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Munsell on Eckley, 1880
Eckley
Eckley first came into public notice in 1854, when Messrs. Sharp, Leisenring & Weiss opened the coal mines here. A branch of the Lehigh Valley Railroad was built to this place in 1855, and a shipment of coal was made in September of that year. A large and commodious hotel was built here in 1857, and subsequently converted into a dwelling house. The school-house was built in 1858, and the steam saw-mill in 1856. The Protestant Episcopal and Presbyterian churches were built in 1858, and since then the Catholic church. The population is about 600. E. T. Dodson is the present postmaster.
The colliery at this place is known as Council Ridge Colliery, and is owned by the estate of Tench Coxe, and operated by J. Leisenring & Co. At slope No. 2 there are 160 men and boys employed under ground, and 70 on the surface. There are eight engines, with a total of 375 horse power. At No. 5 there are 77 men employed under ground, and 44 on the surface. There are seven engines, of 375 horse power. The number of tons of coal mined in 1878 for both slopes was 143, 884.
-- From Munsell, William Watkins. History of Luzerne, Lackawanna and Wyoming Counties, Pa.: With Illustrations, and Biographical Sketches of Some of Their Prominent Men and Pioneers. New York: W. W. Munsell & Co., 1880.