Coal Region History Chronicles

Mine Mule, the best photo ever!!!!!!!

2011-09-22T16:55:00.003-04:00

Just found this photo of a unique Mine Mule taken in the anthracite region of Eastern Pa. This is the best photo of a mine mule I have ever come across. It was in our archives at the Historical Society of Schuylkill County.
Only wish I new its name and at what colliery. Damn!!!!!!!

Mule Revealed Death Of A Miner

2011-09-20T22:14:00.005-04:00

Anybody who reads this blog will note that I like Mules, especially mine mules those wonderful animals that worked for years in the depths of the anthracite coal mines of eastern Pennsylvania.
Here is an interesting story from March 6, 1907 issue of the Daily Pottsville Republican newspaper.
There is a superstition about the mines that the mule is able to give warming of an impending accident and is also gifted with a sixth sense whereby it can tell when a fatality has occurred, which superstation has taken a further hold on the employees of the Glendower colliery as is the result of the display of this sense given by a mule when John Zerbe of Mt. Pleasant was killed at that colliery.
The mule was at work on the surface while Zerbe was deep in the mines. Suddenly the animal; broke loose from a post of which he was tied, ran to the mouth of the slope and again and again repeated a loud hee haw, which could be heard about the entire colliery. It was with difficulty that the animal could be taken away from the mouth of the slope and when it was finally forced to do so it threw itself flat on the ground and pawed wildly, refusing to get up. The actions of the animal were so peculiar and so unexpected that the employees were unable to surmise the cause when a foreigner solemnly walked up and said, “Must be a man die inside.”
This superstition was known to all and an investigation was made with the result that the body of Zerbe was discovered crushed to death, the accident having happened about the same time that the mule ran to the mouth of the slope.
Zerbe has volunteered to do some measuring in a small offset, which was so small that the other men could not get in to do it, and it was while engaged at this that the fall of coal occurred which resulted in his death.

Murderous Assault on The Captain Smith of The Canal Boat.Virginia 1865

2011-09-06T13:23:00.003-04:00

Pottsville Miners Journal
September 23 1865

On Monday morning last about 3 o’clock, as the boat Virginia, owned by the Schuylkill Navigation company, and commanded by Captain Smith of Reading, was passing through the guard locks at Landingville, this County, four Irishmen boarded the boat, two seating themselves at the bow of the boat, and two at the stern. As the boat was passing up the dam, the men gathered around the Captain, and demanded his money... The Captain replied that he had but seven dollars, and they could have that. The robbers were dissatisfied, and one of the ruffians named Owen Mullen, struck the Captain on the head with a billy, and threw him on the hatchway. The Captain’s son, a small boy, who had loaded a gun by his father’s direction, came up the cabin steps, and placing the gun near Mullens head, fired the contents through the head of the robber, killing him instantly. Malloy, lived on “The Flat”, Schuylkill Haven. And was known to be a desperate character. After Mullen was shot the rest of the men attempted to seize Captain Smith, but he sprang overboard and swam ashore. His son followed him by jumping through the cabin window. When the Captain jumped in the water the ruffians threw the tiller at him, but fortunately it missed him. The Captain and his son succeeded in reaching Orwigsburg Landing. Without further molestation. The robbers pulled the boat tothe shore, and escaped. Every good citizen will feel a sense of relief that such a scoundrel as Mullen has been disposed of, and earnestly hope that other wretches in this county, when caught in crime, may be sent the same road quickly.
On Monday Coroner Johnson held an inquest, The jury rendered a verdict of Justifiable homicide

Old Pottsville Photo

2011-07-26T20:57:00.000-04:00

THE OLD YORK FARM TUNNEL

2011-05-04T11:44:00.008-04:00

The Palo Alto Cut

THE OLD YORK FARM TUNNEL

There are seven coal veins that lie under the conglomerate rock strata in the Pottsville basin, or under Pottsville itself.
The York farm breaker once stood northwest of the Pottsville High School veteran’s memorial stadium. Back in the old days, (1880’s and 90”s) the big black structure could be seen from all parts of the town.
The Tunnel was bored southward in the direction of sharp mountain. It was done in the late 1890’s. It went under the hill on which the high school stands, under a section of town near 19th and 20th Sts., and right up into Sharp Mountain.
It cut acr4oss a lot of veins, most of them twice, on the north and south sides of Pottsville basin. What that means is it cut them on the hill where the colliery stood and again where they came up on Sharp Mountain.
There was an air hole drilled from one of the veins to the surface, and it is said to have come out near the southeastern entrance of St. John Cemetery at 20th street, and then known as Broad Street.
The tunnel was driven at an elevation of 485 feet above sea level. And if the elevation of Center and Norwegian st., is 618 plus, as we always have been told, (Actually GPS Verifies this) Then it is easy to conclude that the old York Tunnel is some 133 feet or 44 yards lower than Pottsville’s busiest intersection, though still not low enough to cut the shallowest vein in the basin.
But it apparently deep enough to have pierced all the veins on the south slope of Sharp Mountain, had it been driven farther south through the mountain. If it had been driven all the way, all arguments about coal on the southern slope of Sharp Mt. would have been settled;. As they really never knew if coal extended below the Sharp Mountain.
In the 1950’s the Boulevard or Route 61 was cut through Sharp Mountain in 1950, from Palo Alto to Mt. Carbon, we now have the opportunity to view the last of the southern veins of coal in the Anthracite region on the south side of Sharp Mountain. It is apparent that they were not workable, but you can still see them when you get off 61 and head into Palo Alto. Maybe they could have been worked, who knows.

A FEW SHOTS OF THE LAST VEINS OF COAL IN THE LOWER ANTHRACITE REGION ON SHARP MOUNTAIN NEAR PALO ALTO

A Deadly Disaster At The Chamberlain Colliery in St. Clair, Pa. 1887

2011-04-23T12:00:00.006-04:00

A Deadly Disaster At The Chamberlain Mine in St. Clair, Pa. 1887

On April 17, 1887 Easter Monday,, in the town of St. Clair, Pa. A hearse pulled by two black horses led two curtained horse carriages toward the cemetery bearing the body of a young girl.

On Saturday, April 16, 1887 disaster struck the town of St. Clair. The week before Miss Minnie M. Keiter came home from Vassar College to spend her Easter Vacation., bringing with her Miss Verlista Shaul, a college friend.
The two young girls visited with many of Minnie’s friends in town, celebrating the Easter holiday. Miss Shaul like a lot of people who were not from the area desired to see the interior of a coal mine. Minnie knowing many who worked in and around the mines arranged fro her to have a look.
Minnie was well acquainted with the workings of a coal mine having grown up in the area she had been down many times. Living next door to the Keiter family was Mr. Hiatt one of the owners of the Chamberlain Colliery, Minnie asked him if he could take Verlista down for a tour.
Mr. Hiatt Agreed to do give the girls the tour. He introduced Minnie to Harry Short who was always willing to entertain visitiors and went along for the tour into the mine.
Full of frolic and good humor the group started off for the mine. Mrs. Keiter talked to the girls and told them to be careful that no accidents would befall them. Minnie and Verlista talked with Mr. Keiter about the up coming tour and he gave his consent.
The girls arrived at the mine entrance which was about thousand yards below the Borough line; they soon had a mine car placed at their service. The party consisting of Minnie, Verlista and Harry Short descended the slope accompanied by Peter Harrison the engineer of the mine who had just surfaced to retrieve a piece of pipe for the exhaust pipe of the Allison pump he was working on down in the mine. The engineer notified Daniel Thompson who was also working on the pump that some ladies were in the mine for a tour.
After finishing the work he was engaged in Thompson went out to the bottom to receive the visitors, show them so light and escort them to the mouth of the tunnel and entertain them until his brother Edwin would arrive and take over the tour. While waiting for Edwin Thompson the group was engaged in merry banter and laughing like young people would do having no worry of the danger that they were exposed to.
Edwin Thompson arrived and had his safety lamp with him as he had been working in the Little Vein where he knew there was gas. The visit was to be made to the big vein where he was confident that there was no gas. (Fire Damp).
Mr. Thompson started out ahead of the group carrying his safety lamp, Minnie and Harry Short were given regular miner’s lamps. As they started walking Dan Thompson called to his brother Edwin that he should be careful for he was responsible for the safety of the young ladies.
Through the tunnel and into the Big Tracey vein the party tramped until they came close to the turnout. Mr. Thompson in the advance.
What happened next know one can say for sure, Apparently one of the open flame miners’ lamps was raised high enough to reach fire damp that was hovering above them. Quick as lighting the gas ignited and a flash, flame reached the main body of the gas causing an explosion for over a hundred and fifty yards ahead and back of the gangway with the force and velocity of cannon fire.
In this case the fire did little damage, but the blow mad sad havocs of those in the gangway. Edwin Thompson saw none of the lights of his companions, but he saw for a split second a ball of fire through the gangway and then he was unconscious, being hurled by the force of the explosion and dashed to the ground.
In other parts of the mine Daniel Thompson and George Frantz felt the wind from the expulsion and knew something dreadful had happened. They immediately rushed through the tunnel to the Big vein where they feared the explosion had occurred.
Daniel Thompson soon came upon Minnie Keiter who lay bruised and bleeding, who was crying and begging to be taken home for she was dying. Giving her all the attention he could, he ran over to Harry Short who he found lying with his neck across the rail and his low back toward the gutter unconscious. Grabbing a piece of board Mr. Thompson took off his shirt and making a pillow of it placed it on the board and put it under Harry’s head so that he could breathe. Moving forward Mr. Thompson found Miss Shaul about two yards further. She was wearing a gossamer and it had rapped twice around her head from the force of the explosion. She lay unconscious. Mr. Thompson thinking her dead leaned down and listened for signs of life. Finding a faint heart beat, he quickly tore the gossamer away and gave here a chance to breathe.
By this time Edwin had regained conscious ness and crept toward the sound of the voices. Before he reached where Miss Shaul lay, he fell over through weakness caused by an ugly gash in his hip. Leaving Edwin to fend for himself as he was the least injured of the party, Daniel ran back to where Minnie lay and as the other men had reached her they immediately set to work to get the suffering victims out before the poison after damp sets in that always follows a gas explosion.
They carried Minnie to the bottom and retuned with a car for the others and brought them to the bottom also. They worked fast ahead of the dangerous and deadly after damp before more people would die.
The victims were carefully hoisted up the slope. Mr. and Mrs. Hiatt being there to receive them.
Dr. A.P. Carr, a skilled surgeon was on hand to do what he could for the victims. He found all four of them in very bad shape. Harry Short especially being battered and bruised beyond recognition. By this time the colliery whistle had blown and half the town flocked to the scene of the disaster. The ladies were hauled home, Miss Shaul laid perfectly still bearing all the pain and agony she endured with courage. Miss Keiter’s injuries were beyond all endurance and her excruciating pain made her scream so that her screams could be heard a square away. Those terrible screams from the dying girl carried horror to all who heard them and brought back from the hearts of the most earnest sympathy for the poor young sufferer.
Dr. Carr examined the three victims and found that Miss Keiter suffered a compound fracture of the left thigh, a completely crushed ankle with the left foot hanging by a few shreds of skin. Serious burns of the face and several ugly scalp wounds. Miss Shaul, covered with coal dust had a fracture of the left thigh and sever burns. Mr Thompson’s head and hands were burned and a long deep gash on his hip.
Harry Short had four sever gashes of the head and one a dangerous fracture at the base of the brain, his left arm was broken, but no burns were found on his body.
Minnie Keiter, who’s screams guided the rescuers to the party died in the evening. Harry Short suffered for three more days and then passed away.
Verlista Shaul, lame and disfigured returned to her home where it was said she lived by day in the curtained attic, and walked at night in her garden. Verlista would have graduated valedictorian of her class at Vassar.
Mr. Thompson recovered and, except for infrequent bouts with disturbing sleep.

Samuel W. Williams P&R Fireman On Engine 303 Tragically Killed on The Railroad

2011-04-09T11:16:00.004-04:00

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While checking out Civil War graves at the Odd Fellow Cemetery in Pottsville I came across this interesting tombstone for Samuel W. Williams.

Yesterday while I was at the Historical Society Of Schuylkill County I found out what happened to Mr. Williams.

POTTSVILLE EXPRESS LEFT THE TRACKS

Pottsville Republican
August 25 1900

Fireman Samuel W. Williams of Pottsville, Instantly Killed.

Passengers Injured, Shaken Up and Scared!

Reading: August 25-Over 150 people made a marvelous escape from death here this morning. The Pottsville Express on the Phila & Reading R.W. due here at 8 a.m. left the rails two miles north of this city, and ran into an embankment. It was making 50 miles an hour, and passengers were thrown from their seats in promiscuous confusion. The entire train excepting the engine was derailed and the four cars were thrown against the embankment and were badly damaged. The supposition is that a coupling dropped from the tank and derailed the train.

Killed And Injured

Fireman Samuel Williams of Pottsville was caught between the cars and literally cut into pieces. Portions of his body were buried nearby.

