Historian documents last deep mining in Luzerne County

By Paul Golias (Correspondent)
Published: September 7, 2012
The historical record of the last deep mining in Luzerne County is now complete. A brief operation of Beltrami Enterprises at the Huber Breaker in Ashley ended in August 1975, when 252 tons of anthracite was mined. Attorney F. Charles Petrillo, Wilkes-Barre, an area historian, provided the results of his research Tuesday night at a meeting of the Huber Breaker Preservation Society at the Earth Conservancy building, Ashley. Petrillo said a Glen-Nan Coal Co. operation at the Forge Slope ended in February 1974 and that had been given often as the last deep mining operation in the county. Deep mining began to wane after World War I and it slowly declined through the mid-20th century. Petrillo said Beltrami Enterprises began work to open the No. 1 Slope at Ashley in April 1975, and 13 tons were mined in July. The final 252 tons were extracted that August, he said.
Other late mining operations included Mountain Coal Co., West Wyoming, which ran to April 1973; Glen-Nan Twin Slope, to October 1973, and Casey-Kassa Coal Co., Slope 2 at the Silverbrook Mine, that mined coal for one day in April 1975, and then shut down due to a monthlong miners' strike.
Petrillo also showed vintage films of the anthracite industry, including a 1931 film titled "Miners of Anthracite," and a 1915 film produced by the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad at its Truesdale Colliery in Hanover Township. The latter film urged miners not to drink before going to work and it included scenes of deceased miners being brought to their homes in Concrete City, the company town also build at Hanover.
Ray Clarke, chairman of the society's board, gave a report on the miners' memorial being created in front of the breaker.
Efforts by the Huber Breaker Preservation Society to acquire the breaker and to stimulate state and federal grants for its restoration have been unsuccessful. The breaker and 26 acres of land west of the smaller preservation society plot are owned by No. 1 Contracting Co. which is in bankruptcy. Clarke said paving blocks and benches planned fore the park remain for sale.

For further information on the memorial park or breaker preservation, contact Clarke at 570-824-3176.

_________________
Scott K
"Watch Your Top"

i did a little research on the mine maps and found the No.1 slope was near the intersection of hazleton road and 309. its under a reclaim lot now, on the north side of hazleton street next to the building there. it was a coal slope down into the baltimore bed and was first mined when the maxwell breaker was still standing......

_________________
Come over to the Dark Side....... We have Cookies!