Schuylkill Navigation Company

The Schuylkill Navigation Company constructed a canal along the Schuylkill River from Philadelphia to the anthracite coal field near Pottsville in 1815-1825.

The Schuylkill Navigation Company was incorporated under the laws of Pennsylvania on March 8, 1815, for the purpose of improving the navigation of the Schuylkill River above tide. The method adopted was to build a series of dams to create slackwater pools which were connected by canals and locks. The Schuylkill Valley contained some rich farmland, iron ore deposits and blast furnaces, and its headwaters drained a major anthracite coal field.

Construction began in 1816, and the entire system was completed from Fairmount in Philadelphia to Mount Carbon, a distance of 106 miles, on May 20, 1825. The navigation was extended two miles further upstream to Port Carbon in 1828. The work included the first American canal tunnel near Auburn. The completion of the canal sparked extensive development and investment in the Schuylkill Coal Field, which generated an ever-increasing volume of traffic. The Schuylkill equalled New York's Erie Canal in tonnage and profitability.

Traffic increased so rapidly that the canal had to be enlarged between 1830 and 1835 to handle boats of 60 rather than 30 tons capacity. However, the coal traffic also drew a competitor, the Philadelphia & Reading Railroad, which was built alongside the canal from Philadelphia to Mount Carbon in 1835-42. In the bitter rate wars that followed, the railroad was soon hauling more coal than the canal. Besides the advantage of operating year-round, the Reading also enjoyed better access to foreign capital. The Schuylkill Navigation Company was obliged to again enlarge its works in 1845-46, amounting to building an entirely new canal capable of handling 200-ton boats.

The costs of rebuilding forced the company to default in 1848. It was rehabilitated under the presidency of Frederick Fraley (1847-70), but sustained further losses through catastrophic flood damage in 1850 and continuing competition with the railroad. Tonnage peaked at 1.7 million tons in 1859. In 1863 the company settled with the Reading and agreed to give the railroad 55 percent of the coal trade.

Despite this truce, the company proved unable to repay the debts incurred for the 1845-46 rebuilding. A strike by coal miners and another disastrous flood in 1870 proved to be the last straw. On July 12, 1870, the company leased all its property to the Philadelphia & Reading. The railroad created a canal department to manage the Schuylkill Navigation.

Between 1870 and 1889 the canal was progressively abandoned for the shipment of coal. The uppermost section had become clogged with coal silt as early as 1853. The Reading continued to maintain the lower portions of the canal for freight traffic, and the last sections were finally abandoned in 1931. However, some portions continued to be maintained to supply water power to lineside industries. The Reading sold the bulk of the property to the State of Pennsylvania in 1947, and the Schuylkill Navigation Company was dissolved in 1949.

The Schuylkill Navigation Company was incorporated under the laws of Pennsylvania on March 8, 1815, for the purpose of improving the navigation of the Schuylkill River above tide. The method adopted was to build a series of dams to create slackwater pools which were connected by canals and locks.

Construction began in 1816, and the entire system was completed from Fairmount in Philadelphia to Mount Carbon, a distance of 106 miles, on May 20, 1825. The navigation was extended two miles further upstream to Port Carbon in 1828. The work included the first American canal tunnel near Auburn. The completion of the canal sparked extensive development and investment in the Schuylkill Coal Field, which generated an ever-increasing volume of traffic. The Schuylkill equalled New York's Erie Canal in tonnage and profitability.

Traffic increased so rapidly that the canal had to be enlarged between 1830 and 1835 to handle boats of 60 rather than 30 tons capacity. However, the coal traffic also drew a competitor, the Philadelphia & Reading Railroad, which was built alongside the canal from Philadelphia to Mount Carbon in 1835-1842. In the bitter rate wars that followed, the railroad was soon hauling more coal than the canal. Besides the advantage of operating year-round, the Reading also enjoyed better access to foreign capital. The Schuylkill Navigation Company was obliged to again enlarge its works in 1845-1846, amounting to building an entirely new canal capable of handling 200-ton boats.

The costs of rebuilding forced the company to default in 1848. It was rehabilitated under the presidency of Frederick Fraley (1847-1870) but sustained further losses through catastrophic flood damage in 1850 and continuing competition with the railroad. Tonnage peaked at 1.7 million tons in 1859. In 1863 the company settled with the Reading and agreed to give the railroad 55 per cent of the coal trade.

Despite this truce, the company proved unable to repay the debts incurred for the 1845-1846 enlargement. A strike by coal miners and another disastrous flood in 1870 proved to be the last straw. On July 12, 1870, the company leased all its property to the Philadelphia & Reading. The railroad created a canal department to manage the Schuylkill Navigation.

Between 1870 and 1889 the canal was progressively abandoned for the transportation of coal. The uppermost section had become clogged with coal silt as early as 1853. The Reading continued to maintain the lower portions of the canal for freight traffic, and the last sections were finally abandoned in 1931. However, some portions continued to be maintained to supply water power to lineside industries. The Reading sold the bulk of the property to the State of Pennsylvania in 1947, and the Schuylkill Navigation Company was dissolved in 1949.