These passengers were slightly hurt:
Solomon G. Siegelman, Tamaqua.
Mrs. William Shollenberger, Auburn
P.H. Hadesty, Tamaqua
Edward M. Shepp Tamaqua
Miss McFall, Wilkes Barre

Train No. 2 which leaves Pottsville at 7:05 o’clock in the morning was wrecked at Lightheisers Crossing about two miles this side of Reading. The tank left the main track and ran a distance of about 200 feet before the engine was stopped. Fireman Samuel W. Williams, of Pottsville was instantly killed his body being strewn along the track for a distance of 50 feet. The engineer W. I. Leiby also of Pottsville was un injured. The passengers although badly shaken up escaped uninjured excepting a woman and child from Auburn who’s names could not be learned.
After the train came to a halt Mr. Schrader walked up the track to where the tank lay. Scattered along the road portions of a man’s body were found and were unrecognizable. The engineer greatly overcome by the dreadful occurrence identified the body as that of his fireman. Mr. Schrader thinks the accident was caused by spreading rails. The rails for several hundred feet were torn up and the ties snapped of like pipe stems. He transacted his business at Reading and then returned home.
The same train was the one wrecked at Shoemakersville at the time of that terrible disaster caused by the train running over a high embankment. John White was the engineer on the train, and was instantly killed. The train is known as No. 2 while on its trip to Philadelphia and No. 7 on the return. He was on the return trip that the Shoemakersville wreck occurred.
Fireman Williams who is single was born in Pottsville 28 years ago. He is the son of Thomas Williams, the well known conductor on the Fr4ackville and Tamaqua branches of the P&R road and resides at 313 W. Arch St. After receiving a thorough education in the public schools of town he went into railroading... About 2 years ago he was made a fireman and was considered as one of the best men on the road. When the flyer was first put on he was made its fireman but later transferred to No 2. With William Lewis as the engineer. This morning as was the custom he arose early and went Palo Alto and fixed the fire in his engine, returning home for breakfast before starting on his run. He was very popular in town and had a wide circle of friends. He was a member of the Brotherhood of Firemen and also the Good Intent Fire Co. His body was taken to Reading to be viewed by the Coroner.

Joesph Christock Last Man Hanged In Schuylkill County Prison March 30, 1911

2011-03-24T22:10:00.022-04:00

March 30, 2011 will mark the 100th anniversary of the last man hanged in Schuylkill County. This is the story of Joseph Christock.
The last man hanged in Schuylkill County
March 30, 1911

THE LAST MAN HANGED IN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY
The execution of Joseph Christock was the third hanging in two years held in the prison yard of Schuylkill County Prison. On March 16th , 1909 Charles Warzal was executed for the murder of Mary Bolinsky at Shenandoah. Mary Bolinsky expressed love for Warzel and after he spent his last dollar on her she elected to marry his brother. So incensed at her loss of affection he secured a revolver and followed her to her place of work and shot her to death.
On the day of his execution he walked as far as the scaffold, evidently holding his nerve but when allowed to talk to the assembly of witnesses he became so excited he fainted on the scaffold. He had to be tied up with ropes so that the trap could be sprung. Death was due to suffocation and took 21 minutes till Warzel was pronounced dead.
Felix Radzins, the next to last man hanged in Schuylkill County. Radzins brutally murdered his boarding mistress Mrs. Cherwinski, at Shenandoah and after throwing her body into a cellar dragged her three year old son into the cellar and cut the child’s throat. When captured he admitted he had done the horrible murders and plead guilty. He was executed May 28th, 1909 and walked to the scaffold without a tremor, even holding his head erect to enable the Sheriff to place the noose. His neck was broken by the fall and he died in 15 minutes.
According to the newspaper Joe Christock went out of this world satisfied. He died as he wished to die, game and self possessed to the last. Hundreds of eyes were upon him as he swung off into eternity and that he wished it. If he had been hanged in the presence of only a few witnesses Christock would have quailed in some particular. Having an audience he was a cheap actor right to the end.
“No thespian in his dressing room with powder and paints and grease ever made more careful preparations to go to the stage when his call came than Christock did on the morning of his execution. He even asked for sand paper and rubbed the soles of his new shoes with it so as to eliminate, the possibility of slipping while on the gallows.
In this dramatic fashion, the Pottsville Journal reported the death of Joseph Christock., Alias Frank Mitchell, on the gallows in the prison at Pottsville on March 30, 1911, one hundred years ago. This will be the last execution in Schuylkill County.
Christock died in the atmosphere of a carnival before a laughing, joking crowd of 1200 witnesses and who began banging on the prison door for admission at eight a.m. more than two hours before the execution.
More of the bizarre occurred when a dozen women banged on the prison door and begged to be admitted. The Journal stated that they were all of foreign descent. They were refused admittance, although several of them tried a number of times to be admitted.

Joe Christock Sitting in the prison yard against the wall he will be executed against. Christock is sitting in front along with a fellow Prisoner and Prison wardens.
From an original Post Card

THE MURDER
Joseph Christock was born in Mahanoy City although some said he was born in Russia ? By the time he was 24 he had quite a criminal record. He had been in prison for at least half of his life. Each time he got out he committed a crime greater than the preceding one until he reached the climax of his career with the murder of Mrs. Richards and the robbery of the Faulds home.
The murder for which Christock was hanged occurred on Wednesday November 17, 1910. Christock was employed by Peter Faulds who lived at Auchey’s Station near Auburn. Peter Fahl was aware of Christock’s reputation, but he was in ill health and needed help around the farm. On the 16th November Peter Faulds was away from the farm working at the sand plant on the Summit Station –Auburn road. Early in the day Christock began drinking cider endlessly. Drunk, he gathered a shotgun and went hunting for awhile. Having no success he returned back to the farm and began mending torn strips of leather for a harness. Christock claimed he heard a hound howling in the stable yard. He was frightened by the hound howling and knew this was a sign if death, he feared it meant his death. Instead it meant death for Mary Ann Richards, 65, who was at home with her daughter, Mrs. Faulds
Christock slowly walked to the lower floor of the Faulds house, saw Mrs. Faulds there and threw the leather horse line he was cleaning and repairing over Mrs Faulds He fastened her arms, and began to carry her up the stairs when Mrs Richards started after him At the top of the stairs he found a shotgun and shot and killed Mrs. Richards. He brutally beat Mrs Faulds on the back of her neck with his fist, pulled a mattress over her and continued beating her nearly to death.
He robed trunks in the house of $30, stole a gold watch, a revolver, a shotgun and some clothing. He then walked to Port Clinton where he bought a train ticket to Reading after laughing and joking with the station hands who he treated to cigars and drinks.
Peter Faulds came home about 6 p.m on November 17th , with a load of farm produce. As he tried to enter his home he found his house door was locked and the house dark. He then broke in his cellar door and climbed the stairs to find his mother in law Mrs. Mary Ann Richards lying in a pool of blood dead on the kitchen floor. He then found his wife beaten into unrecognizable condition also lying on the kitchen floor.
After the State Police were notified they went out searching for Christock they learned from the Reading operator at the station below Auburn that a man fitting his description bought a ticket for Reading. The State Police missed the train. Checking hotels in Reading the police the police noticed the name of Martin Ritter, on the register of a city hotel. Arousing suspicion as it was known that Ritter was a friend of Christock and was currently in the Schuylkill County Prison. They searched the room and found clothing articles corresponding to those missing items. Christock went to the movies and back to
the hotel about midnight. The police waited and arrested him there,

THE TRIAL
Christock pleaded guilty before Judge Arthur Shay and Charles N. Braum. On November 22, 1910, He was defended by attorneys E.W. Bechtel and A.C. Sherman. This was the first time ion county history a murder case was heard and disposed of without formality of drawing a jury.
Judge Shay in his opinion said: “Joseph Christock, your confession here on the witness stand for bold effrontery, cruelty of heart and mind devoid of all the better attributes of humanity is unparalleled in the annals of crime,”
On November 22nd , 1910 Joseph Christock was sentenced to hang..
Between then and his end Christock was a confused picture of self pity, contradiction and boast.. He bemoaned that he was only a few months old when his mother died, and a few years old when his father died, and he never had a parent’s love, he urged young men to go to Sunday school.
He admitted he lied when he said Mrs. Richards came at him with a butcher knife. And he boasted he shot a Cumbola woman and a Norristown toll gate keeper, and then repudiated this “Confession” because he was afraid his sentenced would be commuted to life and he wanted to and deserved to die

THE DEATH WARRANT.
On March 2nd ,1911, Christock was read his death warrant. The Journal reported, without a tremor or change of countenance Joseph Christock heard his death warrant read to him in his cell. He with stood the ordeal with greater nerve than did the sheriff whose voice quivered and hands shook as he read the document that means death on the scaffold for this young self confessed murderer.
Christock stood to the right side of the sheriff in his cell and his eyes were fixed on the warrant.
After the warrant was read, Christock with a light and steady tread stepped to the corner of his cell and took from the top of a rude and primitive closet a sheet of paper from an envelope which contained a note addressed to the sheriff. It was in his hand writing and was a round and plain style of penmanship, It read as follows.
“ Sheriff, I am indeed very sorry for what I have done to Mr. Fawls and family. I know that I must die and am preparing for the same. I feel very grateful to Doctor Flaig and his good wife for what they have done for me in my present trouble, I hope and pray that the almighty God will pardon me, my sins and also all of the people will for give me for what I have done.”
While in prison Christock tried three times to commit suicide the night of the 17th . First, tried to hang himself with a strip of his shirt. Next he set fire to a mattress. Third, butted his head against a cell wall.

Christock's last photograph on the morning of his execution. Note he is still wearing prison striped trousers.

THE EXECUTION
The day before the execution Christock joked with the under Warden Mike Schoenman, Christock said: “Hey Mike give me a job helping you tomorrow will you Mike” I won’t need any help, “was the reply. When a Reporter visited him in the morning he said he was “cleaning up his cell for he was getting rid of everything he did not need.” He was impatient to get a glimpse of the grim instrument of death which was taken fro the prison cellar in the morning of the 29th and placed in the northeast corner of the prison yard. In order that he might get an advance view of the instrument he complained that the cell was to warm and he would like to have the window opened. This is always done by allowing him to be lifted up to the window on the hands of the under wardens. The warden was called and Joe climbed the wall of his cell and opened the window. When he slid down he remarked the warden that the scaffold was half way up. “No it isn’t” replied the warden, Where upon Christock replied, “Yes it is I saw it when I opened the window.
Sheriff Murphy visited the prison yard in the afternoon to check the scaffold. The ropes that pull away the swinging platform were tested several times. The rope was also tested to insure its strength and the various duties given to the deputies were also practiced.
Peter Faulds the son in law of the murdered Mrs. Ann Richards was admitted to the prison yard and studied the wooden scaffolds frame closely. He left the prison without viewing Christock and will not be present for the execution, but showed a keen interest in the preparations for the execution.
On March 29, 1911, Christock’s last night alive he spent it in writing letters to his friends and in preparing for his morning. He wrote until nearly one o’clock A.M. and then lies down and fell fast asleep. At 5:30 he arose and almost immediately dressed himself in his death clothing. He expressed a wish for an egg sandwich, a cup of coffee and a glass of milk, but did not want the same until after the arrival of his spiritual; advisor. Reverend Vincent Dargius, of New Philadelphia.
He walked the floor of his cell until nine o’clock engaged in prayer. He would mutter short prayers and ask for mercy, and at the same time expressing pity and remorse at his misspent life and his terrible crime. After the arrival of the priest, no visitors were admitted to his cell.
Crowds came in early, actually before 8 o’clock. The crowd was thick along the steps and the yard of the prison.
Turnkey Samuel Wall spent last night with Christock in his cell and before retiring, Joe stated that he wanted to make a will and leave his cell and stars to the county.
He smoked his last cigarette shortly before midnight . He said he was not going to smoke after midnight and upon being told he had 29 minutes he hastily rolled a “whiffer” and started to smoke, stating “this is my last cigarette,” He puffed away for a short time and then threw the paper roll into the corner of his cell and stated, “I am done smoking”

The famous Schuylkill County gallows that executed Joseph Christock and many others.

At 10:18 A.M. March 30, 1911 Joseph Christock took up the death march, There were no formalities in the cell number 14, the prisoner simply being told the time had arrived for the fatal march. First his spiritual advisor Rev. Dargius, the Deputy Sheriffs followed. The party emerged from the side door of the prison and walked briskly down to the scaffold which is located about 130 feet from the door.
As they wended their way down the brick walk way a hush fell upon the assemblage. When they reached the gibbet Sheriff Murphy ascended first followed by the prisoner and the prison physician. The noose was placed around the neck of the condemned man and straps adjusted to his sides biding his arms, his legs were then strapped, down. A broad leather belt was placed about his body; the arms extended downward and locked in place. Two similar belts bound his legs, one at the ankles and the other just below the hips. The prisoner clicking his heels together with a military style when told to do so. Under the direction of the prison physician the noose was adjusted under the left ear.
He was asked by the Sheriff if he had anything to say and he replied:
“I am sorry for what I done, and I hope everyone will forgive me. Goodbye to all.”
The black cap was then adjusted and Sheriff Murphy took the prisoners hand and bid him goodbye, Joe’s last words were “Goodbye, pray for me”, which he whispered to the Sheriff.
The officials left the scaffold and at 10:33 A.M. Christock’s body swayed nervously for a time until with a dull thud the sides of the platform fell and the body of Christock shot down through the opening and for a moment swung around slowly. The State Police immediately told everyone that the execution was over and directed the visitors to leave the prison yard.
The prisoners nerve was admired by everyone in his last moments, but the nerve of the visitors was enough over a hundred said they would never want to see an execution again.
After the body had been hanging for some time a veritable horde of physicians swarmed about the corpse and with stethoscopes and other instruments tested the heart until the final beats ceased and he was pronounced dead at 10:34 A.M. At 10:38 A.M. he was cut down and the body moved to the prison morgue. Where the remains were viewed by the sheriff’s jury and concluded that Christock died of strangulation, the neck not being broken because the rope slipped around the back of his neck. There was then a bit of a scramble for pieces of the rope that still encircled the neck. and turned over to the undertaker for burial.

