Manuscript Group 282
PENNSYLVANIA COAL COMPANY RECORDS
1838-1975
126 cu. ft.

The Pennsylvania Coal Company was chartered in 1838 and organized in 1915 in Scranton to mine anthracite coal. In 1849, it merged with the Washington Coal Company. Because of an 1869 disaster at its Avondale mine in which 110 miners died, laws were passed providing for a second opening to mines and better ventilation. A majority of company capital stock was acquired by the Erie Railroad Company in 1901. This group contains corporate records, mostly minutes and financial accounts, of the Pennsylvania Coal Company, 1838-1971 (42 cubic feet). Also included are the records of the following subsidiary companies: Blossburg Coal Company, 1871-1956 (22 volumes), Hillside Coal & Iron Company, 1867-1945 (52 volumes and 14 cubic feet of loose papers), New York, Susquehanna & Western Coal Company, 1887-1944 (25 volumes), and Northwestern Mining & Exchange Company, 1873-1972 (37 volumes). The records are grouped according to company and then topically. Some of the records came from donations to the Anthracite Heritage Museum, and some were donated by the Pennsylvania Coal Company and its parent firm, the Erie-Lackawanna Railway Company.

Following are descriptions of some of the typical document types comprising these records:

• The Journals show debits and credits, with amount, reason, and names.
• The Ledgers, arranged by names of companies or customers or type of expense (e.g. Real Estate Expenses), show debits and credits, with amount and reason.
• Royalty Records are an account of types and amounts of coal mined from various locations, giving date and location coal was mined, type of coal: lump, grate, egg, stove, chestnut, pea, "bwt.", rice, barley, total, and total amount mined.
  
• Stock Ledgers are organized by stock owners' names, and note numbers of shares transferred and person to whom stocks were transferred.
  
• Stock Certificates are company ledger copies of printed stock certificates and give name of stock owner, date of purchase, and stock certificate numbers.
  
• Field and Survey Books and Underground Field Books give elevation and other measurements for mines and breakers.
  

• Minutes
  
  
  • Board of Directors, 1838-1971. (14 volumes) {#282m.1}
  • Executive Committee, 1888-1900. (3 volumes) {#282m.2}
  • Finance Committee, 1896, 1897. (1 volume) {#282m.3}

• Financial Records
  
  
  • Journals, 1838-1970. (38 volumes) {#282m.4}
  • Ledgers (General) 1897-1971. (24 volumes) {#282m.5}
  • Ledgers, 1895-1912. (4 volumes) {#282m.6}
  • Accounts Receivable, 1938-1975. (6 volumes) {#282m.7}
  • Cash Books, 1848-1900. (2 volumes) {#282m.8}
  • Cash Receipts & Disbursements, 1964-1974. (1 volume) {#282m.9}
  • Contracts (Secretary's and Treasurer's Files), 1867-1969. (14 cartons, 6 boxes) {#282m.10} [Holdings]
  • Expenditures Authorized, 1939-1966. (2 volumes) {#282m.11}
  • Trial Balance (General Ledger), 1930-1966. (6 volumes) {#282m.12}
  • Voucher Records, 1948-1972. (2 volumes) {#282m.13}
  • Royalty Records, 1958-1968. (2 volumes) {#282m.14}
    
    
• Property Records
  
  
  • Land Records, 1848-1894. (2 volumes) {#282m.15}
  • Real Estate (Purchase Ledger), 1848-1877. (1 volume) {#282m.16}
  • Deed Books, 1838-1900. (2 volumes) {#282m.17}
  • Map Photostats, 1928-1930. (1 volume) {#282m.18}
  • Underground Field Books, 1870-1966. (29 cu.ft.) {#282m.19}

• Minutes of the Board of Directors, 1871-1956. (4 volumes) {#282m.20}
  
  
• Financial Records
  
  
  • Journals, 1901-1956. (5 volumes) {#282m.21}
  • Ledger, 1887-1956. (7 volumes) {#282m.22}
  • Trial Balance (General Ledger), 1923-1956. (2 volumes) {#282m.23}
  • Voucher Records, 1933-1940. (1 volumes) {#282m.24}
    
    
• Stock Records
  
  
  • Stock Certificates, 1871-1955. (1 volume) {#282m.25}
  • Stock Ledgers, 1871-1954. (2 volumes) {#282m.26}

HILLSIDE COAL & IRON COMPANY

• Minutes, 1930-1945. (5 volumes) {#282m.27}
  
  
• Financial Records
  
  
  • Journals, 1899-1945. (10 volumes) {#282m.28}
  • Ledgers, 1885-1945. (14 volumes) {#282m.29}
  • Accounts Receivable, 1924-1945. (3 volumes) {#282m.30}
  • Cash Books, 1927-1945. (4 volumes) {#282m.31}
  • Pay Voucher Record, 1940-1945. (1 volume) {#282m.32}
  • Royalty Records, 1905-1945. (6 volumes) {#282m.33}
  • Trial Balance (General Ledger), 1939-1945. (1 volume) {#282m.34}
  • Voucher Register, 1929-1939. (2 volumes) {#282m.35}
    
    
• Property Records
  
  
  • Deed Book, 1893-1903. (1 volume) {#282m.36}
    
    
• Stock Records
  
  
  • Stock Certificates, 1871-1945. (1 volume) {#282m.37}
  • Stock Ledger, 1867-1945. (2 volumes) {#282m.38}
    
    
• Field and Survey Books, 1873-1964. (28 boxes) {#282m.39}

NEW YORK, SUSQUEHANNA & WESTERN COAL COMPANY

• Minutes of the Board of Directors, 1887-1944. (5 volumes) {#282m.40}
  
  
• Financial Records
  
  
  • Journals, 1899-1944. (5 volumes) {#282m.41}
  • Journals (Collection Vouchers), 1920-1932. (1 volume) {#282m.42}
  • Ledgers, 1895-1943. (4 volumes) {#282m.43}
  • Cash Book, 1939-1944. (1 volume) {#282m.44}
  • Pay Vouchers, 1932-1944. (2 volumes) {#282m.45}
  • Royalty Record, 1906-1922. (1 volume) {#282m.46}
  • Trial Balance (General Ledger), 1923-1944. (2 volumes) {#282m.47}
  • Voucher Records, 1928-1932. (1 volume) {#282m.48}
    
    
• Stock Records
  
  
  • Stock Certificates, 1887-1930. (2 volumes) {#282m.49}
  • Stock Ledger (Common & Preferred), 1887-1944. (1 volume) {#282m.50}

NORTHWESTERN MINING & EXCHANGE COMPANY

• Minutes of the Board of Directors, 1873-1972. {#282m.51} (5 volumes)
  
  
• Financial Records
  
  
  • Journals, 1895-1970. (14 volumes) {#282m.52}
  • Ledgers (General), 1895-1971. (12 volumes) {#282m.53}
  • Cash Book,1965-1972. (1 volume) {#282m.54}
  • Expenditures Authorized, 1923-1970. (1 volume) {#282m.55}
  • Trial Balance (General Ledger), 1943-1970. (2 volumes) {#282m.56}
  • Voucher Record Transfer, 1941-1972. (2 volumes) {#282m.57}