Salem Hill Photo, St Clair Colliery Photo

Sometimes I am very fortunate. While performing with the Breaker Boys and trying to keep our anthracite heritage alive through music and stories. People will give me wonderful photographs from our mining history here in Schuylkill County.
In today’s blog I want to share these two photo’s given to me by Edward and Ethel Schappell, Pottsville. Edwards father, George Schappell pictured, was killed in Salem Hill May 21, 1935 at the age of 27, he left a wife, Veronica, age 25 and two children, Evelyn, age 9 and Edward, age 7.


Tag on photo to enlarge

The First Photo is the entrance to the Salem Hill Mine, which is located between Pottsville and Port Carbon along Rt 209, the photo was taken in the 1930’s.
Kneeling on the left is John Sabol, from 5th St. Schoentown, Port Carbon, PA.
Standing behind him the 3rd from the left is Peter Steranko from Park Avenue Schoentown, Port Carbon.
Standing 2nd from the right is George Shappell from Mill Creek Avenue, Norwegian Township, Pottsville.
Standing 3rd from the right is Bob Garland from Pottsville St. Mechanicsville, Pottsville PA.
Standing 4th From the right is Charles Frantz from Mauch Chunk and Anderson Sts. Pottsville, Pa.
The others are unknown.

John Sabol, Peter Steranko and George Schappell were brothers in law, George Schappell and Bob Garland were close friends.




John Sabol didn’t go back in the mines when George Schappell was killed, as they were close friends and neighbors growing up together on 3rd St. in Schoetown, Pt. Carbon, Pa. And they were also brothers in law.

This info was provided by Edward Schappell, the son of George Schappell.

This is a picture of the same entrance to Salem Hill taken by myself a few weeks ago, as you can see it is quite flooded with water coming out and running into the Schuylkill River across the road.






Another view of the same entrance.


Here is another fabulous photo. I love to look at the photo’s of these men, men who knew hardship toil and danger that we will never know. Men who worked in the dark and the damp of the anthracite mines. Men who spent years breathing in coal dust and if they survived the years of working in continues danger under ground they usually died suffering from black lung. This is A fabulous study of how they looked, soft caps, carbide lamps, drills, picks, dirty faces and some great moustaches. And check out the poses, these are some of the greatest pictures around. Sorry if I ramble on but these men are my heroes.



Tag on Photo to enlarge.

This photo was given to me by Ethell Schappell, Pottsville who's father, John Lutza was severly injured in this mine and could not work any longer.

The mine is the St. Clair Coal Company Mine, which was located on the North End of St. Clair, along Route 61, in the 1930's.
Sitting 2nd from the left holding the brace drill is George Timko, 402 W. Carroll St. Shaft Hill, St. Clair Pa.
Standing on the left is John Lutza 404 W. Carroll St. Shaft Hill, St. Clair. Pa.
The others are unknown.
George Timko was killed in this mine on May 25, 1931, he left a wife, Justine and three children, Andrew, Helen, and John.

Thank you Ethel and Edward for this look back to our anthracite mining history.