Schuylkill County Prison, Could this be the pole the lineman climbed to witness the execution?

Outside the prison a lineman climbed to the top of a light pole and called out bulletins of what was going on inside.
According to the officials the execution went off without any incidents and was accomplished in the presence of over 1,000 persons, some estimates placed the number of people in the prison yard at 1,500/
The remains were given to the undertaker in charge and taken to New Philadelphia by A. Tobac of Shenandoah. Christock’s body was taken to New Phila to the home of his stepmother from which the funeral will take place on March 31, 1911.
So ended Schuylkill County’s last hanging.

Shown below is Joseph Christock's hand written story as told to a State Policeman days before his execution. This is a fascinating read. This confession is from the files of the Schuylkill County Historical Society.
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A VICTIM OF JESSE JAMES

2011-02-06T11:04:00.005-05:00

Jesse James

While doing research at the Schuylkill County Historical Society, my second home. I came across an interesting article about the son of a Shenandoah resident who was robbed by the famous outlaw Jesse James.
The article was written in the Pottsville Evening Chronicle. On July 31, 1882.
Prior to finding this article I was interested in how the local papers were reporting the death of the outlaw Jesse James.

“JESSE JAMES SHOT DOWN”
St. Louis, April 3, A dispatch from St. Joseph, Mo. Says Charles and Robert Ford who, at one time belonged to the James gang and were engaged in the Winston and Blue cut train robberies, have been in St. Joseph for a week for the purpose of arresting Jesse James, but being afraid, as it is alleged, to make the attempt they shot him down at 13th and Lafayette streets today and then surrendered to the authorities and were lodged in jail. There is tremendous excitement over the affair, several thousand people being on the street.

For the next couple of days the paper ran stories about the shooting. “END OF JESSE JAMES”, …”THE DEAD OUTLAW”…”THE DEAD TRAIN ROBBER” but the most interesting of the articles was entitled:

A VICTIM OF JESSE JAMES

The Highwayman’s Widow Returns a Stolen Watch

During the year 1880 John J. Dovey, formerly of Shenandoah, now diseased was the owner of a coal mine in Kentucky which was in charge of his son Charles, of Philadelphia. One day while young Mr. Dovey was sitting in his office he heard the tramp of horse’s feet outside, and the next moment four men entered and one of them presenting a revolver at his head demanded his money. Mr. Dovey replied as the funds to pay off the hands had not yet arrived there was no money about the premises. This did not satisfy the road agents, the leader who demanded that the safe be opened. Their direction being acceded to the ruffians were rewarded by finding some change, amounting to about five dollars and a box of cigars. After each had lighted one of the latter they pocketed the money with as much relish as though it amounted to thousands of dollars. As they were about to leave one of them noticed Mr. Dovey’s watch chain. “Hold on Boys, here is something we have overlooked”, said he, and Mr. Dovey was politely requested to hand over his gold time piece. After which the quartet took their departure. A short time afterward Mr. Dovey visited the Rogues gallery in Louisville. While looking over the pictures he came upon one which he recognized as that of the leader of the band who robbed him. Below the picture the name of “Jesse James” was inscribed. Mr. Dovey went south last week and while away a messenger from the Adams Express Company arrived with a package at his home. Mrs. Dovey upon opening it was surprised to find the watch stolen two years before. The watch was accompanied by the following note:
Mr. Dovey: Dear Sir: Included you will find your watch; please send me by return mail a receipt for the same.
Your, respectfully
Mrs. Jesse James.

The watch was in good condition as when stolen. Mrs. Dovey immediately wrote to her husband relating the story. And restoration of the time piece who thereupon sent a letter of thanks to Mrs. James for restoring the article. The watch had the name of Mr. Dovey and his address inscribed upon it so he widow knew where to send it.

THE OTTO COLLIERY BRANCHDALE 1913

2011-02-01T23:49:00.003-05:00

Shown below is a clipping from the December 13, 1913 issue of the Pottsville Republican Newspaper concerning the Otto Colliery at Branchdale.

TAG THE PHOTOS TO ENLARGE

FIRST AIRPLANE THAT WAS SEEN FLYING IN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY 1918

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FIRST VISIT OF AN AIRPLANE

THE OLD THEORY THAT FLYING COULD NOT BE DONE HERE BECAUSE OF AIR POCKETS IS SMASHED

Pottsville republican April 13, 1918

This is an interesting article telling about the very first visit or over flight of an airplane in Schuylkill County... The aircraft type is not identified. But knowing the year and that it had two occupants can probably be shown to be a Curtis Jenny.

The Jenny
The airplane which flew over this city (Pottsville) on Monday afternoon was the first to appear in this region. It caused considerable excitement, many flocking to the house tops to get a better view. From all appearances the plane was red in color and contained at least two occupants. There is significance to the appearance of the plane here, and on that it is now definitely proven that the old story about air currents and air pockets and the impossibility of operating a plane here because of them is ridiculous.
There is no better landing and starting point anywhere than Lawton’s Hill, the case with which the plane navigated over the hill yesterday, proving this.
The plane is traced as coming from Reading and flying directly over Centre Street, at about 2:30 p.m. It circled around the Court House spire and then turned to the east and appeared to be seeking a landing place on Lawton’s Hill, but instead of landing turned upward, just skimming the hill. The plane then proceeded above the Pennsy tracks to St.Clair and hovered over St.Clair yards for a considerable time. It then continued to New Philadelphia, but veered to the north passing over Silver Creek. From there it went to Frackville and Ashland flying right over Broad Mountain. It passed over Ashland, Mt.Carmel, Shamokin, Sunbury and Berwick where it was last reported.
It was not known who was the driver, nor where he started from. Many stories were in circulation. One had it that the machine had landed on Lawton’s Hill and that gasoline had been taken to it. Another story was that it was driven by a Port carbon boy and that it landed there. Neither story is t

THOSE DAMN 'HEX CATS'' IN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY ....The Albert Shinsky Story

2010-08-20T09:04:00.006-04:00

Pottsville Republican Headlines

Here is an interesting story from 1934..actually the case was pretty famous and made national news.

AGED WOMAN OF NORTH UNION TOWNSHIP VICTIM OF ASSASSIN’S BULLET.
Pottsville Republican March 19, 1934

Mrs. Susan Mummey, 64, of Ferndale, near Ringtown was shot and killed at her home early Saturday evening by an assailant who fired a shotgun at her through a first floor window.
The murder was not reported until daylight Sunday morning when her adopted daughter “Totty” and a boarder Jacob Rice telephoned for a Ringtown doctor who in turn notified the Tamaqua detail of the State Police.
The killing is surrounded by what the police term an element of mystery, coupled with genuine fear upon the part of the residents of the section that they too may be made a victim of the killer’s bullets.
Buried behind the actual details of the killing are all the elements of a mountain feud and deep rooted hatred that has cropped to the surface time and time again during the past decade or more that has marked the appearance in the county courts of several trivial cases which only served to fire the hatred of the persons into the flame of what reached the proportions of a “Hill Billy Feud.”.
Mrs. Mummery and her family lived in deadly fear that something would happen and they hid behind a reserve of fear and determination to keep their troubles to themselves.
County Detective Buono said the killing bore all the ear marks of a “killer” hatred that finally culminated in one attempt to shoot the woman as she was in the house alone, and was followed by a successful when the person who did the shooting fired directly at the woman from the window as her adopted daughter stood beside her, holding a lamp.
The blast of the shotgun was sufficient to extinguish the oil lamp and the two survivors waited until dawn until they gained sufficient courage to venture out of the house.
According to County Detectives Louis D., Buono, and John I. Ferns who are investigating the crime. The shooting occurred at 8 o’clock Saturday evening the bullet a pumpkin ball fired from a 12 gauge shotgun entered the front window of the living room. Shattering the window glass in its course. It struck the victim in the right side passing through the lung and heart and finally lodging in the stomach. The woman was bending over a couch at the time with her daughter ministering to a lame foot of Rice.
Chief Detective Buono said this morning that there was no question the women had been the victim of an assassin’s bullet and the police hoped to get the killer.
The Mummey house is located two and a half miles north of Ringtown and was occupied by the dead woman, Rice and the adopted daughter “Totty”. Totty is a victim of spinal meningitis is a cripple and Rice was suffering from an injured foot. Both were so thoroughly frightened that they feared to go out side of the house dreading they to would be shot. And it was daylight before Rice ventured out and made his way to a neighbor’s home. Where he was given an auto ride to Ringtown.
The police announced today that Mrs. Mummey had been threatened upon numerous occasions and they are convinced she was deliberately shot.
One suspect a resident of the section was taken into custody and is being grilled by the police, who refused to revel his identity.

WITCH LORE MOTIVE FOR KILLING.
Pottsville Republican March 22, 1934

SHENADOAH YOUTH SAYS HE SHOT AGED WOMAN BECAUSE SHE HEXED HIM.

SHORN OF STRENGTH BY A “SPELL” CAST UPON HIM SEVEN YEARS AGO HE PLANNED TO KILL MRS. SUSAN MUMMEY

CENTURIES OLD STRAIN OF EARLY SETTLER WITCHCRAFT FOUND BY DETECTIVES IN NORTH UNION BACKWOODS.

Albert Shinsky 24, of 215 E. Lloyd St, Shenandoah, confessed early this morning that he shot and killed Mrs. Susan Mummey, age 63, of Ferndale, near Ringtown. He says he did so free himself from a spell she had cast upon him seven years ago as he worked in a field a cross from the Mummey farm. The youth is a clean cut, intelligent chap in all except his hallucinations except that he has been hexed as he calls it.
This morning in his cell he told a member of the republican staff. He told a weird and unbelievable story asserting that he felt hex spell leave his body immediately after when Mrs. Mummey died.
Shinsky said he tramped over two miles to the house and how at last he wanted to rid himself of the hex.
In her coffin Detective Bunon said she looked like a million dollars, explain that the golden hair of the elderly woman framed an attractively peaceful face.
“Yes I thought she would look nice with her eyes closed,” said Shinsky, “but ,Oh those eyes when she looked at you! I could not stand them.”
Several times during the examination he suddenly stopped talking looked straight ahead fixedly at the wall, then his face became clouded with the most grotesque grimaces as though of fear and pain. He appeared to be in the throes of an epileptic fit. In about eight minutes he came out of the spell and was weak., but apparently normal otherwise. He explained that whenever he saw some sharp object he could not take his eyes from it, and then it developed into a huge black cat with flaming eyes which snarled and spat at him, and continually threatened. He said he could not take his eyes from it. And in the face of the cat he could see the face of the woman he accused of hexing him.
It started seven years ago, he said, when he was working on the farm. Mrs. Mummey with whom they had been having trouble over the land, came to the fence near where he was working and stood looking fixedly at him. A cold perspiration came over him. He felt a hand drop heavily across his shoulders. He could not work. He went back to the house, and since then he has been bewitched.
For years he dreaded to climb the stairs to his bedroom, for, unless he trod evenly on each step, the cat sprang out at him. So it was that he has climbed into his room for years over the shed in the back of the house, and in through the window.
“Those eyes!” he repeatedly murmured half to himself, “Oh, those eyes, oh how I wanted to have them closed! I could not stand them!”
SOUGHT AID POE WOW DOCTORS
Prior to the actual killing, Shinsky stated he on numerous occasions visited the Mummey home with the intention to kill her. Each time he drew close to the home her spell became stronger and each time he went away afraid that in killing her he was apt to bring dire results to himself.
For seven years he thus suffered. He visited pow wow doctors, seven in number, each of whom gave him very little help, with the exception of one. A pow wow doctor in Hazelton seemed to have been the only one that could give him relief. This man urged him to repeat “God The Father ,God the Son, and God The Holy Ghost” each time the spell seemed to move him.
This was the only help where he visited at night by a great big black cat with piercing green eyes that he said had a face resembling that of Mrs. Mummey’s. As he lay in bed this black cat visited him. It slowly crawled thru his closed bed room window and towards his bed. There it would rest itself on the side of his bed and claw at his side. It was painful torture and continued until he could gather strength enough to utter “God the Father, etc.”
CAT VISITED EVERY MONTH
Once a month and sometimes more often, this huge black cat would visit him and make it impossible for him to sleep. He would become ice cold, so cold that he had to get out of his bed and run around and around in his room to keep warm.
After a visit from the cat he would be completely lost and bewildered. He was actually helpless and unable to work. He complained to his parents and brothers and sister, but they claimed that it was his imagination and he was to lazy to work. They tried to help him but no matter what they would do it all proved useless.
When first stricken with this spell he was forced to quit his job as a miner at West Shenandoah Colliery. This, he had to do because he was without physical power and unable to do a days work. After a short vacation at home during which time he rested hoping that might help him regain his strength he went to Newark to work.
Figuring that separating himself many hundreds of miles fro Mrs. Mummey might help him, he accepted a position with the Western Electric Company of Newark. He had a responsible position there, but after

SCENE OF ‘HEX’ KILLING L;OCATED IN REGION ONE OF EARLIEST SETTLEMENTS

The scene of the Mummey killing is in the heart of a region that was one of the earliest settlements of Schuylkill County and one which owes practically all of its early blood to Berks county immigration among which class is found much of the old “Hex” folk lore. In the foothills of the Mahantongo mountain range extending from the Susquehanna to the Lehigh, the North Union Twp. Tracts are directly in the territory of “Line Mountain” so called because it marked the southern boundary of Indian settlements and the northern early treaty arrangements for the white man incursion in what is originally labeled as Impenetrable wilderness.
In the Northeastern corner of Schuylkill county near the headwaters of both the Little A Schuylkill and the Catawissa, the early migrations made their way into what is now Union Twp. And settled with saw mills and grist mills the chief means of occupation.
Residents of the territory say evidence of the “Witchcraft” days still abound. “Hex” markings are to be found at intervals and the county detectives have been regaled with stories of spells and counter spells being placed on the cows, horses, mules chickens and other farm attributes.
It was a spell of this type that Shinsky claims was cast upon him as he worked on his farm and which caused him the eight years of visitations by the Hex Cat” and culminated in murder.
The detectives working on the case class the general conditions as one of illiteracy mixed with a wealth of folk lore and a combination of the early Dutch beliefs and the “Hill Billies” of the Southern Appalachian chain.
The case is the second one of its type to develop in Schuylkill county the famous “Hex Cat” case of the Tumbling Run Valley also an early trail of the settlers, causing much attention a quarter of a century ago. This case was marked chiefly by arson outbreaks or threats of arson and “silver” Bullets” were molded to ward off the visit of the evil animals. The site of this outbreak to this day is known as the Hex Cat and is abandoned.

