sale or delivery. This page is dedicated to all coal-related businesses.
The creation of the Schuylkill Navigation System was originally for the purpose of transporting coal from the mines in northern Pennsylvania to southern locations such as Philadelphia, PA. As a result, a small settlement near one of the canal locks prospered and grew into what later became known as Auburn. |
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CATEGORIES LISTED ON THIS PAGE:
Charcoal Industry
Delivery/Retail/Wholesale
Washeries
The Aftermath of the Coal Industry
Charcoal Industry
Delivery/Retail/Wholesale
Washeries
The Aftermath of the Coal Industry
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Charcoal Industry:
While some purists will possibly take issue with the inclusion of "charcoal" on the webpage dedicated to the "Coal-Related" Industry, the similarities between "Charcoal" and "Coal" are sufficiently ample to warrant mention on this webpage. A definition of "Charcoal" would be: "a porous black solid, consisting of an amorphous form of carbon, obtained as a residue when wood, bone, or other organic matter is heated in the absence of air". A definition of "Coal" would be: "a combustible black or dark brown rock consisting mainly of carbonized plant matter, found mainly in underground deposits and widely used as fuel". Both materials are combustible, carbonized matter (usually black) which can be used as a fuel. Whereas little, if any, coal was ever actually mined in the immediate Auburn area, there is ample record of charcoal being produced locally.
Based on information provided by local historian John Bambrick, the following details are provided on Auburn's charcoal industry: "The manufacturing of charcoal was a big industry in Auburn which began in 1860. It was manufactured in a plant, in town; in 1879 a new plant was built about a 1/2 mile East of Jefferson along the S & S (railroad). Some of the coal (charcoal) was said to fire a furnace owned by Potts and later Kauffman. The furnace was in operation until 1901 when Kauffman died. The charcoal business, in 1870, went through 36K (36,000) cords of wood. The payroll that year was $25K ($25,000). A considerable business for the time. The woodcutters were paid 40 cents a cord for cutting and hauling wood to the plant. The wood was cut on the Blue and Second mountains all along the southern border of the county." John goes on to stipulate that charcoal would have been in demand prior to the establishment of the plant, therefore prior endeavors may have been present. He states that by 1885, the lower cost of coal would have caused a definitive decrease in charcoal production. |
Additional information relevant to the charcoal industry is provided below by A.A.H.S. Lifetime Member Brian Bohr. Brian is our primary consultant in regards to this important aspect of Auburn's history.
********************************************* Auburn’s Charcoal Industry The land around Auburn has always been used hard for farming, logging and other industries. One industry that was prominent yet few know about was the charcoal industry. With iron furnaces at Jefferson and Molino, the mountain range south of Auburn was altered by the production of charcoal. The majority of charcoal went along with iron ore and limestone to produce iron. Charcoal also had other uses such as the production of explosives at the dynamite works that existed in the late 1800s near the present town reservoir. During the winter months men were employed as woodcutters to harvest and stage the raw material near the hearths. Many of the numerous hearths that dotted the mountainside are still visible today due to the soil being arranged in flat circular platforms, and the limited growth on them due to the changes in the soil pH. (Editor's note: Soil pH is a measure of the acidity or basicity of a soil.) The Colliers
The men that specialized in turning the wood into charcoal were called “colliers.” It was a dirty, tireless job that required vigilance around the clock to tend to the burning hearths. They lived in crude self-built huts and lived on a diet of flitch and potatoes. They were paid by the amount of charcoal they carbonized from the wood, so they had to monitor the burning hearths to make sure things went well. When the hearths were done burning, they would rake out the charcoal pieces on the downhill side. If you dig in the soil, you can still find some small chunks. An elaborate system of mule and wagon trails was set up to transport the charcoal to the forges. Many of these trails still exist today. Finding Hearths
