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The American Coal Industry, 17901902

Editor: Sean Patrick Adams, University of Florida
3 Volume Set: c.1200pp: December 2013 978 1 84893 375 0: 234x156mm: 275/$495

During the nineteenth century the American economy was able to expand rapidly due to the availability of cheap and plentiful supplies of coal. This primary resource collection covers all aspects of this important energy source through a selection of letters, pamphlets, industry reports and newspaper articles. The chronological format of the collection details Americas first great energy revolution. The three volumes chart the transition from wood to coal and how the coal industry affected politics, the economy, living standards, labour and the environment. This collection shows how Americas vast reserves of coal and their exploitation gave rise to the development of key industries and the growth of the railway, as well as creating unprecedented opportunities for entrepreneurism and driving capitalism. The set will be of value to researchers of economic and labour history, the environment, energy studies and business history.

Train in Street, USA (1885) Mary Evans Picture Library

Includes over fifty texts, most of them in full Documents include pamphlets, newspaper and journal articles, reports and letters, some newly transcribed from manuscript originals Sources focus on Pennsylvania, Ohio and Illinois, as well as covering lesser known coalfields in Rhode Island, Virginia and California Editorial apparatus includes a general introduction, volume introductions, headnotes and endnotes A consolidated index appears in the final volume

PUBLISHERS

PICKERING & CHATTO

Contents Volume 1: Coal and the New Nation, 17901835

This volume covers the birth of the American coal trade, from its eighteenth-century origins in Virginia and Rhode Island through to the booming anthracite trade of Eastern Pennsylvania. As mining expanded, the question of whether or not corporations could or should be created to mine coal helped fuel a wider debate concerning the role of small and large-scale enterprise in the American republic. From its humble origins, the coal trade of the United States not only offered self-sufficiency in mineral fuel, it provided the foundation for an industrial revolution. Documents in this volume include manuscript material on the legislature surrounding the setting up of coal mines, letters from industry experts and scientists that describe the virtues, uses and quality of domestic coal and company reports documenting the growth of this new industry.

Volume 3: King Coals Uneasy Throne in America, 18701902

By the late nineteenth-century America was wholly dependent upon cheap and abundant supplies of coal. This volume examines the highs and lows of the industry during this period. Working conditions were abysmal and by the turn of the century the conflict between labour and capital in the minefields spilled into the nations headlines. This reached its peak with United Mine Workers of America staging the Anthracite Strike of 1902. This was so serious that President Roosevelt had to step in and stabilize the industry. Sources in this volume show the development of labour organizations, including the role of the Mining Commission. Official reports, correspondence between industry leaders and articles in the press all provide insight into the economic, social and political changes occurring throughout the country. The situation surrounding the strike of 1902 is examined through the Anthracite Coal Strike Commissions report, placing the coal industry in the context of labour history as well as the social, political and economic history of America at the turn of the century.

Volume 2: Making Coal a Household Name, 18351875

As coal mining expanded the fuel became indispensable for manufacturing and for powering the steamboats and railroads that began to crisscross the nation. Even during the Civil War, the coal trade continued to grow at an exponential rate. Coal was transported to urban markets via a network of canals and railroads, causing observers to marvel at the sophistication and speed of this industrial system. Sources in this volume detail the industrys coming of age. Texts from the Civil War period are gathered from the writings of social commentators, newspaper articles and inter-company debates via the press. Reports, articles, lectures and speeches attest to the huge importance of the railways to the success of the coal industry. Together the documents presented paint a picture of the rising prevalence of coal in everyday life as well as the debates surrounding its economics and possibilities.

Full contents can be found at: www.pickeringchatto.com/uscoal

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