HERE IS ANOTHER STORY...I WANT TO DO MORE RESEARCH ON THIS ONE!

Pottsville..September 28, 1911

HEX CAT DODGES BULLETS OF GOLD
Feline Blamed For Casting Spell Over Family
________________________________________
PEOPLE STIRRED BY STORY
________________________________________
While Hex Tales From Tumbling Run Have Created Derision, the Authorities Are Suprised at Number of Weird Complaints

In the gray of the early morning a score of the more intrepid farmers of Tumbling Run Valley and a few interested ones, on invitations given by Miss Mary Isabella Thomas, who alleges that a “hex” or witch has placed a spell on the family through the machinations of a relative living in Orwigsburg, watched in vain for the appearance at the farm house of the black cat, which the young woman says has assumed gigantic shape, at times reaching the maximum height of four feet. They waited with a gun loaded with a gold bullet, but the feline for the first time in many weeks failed to put in an appearance.
Spirit Frightened Away
Some of her waiting guests believe the evil spirit was frightened away by reason of the fact that they carried Bibles, crucifixes, and talismans to break witches’ spells. Miss Thomas says that the big cat will surely appear some morning, and then either she or her uncle will shoot it with the golden bullet. They have great faith in the precious metal messenger of death, although lead bullets tailed them on other occasions. Miss Thomas has taken up her residence with a neighbor, and the haunted farmhouse has been deserted.
Since she made public her statements that a “hex” is following the family, she has had five offers of marriage. She has decided to accept none of them. Mrs. Sarah Potts has offered to give her sister, Mary, a home with her, despite the fact that she is named by the latter as being the author of the family’s misfortunes. Miss Thomas still possesses charms sent to her by a California witch doctor, and she says that she will guard them closely for future use.

Farmers Wrought Up
The farmers of the Tumbling Run Valley are greatly wrought up over this mysterious “hex” case and want the strange affair thoroughly sifted to the bottom. The Republican, of Pottsville, the largest daily, in an editorial asks for an investigation.
While the “hex” stories from Tumbling Run have created derision and laughter in Pottsville, the authorities were surprised at the number of weird complaints which came in from that vicinity. One farmer, who has brought a large quantity of milk from the Tumbling Run Valley for many years, declares that the fresh fluid was discolored as he brought it to market. There were also three automobile accidents in that vicinity.

26TH ANNUAL INDEPENDENT COAL MINERS PICNIC, HEGINS, PA. AUGUST 14, 2010

2010-08-15T09:28:00.032-04:00

While performing as the “Breaker Boys” Tommy Symons and I have had some great times. We have made many friends, and have had the pleasure of meeting many people. But nobody, compares to the wonderful friendship that the anthracite coal miners and their families have given us.. As we have always said, the greatest honor we ever had was to be asked to perform at "The Independent Coal Miners Picnic" in our home area.

The “Breaker Boys” want to thank David A. Lucas and his family for giving us the opportunity to perform songs about the coal miners, and to sing and write their stories back into history..

This Years Posters...Tag all photos to enlarge

A few Scenes From The 26th Annual Independent Coal Miners Picnic.

The Breaker Boys Tommy Symons and Stu Richards with David A Lucas, and State Senator David A. Argall who came and pledged his support to the Independent Coal Miners.

The Breaker Boys and Senator Argall singing "When The Breakers Go Back On Full Time"

The Boys With David A....

David Listening to our Song about him.

Tommy Symons Takin about "Intelligence"

Acting out the song, The Star of the County Down"

Tommy teaching the young lad "Steve Forgotch" how to play the banjo.

Tommy playing Nose Music????? Don't ask me!

Pastor saying the prayer for the miners and the traditional reading of the names on this years glass mug.

Me, With the one and only David A. Lucas, without his hard work and efforts there would be no Miners Picnic.

Anthracite Coal Miners, family and Friends at this years picnic.

When you get asked to do your thing at this event..You have to be good!
DJ Golddust...Some Great Music
IF YOU NEED A DJ THIS IS THE GUY.EXCELLENT.....IF YOUR LOOKING TO BOOK DJ GOLDDUST
YOU CAN CALL DJ GOLDUST @ 717 365 0901
570 682 9248
CELL 717 856 5006

Miner Folklore And Superstitions ...And Pay Scales For Luke Fiddler Colliery 1877

2010-07-28T19:42:00.005-04:00

Some Interesting Miner Folklore.
And Superstitions.

1. It was bad luck to enter a mine if you met a red headed woman on the way to work.

2. You never changed your job or moved your family on a Friday.

3. The howling of a dog meant the death in a family the next day.

4. Whenever a miner was killed in the mines, all the employees went home and did not return to work until after the funeral.

5. The crumbs left in a miners dinner pail were supposed to be gifted with supernatural powers.

6. Powder smoke was recognized as a cure fro whooping cough.

7. Pow wowers and Hex women were supposed to be gifted women.
A. If they blew their breath into the mouth of a child they could cure a sore throat.
B. The seventh child of the seventh son had the power to cure a fever.

8. Early miners celebrated the " Feast of Mary Goes Over The Mountain " and believed if it rained on that day it would rain for 40 days.

9. June 25 was " Mid Summer Day " and bonfires were built on hillsides and young girls would see the vision of their future husbands in the dancing flames.

10 White rats in the mine had talents unknown they got into the feed of the mules and stayed under ground their whole lives. They stole and thrived on the food from the miners.

11. The mine rat knew of impending danger, when they ran for safety so did the miners. If a man had six senses then the mine rat had seven or eight. Every time they ran there was either a fall of coal or a gas explosion.

12. They say a miner killed underground, his ghost will return to finish the job.

13. When an Irish miner died professional criers were hired to wail and howl at the miners wake. There was a saying " That to hear the Irish cry is to never forget it."

14. It was also bad luck for a woman to enter the mine, because certain women could put a curse on the mine.

15. Miners believed that mules could see ghosts and spirits, that the miners couldn't see.

Below is the pay scales for the Luke Fiddler Colliery. Included are the occupations/ the number employed/ and the pay scale.

The Luke Fiddler Colliery
Near Shamokin, Pa.
August, 1877
Payroll

OUTSIDE

1. Outside Boss 1 $ 66.64 per month.
2. Clerk 1 48.00 per month.
3. Civil Engineer 1 30.00 per month.
4. Stable Boss 1 40.00 per month.
5. Stable Helper 1 28.00 per month.
6. Watchman 1 1.08 per day rate.
1.50 per day rate.

7. Teamster 1 1.00 per day rate.
8. Blacksmith 3 1.83 per day rate.
1.58 per day rate.
9. Blacksmith Helper. 1.13 per day rate.

10. Chief Carpenter 1 30.00 per 1/2 month.
11. Carpenter Repair 2 1.46 per day rate.
1.37 per day rate.

12. Engineer 1 1.58 per day rate.

13. Fireman 2 1.25 per day rate.
1.08 per day rate.
14. Laborer 7 .83 per day rate.
1.00 per day rate.
1.17 per day rate.

15. Car Loader 1.17 per day rate.

16. Dirt Bank 9 1.04 per day rate.
.67 per day rate.
.91 per day rate.
.79 per day rate.

17. Rock Bank 2 .83 per day rate.

18. Tipman 2 1.17 per day rate.
1.00 per day rate.

19. Rollerman 5 1.04 per day rate.
.97 per day rate.
.67 per day rate.

20. Chute Boss 1 1.58 per day rate.

21. Slate Pickers 68 .42 per day rate.
.50 Per day rate.
.65 per day rate.

Luke Fidler Colliery
August 1877

During the month of August most of the pickers only worked a total of 8 days.

22. Mason Repair 1 $2.00 per day rate.

23. Hauling Timber 2 4.00 per day rate.

INSIDE

24. Inside Boss 1 80.00 per month.

25. Repairman 6 1.50 per day rate.
1.33 per day rate.
1.20 per day rate.

26. Bottom Slope 2 1.04 per day rate.

27. Runner 2 1.04 per day rate.

28. Plane Man 2 1.33 per day rate.

29. Driver Boss 1 1.50 per day rate.

30. Drivers 18 1.04 per day rate.
.84 per day rate.
.92 per day rate.

31. Oiler 1 .94 per day rate.

32. Door Boy 2 .67 per day rate
.62 per day rate.

33. Switch Boy 2 .62 per day rate.

34. Shaft Engineer 1 1.58 per day rate.

35. Pumpman 1 1.57 per day rate.

36. Top of Shaft 3 1.12 per day rate.

37. Bottom of Shaft 1 1.12 per day rate.

38. Miners in Gangway 4 1.25 per day rate.
1.04 per day rate.

39. Miners in Airways 2 1.21 per day rate.

40. Coal Car Pushers 17 .58 per day rate.

Gangways

41. East No. 9 Vein 3
Miner 2.50 per yard.
Miner Slate 2.00 per yard
Miner 33 cars @ .50 /car
Laborers 4 1.17 per day rate.

42. Short Plane 1
Miner 2.00 per yard. 22 cars @ .45 /car.

43. West No. 8 Vein
Miners 2 2.00 per yard.
31 cars @ .41 /car.
Laborers 2 1.08 per day rate.

44. Long Plane East No.9
Miners 2 1.75 per yard
29 cars @ .45 /car.

45. Breasts Chutes and Headings.
103 Miners.

.50 per car load.
.45 per car load.

Heading 1.50 per yard.
Chute 1.00 per yard
Platform .75 per yard.

Laborers 1.17 per day rate.

Breast 14 Chute 2.00 per yard.

46. Swamp Counter
Miners 3 .45 per car load.
Laborers 2 1.04 per day.

47. Car Agent 1 40.00 per 1/2 month.

CALL ME KATE....Meeting the Molly Maguires

2010-06-23T13:31:00.002-04:00

A Great New Historical Novel About Coal Region History

Call Me Kate:
Meeting the Molly Maguires by Molly Roe is a young adult novel published by Tribute Books in November 2008.

The plot, set in Pennsylvania's hard coal region, interweaves events of the early Molly Maguire era with the coming of age of a young Irish-American girl.Molly was born in Philadelphia but was raised in Schuylkill County. She is a 1972 graduate of Marian High School in Tamaqua, a 1976 graduate of Penn State University, and she later attained her Ph.D. in education from Temple University. About her motivation for writing, Molly says, "After years of genealogy research, I decided to put my thoughts into writing for future generations. The family stories I heard while growing up in northeastern Pennsylvania amazed me; the stoicism of the people was astounding. I found many of my "ordinary" relatives mentioned in the historical records and Molly Maguire trial transcripts and wondered how they survived the extraordinary events of the time. The "what ifs" led to Call Me Kate, my first novel."

Call Me Kate is available at amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com in hardcover, paperback, or as a Kindle download.

Thanks again!

HOW SCHUYLKILL COUNTY ANTHRACITE MINERS FELT ABOUT THE CHILD LABOR LAW

2010-05-04T20:23:00.006-04:00

Photos of Me and My Grandson Nathaniel Breaking the Labor Law of 1918..Actaully a Living history program at Pioneer Tunnel.

HOW SCHUYLKILL COUNTY ANTHRACITE MINERS FELT ABOUT THE CHILD LABOR LAW

On May 3. 1918 the Child Labor Bill passed. Gov. Brambaugh won his fight on the Cox Child Labor Bill.
The bill as it stood on the 28th provides that no minor between 14 and 16 years shall be permitted to work more than 51 hours a week or more than nine hours a day. Such children shall also be compelled to go to a vocational school at least eight hours each week, the time they spend in such school to be counted in the 51 hours.
Here in the coal region the bill was not liked.

On April 25th , 1918 the Pottsville Republican ran an article entitiled:
MINERS OPPOSE THE CHILD LABOR MEASURE.