You may have hiked by hearths in the past not realizing what they were. They are easiest to spot on hillsides due to the circular leveling of the ground. They almost look like someone cleared a spot for an above ground swimming pool in the middle of nowhere. Where you find one there will be many more nearby. The best way to start a search is to use LIDAR on the Pennsylvania Imagery Navigator website: https://maps.psiee.psu.edu/ImageryNavigator/ Use the USGS LIDAR 2017 in the menu. The best example is the area surrounding the Auburn reservoir. (Editor's note: LIDAR stands for LIght Detection And Ranging. LIDAR is a remote sensing method that uses light in the form of a pulsed laser to measure ranges (variable distances) to the Earth.) Finding the remnants from the collier huts is a lot more difficult. There was usually only one hut for every dozen or so hearths. Many of them seem to be destroyed by logging equipment over the decades. They do exist and on LIDAR and the ground they appear like small donuts shaped by earth and stone foundations. Some of the best examples can be found on the state forest near the Port Clinton fire tower. |
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Delivery/Retail/Wholesale:
Marbarger, Samuel
Samuel Urban Marbarger was born November 7, 1894. He married Stella M. Webber Marbarger and was a father of Harold "Sammy" Urban Marbarger. He died in March, 1981 and is interred within the Schuylkill Memorial Park cemetery, Schuylkill Haven, Schuylkill County, PA. Samuel U. Marbarger utilized his vintage truck to haul a variety of products. He advertised "Coal", "Ice", "Sand" or even "General Hauling" with the notation he'd provide "courteous service". |
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Rauch/Rausch/Raush,
James "Geedy" James "Geedy" Rauch/Rausch/Raush was born on September 12, 1837. Amateur local historian Kermit Mengel (deceased) stated James was given the nickname "Geedy" because whenever he drove his wagon about town, he would urge the horse or horses by yelling "Geedy up!". James married Catharine S. Rhine Raush and they had the following children: Carrie Raush; Catherine Raush; David Fitzgivens Rausch (Raush); Enoch A. Raush; Ida Raush Jungling; Lillian Raush Mengel and Peter Rausch (Raush). James owned and operated a "feed store" located at 132 Market Street, Auburn. He promoted himself as a dealer in coal, feed, flour, grain, lime and other products. The feed store had a large porch roof which extended well over the sidewalk in front of his establishment. Male residents of the town enjoyed loitering at "Geedy's" store, either lounging beneath the porch roof in the summer months or seated around the pot-belly stove, which was stoked so hot it glowed cherry-red, in the winter months, spitting the juices of their chewing tobacco at either the stove, the spittoons or sometimes simply on the floor of the establishment according to amateur historian Kermit Mengel. James died January 13, 1904 and was interred in the Auburn Church of God Cemetery, Pearson Street, Auburn, Schuylkill County, PA. James' wife Catharine died in 1919. However, an anomaly exists in regards to his business. An advertisement tentatively dated from 1924 (pictured below) is titled "James Raush Est.". Normally, the abbreviation "Est." after a person's name is indicative that the property is now listed in the "estate" of the named deceased individual. The reason for this situation to have continued for such an extended time period (approx. five years) is unknown; however, all seven of his adult children were still alive in 1924 so it is possible one or more child of James Raush operated his store for a period of years after the parents' demises. ************************************** "For Good Clean FRESH MINED COAL see "RAUSH" - Nothing but the best" (1924 advertisement) ************************************** |
Vinglinsky, John
John Vinglinsky apparently offered a combination of services to include "Shoe Repairing" or "Coal Delivery" in the Auburn area. The genealogical website findagrave.com contains a listing for one John S. Vinglinsky interred within Schuylkill County. John S. Vinglinsky was born on August 1, 1909. He married Helen Dolores Santella Vinglinsky and was the father of Joseph S. Vinglinsky. John died March 14, 1989 and was interred within the Queen of the Universe Cemetery, St. Clair, Schuylkill County, PA. Whether this John S. Vinglinsky is the same individual who did coal delivery in the Auburn area is uncertain. |
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Washeries:
Brossman's washery
