St. Louis Coal Industry Essay

The Coal Industry’s Impact on St. LouisCoal is perhaps the most plentiful source of fossil fuel and it an extensive history. It has been used as a source of heat since cave men roamed the earth. During the 1700s, it was discovered by the British that coal could produce a fuel which burned much cleaner and hotter that wood charcoal. However, the heavy demand of coal started with the Industrial Revolution that created numerous new technologies which required coal for energy. This produced the opportunity for coal to serve as the dominant worldwide supplier of energy. Similar to other large cities around the nation, St. Louis had a growing industry for coal as industrialization took a firm foothold in the community. But, unlike those other cities, “coal is literally the foundation of St. Louis.”
Starting as an Indian trading post in 1764, St.
Louis quickly transformed into a commercial city as western expansion drove settlers into the city. Steamboats and railroads, both coal powered, were the major means of transportation; although steamboats lost popularity as the railroads expanded throughout the city. The easy accessibility of resources inspired the development of industries on a continuously growing basis. Coal was no exception. St. Louis is nearly surrounded by coal aside from the southwest. There were even a few coal mines within the city, one in particular located at what is now the corner of Tholozan Street and Morganford Street. But the largest supply, while still be close, was located in Illinois, a few miles south of St. Louis on the east side of the Mississippi River.1 The coal reserves in Missouri and Illinois were so extensive that it was thought they would provide sufficient fuel supplies for thousands of years and even today remains the dominant source of energy. Illinois provided the lowest cost for coal in the nation and because St. Louis was so close, the city benefitted from it in a way no other city
could.
Railroads were a main mode of transportation and St. Louis is known for its use of street cars throughout the city. In the early 1920s, the city began clearing buildings in the area of what are now Hadley Street, Tyler Street, 11th Street, and Howard Street. Illinois Power and Light Corporation bought out the Illinois Terminal Company in 1928 and wished to expand the railroad’s network of interurban and freight rail lines. This wasn’t the only company that wished to expand. In 1931, the Hawthorne Coal Company installed new equipment at 11th Street and Tyler to accommodate the railway expansion. This equipment allowed the yard to be served by an elevated switch from the railroad system which connected to the Hawthorne Coal Company’s property. By 1949, the St. Louis Metropolitan area was the second largest railroad terminal in the United States being served by eighteen trunk line railroads, three short line railroads, and five railroads that were exclusively involved in switching operations.1
Hawthorne Coal Company was particularly unique in the coal industry. The extremely competitive nature of the industry required close attention to detail in regards to quality of service, product as well as innovative techniques that put the company at an advantage over others in the area. Hawthorne Coal Company did just that with its specialized delivery service. The Tyler Street yard has two single track spurs that are elevated from the Illinois Terminal Railroad, which is how the coal deliveries are usually received. One elevated track is parallel to several enclosed wooden storage bins. A container travels along the conveyor is at a 45 degree incline so the coal can be removed automatically from the hopper-bottom cars and transferred into bin storage. The exceptional part of this company is the incentive that Vice President, William J. Miller, created. His system of bonus payments to the drivers and hikers allowed them to receive cash bonuses each year they complete satisfactory work.5 This incentive developed even the underperforming workers into noteworthy employees.