It has been erroneously spread through the state that the miners of the anthracite region are favorable to the new child labor law which has been introduced at the behest of Governour Brumbaugh, and that they are using their influence to have it enacted. The truth of the matter is the miners are bitterly opposed to the law because it will have the effect of robbing their children of all forms of employment until they reach the age of 16 years. They will not be permitted to have their boys do any work of any kind around the mine or breaker until they have reached the age of 16. Many of them are satisfied for their own individual preferences to have this condition exist but they recognize that it is going to work a fearful hardship on the widows and families of their comrades who have been killed in the mines and who have left a family to support itself in the best way it can find. They know by contact and actual experience with their neighbors in these mining towns that the new law will have the effect of breaking up the family of almost every mineworker who was killed in the mines or who has passed away from other causes.

Around the small mining town there is absolutely no work to be found except in or around the breakers and mines. The occupations are usually not too laborious and are not harmful as is attested by the fact that many of the richest, brainiest and most able men of the coal region today are men who worked in the breakers and mines when they were boys under the age of that provided by the new child labor law.
It is true the miners do favor the eight hour day for the boy, but they also know that it is an economic impossibility to have the working day restricted for the boy at the colliery as long as the other employees are obliged to work more than eight hours. They favor an eight hour workday for everyone, but an eight hour day for boys while the collieries or mills work longer hours will simply have the effect of driving away employment from every boy under 16 years of age.
There is much resentment being expressed everywhere because of the undue influence of the governor being exerted to force this measure through against the best thoughts of the members of the legislature and the citizens of practical experience throughout the state. It is going to work a hardship everywhere, and it is felt that members of the legislature should be left to act according to the wishes of its constituents without having this executive influence held over their heads, which may rob them of all the prerogatives unless they act in accordance with the wishes of the governor.

While the child labor law was not amended at the committee hearing last week, it is probable that amendment will be made to it before it is reported out of the committee this week. It is probable that a vote on the measure

"HURRY BOYS GET ME OUT!"....The April 27, 1918 Accident At Sharp Mountain Colliery, Pottsville

2010-04-29T18:29:00.005-04:00

Miners At Work

HURRY BOYS GET ME OUT

Working in the anthracite coal mines of eastern Pennsylvania has always been a dangerous and deadly job, and continues to be to this day. In 1918 the anthracite coal industry was working at or near its peak in coal production. Mines were working hard to supply coal for the military and its involvement in World War 1.
On April 27, 1918 David Daub and his butty Irvin Umbenhauer and fellow miners were working in the 36 foot heading of the 30 foot mammoth split vein in the Sharp Mountain Mine of the Sherman Coal Corporation, Pottsville. Daub and another miner were cutting upward on the 36 foot heading, when a rush of coal had enveloped him. Near by was the inside foreman Thomas Hawkin, who heard Daub shout out, “Hurry boys, and get me out.”
For three quarters of an hour, from 4:10 until five o’clock, Friday afternoon the miners were working grimily and silently. They could hear Daub repeat his cry for help over and over. Then after an hours time they heard him no more. It was after 7:00 o’clock a.m. Saturday morning when the lifeless body of Daub was uncovered. He was taken to the Pottsville Hospital where a doctor examined him and said that he had been dead for 12 hours or more.
Cuts and bruises covered the 55 year old Daubs body, and both his shoulder blades were broken. David Daub was your typical anthracite coal miner who braved death every day he went into the anthracite coal mines, earning a meager livelihood for his wife and six children, the oldest not yet 14 years, and the youngest only an infant, who waited his return in vain.
During the rescue attempt, hope was expressed to the wife and family until the last. Daubs body was taken in charge by Undertaker Shoener and was later removed to his home , at 731 E. Norwegian St. Pottsville.

Types of Mines

During the valiant effort to save Daub none of the miners worked with greater determination than that of Irvin Umbenhauer, a brother miner, who had been working with Daub. The manway was about three feet square, and was being driven up through the center of the pillar and the work had gone on to the point where the second set of timber was to have been put in. Daub was standing on the ladder built to carry the men forward and upward almost perpendicular or straight as the pitch runs from 70 to 80 degrees. Several small rushes of coal dust and broken coal dropped and were cleared away. Then when Umbenhauer was down on the heading, and Daub was was standing on the ladder rungs his feet about four feet from the heading which is a little tunnel between the breasts or mine chambers, a big rush of coal came down and jammed Daub in the narrow manway.
Umbenhauer immediately sent in an alarm for help and started to pull down the manway coal but fast as it was removed at the bottom more kept coming and filling up the space about the form of Daub, which seemed wedged to ladder, so that he could not be drawn down. With frenzied effort the men redoubled their endeavors under the direction of Foreman Hawkin, especially when the hear the pleading voice of Daub, urging them to hurry, words the men who heard him can still hear, and which makes them feel the cost of mining coal never can be measured in dollars and cents. The miners operated in relays.
Finally other miners set at work driving a counter manway or opening along the side the one in which Daub was pinned, and by a strenuous effort it was pushed to a point above the end of the other manway, and then a hole was cut above where the body of Daub was, and timber placed there blocked any further rush of coal. The debris was removed and the body extricated.
General Manager Paul Heinze and his son, worked hard to rescue the entombed miner, and when hope was gone helped to recover the body. Other miners engaged in the work were Fireboss, John Lishman, Outside Foreman John Schablein, Henry Umbenhauer, Joseph Womer, Andrew Mulson, Edward Montag and others.
David Daub came to Pottsville from Ashland some years ago, and looked upon as a careful and efficient, coal miner and a good husband and father. The coal is of a friable nature. This is the foirst fatal accident at this colliery, which is located near S. Second St, and the Cressona Hillside Road.

JOURNAL GIRL FLIES OVER SOUTHERN SCHUYLKILL 1919

2010-02-10T10:29:00.002-05:00

Here is a bit of aviation history for the coal region.
In one of my previous posts on this blog I reported on the flight of an aircraft over Schuylkill Haven, the article from the Schuylkill Haven Call from October 31, 1919

AEROPLANE ATTRACTS MANY PERSONS

The aeroplane that visited our town Friday, Saturday and Sunday certainly proved a stellar attraction as thousands and thousands of children as well as adults were attracted to the landing field which was in the field near the brick plant. The owner of the machine was Audrey Stewart and the pilot was Lieutenant Bishop of the British aerial force. A number of local people enjoyed the sensation of flying over the town at one dollar per minute and all report enjoying the same very much. The biggest crowd of spectators was on hand Sunday. Not only did the Schuylkill haven people walk out to the fields but it is said there were several hundreds of automobiles and motorcycles coming from all sections that brought many more
hundreds of persons to the scene. Only a few flights were made on Sunday on account of the heavy atmosphere. Among those persons known to have taken flights were: Frank Deibert, Mrs. Reuben Hoffman, Jacob Rudy, Earl Stoyer, Charles Oberley, Joseph Mulholland, William Schuckers and Miss Clementine Tobin of Pottsville. It is understood the aeroplane will pay this section a return visit probably this Friday and Saturday, the machine having been taken to Allentown for several days
In the Pottsville Miners Journal I found a follow up on the aircrafts visit to the region.
The article in the October 25, 1919 Pottsville Miners Journal Read:

JOURNAL GIRL FLIES OVER SOUTHERN SCHUYLKILL
FIRST WOMAN HERE TO GO UP IN AEROPLANE AND SAYS IT’S GREAT!
IN AIR HALF AN HOUR.
By Clementine Tobin.
“Gee it was great”
With Lieutenant Bishop I this afternoon at about two O’clock flew over Schuylkill Haven and Orwigsburg and the southern end of Pottsville in a Curtis aero plane. I was up one thousand feet and we stayed in the air for half an hour.
I am the only girl who ever flown over Schuylkill County and I am some proud girl, believe me. I enjoyed every minute of the flight. Scared? Not a bit. The sensation upon rising is rather pleasant instead of being distressing and “scarry” as most people suppose. We went up gradually and after we had attained a height of 300 feet I looked down. There was Schuylkill Haven pike unwinding like a great white ribbon. All of a sudden a yellow streak flashed along it and I knew it was Couch’s automobile. I yelled “hello” Couchie, but of course he couldn’t hear me.
Then we went up and over Orwigsburg. I always did like that place but looking down from a height of 700 feet it looked like a little French village in miniature. It was beautiful. Then we went up some more and Lieut. Bishop, who is some aviator, said “take it from me “”were up a thousand feet now and I’m going to speed some” Then he let her out at the rate of 120 miles an hour. We’d have gone up higher but we had gotten into the clouds and I said I wanted to see something so the Lieutenant, always obliging, dropped down. That dropping business gets you a little but you get over it. Then we flew over the gap, Schuylkill Haven and the southern end of Pottsville.
You have no idea of the sensation, gliding along up there with the mist below you and the air rushing past you. I was sorry when my half hour was up.
When I landed I was snapped in my seat and then it was all over except the recollection which will be treasured by me for a long time to come.
Fly if you get a chance. Its great.
The Journal added another scoop to it already long list today when it sent Miss Clementine Tobin, a member of the United Press telegraph force on the first aero flight ever made in Schuylkill County by a girl.
Miss Tobin clambered aboard the big Curtiss plane in front of Lieut. Bishop, at the aviation field just across from the Half Way House between Schuylkill Haven and Orwigsburg shortly before two o’clock this afternoon and viewed the towns in the southern end of Schuylkill county from the clouds.
And the clouds they were. Lowering so that anything more than 1,000 feet, te peak of the flight, was impossible at that hour of the day, with senery visible below the plane.
The little aviatrix, clambered aboard the big plane like one to the manner born; and Ruth Law or no one else never did better on there madden trip. She was calm and collected throughout the experience and as soon as she again set foot on terra firma vowed that some day she will be a regular patron of the aero taxi. Or else become a driver.
Miss Tobins, story of the flight which appears herewith while very enthusiastic was no more so that the ground which watched her put that stunt over.
“Gee, but she has nerve” and kindred expressions were freely heard and they were warranted too: As Lieutenant Bishop at the completion of the 20 mile trip said he never had a passenger who gave him less concern than did this fair passenger from the Journal office.
GO TAKE A FLIGHT
The Curtiss plane is in charge of Sudrey Stewart. Flights for passengers are made very day. The plane is alongside the road opposite the Half Way House Hotel between Schuylkill Haven and Orwigsburg. Ten and fifteen dollars is the charge for a flight. Absolute safety is guaranteed and Lieut. Bishop is a careful and thorough driver.

Again on November 7th , 1919. Clementine Tobin made another flight on the Curtiss. This time over Pottsville.
JOURNAL GIRL MAKES FLIGHT OVER POTTSVILLE
TRUE TO HER PROMISE SHE GOES UP TO AN ALTITUDE OF 4,000 FEET;
DOWN IN A NOSE DIP.

True to her promise Clementine Tobin, the Journal girl who was the first girl to fly over Schuylkill County, this afternoon at about 1:00 o’clock went up with Lieut. Bishop and flew over Pottsville, attaing an altitude of from 4,000 to 5,000 feet. The plucky little aviatrix showed no fear at all, not even when the Lieutenant brought his machine down in a dip, just west of the Henry Clay monument.
The trip was started from the aviation field near the Half Way House, and at 12:50 the plane left the ground, after several other air passengers including Manager Hall of the Traction Company and Walter Farguhar also of the Journal staff had taken in the country from a reasonably high altitude.
Miss Tobin, made today’s trip, not as an experiment but because of her promise to take a high flight with Lieut. Bishop, her first trip ten days ago being made in inclement weather which was not conducive to high flying.
Her gallant pilot brought her west, over Schuylkill Haven and up over sharp mountain at an elevation of nearly 4,000 feet, a nose dip over the end of the mountain brining in the plane down to within the sight of the residents of streets on the high points of the city. They sailed north over the Steel Mill and made a turn which took them over Lawton’s Hill, and then south to the aviation field where a quick descent was made with a nose dip which would have scared a less nervy person nearly to death. After the trip Lieut. Bishop said he was very much impressed with the nerve of the darling little flyer. The trip lasted 35 minutes.
Bishop and Steward have been here for the entire week past battling with the weather, but conditions have been against flying. They will remain all day Saturday and Sunday at the aviation field and will take a number of flights. Many passengers have booked but those who desire to take a flight may arrange to do so. The weather is now ideal. The plane has been overhauled and the opportunity to view Pottsville from the heights is here for those who have the desire and the nerve to enjoy such a pleasant sensation.

MR. HALL’S FLIGHT
C.A. Hall, general manager of the Eastern Penna. Railways Co. is the first civilian to have circled over Pottsville in an aeroplane. He made the flight Friday at noon, starting from the Half Way House, with Lieutenant Bishop.
If you noticed a plane circling over Pottsville about 12:30 o’clock, it was the one in which Mr. Hall and Lieut. Bishop were seated.
While in the aeroplane, Mr. Hall dropped three souvenirs, over different parts of the city. The souvenirs were tie pins, in the form of a miniature electric globes, Mr. Hall’s card was enclosed together with a brand new Lincoln Penny, for ballast.
The plane soared over the city at an altitude of 2,000 feet.
The sensation, as described by Mr. Hall, was like driving in an automobile, on a bowling alley, at the rate of 60 miles per hour. Trees and houses looked like specks and the fields looked like squares on a checker board.
A flight of this kind causes no fear, once free of the ground; the smooth motion eliminates all sense of danger. Occasionally, a gentle rise of the plane, gives a sensation similar to yachting.
Lieutenant Bishop is an army aviator, with a wonderful service record. He downed two German planes, while in France and performed other meritorious service. His control of the aeroplane is wonderful so that no one need fear going up with him.

