MOUNT CARBON COAL COMPANY AS TO THE BEST AND CHEAPEST MODE OF COMMUNICATION THE COAL MINES MOUNT CARBON COAL COMPANY, JACKSON COUNTS', ILLINOIS, THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER. BY RANDOLPH COYLE, CIVIL ENGINEER. WASHINGTON: PRINTED BY JNO. T. TOWERS, 1851. > ^ , /. v>cv\; .". REPORT. CUMBERLAND, MD., September, 1850. To WM. A. BRADLEY, Esq., President of the Mount Carbon Coal Company, Washington. SIR : In compliance with your instructions of 23d April last, I report the results of my surveys and estimates as to the best and cheapest mode of getting the Mount Carbon Company's coal from their mines on Big Muddy river, to the Mississippi river. Obviously, either the Big Muddy river must be improved in such manner as to secure a safe and constant navigation, or a railway must be constructed. The first point to be decided is, which of these plans shall be adopted ; and in determining that point, we must examine as to which plan will afford us the safest, most regular, and cheapest conveyance. The principal obstructions to the navigation of the Big Muddy river are, a sandstone bar about \\ miles below the mine, a similar bar about 5 miles lower down, and an extensive mud bar, varying constantly in its length and the depth of water over it, at and for a considerable distance above the mouth of the river. The two obstructions first named, could only be overcome by the construction of a dam of such elevation as to secure the requisite minimum depth over them. The last, the mud bar, would be un- manageable ; it could neither be removed nor confined. It is formed by deposit from the Mississippi when that river is hiiih, and Muddy river is low ; is shifted and partially removed when the Mississippi falls and Muddy river rises, and is formed again by the next freshet of the Mississippi. It would be necessary then to avoid it by cutting a canal from the dam mentioned above, through the bottom land which intervenes between the Big Mud- dy and the Mississippi, to the most convenient good landing place on the latter stream. The " navigation " then would consist of the dam with its pool of slack water, the guard lock at the head of the canal, the canal about three miles in length, with its outlet locks into the Missis- sippi river. All of these works, as they would have to resist the action of very heavy floods, would require to be constructed in the best and most substantial manner, with foundations entirely artificial, and of the most expensive character; and after all that skill and money could do, they must remain not perfectly secure, for the reason that they could only be built upon and connected with al- luvium. The guard lock at the head of the canal could only be effectual to protect and secure its navigation, during the period of low water and ordinary freshets. Extreme floods now cover the bottom land through which the canal would be cut, and the immense extent of this " bottom," renders the construction of a guard bank adequate to secure it at all times, impossible. After every flood, which should remain over it for a few days, the canal would have to be partially re-excavated, and near the dam and entrance to the guard lock, there would be work for a dredging machine during some portion of every year ; for Big Muddy river is exactly what its name imports ; in flood or drought, it is al- ways muddy, and wherever it encounters an obstacle, there of course it deposits its sediment. These facts, which I have stated thus diffusely, in deference to the understood prepossessions of some of the parties interested, led me to conclude that the " navigation " would be more expensive to construct ; in view of its liability to very heavy damage, more expensive to maintain, and in view of its liability to interruption from freshets, less to be depended upon for a regular and steady business, than a railway. Therefore, with reference to a railway, the surveys were conducted. The line of road determined upon after reconnoisance of the country between the mines and the Mississippi, keeps the valley of Big Muddy river on the south side of the stream (the side on which the mines are situated) for eight miles. Here Kincaid creek empties into Muddy river from the north, and the course of Muddy river, which, from the mines is generally about west, changes to the south. Immediately below the mouth of Kincaid creek, the line crosses Muddy river, and thence runs south-west across the "Mississippi bottom" 5 T Vrr miles, to a point on the river known as the "White House Landing." Here the channel of the Mississippi is, and within the memory of the oldest pilots, always has been close along the Illinois shore, and from the fixed causes above which regulate the currents, it must always remain so. At the lower end of Fountain Bluff, at " Grand Tower Land- ing," would be a much more convenient site for a river depot, if a very large business, or any other than a coal business, should be contemplated. This appeared to me to be, for the purposes of a general trade with the neighboring counties of Illinois, alto- gether the most advantageous site on either the Mississippi or Ohio rivers, within 100 miles of their junction. To terminate there would, however, add three miles to the length of the road, and more than the proportionate increase due to that distance to the expense of working it. While, for the purposes at present contemplated by the company, it was not deemed advisable to recommend this additional expense, it was thought that a branch to that point might hereafter possibly be found to be a good invest- ment. To ascertain accurately its relative position to the road and the topography of the intervening country, a compass line was therefore traced, as shown upon map sheet No. 2. Of that portion of the line of the railroad which pursues the valley of Big Muddy river, the graduation will be, though cheap, yet more costly than I had hoped to find it. This is caused by the great number of small streams which empty into Muddy river, and which cut wide and deep valleys through the " bottom." The sediment which these streams, when swollen, bring down, is deposited generally at their mouths where their currents encoun- ter, and are backed by the waters of the river. Consequently their valleys are narrowest there, and widen out with undimin- ished depth towards the hills. Therefore, generally, to