The coal fields and coal trade of the Island of Cape Breton

Front matter

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Preface

The existence of valuable deposits of Coal in the Island of Cape Breton has been long known, but I am not aware that any account of them has hitherto been published, except in certain scientific works, which are read only by persons interested in the subjects they treat of. The want of a reliable description of the Coal Fields, the capabilities of the mines now in operation, and a history of the rise and progress of the Coal Trade, in a popular form, must often have been experienced by those who have invested their money in the Cape Breton mines, especially by the shareholders of the General Mining Association, few of whom can possibly possess more than an imperfect knowledge of the great extent and value of their mining property. Having had the advantage of consulting the works above referred to, and having also been employed many years in the management of the largest collieries in the Island, I hope the information derived from those sources and my own personal knowledge, submitted in the following pages, will be received with confidence by all who are interested in the Cape Breton mines.

I trust also that shipowners and commercial men generally will be glad to learn from these pages that Cape Breton, which, from its geographical position has

IV PREFACE.

been aptly styled 'The Long Wharf of America,' possesses abundant supplies of excellent steam fuel, commodious harbours, and, in fact, every necessary qualification for becoming the great coaling station of the innumerable steamers which are rapidly superseding sailing vessels in the navigation of the Atlantic.

Being the last practical point of departure for steamers from America to Europe, Cape Breton is, in every respect, the most suitable place for the eastern terminus of the projected line of railway from the Atlantic to the Pacific, through British territory, an undertaking which is now deservedly receiving much attention in the Canadian Dominion. It is a remarkable fact, as has been pointed out in a recent able work,1 that Cape Breton and Vancouver's Islands — the proposed termini of the line — are the only places on the seaboard which can furnish cheap and excellent coal to the steamers that will be employed on the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans in maintaining the communication, in connexion with the railway, between Europe and China.

It now only remains for me to say that, in compiling the account of the Coal Fields, I have availed myself of Br. Dawson's admirable work on ' Acadian Geology,' and a, valuable article in the ' Transactions of the North of England Institute of Mining Engineers,' by John Eutherford, Esq., the Government Inspector of Mines in Nova Scotia. My acknowledgments are also specially due to J. B. Foord, Esq., the Secretary of the General Mining Association, for the use of several important documents in his office ; to Henry S. Poole, Esq., of the Caledonia

' The Canadian Dominion^ by Charles Marshall : London, 1871.

PREFACE. V

Colliery, Glace Bay, for ample accounts of the new mines in the eastern portion of the Sydney Coal Field ; and to Richard II. Brown, Esq., the manager of the Sydney and Lingau mines, for much statistical information, and the views of the northern shores of Sydney and Lingan Harbours.

Conscious of many defects, I nevertheless hope this little work will prove acceptable to the shareholders of the General Mining Association, and of the other companies, both English and foreign, engaged in coal mining in Cape Breton, and will convince them that they possess, in their present establishments, ample means for carrying on a large and prosperous business when the restrictions now imposed upon their trade with the United States have been removed — a consummation, there is every reason to believe, not far distant.

R. B.

London : October, 1871.

Chapter I

Geological Structure of the Island — The Carboniferous System — The Conglomerate— its Extent — Composition — and Fossils — The Carboniferous Limestone — its associated Beds of Marl and Gypsum — Chief Localities and Extent — Animal Remains — Marble — Brine and Petroleum Springs — The Millstone Grit — Its Composition — Extent and Localities — Fossil Plants — forms the Limit of the Coal-Measures — Building Stone and Grindstones — The Coal-Measures — Associated Beds of Shale, Sandstone, &c. — Fossil Plants — Erect Trees — Ripple Marks — Worm Tracks — Rain Marks — Footprints of a Land Animal — Animal Remains in Bituminous Limestone — Only Three distinct Coal Fields .... Page 1