November 9th , 1919 the Pottsville Journal reported :

TWENTY TWO PEOPLE ENJOYED FLIGHTS OF AEROPLANE
Twenty-two Schuylkill Countians enjoyed flights in the big aeroplane from its base at the Half Way House at Schuylkill Haven, Sunday, and the number would have ben greater but for the drop in temperature late in the afternoon and an aversion to making trips at dusk. Many Pottsville people were among the number and others arrainged to go to the field to day and enjoy their first experience soaring.

THE “IMPS” OF THE BREAKER..A STORY OF TWO BREAKER BOYS

2010-01-06T19:10:00.005-05:00

THE “IMPS” OF THE BREAKER

Remarkable Descent of one of them into the Chute
and his recovery from a pressure of
six tons of coal after quarter of an hour burial.
1876

That the boys “down in the coal mines underneath the ground”, have the same hold on life as a cat, was instanced yesterday in a remarkable accident which befell two of the “impls” in the Plank Ridge Colliery. As it resulted without doing any special damage to either, excepting to give them a first class scare, the relation of it cannot but fall to raise a laugh. The breaker being stopped these two youngsters, each about the size of Tom Thumb, indulged in a favorite pastime among them when the “boss” is not around of sliding down the “Telegraph” upon which the coal runs from the screen to the bins below and thence the cars. But yesterday the speed made was so great that they did not stop until they got down into the chute and just at that moment when a car was being loaded of coal. The suction caused by the coal falling into the care drew the boys down and they were huddled into the coal as if they were pieces of “black diamonds” themselves. The alarm was immediately given by their companions to the front of the breaker and soon one of the boys was rescued unhurt from his dangerous position. But fifteen or twenty minutes elapsed before the other could be discovered. He was as much lost to the world as Dr. Livingstone was in the heart of Africa before Stanley, of the New York herald, discovered him. The loads of six cars were as rapidly as possible drawn out of the chute upon the track, but was not until nearly thirty tons had been that the little drawn legs of the youngster were discovered coming out of the chute. Everyone thought they were surely pulling out a corpse when they seized his feet and handed him out. But as it turned out he was mighty live one. After Captain Hoskins had stood over him on his feet, shaken him well and got the coal dust out of his mouth, ears and eyes, the young imp set up a hearty laugh. “How did you get in there, “demanded the superintendent when he saw the youngster sound in life and limb. The “original sin” could not help sticking out even at this moment of a rescue from death. “A boy pushed me in.” replied he, to whom lying was as natural as eating. He may live to be a member of the legislature or congress yet or at least a delegate to a county convention.

Panthers Pottsville Midget Football Team 1961

2010-01-02T19:56:00.006-05:00

TAG PHOTO TO ENLARGE

While going through some of my photo's I came across this great old team photo of the Panthers Midget football Team from Pottsville. The teams in the league were the Panthers, Falcons, Tornadoes, Rockets and Bulldozers, I am trying to remember the names of the guys, if anyone knows the names of the players I missed or got wrong let me know.

Front Row L-R Harry Haughney, unknown, unknown Les Paine, Bill Baldwin (Judge Baldwin), Jack Dolbin, (NFL Denver Broncos, Dr, Chiropatric) unknown, Lynn unknown

Second row, Andy Basaniski, Joe Hopkins, unknown, George Cicero, Ronnie Rose, Ed Ginther, unknown.

Third Row, Bruce Brown, Joe Unknown, Frank Mills, Brud Dolbin, Jim Wallaeur, Joe Purcell,

Forth Row, (Me, Stu Richards) Hummel, Charlie Hopkins, unknown, unknown Rick Daldeo,

Coach Wally Mills, Coach Shuster, Coach Fred Lewis,

Schuylkill Counties Gardens of Stone

2009-12-19T09:39:00.028-05:00

Below are some of the interesting tombstones I've found while doing research in our local cemeteries.

Charles Baber Cemetery Pottsville, Pa.

ODD FELLOWS CEMETERY POTTSVILLE

ST.CLAIR AREA

THE WESTON COLLIERY...SHENANDOAH, PA.

2009-11-30T20:13:00.010-05:00

I WONDER IF MANY PEOPLE REMEMBER THIS OLD COLLIERY, I FOUND THIS GREAT OLD PAMPHLET ON THE WESTON AT A FLEA MARKET...ENJOY THE PIC'S.

TAG PHOTO'S TO ENLARGE

Daring Rescue at The Lykens Colliery

2009-11-27T17:06:00.002-05:00

A Slope Mine

THRILLING RESCUE OF MAN PRECEDES DEATH OF OTHER….LYKENS COLLIERY AUGUST 23, 1912
MINERS ROBERT MATTER AND OSCAR LONG MAKE DARING FOOTBALL TACKLES ON FALLING COMPANION IN THE LYKENS COLLIERY SLOPE.
Strapped to a plank and lowered down almost impassable pitches of the steep slope at the Lykens Colliery, at Lykens, after he had been saved by a human chain, then dragged and pushed through a long steam hole until finally, after four hours work, he was brought to the surface though another slope, was the sensational and decidedly precarious experience of Oliver Kemble, who was perhaps fatally injured Friday afternoon, when a trip of descending cars jumped the track in the slope and a piece of falling timber struck him on the back.
Scarcely had Kemble been taken from the closed mine when David Stence, shift leader, plunged down the same ill fated slope to this death, while surveying the wreck to make plans for cleaning it away. He fell a distance of 75 feet having the life crushed out near the spot where Kemble had been struck by the timber.
It was shortly after noon, when two cars were being lowered down the steep slope and Kemble who is 19 years of age, was standing waiting for the trip, he was employed at un- hitching. The cars left the rails and plunged down the steep incline tearing away timbers until finally blocked up the slope and checked their flight.

Kemble, with Robert Matter and Oscar Long, were working further down the slope when the timber struck the first named and with a cry he commenced to roll down the steep incline to what appeared certain death. Matter made a football tackle of the unconscious form as it went flying past him and, although he was unable to stop the descent , he checked it sufficiently to permit Long to turn make a similar tackle of Matter and the two men clung with a death like grips to save their unconscious companion even at the risk of their own lives.
Just when the strain was becoming to great aid came to them.
The First Aid Corps was rushed to the scene, but it became a problem, how to take the injured man to the surface. The slope was blocked and it seemed as though impossible to lower him down the slope and even there appeared now way out. A plank was secured and the unconscious form strapped securely to it. The Corps then slowly and laboriously and with great risk of their own lives, carried and lowered Kemble down the slope, which at some places pitched 65 degrees.
When this part of the dangerous task was accomplished, they were in a quandary as there was no avenue of exit except through the steam hole, barely large enough to permit a man’s body to pass through. There was not alternative and the plank, with its precious burden bound close to it by stout straps, was pushed and dragged through the small hole until finally the plucky rescuers reached the bottom of the other slope where the injured man and his exhausted rescuers were hoisted to the surface.
Before starting their task of rescue, they thoroughly bandaged and attended to the injured young man, so that the unusual and thrilling experience did not have any bad results. It required four hours of this kind of work to get him from the mine.
Scarcely had the unconscious form been brought from the interior of when David Stence plunged to his death down the same ill-fated place where Kemble had been injured.
Stence was 45 years of age and has a wife and two children. He was shift leader and it was his duty to supervise the work of clearing out the blocked slope. He had hardly started to survey the work when he lost his foothold and fell.
Kemble was brought to the Pottsville Hospital Saturday morning by Amos Minnich, George C. Lauer, William Kemble and Glen Kemble. The first three are members of the Fist Aid Corps and the last two are brothers of the unfortunate young man.
A deep gash was cut on the injured man’s side and he was internally injured. His condition is considered critical.

THE GHOST OF JACOB SMITH……..

2009-11-24T18:34:00.005-05:00

THE GHOST OF JACOB SMITH……..
SCHUYLKILL HAVEN NOW BOASTS OF GHOST.
August 29th, 1912

If the statement of a half dozen or more boys, who ages run from 14 to 17 years, can be believed, there is a ghost in Schuylkill Haven. On Monday night last these boys, about eight o’clock, took a walk to what is known in town as “Quarley Point”, situated near the old boat yards. While they were walking along the ghost suddenly confronted them less than 20 yards ahead.

Attired in white, it beckoned them to come nearer, with outstretched arms and a small head it started to advance to greet the boys. However, they needed no invitation to run and the speed attained by them, as they made their way up Canal Street, would have done justice to professional runners. All out of breathe they hastened to their respective homes, where they told their story. The following night the boys with stones in their pockets and armed with stout clubs, wanted to again visit the spot and look for his lord ship of the night, but for some reasons or other they were unable to secure a leader. The ghost has been seen by residents of that section on several occasions and many a child will not venture out at night without being accompanied by their parents.

Inquiry among some of the older residents of Sch. Haven elicited the information that years ago when the boat building business of that town was in its prime, when the town was noted for the industry from one end of the state to the other, and when the chief pursuit of the town was boat building a man by the name of Jacob Smith, about 35 or 40 years of age, was drowned just as a canal boat was being launched. The accident occurred about 15 minutes before the launching, and when the launching took place instead of gliding smoothly into the water of the Schuylkill Canal, went over sideways, and came near filling up with water. The body of Smith was never recovered.
For days following the accident parties made a search for the remains without avail. Superstation among the boat men in those days was nearly as great as it is in some localities today and the drowning of Smith, together with accident to the launching of the boat, caused many workmen to quit their jobs and leave for foreign fields of labor. It is now believed that after these many years nearly a quarter of a century. Smith has come back to haunt those whom people now believe were responsible for his death.

Historical Society of Schuylkill County Coal Tour

2009-10-25T10:09:00.013-04:00

On Saturday October 24, 2009 the Historical Society of Schuylkill County sponsored a coal mining regional tour. The sites included the Reading Company's Wadesville Stripping Pit, A tour through Irish Valley, The Pioneer Tunnel, Sorry no pictures for the tunnel. I was giving the tour there and forgot to get the camera out! A fabulous look inside the Girard Breaker, and the SER Cogeneration Plant. All in all it was a great tour to sites you don't normally get to see. Working the Mammoth Vein at the Wadesville Strippings

Schuylkill County Hangings

2009-09-21T18:21:00.025-04:00

The Scaffold that hanged 8 men

THE GALLOWS IN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY

In the course of history Schuylkill County has had numerous encounters with the gallows.
Actually the county has executed 16 individuals up to 1911 then the State of Pennsylvania took over all executions . The executions in the county included 9 of the famed Mollie Maguire’s.

The Hangings in Schuylkill County

The first Court House was erected in Schuylkill County in 1815 in the borough of Orwigsburg.
The first jail erected in Schuylkill County was at Orwigsburg, built in 1814 by Jacob, George, and Peter Kutz. It was made of field stone, about thirty two feet square and two stories in height. By a subsequent addition its length was made some seventy feet or eighty feet. It was later converted into a school house.
The first murder date (unknown) was committed by a man named Zimmerman, who killed his daughter with an axe because of a trifling misunderstanding-she refused to make his meals. He was tried and convicted of murder in the first degree. There was to be a public hanging. The gallows was erected at the crossroads (since called gallows hill) north of Orwigsburg, where the Borough Community building now stands. However Zimmerman was not executed as he met his death at the hands of a fellow prisoner who struck hum on the head with a heavy broom.
The second murder in the county was done by a man by the name of James Riggs, who killed a man named Gunder. The crime occurred in August of 1847.Riggs a black man was tried and convicted and was hanged in the Orwigsburg Jail yard. Riggs was the 27th person hung in Pennsylvania to the date of August 13, 1846.
It seems Jimmy Riggs was a victim of circumstances. It is a well known fact that there were plenty f murders committed in Schuylkill County from when it was organized in 1811 and up to the day Riggs was executed on August 13, 1847. But only Jimmy Riggs swung on the gallows in the first 63 years of the counties history.
Unfortunately for Jimmy he was hung for a crime that in every prospect a later day jury would have found his plea for self defense a legitimate. Actually the man he killed was himself a murderer who served a nine year sentence in the Pennsylvania Penitentiary for killing a man in New Philadelphia. He was later pardoned by then Governor David R. Porter.
There is really not a lot of information on the Riggs case, in the August 22, 1846 Weekly Miners Journal an article appeared that described the murder.
It said merely that on the night of Wednesday last a German named Gunder was shot by a Negro named Riggs at Ravendale. It stated that Gunder, a desperate character, had made threats and demonstrations against Riggs, and that the latter shot him in self defense.
Riggs went on trial on March 1, 1847, and in the Saturday edition of the Journal it noted that “The court yesterday was engaged in trying Riggs, a colored man, for shooting a Mr. Gunder a few months since in Norwegian Township. The paper also had a little article about two other murderers neither of whom hung…Dennis Burke, charged with killing Luke Brennan at New Philadelphia, a bill ignored, and Martin Shay, for killing Reese, A true Bill.
BY the time the trial was over on March 7th the defense council for Jimmy Riggs had made the most out his plea of self defense. Apparently Riggs and Gunder had difficulties in regard to a house, just what the difficulties were the newspaper failed to report.
There were threats on both sides, Riggs swore out a warrant for surety against Gunder but couldn’t get anyone to serve it.
Jimmy then said he’s have to defend himself. He returned home, took his gun and went to Gunders House, and found him standing in the door, he placed the gun near his head and shot him dead on the spot in the presence of his wife. So the Journal reported.
Riggs attorneys were James Campbell, Ben Bartholomew, and J.K. Clement, they argued that Gunder’s threats operated on Riggs mind to such an extent that he considered himself justifiable in thus acting in Self defense.
Jimmy Riggs addressed the Judge Luther Kidder and declared he believed his life was in danger and that he acted in self defense. He pointed out the helpless state of his wife and children and hoped that as much time would be allowed him as consistently could be.
Judge Kidder was merciless to Jimmy and immediately sentenced him to death and commented that “Your unfortunate situation excites our deepest sympathy and fills us with unutterable anguish, but you were fatally bent on mischief.”
One day while sitting in the prison two fellow prisoners of Riggs’ overpowered the sheriff when he opened one of the doors and they dashed into the street. Jimmy in cell found that the wall of the prison had broken open and also fled the jail. He almost cheated the gallows. But after a foot chase through the north end of Orwigsburg Riggs was recaptured near the Orwigsburg Fair Grounds and returned to the prison.
Jimmy Riggs also tried to starve himself to death, he then took a mixture of whiskey and blue ink and drank it. Alerted the Sheriff had Doctor S.M.Zulich of Orwigsburg administer a dose of sulphurate zinc which caused Riggs to vomit out the deadly mixture.
On Friday, the 13th of August 1847, Jimmy Riggs went to the gallows that was erected in the jail yard of the Orwigsburg prison. From 3 o’clock in the morning, Jimmy prayed under the guidance of Rev. Hoffmier and Yeager who told him his soul would be saved.
With word of the up coming hanging, crowds gathered in Orwigsburg hoping to get a glimpse of the first execution to be held in Schuylkill County. But, the scaffold was erected so low that it was invisible to anyone on the outside of the prison yard.
At 2:16 p.m., High Sheriff John T. Werner led Jimmy Riggs to the scaffold. The condemned man sat on a chair given to him by Deputy William Garrett and moaned and groaned when Rev. Hoffmeir offered a prayer.
Riggs’ last words were in asking forgiveness for himself and everybody, He said, “Let this be a warning to every person, “he moaned...”Glory to God our redeemer.”
Jimmy then bade farewell to one of his jurors he recognized in the yard. He then clutched the hand of Sheriff Warner until compelled to drop it. The Sheriff adjusted the noose around his neck. Jimmy was left standing on the scaffold by himself, when the trap sprung and he was launched into eternity. Jimmy Riggs was left hanging for 33 minutes when he was cut down and carried to a room in the prison.
Now there is a weird and ghoulish ending to this story. Doctor’s. J. S. Carpenter, S.M. Zulich and W.J. Brown, actually three of the nine doctors on hand as the Journal reported began to perform experiments on the body of Jimmy Riggs. They attached a galvanic battery to the corpse with the intention one would assume to see if they could revive him. But all they got was some occasional contractions of the muscles.
So ended Schuylkill Counties first of 16 hangings .