avoid ex- pensive embankments or tressel work, the road must cross them near the river bank. This necessity frequently compels the line of the road, between these little streams, to lie on the " bottom lands," when it would be cheaper and better to be on the foot of the slopes ; and for the whole extent of the graduation of the river division, causes an excess of embankment over the excavation. Generally, however, all requisite earth can be obtained very con- venient to the spot where it is needed, and, except at the cross- ings of the lateral streams, the necessary ditches for draining the roadway will afford all the material that will be required. Wherever it would be materially cheaper to support the road on piles or on tressells, than to make embankment, that method has been contemplated in the estimate ; and in the estimate for annual repairs, the addition has been made which was due to that kind of work- The portion of the road which is between Muddy river and the Mississippi, is almost exclusively in embankment, varying in height from l to 5 feet. It is necessary here to keep above the 6 surface, which is too flat to drain itself, and, though above the floods of the rivers, is, during rainy seasons, often covered with water to the depth of 12 to 18 inches. The soil is close and firm, and for the very reason that it holds water so well, is of excellent quality for embankment. The ditches that must here be cut on either side of the road, will supply the requisite amount of mate- rial for the bank, affording a firm graduation at a very small cost. Near both ends of the road are excellent and convenient sites for the erection of depots, sheds, shops, and all other structures which a large coal business may require ; and near the end of the 7th mile, on the land of Mr. Worthen, is an excellent site for a turn-out and water station. The site for the depot, &c., at the mines, is a fine piece of high bottom land on the company's ground, about 200 yards below the present opening of the mines. In calculating the cost of the graduation, it was assumed that the top of the rail at the mine depot, should be two feet above the highest known flood of Muddy river ; that for eight miles, to the west end of the bridge across the Muddy river, the grade should be level ; in the next two miles, descending towards the Missis- sippi river four feet, being two feet per mile ; and thence to the termination of the road on the bank of the Mississippi, level. Practically it may be taken as a level road throughout. This arrangement of grades puts the road above all known floods, ex- cept the great Mississippi flood of 1840, which was 3 T W feet above the grade assumed at the mine depot. As, however, the timber gives unimpeachable testimony that no flood as high as that by 1 5 feet had occurred in the Mississippi for 300 years, it was thought not rash to plan and estimate without reference to it. In tracing the line, having no previous survey to guide me, it was of course impracticable for me to do any thing better than run a mere random or guide line, and take such notes of this and the ground on either side of it as could, if properly recorded, en- able an) r one who might succeed me, to work with comparative facility and certainty. This was done. The field notes were taken by myself with great care. The topographical maps sub- mitted herewith, were drawn by me from my own notes, and will be found to be minutely accurate, conveying at a glance, to a professional eye, a better idea of the nature of every portion of the line and the various modifications of trace which the ground will permit, than could be had from the most careful description, even if aided by personal inspection without such maps. Upon the maps are shown, in black, the line surveyed, and in red, a line of location projected upon the random line. This, of course, can be greatly improved upon, and is given only as a convenient ba- sis for the operations of your locating engineer. Upon this line there is - 39,947 feet. 603 feet, 1,042 feet. Of tangent, Of curvature with radius of Do. do. 716 " 1,337 Do. do. 911 " 374 Do. do. 977 " 1,637 Do. do. 1,014 " 947 Do. do. 1,432^ " 2,756 Do. do. 1,650 " 1,354 Do. do. 1,684 " 882 Do. do. 1,800 " 3,660 Do. do. 2,026 " 972 Do. do. 2,229 " 754 Do. do. 2,454 " 3,772 Do. do. 2,865 " 362 Do. do. 3,300 " 2,592 Do. do. 3,418 " 2,476 Do. do. 3,820 " 1,067 Do. do. 4,762 " 977 Do. do. 5,150 " 629 Do. do. 5,730 " 5,750 Total of curved line, - 33,340 Total length of line, - . p fo! - 73,287 " Or,- ..-/ ,.,-;> 13 T Vv miles. In estimating the graduation, the quantities were calculated station by station, upon the line as run, without any allowance whatever for the improvements which a careful location must en- sure. The prices assumed, were those which are current at this time upon the public works in this vicinity, without any deduction for the greater cheapness of food in Illinois than here. This course was adopted to guard against the error of estimating too low, and thereby involving the company in any greater expense than they shall have been fully advised of. Estimates are submitted of the cost of constructing, equipping, working and maintaining several different plans of road. The amount of business assumed is the same in ever) r case, viz : 47,- 000 tons per year, or about 150 tons daily for every day in the working year. This additional supply can safely be put in mar- ket at the present time without sensibly affecting prices ; indeed, 8 the demand will be very likely to increase with increased facili- ties of supply. The plans and estimates of roads are as follows : First. For a road of three feet guage, without iron rail; to be used, of course, exclusively with animal power. The plan of superstructure estimated for this road, consists of sub-sills 3 by 6 inches, on which rest cross-ties, not hewn or sawed, but split out in sizes to bed not less than 8, and rise not less than 6 inches. These cross-ties to be two feet apart from centre to centre, and notched to receive the stringers which will be keyed into them. In addition to the keying, the string pieces to be pinned with locust pins of 1 inch diameter, at intervals of 5 feet, to the cross-ties and sills. The string pieces to be 3 by 4 inches. On top of the string pieces is to be nailed a strip or rib- bon of straight grained maple 2 by 1^ inches, in