 By 1840, over 250,000 tons of anthracite mined from the region annually reached Philadelphia through White and Hazard's Lehigh River system (Dublin, Licht, 12-3).A group of Germans wanted to seek the rights to the Schuylkill River.They received a charter in 1815 to incorporate the Schuylkill Navigation Company, which would have control over the Schuylkill River.