In 1851 the courthouse was moved to Pottsville and the county jail went along with it. The jail was erected in 1851. The original jail had 38 cells, each cell could hold two prisoners, and the old lighting consisted of kerosene lamps. It cost $70,000 to build. In 1876 the prison was greatly enlarged with a new addition it contained 86 cells besides six dungeons in the cellar, bringing the total capacity up to 124 cells.

Joe Browns Execution
The first man to be executed by hanging in Pottsville was Joe Brown executed on March 21, 1875. 28 years after Jimmy Riggs.

The six man gallows for the Mollies on June 21, 1877

Men who where at the Hanging of the Mollies on June 21, 1877 on the Left is Patsy Collins Body master AOH Palo Alto, 2nd From Left George Byerly Warden Schuylkill Prison, ON the right end is the hangman Snyder , 3rd from the right Cappt. R.J.Linden Pinkeroton.

The next to be executed in the county jail were six of the famed Mollie Maguire’s.
James Boyle, and Hugh McGeehan were led to the scaffold together. They were followed by James Carroll, James Roarity, and finally Thomas Munley and Thomas Duffy, On June 21, 1877.

Next was another Mollie Maguire Dennis Donnelly, on June 11, 1878 followed by Jack “Black Jack “ Kehoe on December 18, 1878 and Martin Bergan on January 16, 1879.

On this scaffold Kehoe, Donnelly, Bergan and others wee execuited. It is just a section of the six man gallows used on the Mollies. The executioner was hidden in the tent behind the scaffold.
The next execution was held on October 23, 1894 when Peter Broski went to the gallows.

Six years later Thomas Brennan would meet his fate on the scaffold on February 15th 1900.

In 1908 eight years after Brennan was executed Schuylkill County will execute two men, on March 26, 1908 Charles Warzel and again on May 26th Felix Radzius were executed by hanging.

The last man to be executed in Schuylkill County prison was Joe Christock who was executed on March 30th , 1911.

Everyone else from Schuylkill County executed would meet their fate by way of electrocution.

Following are some photos of the inside of the prison before its renovation and some actual photo’s of the scaffold used on the Mollie Maguire’s and the section used for all the remaining executions.

For general information the legal responsibilty of executing a person sentenced to death back then lies with the Sheriff of the county. Most of the executioons could be viewed by the genral public if you were “lucky Enough” to get a ticket issued by the Sheriff. Some counties employed proffesional hangman. The man who hanged the Mollies was a man by the name of Snyder, so a photograph of a few men he day of the execution of the Mollies.
All of the executions in Schuylkill County went off with out a major incident, such as the rope breaking. The only incident was the execution of Warzell who fainted on the scaffolld and had to be held up by ropes.
Before the hanging of the six Mollie Maguires Schuylkill County Sheriff went to Philadelphia to get instructions on hanging methods. He was given a length of hemp by Edward H. Fitler, who supplied the rope for executions in the state, but refused to except payment for the rope. Hemp is always used in a hangmans rope, hemp is longer and stronger. It is first beaten and hackled until it is soft and tender and then it is twisted into strands. It is made in four parts. When finished it is perfectly round and smooth. It requires 21 feet to perform an execution properly, the surplus being used in case an accident resulting from a break. The knot is usually tied by the man who manufactures the rope so that the executioner had nothing to do but slip the loop over the prisoners head. With six men to hang the Schuylkill County Sheriff erected a monster of a gallows containing triple traps so that they could all be hung at one time. But in the end he elected to hang then two at a time.

Old Jail and Court House at time of Mollie trials 1877

Inside the Prison wall were executions took place

Inside the Prison the way it looked years ago.

The Prison

Behind this wall the executions took place.

ARMY C-47 CRASHES NEAR TAMAQUA..NOVEMBER 22, 1943

2009-09-15T18:37:00.007-04:00

This is a story about C-47 that crashed on the Mt. Between Tuscarora and Tamaqua. Someday I will try and find the location of this crash and get a few photos.

ARMY C-47 AIRCRAFT CRASHES ON SIDE OF HILL
ARMY PLANE FALLS; 7 DEAD, 2 HURT
NOVEMBER 22, 1943
TAMAQUA, PENNSYLVANIA
A TRANSPORT PLANE APPARENTLY TRYING TO LAND IN A STORM, CRASHES LOCUST MOUNTAIN AT TAMAQUA; 2 SOLDIERS ESCAPE ALIVE.

C-47

Hundreds of people watch plane circling the town, they see the flames flare up on the mountain side.

Seven Army fliers were killed and two others were seriously injured at 9:10 o’clock Sunday night when an army C-47 transport crashed into the mountain side west of the northward of Tamaqua, three quarters of a mile beyond the borough limit.
The names of the dead fliers were withheld by Army authorities pending notification of the next of kin and an investigation by a board of Army officers of the Middletown air base.
The two injured men were identified as Corporal Joseph W. Enloe, Emsley , Ala. And Pvt. Charles H. Davis, Greenville SC. Both were said to be in serious condition in the Coaldale State Hospital.
The plane circled over Tamaqua and the Barnesville air field before the accident lending strength to the theory that it was off course. Army officials said it was a “routine” flight. They would not reveal where it came from and where it was going. The two injured men were found a half hour after the crash wandering in a daze near the wreck. They could not explain how they got out of the plane, but believed to have been thrown out when the aircraft. When the lost ship its pilot circling for a landing at the Barnesville airport struck the tops of trees and then plummeted into the rocky ridge that shirts the top of the mountain.
After circling Tamaqua once the big plane moved towards the Barnesville airport, circled it and then came back towards Tamaqua from the west. It again circled Tamaqua and then moved back in the direction of Barnesville when it crashed into the mountainside.

The plane struck a huge boulder weighing several hundred tons, clipped branches from trees and came to rest on the side of the mountain although it apparently missed high tension lines in the neighborhood.
The nose of the plane was consumed by fire and five of the seven bodies were badly burned, probably beyond recognition. The bodies of the other two victims were also badly scorched.
Tamaqua resident who first arrived on the scene said the bodies were burning fiercely. The remains were taken in charge by a Tamaqua undertaker at 6:45 o’clock the morning after the battered plane had been guarded overnight by state police
Hundreds of persons saw the plane circling low over Tamaqua just before the crash and heard shouts from the men aboard. Later they saw the plane drop on the mountain side and flames shoot up after several explosions.
The force of the crash was perhaps best illustrated by the fact that a fragment of the planes tail was hurled 1500 feet away from the ship when it nosed into the mountainside.
The scene is reached only by a narrow muddy roads normally used by coal trucks. Rescue parties proceeded as far possible by automobile and then carried fire fighting equipment by hand. It was necessary to carry the bodies three quarters of a mile to awaiting hearses.
News of the crash attracted wide attention in the county and brought out reports that the plane had circled other communities before it hit the mountainside. It was reported the plane followed Reading Company tracks from Ashland to Girardville, circled back to Ashland and then returned to Shenandoah. Disappearing in the direction of Lake Side.
The plane said to have been on a route from Fort Benning, Ga. To Willow Grove, and about 100 miles off course circled over the town from the east at a low altitude, during the rain storm and its pilot appeared to be heading toward the Barnesville airport for an emergency landing.
Two PP&L linemen Edward Williams and John Malinsky were on a pole making repairs when they saw the plane over town traveling east and then northeast and then northwest towards the airport. A few seconds later the ship crashed and there was an explosion.
Rescue parties from Tamaqua started immediately for the scene. The first man to reach the scene was Oliver Lockwood of Tuscarora, who also saw the plane circle and heard the explosion after the crash. It was he who met the two dazed survivors as he hurried toward the wreckage. He took them to the hospital in his car.
Another man on the scene was Willis Parnell of Tamaqua. When the rescuers reached the plane it had just begun to burn fiercely and Williams braved the flames and possible other explosions to crawl through the wreckage searching for survivors. He located the bodies of three but all appeared to be dead. He was forced from the wreckage by the intense heat before he could locate the others.
The big ship clipped of trees for a distance before it crashed and from the position of the tail it appears the pilot tried to gain altitude when the plane first topped the trees, but was not able to do so.
Oliver C. Gorshall, caretaker of the Barnesville Airport said the plane just managed to clear the crest of the mountain on it flight and then circled back toward Tamaqua.. It crashed on its attempted return.
The location of the crash site is left of the Pottsville-Tamaqua highway into Tamaqua, about a half mile behind the I.O.O.F. Cemetery on the mountain between Tuscarora and Tamaqua.
At the time of the crash there was alight fog which surrounded the top of the mountain.

November 24, 1943
Fliers Killed In Tamaqua Crash.
Four officers and three enlistedmen were killed
Capt. Bernard Cederholm. Indianapolis, Ind.
First Lieut. Paul Anthony Gregory Jr. Marietta Ga.
1st Lt. George Arthur Blanchard Jr. Sand Lake Mich.
2nd Lt. George Jospeh Fritsche , Snyder N.Y.
Tech Sgt. Emmet Woodrow Johnson, Henderson W.Va.
Sgt. Manuel Lorber, Brooklyn, N.Y.
Pvt. Andrew F. Gaydos, Jr. Swissdale Pa.
Two other enlisred men, Corparoal Charles H. Davis, Greenville S.C. and Cpl. Jospeh W. Enloc, Ala. Survived and all were members of the Army Air Force except Gaydos who was an infantryman and a passenger on the plane.

James McParlan Alias James McKenna

2009-08-26T20:40:00.006-04:00

Most people in the coal region know the Mollie Maguire story, and one of the leading personalities was the infamous Pinkerton Detective James McParlan,who was known to the Mollies as James McKenna. Whether you hate him, or think what he did was correct, Mr.McParlan was an intricate part of Schuylkill county history. Following is a little travel log of McParlan after he arrived in Schuylkill County at Port Clinton.
I don't want to go into his history, you can do that for yourself, here is his travel tour.

In the month of October, 1873, he arrived in Philadelphia, and reported himself to Benjamin Franklin, the superintendent of the Agency there, as ready for action. A general plan was agreed upon, and modes of communication by cipher and otherwise were established. Frequent reports were required,—daily, or even oftener when necessary or practicable. It was not in view at this time that McParlan should himself ever become a witness; the intention was to discover, if possible, the criminals who infested the coal regions, to learn of their inside workings, to give notice of intended outrages, so that when possible they might be prevented, and when this could not be done, to point out the offenders and secretly furnish information and evidence for their conviction.

The character of the outrages committed and the manner of their commission had led to a belief in the existence of a powerful organization located in the very heart of the mining operations. It was fully appreciated that every move should be made cautiously; it was fully understood that by one single error the work of months might be rendered of no avail, and that by one false step future operations would be made still more dangerous, if not impossible. Before entering on the work, a knowledge of the various localities and differing characteristics of the people, to be obtained through actual observation, was deemed requisite. This was considered advisable for a number of reasons: it would render the detective better able to enter into and understand ordinary subjects of conversation, and would give him a clearer idea of the field he had to work in. The details of his action and future movements were left as a matter either of discretion or of after-consideration.