Chapter II

The Sydney Coal Field — its Area and Boundaries — Physical Aspect — Former Extent — Gradual Recession of the Sea Cliffs — Landslips on the Coast — Total Thickness of the Coal-Measures — Range and Extent of the workable Seams — Identity of Seams on the Shores of Sydney Harbour with those on the Little Entrance of the Bras d'Or — The Boulardrie District — Area and Boundaries — Faults and Disturbances — Tabular Sections of Coal- Measures — The Cape Dauphin District — Area and Limits — Vertical Position of the Seams — Diagram 11

Chapter III

The Sydney Coal Field, continued — The Glace Bay District — its Boundaries — Diagram and Section of Coal-Measures — Range and Extent of principal Seams — Coal on Flint Island — The Cow Bay Basin — Anticlinal — Diagram and Section of Coal-Measures — The Tracey Seam — Section of Measures at the South Head — Identity of Phelan and McAulay Seams — Supposed Continuation of Long Beach and Tracey Seams — The Lingan and Low Point Districts— Boundaries and Extent— separated by a Fault from the Glace Bay Basin — Range and Extent of the Seams from Indian Bay to vni CONTENTS.

the Lighthouse — from the Lighthouse to McPhee's Ferry — Section of the Lingan Scries Section of the Low Point Series — their Identity — Equivalents of the Cow Bay Seams on the Low Point Shore — Connection of the Low Point and Sydney Mines Seams .... Page 23

Chapter IV

The Inverness Coal Field — General Stratification — Coal-Measures of Port Hood — Mabou — Broad Cove — and Chimney Corner — Sections at each Locality — Want of Safe Places of Shipment — Destruction of Coal-Seamsby the Surf — Necessity of making Accurate Surveys — The Richmond Coal Field — its Extent — Vertical Position of the Measures at Sea Coal Bay and Little River — Convenient Situations for Shipment — Great Cost of working highly inclined Seams 37

Chapter V

Early History of the Coal Trade — Silence of Champlain and others on Existence of Coal in Cape Breton — First Mention of Coal in Nicholas Denys' History of North America — Cape Breton granted to Denys by King of France — Value of Coal pointed out by MM. Baudot — Admiral Walker's Remarks — First Attempt of the French to raise Coal at Cow Bay — Coal shipped to British Provinces — Mine opened by the English at Burnt Head in 1746 — Blockhouse built for its Protection against the Indians — Raid of Canadians upon Settlement at Indian Bay — Trade between French and English Colonists in 1754 — Pichon's Notices of Coal- Mines in 1752 — Brigadier-General Howe and others apply for Lease of Coal-Mines in 1764 — Colonel Francklyn reports on Works at Cow Bay to Lords of Trade — his Recommendation to lease Mines refused — Lord William Campbell leases Mines to Gerrish and others for One Year — they open a Mine at Spanish River — Large Quantities of Coal stolen from Cliffs — Troops sent to Cow Ba}r to protect Mines — Troops employed in working Mines at Spanish River — Convoy of Vessels engaged in carrying Coal to Halifax attacked by French Frigates — Impolicy of refusing Leases — its Effects 44

Chapter VI

Early History of the Coal Trade, continued — Island of Cape Breton erected into a separate Government — Reservations of Minerals by Order in Council — Colliery established at Sydney — Worked by Government — Leased to Thos. Moxley in 1788 — to Tremain and Stout in 1792 — Engineer sent out from England to superintend Works — Coal stolen from Cliffs — Measures adopted to prevent it — Mines worked again by Government in 1800 — Leased to William Campbell in 1801 — Worked))} Government from 1803

CONTENTS. IX

to 1813 — Small Profits accruing— Leased to Ritchie and Leaver in 1813 — to Bown and Leaver from 1818 to 1^20 — Cape Breton annexed to Government of Nova Scotia — Sir James Kempt reports on Mines to Lord Bathurst — Cost of Working — Leased to Messrs. Bowns for Five Years — Remarks on Trade from 1785 to 182G — Imperfect System of Working — described in detail — Coal shipped in bad Condition — Character of Workmen — Condition of Buildings— Great Waste of Coal in Working— Table of Coal-Sales, Prices, Royalty, &c, from 1785 to 1827 Page 60

