ROCK ISLAND COUNTY COAL MINES
REPORT OF THE INSPECTOR OF COAL MINES.
Daniel Gordon, Esq., Inspector of Coal Mines for this county, has just made his annual report to the Governor, of the condition of the coal mines and coal lands in this county, as far as ascertained by him for the year 1875. We are indebted to him for a copy of his report, from which we condense the following facts:
Number of acres of known coal lands discovered and being worked in the county, 2,669. Number of acres worked out, 439. Greatest number of miners at work at any time during the past year, 1,017. Average number employed, 632. The number of tons of coal produced during the year 1875 was 263,541. And the average price at the mines was $2.19 a ton. The value of coal mined during the year was $577,597. The amount of capital employed in the business was $244,350. The capacity of production was 725,550 tons. The number of mines opened and worked was 30. The condition of these mines, as to ventilation, is reported "good" in 7; and "fair" in 9; "deficient" in 5; deficient in part in 6.
The first coal mines began operation in 1856, with a railroad line to deliver the coal to Rock Island built the next year. The coal was used by trains and steamboats as well as to heat homes and businesses. Many of the mines were operated by the Coal Valley Mining Company, a parternership of Rock Island businessmen.
The last coal mine in Rock Island County , the Hunky Dory mine, closed in 1948. The coal industry had it heyday around 1870, when Coal Valley township reached a population of 2,500.
TONS OF COAL PRODUCED BY EACH FIRM.
RURAL. |
|
Joseph Sackfield -------------- |
80 |
COAL VALLEY. |
|
Coal Valley Mining Co |
49 , 930 |
Black Diamond Coal Co |
17,561 |
| Cable & Wilson | 21, 198 |
Some small mines on the Coal Valley Mining Co.'s land |
2,465 |
Parks & Hillier |
2,200 |
Barnard, Lee & Campbell |
1,084 |
New Diamond Co |
600 |
John Pratt |
500 |
Banner Coal Co |
64 |
Tons produced in Coal Valley |
95,602 |
ROCK ISLAND. |
|
Bailey Davenport |
2,000 |
MOLINE. |
|
Donald & Brown |
3,000 |
Kay & Allison |
1,200 |
Witherspoon & Lewis |
520 |
Park & Anderson |
466 |
Tons produced in Moline |
5,186 |
HAMPTON. |
|
Hampton Coal:Mining Co |
87,500 |
Taylor Williams |
25,211 |
Gilchrist & Co |
20,595 |
AEtna Coal Co |
12,800 |
Durfee & Adams |
7,300 |
Baker, Lowery & Wightman |
5,500 |
Porter Bros. |
3,117 |
Samuel Bowles |
2,240 |
McIntosh & Co |
2,113 |
Hynde & Co |
1,677 |
John Lunding |
548 |
A. Witherspoon |
400 |
Sturdevant Bros |
62 |
S. Robinson |
50 |
Tons produced in Hampton |
169,133 |
Zuma Coal Mining Co |
1,280 |
ESTIMATED. |
|
From openings not visited |
200 |
Tons produced in 1875 |
263,541 |
" " 1874 |
240,462 |
MINING COMPANIES
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