lieu of iron rail. All of the timber except the "ribbon," to be of best white oak or " overcup oak." The track to be filled in, to form a horse path, with broken stone or slate from the mines, to the height of the top of the cross-ties. A road constructed on this plan, except that the sub-sill is dis- pensed with, is now in use in this vicinity, and is by far the best road for the purpose that I have ever seen. The maple strip after a little use, acquires a smooth polished surface and lasts as a rail much longer than oak and other woods which splinter and wear rough. The animals can draw better loads over it, and the cost of repairs is diminished by it. I have included the sub-sill in this, and in all the plans, for the reason that on the whole line of the road, there is very little material for ballasting to be had. After the track is laid and material for ballasting can be cheaply trans- ported over it from the mine and the few other points from which it is procurable, it will be better gradually to dispense with the sub-sill altogether. The following is the estimate in detail for one mile of the above described track : 1 6,000 ft. sub-sills, 3 by 6 inches, at $ 1 per m. delivered, $ 1 60 00 2,640 cross-ties, split, barked and delivered 100 yards apart, - - - 79 20 12,000 ft. stringers, 3 by 4 inches, at $10 pr. m. delivered, 120 00 2,1 12 locust pins, 1 inch in diameter, at $4 per m. 8 45 Ribbon of straight grained maple, 2 by 1^ inches, at per m. - 52 80 Laying track, including boring and pinning stringers to sleepers and sills, notching ties, nails and nailing on the " ribbon," - - 267 90 Cost of 1 mile of track, ^- - $68745 The prices given above for the materials are those which are now current in the country traversed by the road. The prices of the workmanship have been demonstrated by actual experience to be ample. The cost of the road with the above plan of track will be as follows : Graduation and clearing whole distance, 13 T W miles, $1 1,696 00 Culverts and drains, - - 1,230 00 Bridges Lewis' Creek, 35 ft. span, - $250 00 Stone Quarry Branch, 25 ft. span, 180 00 Muddy river, 2 spans 150 ft. each, 4,500 00 4,930 00 miles of track of railway, at $687 45 per mile, 9,541 80 13 T Vir miles of horse-path, at $220 per mile, - - 3,053 60 Turnouts, sidings, &c., - - - 1,000 00 $31,451 40 Superintendence and contingencies, 15 per cent., - 4,717 71 Total cost of road, - - - $36,169 11 The cost of stocking this road for a daily business of 150 tons is estimated thus : The coal will be taken to the river in the same car into which it is loaded in the mine. The most conve- nient capacity for these cars is found to be two tons, therefore 75 loaded cars daily must pass down the road. They will make the trip down and back the same day, and while 75 cars are on the road, 75 more must be loading at the mines, making 150 cars. It is found cheaper and better every way to use mules than horses, and on such a road for such work to use the mules in tandem teams of three. Each of these teams will take down 5 cars, con- taining 10 tons net of coal, and return with the empty cars. This gives us 15 teams or 45 mules on the road. Two mules will do the hauling out at the mines. Now to provide against accidents it will be prudent to add to this stock of 150 cars and 47 mules T V, or in other words, to assume that 1 1 cars and mules must be on hand to ensure 10 cars and mules at work, which gives 165 cars and 52 mules. The cars with 20 inch cast iron wheels, wrought iron axles, oak bodies with hinged ends, bound and 10 braced with iron, will weigh 900 Ibs. each, and will cost delivered at the river depot $40 each. Picked mules will cost say $70 each. 165 cars, at $40, - - ' - - > . -, > . $6,60000 52 mules, at $70, .... t ^ S*iO 3,64000 52 sets of harness, at $6, - - - -., 31200 Depots, sheds, shops, stables, &c., - \ w' v ;;./r 3,00000 Wharf-boats and appurtenances, - <-v>r..r - 600 00 Total equipment, - - - ; 2:" - $14,152 00 Cost of road, - - - - - - 36,169 11 Total cost and equipment of wooden track wood, - $50,321 11 The annual charges against the business on the wooden track road will be as follows : Repairs and renewal of graduation, bridges, railway track and horse path, - >,* 1 - - - $2,356 00 Repairs and renewal of mine cars, 15 p. c. of first cost, 990 00 Wear and tear and loss of mules, 10 p. c., - 364 00 Repairs and renewal of harness, 25 p. c., ' : - 78 00 Repairs of buildings, &c., 5 p. c., - - -\ ;' /**{ ui*M - - 270 00 $1,889 65 11 The cost of the road with the above plan of track will be as follows : Graduation, clearing, culverts, drains, &c., (as on " wooden road,") - - $12,926 00 Bridges over Lewis' creek, Stone Quarry branch and Muddy river, .... . 6,000 00 13 T V T miles of track of railway, at 81,889 65 per mile, 26,228 34 Turnouts, sidings, &c., - .... 1,500 00 $46,654 34 Superintendence and contingencies, 12^ p. c. - - 5,831 79 Total cost of road, - 1 -.; > - - - $52,486 13 The cost of equipping this road for a daily business of 150 tons, with mine cars and mules, is estimated thus: As but one trip will be made per day on this as on the " wooden road," the num- ber of cars will remain the same, viz.: 165. The teams of 3 mules will, however, draw on this road, each team, 7 cars ; wherefore the number of mules, including 2 at the mines, and adding T V as be- fore, will be reduced to 39. 165 cars, at 840, .V : ... - - - ,. - - $6,60000 39 mules, at 870, .... - 2,730 00 39 sets harness, at $6, 234 00 Depots, sheds, shops, stables, &c., - y^t "' '' -*R - .-"'t 3,000 00 Wharf-boat and appurtenances, .... 600 00 Total cost of equipment for mule power, - $13,164 00 The cost of equipping the same road for the same business with mine cars and small locomotive engines, is estimated thus : Two locomotive engines and tenders must be had, one for daily use, and one on hand in case of accident. These can be made and delivered for $4,250 each, 88,500 00 The engine will make 3 trips per day, taking down 25 loaded cars and returning with same cars empty. This requires for use of the road 50 cars, add jV as before. 55 cars at $40, - 2,200 00 4 mules and harness at 876, - ... 304 00 Depots, water stations, engine houses, shops, sheds, &c. 4,000 00 Wharf-boats and appurtenances, ... 