Time is short for historical breaker
Lack of action on Huber Breaker frustrates buffs.
By Jennifer Learn-Andes jandes@timesleader.com
Luzerne County Reporter



ASHLEY – The fate of the Huber Breaker in Ashley remains up in the air, to the frustration of coal mining history buffs who’d like to see it preserved.

Visible from Interstate 81, the hulking structure is the largest standing coal breaker left in Pennsylvania, said Ray Clarke, board chairman of the Huber Breaker Preservation Society.

Luzerne County Commissioners pulled out of plans to turn the site into a mining museum in January 2009, saying the county could not afford the $7 million purchase price demanded by property owner, No. 1 Contracting Corp.

No. 1 Contracting filed for bankruptcy earlier this month.

Local historian John Dziak said he and others worry the breaker will be dismantled for scrap as part of the bankruptcy.

A meeting of creditors in that bankruptcy case is scheduled for April 23 at the federal courthouse in Scranton.

“Everybody’s waiting for somebody else to do something. There’s no coordinated effort to find out what could be done and the costs,â€

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Scott K
"Watch Your Top"

if they do decide to rip it down, will anyone be offering tours of it before that happens?

what would be the point of the preservation socity keeping the park if the breaker is torn down? having a Huber Breaker park with no breaker would be like having a zoo without any animals.

please keep me/us posted, as if it is going to be torn day ill haveta get a form to skip school and go get pictures.

That's actually a great idea dude. Maybe if demo day becomes a reality, the owner may let a clean-cut and professional group such as this arrange a tour and take some documentary photos. Nice man, I like that.

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jdr

Im glad I got to explore it a few times before it gets torn down..For something that massive i doubt it will be saved from the scrap yard especially in these hard economic times.