Keep in mind that charcoal doesn't transport well at all.  
Interestingly, and I don't know the dates, American railroads built  
special cars to move charcoal. Moving it on anything but a paved road  
or by RR is limited to about 5 miles before the charcoal is too  
pulverized to be of use.

One of the advantages to coal is that it is structurally stronger.  
This allows for long distance transport and also higher columns in  
smelters and other furnaces. Taller is generally more efficient  
(longer dwell time for the charge allows more complete heat transfer  
and less exhausted out the top).

James Brothers, RPA
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On Apr 28, 2006, at 11:28, Marty Pickands wrote:

> Yes, I am fairly sure it must have been made locally, because
> transportation costs must have made coal fairly expensive.   
> Parishville
> is located on the edge of the Adirondack Wilderness in what was  
> then big
> lumber country. Wood was so abundant that the wagon shop part of the
> business was actually built on made land filled with scraps from the
> adjacent sawmill.
> I suspect that there must have been a small local group of colliers
> making charcoal locally, but I have more research to do on that point.
> Fortunately it is a town where most everyone's family has lived there
> for generations. Someone will know.
>
> Marty Pickands