600 00 Total cost of equipment for locomotives, - 815,604 00 Total cost of road and equipment for mule power, - 865,650 00 Total cost of road and equipment for locomotive, - 868,090 13 12 The annual charges against the business on this road will be as follows with mule power : Repairs and renewal of graduation, bridges, culverts, and railway track, - - $2,180 00 All other items of charge on same basis as is given above for the " wooden road," - - - .' 9,863 63 Total annual charges with mule power, - $12,043 63 With small locomotives : Repairs and renewal of graduation, bridges, culverts, track, &c., $1,700 00 Repairs and renewal of engine and tender, > - 1,00000 Repairs and renewal of cars, - V. . _ tf&lj 660 00 Grease, oil, cotton waste and fuel, - - ,; V- 550 00 Feeding and shoeing 4 mules, 206 50 Depreciation of mules, and repairs and renewal of harness, ... .... 34 00 Repairs of depots, water stations, shops, &c. - ' '.;^ 200 00 Repairs of wharf-boats and appurtenances, - 120 00 Wages of engineman, fireman, and brakeman, 312 days, at $4 per day, - 1,248 00 Superintendence, clerk hire, and wages of laborers at river, - - - - ; - ,, - 2,500 00 Wages of 2 drivers at mines, 365 days, at 75 cts. - 547 50 Total annual charges with small locomotives, $8,766 00 Third. For a road of the usual 4ft. 8| inches guage, with light stringers and Z rail weighing 38lb. per yard, to be furnished with locomotive engines and iron coal cars of the most approved con- struction. The plan of track estimated for this road is generally the same as the others, varying only in the increased weight of the timber and the fastening of the rail, which, the Z rail being adopted, will be by screw bolts passing horizontally through the stringers. The estimate for 1 mile of track of this road is as follows : 22,000 ft. sub-sills, 3 by 8 in., at $10 per m. delivered, $220 00 2,640 cross-ties 7 ft. long, flattened on the opposite sides to thickness of 6 inches, dressed, notched, and delivered, at 15 cts., - 396 00 20,000 ft. stringers, 4 by 5 in., at $10 per m. delivered 200 00 60 tons Z rail (38 Ibs. per yard,) at $45, - - 2,700 00 ^ inch screw bolts for fastening rail to stringer, - 300 00 Laying track, - .... 400 00 Ballasting with slate, &c. from mine, (to be done after track is laid,) ...... Cost of 1 mile of railway track with Z rail, $4,606 00 13 The cost of the road with the above plan of track will be as follows : Graduation and clearing whole distance, 13 T W miles, $15,488 00 Culverts and drains, - - 1,840 00 Bridges, .... - ; > 9,425 00 13 T W miles of railway track, at $4,606 per mile, - 63,73128 Turnouts, sidings, &c., ' - ;. 2,500 00 $92,984 28 Superintendence and contingencies, 10 p. c. - v 9,298 42 Total cost of road, $102,28270 The cost of equipping this road is estimated as follows : 2 locomotive engines and tenders, at $6,250 delivered, $12,500 00 1 6 six- wheeled iron coal-cars, at $425 delivered, - 6,800 00 4 mine cars, mules, and sets of harness, - - 464 00 Depots, water stations, engine house, &c., wharf-boats and appurtenances, &c., &c., - : : c*f - <>n. 5,10000 Total cost of equipment of road, ... $24,864 00 Total cost of construction and equipment of road, $127,146 78 The annual charges against the business on this road will be as follows : Repairs and renewal of railway, bridges, &c., &c., - $2,500 00 Repairs and renewal of engine and tender, - "-' - :A< 900 00 Repairs and renewal of cars, ... **' . 600 00 Grease, oil, cotton-waste, and fuel, - - - *",**> \ 540 00 All other charges on same basis as is shown above, 4,856 00 $9,396 00 The foregoing estimates, it will be observed, include the expense of hauling the coal out from the mine. Assuming a miner's wages, lights and tools at $1 75 per day, the cost of mining and loading the coal, and setting the props in the mine, will be 30 cents per ton. In addition to this, 45 cents per ton will be ample to pay for mine tracks and props, giving 75 cents per ton chargeable against the coal when first loaded into the cars in the mine, or, chargeable against 47,000 tons, at 75 cents per ton, $35,250 00. The estimates have assumed the regular mining, transportation and sale of 150 tons daily. In actual working there can be no such regularity. To allow for the extra handling consequent upon the irregularity of trade and also for waste, we will add 10 per cent, to the above $35,250 00, which will give as the constant charge against the coal $38,775 00. 14 Consolidating the results given above, we have the following Table showing the cost per ton of the coal to the Company at the river on each of the plans of road presented. e'S K<~T3 O, 00 > T J 03 o?j r Q S - <*>.! o. -Ill o f **- . ^S i* & be 2 ^^ O."e5 O O 03 C O E O H3 _ "2 cj g a'a'i flu J I ^ - CD ^ "C 03 C 3 C3 o. oo C o * OJ O D 1 2 c ^ ^< s o o To BSE p O V * o i; u S O O - 1 * H ^H O 3 ft. road with wooden rails mules $50,321 $3,019 $38,775 $14,096 $55,890 $1 18.9 3 ft. road with plate rail mules 65,650 3,939 38,775 12,044 54,758 1 16.5 3 ft. road with plate rail locomotive. ....... . 68,090 4,085 38,775 8,766 51,626 1 098 4 ft. 8^ in. road with Z rail, 38 Ibs. per yard 127,147 7,629 38,775 9,396 55,800 1 18.7 From this it is seen that, for a busines of 47,000 tons per an- num, the 3 ft. road, with plate rails, small locomotive, and mine cars, is cheaper than the same road with mules, by $3,152 per annum cheaper than the wooden rail mule road, by $4,264 per annum, and cheaper than the wide road with 38 Ib. rail, by $4,194 per annum. In proportion as the business increased beyond the amount as- sumed, the advantage of the small road, with locomotives, as against the animal power, would increase in a rapid ratio, and as against the heavy road, it would rapidly diminish. The measure of business assumed is, however, entirely insufficient to employ the power and capacity of the heavy road. It has been shown what it will cost to get the coal to the Mis- sissippi river. The inquiry remains : Will the work pay ? The Mount Carbon mine is about the south-westernmost point of the great Illinois coal field. It is much nearer to Cairo, at the mouth of the Ohio, than any of the mines on the Ohio or its tribu- taries. There exists no other mine adjacent to the Mississippi ? between it and New Orleans, and it is safe to say that none ever will exist. Its depot will be accessible to large steamboats during a considerable portion of the' year, when the navigation from the mines on the lower Ohio will be shallow and