Colliers

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Collier Life

Historically, the collier profession was not one for the faint of heart, as great skill was required in order to successfully maintain multiple charcoal hearths at one time for months on end[1]. Living alone, or occasionally with a son or apprentice, colliers could not afford to lose concentration for even one moment, as the slightest wayward breeze or hole in the charcoal hearth could cause irreparable damage to the charcoal[2]. There were exceptions, however, as a collier, John Bachman, forty years of age, was listed in the 1860 Census as living with his wife and eleven children, ages four months through nineteen years[3]. More information on John Bachman can be found on the Lives of Workers page. Another notable collier in the area was Joseph Johns (1794-1906). The quality of charcoal was important to colliers' livelihood as high quality charcoal rated higher prices[4]. The collier profession required almost constant twenty-four-hour surveillance of the hearths [1]. A dangerous role a collier may have needed to perform was called "jumping the pit." This crucial job required a collier to climb onto the hearth and place more wood into any "soft spots" in the pile[5]. If anything went awry, the collier risked falling into the smoldering charcoal fire[6]. While making charcoal, colliers lived in the woods in roughly constructed collier huts[7]. During the winter months, colliers became woodcutters in order to get a full-years wage, as the ideal season for charcoal production was during the warmer months of the year[8]. Wood cut in April would typically contain 10 to 20 percent more water than wood that was cut in January[9]. Woodcutters were paid by the cord; some would try to deceive the system and loosely pile their billets or stack them over stumps to falsely increase the volume[10].

Collier Pay

Colliers were paid for their charring approximately $1.12-$1.25 per one hundred bushels of charcoal[11]. According to Walker[12], colliers at Hopewell Furnace (Birdsboro, PA) made a monthly pay between $8.62-$20.62 in 1805-1807, $16.00-$23.00 in 1818-1820, $13.50-$18.00 in 1825-1827 and 1835-1837 and $17.50-$24.00 in 1851-1853. In order to better understand how much this is worth, we can convert this to modern amounts using Measuring Worth[13]. For example, if we just adjust for inflation, $8.62 in 1805 is equivalent to $194.00 today (2019). That is an incomplete picture, however, because it does not take into account economic growth. "Relative labor earnings" is a better measure because it compares the wage to the average wage from the two time periods[14]. Using this measure,[15] $8.62 in 1805 would be more like getting paid between $3,110.00 (unskilled labor) to $5,940.00 (skilled labor) today (2019). Similarly, $17.50 in 1835 would have a "relative labor earnings" value of $5,170.00 (unskilled) and $10,500.00 (skilled). This suggests that, relative to today, colliers were relatively well paid. Indeed, at the Dale Furnace in 1799, only the Manager of the Furnace was paid more per month (9 pounds, 7 shillings and 6 pence or approximately $300.00/ year)than the "coaler" or collier (8 pounds). Even the furnace keeper, the individual responsible for the operation of the furnace, earned less than the colliers[16]. This is not quite as true between 1836-40 at the Hampton Furnace (Hereford Township, PA), when the colliers earned $17.50 compared to $25.00 for the keeper[17].

Notes

  1. ↑ Straka and Ramer 2010, 60
  2. ↑ Wagner, 2008
  3. ↑ United States Census, 1860
  4. ↑ Straka 2014, 106
  5. ↑ Straka and Ramer 2010, 60
  6. ↑ Straka and Ramer 2010, 60
  7. ↑ Walker 1966, 242
  8. ↑ Kemper 1941, 10
  9. ↑ Overman 1854, 80
  10. ↑ Walker 1966, 239
  11. ↑ Overman 1854, 117
  12. ↑ Walker 1966, 261
  13. ↑ https://www.measuringworth.com/calculators/uscompare/relativevalue.php
  14. ↑ https://www.measuringworth.com/calculators/uscompare/#measures
  15. ↑ https://www.measuringworth.com/calculators/uscompare/relativevalue.php
  16. ↑ Gemmell 1949, 91
  17. ↑ Gemmell 1949, 95

References

  • Agriculture and Rural economy – Charcoal → . 2010. The Encyclopedia of Diderot & d'Alembert Collaborative Translation Project. Ann Arbor: Michigan Publishing, University of Michigan Library. [2]. Originally published as "Agriculture et économie rustique – Charbon de bois," Encyclopédie ou Dictionnaire raisonné des sciences, des arts et des métiers, vol. 1 (plates) (Paris, 1762).
  • Gemmell, Alfred. 1949. The Charcoal Iron Industry in the Perkiomen Valley. Norristown, PA.: Hartenstine Printing House.
  • Kemper, Jackson. 1941. American Charcoal Making in the Era of the Cold-Blast Furnace. History 14. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of the Interior; National Park Service.
  • Overman, Frederick. 1854. The Manufacture of Iron, in all its Various Branches (3rd ed.). Philadelphia: Baird. [3]
  • Straka, Thomas J., and Wayne C. Ramer. 2010. History on the Road: Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site. Forest History Today Spring/Fall: 58–62.[4]
  • Straka, Thomas J. 2014. Historic Charcoal Production in the US and Forest Depletion: Development of Production Parameters. Advances in Historical Studies: 104-114.[5]
  • Svedelius, G., Joseph Leonard W. Nicodemus, and Björn R. Anderson. 1875. Hand-book for Charcoal Burners. New York: Wiley. [6]
  • United States Census, 1860, database with images, FamilySearch [7] : 24 March 2017, Pennsylvania > Carbon > East Penn Township > image 2 of 22; from "1860 U.S. Federal Census - Population," database, Fold3.com (http://www.fold3.com : n.d.); citing NARA microfilm publication M653 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
  • Wagner, Van. 2008. Fire the Pit- Charcoal Production in Pennsylvania. 4 vols. [8]; [9]; [10]; [11]
  • Walker, Joseph E. 1966. Hopewell Village; a Social and Economic History of an Iron-Making Community. Philadelphia,: Univ. of Pennsylvania Press.
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