George "Buck" T. Brossman was born on March 9, 1920. He was the son of George S. Brossman and Mantania A. Fryer Brossman. He was a brother of Dorothy M. Brossman Fisher. George married Francis Elenore Auman Brossman. He was a father to Jerry G. Brossman. George died on June 14, 2000 and is interred within the "new" St. John's Church cemetery located east of Auburn adjacent to Route 895. George is believed to have owned and operated the washery pictured here. His nickname of "Buck" is clearly painted on the side of the washery and George was active in the coal industry around Auburn. A special thanks goes to A.A.H.S. Lifetime Member Brian Bohr for his assistance in tentatively identifying this picture for us. |
Delaware Seamless Tube Mill
washery The Delaware Seamless Tube Mill washery was allegedly so productive that all of the steam-power produced by the Tube Mill was fueled solely by the coal recovered by their own washery which was located in the Schuylkill River near the factory. |
Grimes and Moyer washery
"AUBURN SHALE - The massive river coal washery, the largest in the county, located in the river at the farm of Senator Quail and owned by Messrs. C. W. Grimes and Morgan W. Moyer, of this place, will be ready for operation by Friday or Saturday and all appearances promise a large out-put of coal." - Undated and unidentified news source. ************************************** "AUBURN SHALE - Moyer and Grimes are shipping large quantities of river washery coal to various points." - Undated and unidentified source ************************************** A list on an undated and unidentified source document indicates that a "Morgan Moyer" operated a "general store" in Auburn at one time. Based on Morgan W. Moyer's entrepreneurship, there is reason to believe he may have been the same person who operated both the coal washery and the general store. ************************************** "M. W. Moyer and Charles Fahl will shortly open a neckwear factory. Material and machinery have been secured; also an expert forelady from New York city. They will employ a number of hands." - Reading Eagle circa February 1896. "The necktie factory of Fahl & Moyer is turning out good work under the supervision of Miss Edna Brown, of Phila." - Reading Eagle, April 4, 1896. ************************************** A book published in 1915 titled "Coal Mining Review and Industrial Index - Volume Four" contains a snippet which reads "Because of the illness of C. W. Grimes of New Philadelphia, President of the Royal Goshen Coal Company, the damage suit of the Goshen Coal Co. against the former Co. for $26,000 has been postponed". Whether this individual is the same "C. W. Grimes" who was instrumental in the "Grimes and Moyer" washery is unclear. ************************************** The website findagrave.com contains a listing for Morgan W. Moyer. (No definitive listing could be found for "C. W. Grimes"). Morgan W. Moyer was born on 04/22/1859 in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania. He was the son of Jackson Benneville Moyer and Mary Christ Moyer. He was a brother of Annie Matilda Moyer Miller Wagner and Elizabeth Moyer Shollenberger. He married Ella A. Beard Moyer. They had a daughter: May Florence Moyer Lindermuth. Morgan died on 11/02/1907 in Auburn and was interred within the St. John's Church cemetery, Cemetery Road, Auburn, Schuylkill County, PA. As productive as Morgan W. Morgan appears to have been, it is not unreasonable to assume that he may have also been the "M. W. Morgan" identified as having been instrumental in the opening of a necktie factory in Auburn. While this belief is unconfirmed, the likelihood of it being the same person is high. ************************************** |
Hicks washery
"Alvin Hicks is very busy getting up his coal washery below Auburn on the Saur's lease." - Undated and unidentified source. |
Miller washery
The Miller washery was at one time operated by "C. B. Miller and Son". A news article (cited below) states that "C. B. Miller" dissolved the partnership and the washery was then operated by his son, Oscar Miller. Based on these clues, the identity of "C. B. Miller" has been confirmed. According to the genealogical website findagrave.com, Charles B. Miller in West Brunswick Township, Schuylkill County, PA on July 4, 1844. He was the son of Daniel Miller and Maria Elizabeth Repp Miller. He was a brother of Mary Miller Moser and Sarah L. Miller Hoy. Charles first married Miriam Hoy Miller. By this marriage he had eight children: Annie Miller, Clayton H. Miller, Frank D. Miller, Joseph Henry Miller, Lillian Miller, Loretta Miller, Miriam Miller and Oscar E. Miller. Charles' first wife died in 1902 and he later married Joanna Lebengood Bossler Miller (the widow of Sam Bossler). There was no known children of this marriage. The following biography of Charles B. Miller is listed in "The Historical