difficult, and when drought or ice shall entirely interrupt all boating from the mines on the upper Ohio. 15 The coal is, for steamers' use, and for smiths' use, equal to the best, except, perhaps, that of the Frostburg .field, that has yet been opened in any part of the country. The analyses of Professors Johnson and B. Silliman, jr., and of Mr. Mushet, declare its ex- cellence. The great demand is, and must continue to be, for steamboats. But for coal of the good qualities of the Mount Carbon, there will be a constantly increasing demand along the entire extent of the Mississippi river, for domestic uses, for gas, and before long, for manufacturing purposes. Now, owing partly to the very limited supply of coal, and partly to the very bad quality of much that is supplied, the steamboats mix wood and coal in their furnaces. Their demand for coal will be in advance of any supply that can be furnished them for years. If they could " coal " as conveniently as they can "wood," they would very soon abandon the use of wood altogether. The average price for steamboat wood on the Mississippi, below St. Louis, is, as I was told, $2 per cord. (I saw it sell for $2 25 in June last.) One ton of Mount Carbon coal is, for generating steam, equal to at least 2^ cords of mixed ash and cotton wood, and its stowage is about ^ of its equivalent of wood. Throw- ing out of consideration, however, the economy of stowage, we have for the price per ton of coal equal to the price of wood, $5, or (as they always sell by the bushel) 16| cents per bushel. The boats in which I travelled, paid at Cairo, at a time when the Ohio and its tributaries were full, and a very large quantity of coal had accumulated there, 10 cents per bushel, or $3 per ton, for very in- ferior coal, and this, I was informed, was the lowest price ever paid at that point. I believe the company would be able to sell for cash to boats and dealers at Fountain Bluff depot, at least 47,000 tons per year for that price. If they please to extend their operations, and establish coal yards of their own at various points on the lower Mississippi, their profits could be increased. 47,000 tons cost the company at the river on the 3 ft. plate rail road, with locomotives, - - $51,626 00 47,000 tons sold at 10 cents per bushel, or $3 per ton, amount to - - - - - 8141,000 00 Pofits to the company, V. - $89,374 00 At 5 cents per bushel, or $1 50 per ton, the profit to the company on 47,000 tons is - $18,874 00 At 3.66 cents per bushel, the company lose taxes and interest on real estate. 16 These conclusions seem extravagant. I am satisfied of their truth, for the facts are all as stated, and the estimates I know to be ample in every particular. The area of the coal land of the company, according to an es- timate made for me by Mr. Dudding, the company's agent at Murphrysboro', in which the areas of the various tracts of land are taken from the U. S. surveys, is six hundred and ten (610) acres. Professor Johnson gives the specific gravity of the coal 1.29, and Professor Silliman, 1.352. The mean of these L321 being taken, the weight of a cubic foot of coal is 82.56 Ibs. The thick- ness of clear coal in the principal vein is 5.25 feet. Excluding from the calculation the upper or " 3 ft. stratum," we have 82.56X5.25X43560= 18,880,646 Ibs. or 8,429 tons per acre. Al- lowing 2,429 tons per acre for waste and support, the yield per acre is 6,000 tons, or for 610 acres, 3,660,000 tons, which, at 47,000 tons per year, gives 78 years for the operations of the com- pany upon their own present property. In closing this report I must acknowledge a large debt of thanks to Mr. Dudding for his valuable assistance in the field, and for the ready kindness with which he made his house a home for me. It may not also be out of place to add, that in him the company are fortunate in having an agent by whom their property is faithfully cared for and protected. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, RANDOLPH COYLE, Civil Engineer. CHARTER OF THE MOUNT CARBON COAL COMPANY. - An act to incorporate the Mount Carbon Coal Company. SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the people of the State of Illinois, re- presented in the General Assembly, That Hall Neilson and his associates, successors, and assigns, be, and they are hereby, con- stituted a body corporate and politic, by the name and style of the "Mount Carbon Coal Company," for the more convenient ownership and mining of coal, and 'metals and minerals contig- uous thereto, in the county of Jackson, and the transaction of the usual business of companies engaged in the mining, transporting, and selling of coal, and the other products of coal mines ; and the said corporation, by the said name, is declared and hereby made capable in law to sue and be sued, to plead and be impleaded, to have a common seal, and the same to alter and renew at pleasure, to make rules and by-laws for the regulation and management of said corporation, consistent with the laws of this State, and, gene- rally, to do and execute whatever by law shall appertain to such bodies politic : Provided, That nothing herein contained shall be considered as conferring on the said corporation any banking privileges ; but they shall be exclusively confined to the operations directly necessary for carrying on the mining, coaling, and trans- portation of coal, and the construction of the necessary buildings, wharves, and boats ; and each and every stockholder shall be, in his individual capacity, liable for the debts and performance of all contracts entered into by said corporation, to the amount of the balance unpaid on the stock of such stockholders. SEC. 2. The said corporation shall have the right to hold, pos- sess, and enjoy, not exceeding two thousand acres of land ; and the whole amount of the capital stock shall not exceed in value the sum of two hundred thousand dollars, and shall be divided in- to four thousand shares; which capital shall be employed in pur- chasing and holding the lands aforesaid, and in constructing and employing buildings, vessels, boats, arks, and such other improve- ments and machinery necessary or useful, for mining, coaling, and transporting of coal. Every member of said company shall have a certificate, under the seal of the corporation, and made and at- tested in such manner and form as the by-laws shall