▁the ▁Del aware ▁River , ▁and ▁both ▁to ▁the ▁co ald ale ▁coal ▁depos its ▁by ▁char ter ing ▁a ▁Pennsylvania ▁subs idi ary ▁corpor ation . ▁the ▁Del aware ▁and ▁Hudson ▁Gra vity ▁Rail road ▁to ▁bring ▁coal ▁to ▁the ▁Del aware ▁and ▁the ▁new ▁canal . ▁This ▁cable ▁rail road ▁would ▁grow ▁in ▁importance ▁and ▁become ▁the ▁far ▁fl ung ▁class ▁I ▁rail road , ▁the ▁Del aware ▁and ▁Hudson ▁Railway . ▁ ▁Del aware ▁and ▁Hudson ▁Canal ▁Company ▁▁▁ ▁In ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 8 2 0 s , ▁Philadelphia ▁merchant ▁William ▁W ur ts , ▁who ▁enjoyed ▁walking ▁about ▁along ▁Amer ind ian ▁paths , ▁and ▁what ▁we ▁today ▁term , ▁taking ▁nature ▁h ikes — had ▁heard ▁of ▁possible ▁anth rac ite ▁in ▁the ▁area , ▁so ▁took ▁a ▁trip ▁to ▁explore ▁the ▁sp ars ely ▁settled ▁regions ▁of ▁N ort he astern ▁Pennsylvania . ▁F inding ▁coal ▁out cro ps , ▁he ▁immediately ▁realized ▁the ▁value ▁of ▁the ▁extensive ▁anth rac ite ▁depos its . ▁▁ ▁Return ing ▁to ▁Philadelphia , ▁he ▁successfully ▁interested ▁his ▁brothers ▁in ▁backing ▁the ▁idea ▁of ▁building ▁a ▁canal ▁to ▁make ▁it ▁easier ▁to ▁transport ▁coal ▁to ▁New ▁York ▁City , ▁which ▁was ▁still ▁feeling ▁the ▁effects ▁of ▁the ▁de ple tion ▁of ▁stands ▁of ▁wood lands ▁providing ▁he ating ▁& ▁cook ing ▁fire ▁wood ▁and ▁also ▁s que ez ed ▁by ▁continu ing ▁post - W ar ▁of ▁ 1 8 1 2 ▁import ▁restrictions ▁on ▁British ▁bit umin ous ▁coal