Book of Schuylkill County, PA": "CHARLES B. MILLER Charles B. Miller, of Orwigsburg, has had an active and useful career, and although he has passed the three-score and ten mark is still engaged in business and counted among the enterprising citizens of this borough. Born July 4, 1844, in West Brunswick, Schuylkill County, he is a son of Daniel Miller. His grandfather lived in East Brunswick township, this county, where he married, and later moved to Ohio. where some of his younger children were born. His death was caused by the kick of a horse. His children were as follows: William, Daniel, Peter, Charles, Francis, Anna, Eliza and Elizabeth. Daniel Miller, father of Charles B. Miller, was born August 10, 1810, in East Brunswick Township, where he lived to the age of eighty four years, passing at the home of his son Charles, where he spent the last six years of his long life. He is buried at Red Church. Though he learned the trade of miller he did not follow it long, farming has been his principal business in life, and he carried on that occupation in West Brunswick township, where he had a good property, the farm now owned by Lewis Freeman. To his marriage with Elizabeth Krebs were born four children, namely, Francis, Charles B.; Mary, wife of Michael Moser: and Sarah, wife of George Hoy. Charles B. Miller received a public school education in his native township, and followed farming there from early life. Meantime, he also became interested in the manufacture of brooms, which he carried on from 1872 to 1887 in connection with his agricultural pursuits. In the year 1907, he moved to Orwigsburg and established the Orwigsburg Broom Factory, which he has conducted ever since, at present giving all his attention to the business, which has prospered steadily. Most of the product is sold in the cold regions. Mr. Miller has always been thoroughly alive to the best interests of the community, and has shown his desire to further the same by his association with such movements as have for their object of promotion of the general welfare. He was one of the founders of the Southern Schuylkill County Fire Insurance Company, which he served as secretary for seven years, and for twenty years he was secretary of the West Brunswick township school board, which has charge of what is known as the Center school district. He is a devote member of the Reformed Church and formerly took an active part in its work. During the Civil War Mr. Miller showed his loyalty to the Union cause by enlisting in the Home Guards during Lee's invasion of Pennsylvania; he was out ten days. Mr. Miller's first marriage was to Miss Miriam Hoy; daughter of Henry Hoy. Eight children were born to this union, namely, Miriam, who died young, Loretta, Lillian and Annie, all three deceased; Oscar; Frank; Clayton and Joseph. The mother of this family died, and Mr. Miller subsequently married the widow of Samuel Bossler. No children have been born to this marriage." Excerpt from the Book " The Historical Book of Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania" By: J. H. Beers Printed in 1916 Pages: 446 & 447 Charles died September 22, 1916 in Orwigsburg, Schuylkill County, PA and is interred in the Kimmels Evangelical Free Church cemetery, Orwigsburg, PA. ************************************** Oscar Miller, the son of junior partner of Charles B. Miller, became sole operator of the Miller Washery. According to the genealogical website findagrave.com, Oscar E. Miller was born in Pennsylvania on February 7, 1872. He was the son of Charles B. Miller and Miriam Hoy Miller. He was a brother of Annie Miller, Clayton H. Miller, Frank D. Miller, Joseph Henry Miller, Lillian Miller, Loretta Miller and Miriam Miller. Oscar married Catharine R. Stamm Miller and was a father of Annie M. Miller Bensinger. Oscar died on February 11, 1933 in Orwigsburg, PA and is interred within the Kimmel's Evangelical Free Church cemetery, Orwigsburg, PA. ************************************** "AUBURN SHALE - There have been some few business changes during the past week. C. B. Miller and Son, who operated one of the largest washeries in the Schuylkill river at this place, have dissolved partnership and the washery business is now carried on exclusively by Oscar Miller, the junior member of the firm C. B. Miller (and Son). The senior member (C. B. Miller) sold his interest to his son and has now taken control of the Auburn shirt factory which he purchased from Alfred Lindermuth on private terms. The new proprietor, Mr. Miller, will install new machinery and improve the capacity of the factory and he offers steady and easy work with good salary to girls who desire factory employment. This factory has been running full time for the past three or four years and furnishes excellent employment to all." - Undated and unidentified source. "FOR SALE - At a low figure, one of the largest coal washeries on the Schuylkill River. Good reasons for selling. For price and information address O. E. Miller, Auburn, Pa." - Undated and unidentified source. "The Penn R. R.are also making some improvements. They are erecting a large and commodious tool house on the far side of the track, opposite to the station, and on the lot at one time occupied by C. B. Miller's coal washery." - Undated and unidentified source. |