direct, certi- fying his right in the share or shares owned by him ; and the stock of said company shall, in the nature of personal property, be as- signable and transferable, according to such rules as the board of directors shall establish; and no stockholder indebted to the com- pany shall be permitted to make a transfer or receive a dividend until such debt is discharged, or security given for the same, to the satisfaction of the directors. SEC. 3. For the managing of the affairs of the said corporation, there shall be chosen from the stockholders five directors, who 2 18 shall hold their offices lor one year, or until superseded by others. Thirty days' previous notice, by publication once a week for one month in the newspaper in or nearest to the town of Brownsville, shall be given of the first election of directors, and there shall be annually thereafter a like election at the town of Brownsville. In all such elections for directors, each proprietor of shares shall be entitled to one vote for every five shares held by him, which vote may be given by himself or proxy duly authorized under seal ; and a majority of the shares shall be necessary to a choice of directors, or the transaction of any business which may concern the company and come before the stockholders. SEC. 4. A majority of the members shall form a quorum to transact business, and they shall meet within thirty days from the time they shall have been chosen at Brownsville, and choose by ballot one of their number for president, who shall serve for one year, or until superseded by a new election; and there shall be, annually, after the said election, a like election in Brownsville, by the directors for the time being, of a president for said corpo- ration. The said directors shall also have power to choose and appoint such other officers and agents, to conduct and prosecute the business of the said corporation, as they shall deem necessary and proper ; and they shall also have the power, for good cause, to be spread at large, together with the proof in support thereof, upon their minutes, to remove the president of said company from office. The said directors shall cause to be kept, duly recorded in books to be provided and kept for the purpose, minutes of all their proceedings, and regular accounts of their transactions, as also minutes of the proceedings of the stockholders at each of their meetings ; which books may at anytime be inspected by any of the stockholders. The said directors shall have power to sup- ply any vacancy which may occur in the office of president, or in their own body ; and the president or directors thus appointed shall hold his office until the next succeeding annual election for such officers. SEC. 5. The directors may, from time to time, at any meeting, assess and require payment of such sum of money, not exceeding twenty per cent, upon each share of stock, as shall be judged ne- cessary for the purposes of the corporation, to be paid at Browns- ville, to such person as the said directors may designate and au- thorize to receive the same; and if, after the publication of notice, once a week for two months, in the newspaper at or nearest to Brownsville, of the time of payment, and of the person appointed to receive the same, of any proportion or instalment of said capi- tal stock, any stockholder shall fail to pay his instalment at the time specified m said notice, the amount paid by such delinquent stockholder previously shall be forfeited to the company, and his stock may be sold to any person, for such price as may be agreed upon between the said company and the purchaser. SEC. 6. Dividends of the nett profits of the said company shall be made at such times as shall be determined by the stockholders 19 in general meeting, which dividends shall be paid to the persons entitled to the same, on demand made ten days after making and declaring the said dividends, and their amount shall be published for three successive weeks, in the same manner as other notices are hereinbefore directed to be published. Whenever said divi- dends shall exceed twelve and-a-half per cent, per annum, the said company shall pay a tax in the county treasury of Jackson county, to be assessed by the county commissioners' court of that county. SEC. 7. The stock of said company shall be deemed personal estate, and pass as such to the representatives of each stockholder: Provided, That the real estate which may be held by said corpo- ration shall be sold and conveyed, whenever they may deem pro- per so to dispose of it, according to the forms and in the manner prescribed by law, the president of said company making the ac- knowledgment required by law, for and on behalf of the company. SEC. 8. Service of process on the president of said company shall be deemed and taken as sufficient service on the corporation, in any suit which maybe instituted against it; and for any viola- tion of the provisions of this act, the said corporation shall be held to answer by scire facias in the Jackson county circuit court ; and if, upon the trial thereof, it shall appear that such violations have been committed, and it shall be so found, the said court may and shall give judgment revoking this charter. And such proceed- ings by scire facias, for such violations, shall be instituted and prosecuted, in the name of the people of the State of Illinois, against the said corporation. SEC. 9. This act to take effect from its passage, and to continue in force thirty years thereafter: Provided, The said Hall Neilson and Thomas Neilson, their assigns, successors, and associates, under "An act to incorporate the Illinois Manufacturing, Mining, and Exporting Company," approved January 28, 1833, file in the office of the Secretary of State a written relinquishment, under seal, of their privileges granted by said act, a certificate whereof shall be issued by said Secretary to the corporation hereby created, without which this act shall not take effect. The said relinquishment shall be so filed on or before the first day of Au- gust next.* JAMES SEMPLE, Speaker of the House of Representatives. A. M. JENKINS, Speaker of the Senate. Approved, January 24, 1835. JOSEPH DUNCAN, Governor. * All the provisions of the 9tli section of the above charter of the Monnt Carbon Coal Company havo been fully complied with by Hall Neilson and Thomas Neilson, and are of record in the office of the Secie- tary of State tor the State of Illinois. 