CHAPTER XXIV.
COAL TOWNSHIP.

     Coal township was originally a part of Saltlick, and was struck off into a separate township in 1872.  It contains only thirteen sections and borders on Hocking county.  The early history of Coal is inseparably connected with that of Saltlick, and the early history of that township necessarily includes that of Coal also, except as hereinafter related.
     The building of the Straitsville branch of the Hocking Valley rail- road, and the establishment of the tow^n of New Straitsville, were the causes which led to the organization of the township of Coal.
     New Straitsville was laid out in 1870, by the Straitsville Mining Company and at once began to grow with a rapidity that no other new mining town in this section of the State had equaled.  Large coal companies were organized, and the shipping of coal engaged in on a large scale.  Coal-works, stores, shops, dwellings, and churches grew up as if by magic.  Miners, mechanics, general laborers and business men, gathered from nearly all quarters of the globe.  The population of the place increased wonderfully, and in a short time it appeared to be almost a city.  It was duly incorporated, and otherwise prepared for permanent growth and lasting habitation.  It contains a bank, post office, railroad station, telegraph offices, furnace, and stores, shops, etc., corresponding with the population and business of the place.  It also has a large union school-house of eight rooms, four churches and a number of costly private residences.  The population of New Straitsville, according to the census of 1880, was 2782, and now probably exceeds 3000.
     Straitsville (the old town,) situated about one mile from New Straitsville, was laid out in 1835 by Jacob and Isaac Strait.  The village is pleasantly situated on a broad and commanding ridge, overlooking much of the surrounding country.  It grew slowly, however, and for many years, had simply a postoffice, store or two, tavern, and church, and less than one hundred inhabitants.  Though only an unimportant country village, it is historic ground, for there the first three years company of volunteers in the county rendezvoused and drilled, before they came to New Lexington to take the cars for the seat of war.  Straitsville and surrounding country was a favorite recruiting ground, which kept far ahead of its quota, and the dark shadow of a draft never fell upon its homes, though no part of the State, so far as is known, gave a greater percentage of its population to fight for the Nation's life, and the mortal remains of a large number of them sleep in the soil which their valor helped save to Liberty and Union.  Truly, these considerations should make the old village of Straitsville historic ground.  The old tavern mentioned is gone, but the village now has a good

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schoolhouse of two large rooms, a Baptist church, and post office, which is now called Shelden.  A branch of the Hocking Valley railroad comes up to a mine about a fourth of a mile from the town.  Straitsville had, by the census of 1880, a population of 308.
     The Methodists organized a society, and built what was long known as the "Harbaugh Meeting House," at an early day.  It was a regular appointment in the Ohio Conference, and was, for many years, a strong and influential congregation.  The Harbaugh church stood in what is now the suburbs of New Straitsville.  After the town was laid out, the congregation decided to build within the town limits, and the old "Meeting House" was abandoned and torn down.
     The Baptists organized a society, and erected a log church in Old Straitsville, at a very early day.  After a few years, the old log church gave place to a new frame building, which is yet in use.
     The churches in New Straitsville are, of course, all of more recent origin.  The Catholic church, which is a large brick structure, was built in 1871.  The m. E. church, a frame building of good dimensions, was erected in 1872.  The Welsh Baptist and Disciple churches were built in 1880.  The society of Primitive Methodists have not yet built, but worship at Odd Fellow's Hall.  The Methodist Protestant congregation have no building of their own, but hold regular services at Kohn's Hall.  All of these churches have Sabbath schools connected with them, which schools are said to be in a flourishing condition.
     New Straitsville has a Masonic lodge, and Odd Fellows' Lodge and a Lodge of the Knights of Labor.  The last named has an extraordinary list of members, said to embrace four or five hundred persons.
     Coal township abounds in iron ore as well as coal.  There is a good market for the ore at Bessie Furnace, situated in the suburbs of New Straitsville.
     The Straitsville coal has a reputation equal to any in the State, and the output is most of the time very large.  The statement is made, which is doubtless correct, that New Straitsville ships more coal than any other one point tributary to the Hocking Valley railroad.
     For a small, inland township, the population of Coal is very cosmopolitan.  It consists chiefly of English, Irish, Welsh, Scotch and American born; with a considerable sprinkling of other nationalities, including a comparatively small number of persons of African descent.
     There were, a few years ago, very serious troubles at New Straitsville between the miners and operators, but latterly strikes have been of infrequent occurrence and of short duration.  As a general thing, capitalists, operators and miners appear to work together with a fair degree of harmony.
     New Straitsville is a first-class market for much of the neighboring country in Perry, Hocking and Athens counties; but, after all that can be done, much of the produce consumed by the people is shipped in from other parts of the country.  There is little attention given to agriculture, in the near vicinity of^ the town.  The land is not adapted to such a pursuit, and if it were, it is now nearly all the property of coal companies, and has been thrown out as commons.  The population of Coal township in 1880 was, including villages, 3836.

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