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Quail washery
Owned and operated by (Dr. or Senator) Charles Edward Quail Sr. |
Sallade washery -
The Sallade washery was operated by Dr. James W. Sallade of Auburn, Schuylkill County, PA. According to the genealogical website findagrave.com, James W. Sallade was born in Hereford, Berks County, Pennsylvania on August 4, 1850. He was the son of Abraham Sallade and Julia Levan (Sallade?). He married Mary A. Covely Sallade and was a father of Anna M. Sallade McCarthy, Ira Jason Sallade and Katie May Sallade. James died July 2, 1921 in Auburn, Schuylkill County, PA and was interred within the Odd Fellows Cemetery, Pottsville, Schuylkill County, PA. ************************************** "The only washery which was not carried away by the January freshet, belonging to Dr. J. W. Sallade, is taking out coal of exceptionally fine quality from the river bed and the Doctor has quite a large demand for it. The other washeries which were destroyed are fast being rebuilt." - Undated and unidentified source. "The late flood carried two of Dr. J. W. Sallade's scows down the Schuylkill river from Auburn. The scows were used at his coal washery." - Undated and unidentified source. |
Uriah Mengel Washery -
A handwritten notation on the back of a post card mentions that a "Uriah Mengle" operated a coal washery in the Auburn area in the 1930s & 1940s. No other information is available about this washery at this time but a "Uriah H. Mengel" was born on October 28, 1880, the son of Franklin Washington Mengel and Elizabeth Fahl Mengel. He had at least three siblings to include Gertrude Mengel Moyer, Herbert Mengel and Lottie Mengel Wildermuth. Uriah died on February 25, 1959 and was interred in the Auburn Church of God Cemetery, Pearson Street, Auburn, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania. Whether this is the same Uriah Mengel is not certain but it is fairly likely. |
Washeries yet to be identified
The washeries pictured to the right of this paragraph are ones which have been tentatively situated within the Auburn-area but have not been identified as to who operated these washeries. If you have any information on any of these, or other, washeries which once operated in the Auburn-area, please contact us using the "Visitor Input" button provided below in order that we might include your knowledge in our website. |
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The Aftermath of the Coal Industry
Coal Silt Deposits/Desilting
While the Auburn Area Historical Society take an official position on the virtues or detriments of the coal-mining industry, one aspect which clearly had a detrimental effect upon the environment is that of coal-silt in the Schuylkill River. Coal silt is a combination of very fine coal particles and rock dust which is an unfortunate by-product of the industry. This sediment was so extensive and invasive into the Schuylkill River at one point in Auburn's history that local residents claim the river water had an almost opaque black appearance. This sediment also settled into the river beds and banks, harmfully impacting the flora and fauna of the river's ecosystem. Eventually, the issue was recognized as being an environmental hazard and a process began to remove the coal silt from the river bed by a process referred to simply as desilting. The river would be systematically dredged in an attempt to remove the coal-saturated silt. This silt was then either deposited into large piles, sometimes referred to as culm banks, or used as "fill" in other areas. Some sections of the abandoned canal areas of the Schuylkill River were completely filled with the recovered coal silt. Based on the removal of the original accumulation of coal silt, the regulation of coal mining operations and the decrease in coal mining production over the decades, the Schuylkill River waters now flow relatively clearly. In the adjacent column, three pictures are provided which have been tentatively identified as having played a role in the desilting process in the immediate Auburn area. |