20 An act supplemental to an act to incorporate the Mount Carbon Coal Company, to increase the capital of said company to one million of dollars, for the purposes hereinafter mentioned. SEC. 1. Be it enacted by the people of the State of Illinois, repre- sented in the General Assembly, That the Mount Carbon Coal Company are hereby authorized and empowered to locate, con- struct, and finally complete a railroad for a double or single track, not exceeding ten rods in width on level ground, commencing at the said company's coal mines on the Big Muddy river, in Jack- son county, thence to the Mississippi river, or any other naviga- ble stream in said county ; and, for the purpose of cuttings, em- bankments, stone, wood, and gravel, may take as much more land as may be necessary for the proper security and construction of said railroad: Provided, That all damages that may be occa- sioned to any person or persons, or corporations, by the taking of such lands or materials for the purposes aforesaid, shall be paid for by said company in the manner hereinafter provided. SEC. 2. The capital stock of said company shall be increased to one million of dollars, divisible into shares of fifty dollars each, on the terms and under the conditions and provisions specified and contained in the original act of incorporation of said company. SEC. 3. A toll is hereby granted and established, for the sole benefit of said company, upon all passengers and property of all descriptions, which may be conveyed or transported on said rail- road, at such rates per mile as may be agreed upon and estab- lished from time to time by the directors of said company ; and they are hereby authorized to erect toll-houses, buildings, estab- lish gates, and demand toll upon the road when completed, and upon such points thereof as shall from time to time be completed. SEC. 4. The said company shall be holden to pay all damages that may arise to any person or corporation, by taking their land, stone, wood, and gravel, for the use of said railroad, when the same cannot be had by voluntary agreement, to be estimated and recovered in the same manner provided by law for the recovery of damages happening by the laying out of highways. SEC. 5. When the lands or other property or estate of any mar- ried woman, infant, or person non compos mentis, shall be neces- sary for the construction of said railroad, the husband of such married woman, and the guardian of such infant or person non compos mentis, may release all damages in relation to the land or other property to be taken, appropriated as aforesaid, as fully as they might do if the same were holden in their own rights, re- spectively. SEC. 6. If any person shall wilfully do, or cause to be done, any act or acts whatsoever, whereby any building, construction, or work of said company, or any engine, machine, or structure, or any matter or thing appertaining to the same, shall be stopped, obstructed, impaired, weakened, injured, or destroyed, the person 21 so offending shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and shall forfeit and pay to said corporation triple the amount of damages sustained by means of such offence and injury, to be recovered in the name of said corporation, with costs of suit, by action of debt, and shall be subject to indictment and punishment for high crimes and misdemeanors, as in other cases. SEC. 7. The said company shall commence the railroad hereby authorized to be made within two years from the passage of this act, and complete the same within ten years ; otherwise this act shall be null and void. SEC. 8. The said corporation is hereby authorized to join any other railroad now or hereafter to be incorporated and put in operation at such place, and on such terms as may be mutually agreed upon by said companies, or, in case of disagreement by said companies, upon such terms and at such places as the court of chancery of the district where such connexion is desired shall decree, upon bill filed or suit instituted for that purpose.. SEC. 9. That the quantity of land authorized to be held by said company shall be increased from two thousand acres to seven Thousand acres. SEC. 10. That if, after the necessary surveys for the construc- 1 ion of said railroad shall have been made, it shall appear to said company that a canal from their said mines to said Mississippi river, or the making navigable the said Big Muddy river is pre- ferable, that then and in that case said company are hereby au- thorized to lay off and construct a canal from the said mines to 1 he said Mississippi river, or make navigable the said Big Muddy river; and the above enactments, so far as the same aie applica- ble, shall, and the same are hereby declared to be in full force . and effect. SEC. 11. This act shall be deemed and taken as a public act, and as such shall be taken notice of by all courts of justice in this State, without the necessity of pleading'the same. SEC. 12. At the next general meeting, the directors may ad- journ to such place as may be adopted, within said county, as may promote the interest of the company, and for the convenience of the directors. SEC. 13. The stockholders of said institution shall always be held severally liable to the debts of said company, to the full amount of the stock held by them at the time of their joint in- debtedness. W. L. D. EWING, Speaker of the House of Representatives. S. H. ANDERSON, Speaker of the Senate. Approved, February 26, 1841. TUG. CARLIN, Governor. 