History of anthracite coal mining in Pennsylvania increasing production levels but an overall trend of falling prices. In 1830 anthracite coal was selling for $11 per ton, in 1840 it was $7 per ton, and by 1860 it was $5.50 a ton in NYC, while total production was increasing (Adams, “US Coal Industry”). This was due in part to a general anti-charter sentiment towards the coal industry by the Pennsylvania state government, making it difficult for coal corporations to receive charters (Adams, “Different Charters”), as well as a seasonal market that experienced fluctuation in demand for anthracite (Dublin, Licht, 17). The onset of the war brought an
Anthracite iron States, in the principal control and supervision of Ironmaster David Thomas who had begun experimenting with attempts to use locally available Wales anthracite deposits as early as 1820 soon after he became in charge at Yniscedewin Iron Works in Wales. About this 1837-38 timeframe experiments were also being made in Pennsylvania near Port Carbon, and in Mauch Chunk, but with overall better success than in Wales. White, Hazard and the LC&N Co. had begun systematic experiments to smelt using anthracite in two furnaces in Mauch Chunk in 1832-1837 with intermittent but sporadically improved successes using cold blast processes with two