Chapter VII

Miming Speculation in England in 1825 — Organisation of the General Mining Association — Mines of Nova Scotia leased to the Duke of York — Lease transferred to the General Mining Association — Explorations for Copper not successful — Decide upon working the Coal-Mines — Obtain Lease of Reserved Mines — Modifications made in the Association's Lease — Commence Operations at Sydney — Professor How's Analysis of Sydney Coal — its Value as a domestic and steam Coal — its high Character in the Provinces — used by Steamers of the Royal Navy — Pits sunk and Works erected by the Association previous to 1857 — Diagram showing situations of Pits — Lloyd's Cove and Indian Cove Seams opened, but abandoned — Colliery opened at Bridgeport — Operations there — A good Gas Coal — Closed in 1842 — Colliery opened at Lingan, for supply of Gas Works — Description of Seam — Pit, Railway, &c. — Analysis of Lingan Coal by Professor How — its Character as a Steam Coal — The Bras d'Or Colliery — The Point Aconi Colliery ....... 74

Chapter VIII

Progress of Coal Trade from 1827 to 1857 — Exports to United States — Restrictions on the Trade — Introduction of Anthracite into the Markets of New York and Boston — Consumption of Foreign Coal in those Cities — superseded by Anthracite — Cape Breton Coal consigned to the United States for Sale — Great Loss in consequence — Increased Consumption in British Provinces on reducing selling Price — Sales of Small Coal — Statistical Tables showing Annual Sales — Selling Prices — Royalty — Duty in United States — Quantity from each Colliery — and Countries to which it was shipped, from 1827 to 1857 91

Chapter IX

Surrender of Duke of York's Lease — Operations of General Mining Association viewed with satisfaction in the Colony — Benefit derived from their Expenditure — Favourable Report thereon by a Committee of the House of Assembly — Legality of Association's Title to Mines disputed — Opinion of Counsel taken in England — Association's Title declared perfect —

CONTENTS.

Assembly negotiates with Association for a Transfer of their Claims to unopened Mines — deferred owing to Chancery Suit — Reopened in 1857 — Delegates sent to confer with Directors in London — Association surrender Claims to unopened Mines — Conditions — Concessions made on both Sides — Terms of New Lease — Boundaries of Areas leased to the Association — Agreement ratified by Legislature — Advantages accruing to all Parties by Settlement of Question — Act of* 1853 — Prejudicial to the Association — Competition in the Coal Trade — Surrender of other Minerals if no Loss to the Association Page 100

Chapter X

Act of Legislature concerning Mining Leases — its Stipulations — Subsequent Act on same Subject — Numerous Applications for Licences of Exploration— List of New Mining Companies — Situations and Extent of Leases granted, and Operations at the New Collieries : namely, The South Head, Cow Bay ; Tracey, Mira Bay ; Gowrie, Cow Bay ; Blockhouse, Cow Bay ; Acadia, Schooner Pond ; Clyde, Glace Bay ; Caledonia, Glace Bay; Little Glace Bay ; International, Bridgeport ; Victoria, Low Point; Ingraham, Bras d'Or Road; Collins, Little Bras d'Or ; Matheson, Little Bras d'Or ; Black Rock, Great Bras d'Or ; New Campbelltown, Great Bras d'Or; Chimney Corner, Margarie; Broad Cove, Gulf Shore; Mabou, Gulf Shore ; Port Hood, St. George's Bay ; Richmond, Little River ; Sea Coal Bay ; Gut of Canceau — New Mines in Progress — Glasgow and Cape Breton Mining and Railway Company Ill

CHAPTER XL

Improvements at Sydney Mines since 1857 — New Colliery commenced at Cox Hill — Abandoned — New Pits commenced at Cranberry Head- Pumping and Winding Engines erected — Branch Railway constructed — Improvements at Lingan — Railway constructed — Harbour deepened — Leases obtained of Areas under the Sea — Schedule of General Mining Association's Property in Cape Breton — Acreage of Coal Area — Quantity of Coal contained therein— Real Estate — Railways and Rolling Stock — Steam Engines — Buildings and General Equipment of Collieries — Present Capabilities of the Sydney and Lingan Mines — Possible Expansion when necessary 142