22 AN ACT Concerning the Mount Carbon Coal Company. SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly, That the act entitled " An act to incorporate the Mount Carbon Coal Company," approved the twenty-fourth day of January, one thousand eight hundred and thirty-five, and the act supplemental to the above recited act to incorporate the Mount Carbon Coal Company, approved Feb- ruary twenty-sixth, one thousand eight hundred and forty-one, be, and the same are hereby, declared to be in full force and virtue. SECTION 2. Be it further enacted, That the said Mount Carbon Coal Company shall commence the railroad authorized to be made by the aforesaid supplemental act, within one year from the passage of this act, and shall complete the same within three years: otherwise this act shall be null and void. SECTION 3. Be it further enacted, For the greater convenience of the stockholders and the better management of the affairs of the company, the stockholders and the board of President and Directors may holdtheir meetings in the county of Jackson, State of Illinois, or in any other place within the United States w r hich may be con- sidered by them as more conducive to the best interests of the com- pany : Provided, That an authorised agent of said company shall at all times reside in the said county of Jackson, in the State of Illinois; and that the service of legal process on said agent shall be deemed sufficient service on the corporation in any suit or suits which may be instituted against it. SECTION 4. Be it further enacted, That the said Mount Carbon Coal Company may, at any time hereafter, when they deem it expedient, continue the said railroad from its terminus on the Mississippi river to the town of Breeseville, on said river, and in case said company should not continue or extend said road to Breeseville, then any other company to be incorporated may so continue and extend the same. SECTION 5. This act to take effect from its passage, and to continue in force thirtv years from that date. SIDNEY BREESE, Speaker of the House of Representatives. 'WILLIAM McMURTRY, Approved, February 1, 1851. Speaker of the Senate. A. C. FRENCH, Governor. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, State of Illinois, ss. I, DAVID L. GREGG, Secretary of State of the said State of Illi- nois, do hereby certify, that the foregoing is a true copy of the enrolled law now on file in my office. In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and the Great Seal of the State, at the city of Springfield, DAVID L. GREGG, Secretary of State. 23 rom Professor Walter R.Johnson, to one of the Proprietors, WASHINGTON, April 18, 1851. DEAR SIR: You had the kindness some time since to place in my possession a quantity of bituminous coal, stated to be from the mines on the Big Muddy river, in Jackson county, Illinois. 1 have burned in stoves and grates a portion of the sample, and have made an analysis to determine the proximate constitution of the coal. The result of that analysis enables me to compare it with other American and with several foreign coals, of which the heating power has been determined by direct experiment, and thus to compute, approximately, the evaporative power of your coal. You will, for this purpose, excuse me for referring you to my work on American and Foreign Coals, in which you will find the details of the analysis, and the tables which afford the means of com- parison between the Illinois coal and others having a similar con- stitution. In the composition of its combustible matter, your coal stands about on a level with the average of the following samples which were tested during my experiments at the Washington Navy Yard, in 1843, viz: Cannelton, Indiana; Midlothian, (screened,) Virginia ; Tippecanoe, Virginia ; Scotch ; and Liverpool, (Orrel.) The average evaporative power of those five kinds of coal was found to be 7.27 ; and if your coal contained as much earthy matter or waste as the above sarnples, the same number would, in all probability, represent its practical evaporative power. But. your coal is much more free from earthy matter than the average of those above named. Thus, the specimen which I analyzed of the Jackson county coal, gave of earthy matter only - 3.56 per cent. That analyzed by Prof. Silliman - - 4.50 " " That by Mr. David Mushet, in England, - 5.50 " Average, - 4.52 " " The five coals above named, gave - - 8.05 " " The steam power of your coal ought, therefore, to be computed as high at least as 7.55. Indeed, by a similar comparison of your coal with five of the samples tried by the British Commissioners, viz: three quarters Rock Vein and Pon ty pool, Welsh ; Grange- mouth and Elgin Wallsend, Scotch, and Broomhill, English, the computed heating power of the Illinois coal would be found still more favorable, and would rise to 8.22. A small proportion of earthy matter in any coal is doubly fa- vorable in considering its character as a fuel for steam navigation. It saves, in the first place, the necessity of throwing overboard large quantities of waste matter, containing often more weight of combustible matter than of real ashes ; .and, in the second place, it avoids the obstruction of grates and the diminution of draught, by those large masses of slag or " clinker" which, with 24 coals of great impurity, is a source of nearly as much waste of time, labor and cost of repairs, as it is of loss of fuel from imper- fect combustion. The Illinois coal takes fire promptly, burns with a long brilliant flame, and swells moderately in coking, so as to give suflicient admission of air to complete the combustion of the coke after the flame has subsided. Yours, very respectfully, WALTER R. JOHNSON. Copy of the Report of David Mushet, Esq., on the Ml. Carbon Coal. I have carefully examined the specimen of American coal which you sent me, and find it an open, free burning coal, giving out a great body of flame, and developing in its combustion a most in- tense heat; from which circumstance I should consider it well calculated to fill and powerfully heat the flues of steamboat boil- ers. The white matter to which you allude are thin lamina) of cal- careous spar, very common in some of the iron-making coals, and denoting the absence of sulphur. From the nature and color of the ashes, when used for steam boilers, no clinkering or corrosion of the furnace bars would take place, and which is a very important consideration, especially in long voyages. Its analysis is as follows: Flame, &c., 36.97 Carbon, - - 57.53 White clayey ash, - 5.50 100.00 parts, I should class the coal above the South Staffordshire, and ap- , preaching those of North Stafford and Shropshire. Yours, truly, DAVID MUSHET. Description and analysis of the Coal of , Big Muddy riccr, by B. Silliman, Jr. Fracture brilliant in the extreme, conchoidal, and divided into rhombs by small veins of calcareous spar. Specific gravity 1.352 ; loses iu coking 38.20 per cent. ; leaves a light white ash of only 4.50 per cent.; and gives 57.30. "It is," remarks the analyst, "the finest coal I have ever analysed; it contains no trace what- ever of sulphurous matter, so prejudicial in iron making." HE 1 ,5 f?E M