Under such general instructions, McParlan entered upon the scene of action. In the month of October, 1873, he took the cars in Philadelphia, with Port Clinton—a small town situated on the dividing line between the counties of Schuylkill and Berks—as his destination. Here he for the first time assumed the name of James McKENNA, a name by which he was known during the whole period of his residence in Schuylkill County, up to March, 1876.

Port Clinton, a small but thriving village, a railroad junction, with some manufacturing industries, frequented by railroad hands, but with the Pennsylvania German element predominating among its residents, was soon understood, and, to the detective, uninteresting. Remaining there but one day, he passed a few miles up the railroad to Auburn. Here he found the Pennsylvania Dutch in full force. The town was small, and the inhabitants evidently not bloodthirsty; but, according to his own account, here it was that his main duties as an officer were appealed to. He showed obedience to orders in stopping there, but his discretion told him to leave within a few hours. A ride of

about fifteen miles on the Schuylkill and Susquehanna branch of the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad, through a beautiful farming country, and he was rewarded by a sight of the pretty little town of Pinegrove. Not being interested in the subject of agriculture nor in search of a pleasant place of residence, the same day found him on the return trip to Auburn, and from there he went still farther up the railroad to Schuylkill Haven.

Schuylkill Haven, although outside of the coal region, is only four miles from Pottsville, is at the junction of the Mine Hill branch with the main line of the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad, and is also at the head of the Schuylkill Canal. Although possessing many of the characteristics of a central town in an agricultural district, the heavy coal shipments on the canal, and the number of boatmen and railroad hands congregated there, presented subjects for examination, and afforded him opportunities to form acquaintance. Here he remained about four days, visiting the coal wharves, the company shops, and the surrounding country; also, while here, he availed himself of the opportunity to pay a visit of a few hours to Pottsville.

From Schuylkill Haven McKenna proceeded to Tre- mont, which place he made his headquarters for about a week. Here he had his first conversations relative to the " Molly Maguires." He pretended to believe an assertion of the existence of that organization, made in the Boston Pilot, to be without foundation. He was, however, assured by a railroader named Fitzgibbons and a tavern-keeper named Donohue, both of whom asserted that they were not members, that the society had an existence, that Mahanoy City was full of its members, and that the organization was bad in its character.

Tremont was in the coal region, and here he made his first acquaintance with miners and labarers. Pretending to be in search of work, from that point he.visited Newtown, Swatara, Middle Creek, Rausch's Creek, and Donaldson, at each place forming acquaintances and extending his information. He next passed to the western part of Schuyl- kill County, where he paid a visit of some four days to Tower City and the surrounding coal-mines. Here he heard the assertions repeated as to the existence of the "Molly Maguires," but the point of their strength was again alleged to be in the Mahanoy Valley, north of the Broad Mountain. From Tower City he made his way back to Tremont, and from there to Minersville, a town of about five thousand inhabitants, four miles to the west of Potts- ville, where he remained several days.

McKenna now left the coal region and went to Philadelphia to make a personal report to Superintendent Franklin, remaining in that city about two weeks. He had obtained some idea of the country, had made a number of acquaintances, and had satisfied himself that the " Molly Maguire" organization was no myth, but a terrible reality.

A course of policy was again marked out, and Pottsville selected as the proper place for McParlan to make his headquarters, that city being the centre of business in Schuyl- kill County, the county seat, where were located the offices of the railroad and mining companies, and as a consequence being frequented by all classes of the population and residents of all parts of the county.

Whilst the " Molly Maguires" had not yet attained sufcient hardihood openly to defy law and authority in Pottsville, it nevertheless had a number of members of the order among its citizens, and several of their places of resort in its very centre. Ifc was conceived that at this point a general acquaintance with the order throughout the region could be best formed, and from there a proper place for the basis of future operations be best selected.

It will be borne in mind that up to the time here referred to, and throughout the whole of his operations in the coal region, the system of daily reports was maintained. These reports, still in existence, and in the possession of the Pink- erton Agency, form a proud record of the industry, the ability, and the honesty of McParlan the detective.

Mcparlan, or McKenna, as he was now called, returned to the coal region in December, 1873, after his visit to Philadelphia, with the intention, as already stated, of making Pottsville his immediate headquarters. He obtained boarding with Mrs. O'Regan, East Norwegian Street, and at once earnestly entered upon the duties for which, he had been employed. He had become fully satisfied by this time that if every member of the A. O. H., or Ancient Order of Hibernians, was not a " Molly Maguire," it was a pretty well-established fact that every " Molly Maguire" was a member of the Ancient Order of Hibernians. This order, regularly chartered by the Legislature of Pennsylvania as a benevolent association, paraded its existence before the world, and made no special secret of the times and places of its meetings.

Before McParlan left Chicago, it had been determined upon by Allan Pinkerton that he was to join the organization, and to do so was a part of his instructions. Its members were known, and very many of them were soon his friends and associates. He was "a broth of a boy." He had, according to his own account, come to the coal region in search of a job, but, as he had just left a good place in Philadelphia, where he had saved some money, he was in no special hurry about the matter. He could, according to the style and taste of those of his nationality, sing a good song, dance a jig, and pass a rough joke. He was polite and attentive to the girls, could drink his share of whisky and pay for it, and was open for a row or shindy of any kind. Altogether, his manners were those of as rollicking, impulsive, generous, careless, unreasonable, quarrelsome, devil-may-care an Irishman as could be found in the four counties.

At an early day after locating in Pottsville, McKenna formed the friendship of Pat Dormer, a Molly Maguire, one of the commissioners of the county, and the keeper of a drinking-saloon and " Molly" resort, called the Sheridan House, on Centre Street. He quickly marked Dormer as a fit subject on whom to commence operations, and as a consequence, alone or in company, he was frequently loafing in front of the counter when Pat played the part of his own bar-tender. An opportunity for establishing confidence presented itself. McKenna's boon companions grew careless, and a toast, the words of which he remembered, was several times repeated and responded to in his presence. This was sufficient for the detective : watching an opportunity when he was the only guest, he treated the landlord, and, leaning mysteriously across the counter, tipped glasses, and in a significant manner repeated the words of the toast he had heard.

" What!" said Dormer, surprised, " are you one of them things?"

"That's what they call me," replied McKenna.

Dormer, without further inquiry, accepted the position, and confidence was established between the two. McKenna told him that he had been a member of the Ancient Order in Buffalo, where he owned some houses, but that owing to a crime which he had committed there he had left in a hurry, and was unable not only to collect his rents, but also, for fear of detection, to communicate with his society. He stated likewise that, whilst he had some money on hand, he would like to get a job of work, and to keep up his connection with the organization. The story excited Dormer's sympathy. He said that Michael Law- ler, of the Shenandoah Division, was a personal friend of his, and that he had no doubt that Lawler would, on his recommendation, aid McKenna in getting a job at Shenandoah.

Although Dormer had fallen so readily into the snare, McKenna's path to knowledge was not always strewn with roses. Dormer, a night or two after the interview just referred to, introduced him to Michael Cooney as a member of the order. Cooney required too much proof. McKenna's stock of knowledge was soon exhausted, and he floundered. Cooney became indignant. McKenna, to get out of the scrape, assumed intoxication, called for drinks all around, apparently took a very big drink himself, reeled, and fell over on the floor, where he lay feigning sleep.

Cooney still continued indignant, abused McKenna, and said that he had a notion to kick him on the head.

Dormer remonstrated. "The fellow is all right," he said ; " he is a good fellow, and belongs to the order ; he is a little intoxicated now, but when he gets sober he will be able to explain it all to you."

" I don't believe it," replied Cooney ; "and I wouldn't believe him unless he brought a card from his body- master."

The situation was not pleasant; McKenna had made a narrow escape from getting a severe bruising ; but he had gained two additional items of information, namely, that cards were issued, and that the officer issuing them was the body-master.

Several weeks after this occurrence McKenna met Michael Lawler, who was then the body-master of the Shenandoah

Division, at the Sheridan House; they were introduced, and a strong recommendation of McKenna was privately given Lawler by Dormer. McKenna did his utmost to impress his new acquaintance favorably, and succeeded. Arrangements were then made for him to visit Shenandoah with a prospect of obtaining work.

Prior to this time the detective had been extending his acquaintanceship throughout the coal region. His usual course was to stop at some hotel or tavern frequented by workingmen, or to go to some boarding-house suitable for the purpose he had in view. He stopped about a week in St. Clair (three miles from Pottsville); then, crossing the Broad Mountain, he remained a few days at Girardville ; from thence he journeyed to Ashland, which place he made his residence a sufficient length of time to enable him to increase his acquaintance and enlarge his knowledge of the coal region.

After his return to Pottsville, his circle of friends not only increased, but, owing to the spread of the impression that he had been formerly connected with the order, he was enabled to gain a more comprehensive view of its extent and power. His reckless, daring manners, together with an impression that he was himself creating of an utter disregard of all laws, human and divine, induced an unusual degree of confidence to be placed in him. He still kept up the fiction that he was in search of work, except to some friends, to whom he threw out vague intimations of his being a fugitive from justice. Avowedly in search of work, after remaining several weeks in Pottsville he visited Mahanoy City, where he made a short sojourn ; thence to Tamaqua, and from there again returned to 1'ottsville.

This was in the latter part of January, 1874. It was at this time that he made the acquaintance of Michael Lawler, or, as he was generally called, "Muff" Lawler, and agreed to go to Shenandoah to get work.

- He had now made up his mind, and had so reported to Mr. Franklin, that his true base of operations was in the Mahanoy Valley, north of the Broad Mountain. In the early part of February, 1874, he made his first visit to Shenandoah, on his way stopping over Sunday at Girard- ville, and Monday night at Colorado, a mining town in that neighborhood.

About the loth of February he arrived at Shenandoah, which place he thereafter made his home ; going back and forth from there, until his position as a police-officer was discovered and his career as an operating detective in the coal region had ended.

Shenandoah, a town of about nine thousand inhabitants, has sprung into existence within the last thirteen years. It lies a few miles north of Mahanoy City, and to the east of Ashland, and is built upon and surrounded by coal lands of almost fabulous value. The improvements are commensurate with the value of the lands, some of the largest collieries in the world being there in successful operation. Both the Philadelphia and Reading and the Lehigh Valley Railroads extend through the town, severally claiming a share of the rich deposit of coal. The population consists in the main of miners and laborers, although bankers, store-keepers, lawyers, doctors, editors, ministers, mechanics, and artisans of various kinds constitute an important element. The miners and laborers are, however, not only the controlling political element, but also the great source from which directly or indirectly the remainder of the population derives its support. As a consequence, the fluctuations of the coal trade, with their effect upon the rate of wages, are quickly felt by all classes of the community, and as a further consequence, not only the " Labor Union" but also the " Molly Maguire" organization was here openly defiant and advocated extreme measures, which, although not generally approved, were maintained against opposition.

In the latter part of February, 1874, McKenna obtained work at the Indian Ridge shaft, near Shenandoah, as a laborer. Here he remained a little over two weeks. Upon some trivial pretext he threw up this job, and engaged himself at the West Shenandoah colliery, where he remained about seven or eight days.

Some ludicrous stories are current as to McKenna's attempt to work in the coal-mines. He at first insisted upon working in full dress. Soon his coat was thrown aside, then his vest, and finally his shirt. He perspired and suffered under the unwonted labor, but nevertheless bore himself manfully. The work in the mines would soon have become as pleasant as any other manual labor, but he found no occasion to test that question fully. He quickly discovered that it was not as the skillful miner or industrious laborer that admission to or influence in the "Molly Maguire" organization was to be obtained.

He first boarded a week or two with his new friend, Michael or "Muff" Lawler, and was by him introduced to the boarding-house of Fenton Cooney, who was also a member of the order. A very short intercourse with his new associates convinced him that not only were the rights of person and of property and the laws of the land regarded with contempt by the "Molly" organization, but that he who had committed the greatest number and deadliest of crimes and had at the same time evaded the law was looked upon with admiration and respect. He also soon discovered that the man who supported himself or his family by a course of honest industry was held in far less esteem than the man who had acquired money by fraud or trick. The great corporations, the land-owners, and the coal operators were viewed as enemies and oppressors, who had no rights, and against whom any advantage, however unfair, might be taken. The positions of Township Auditor, Supervisor of Roads, Treasurer, School Director, and Tax Collector were eagerly sought for, and when obtained the duties were administered with a criminal disregard of the rights of the public. Fraudulent, altered, and forged orders were issued with perfect boldness, and corruption in the management of public trust prevailed to an extent that would have excited the admiration of the boldest operator in the Tweed ring in its palmiest days. It is no exaggeration to say that the frauds in many townships in the coal region were far greater, in proportion to the amount involved, than any charged to New York or Philadelphia jobs. Many of the " Molly" leaders were tavern- and saloon-keepers, and their houses headquarters for the turbulent and discontented, where were devised schemes by which the different coal operations could be run in the interest of the organization by means of superintendents and bosses of their selection and by them forced into position.

McKenna, upon finding that not only were his purposes not advanced, but that his movements were hampered and controlled by being confined as a miner and laborer, stopped work about the loth of March, 1874. He had now gained sufficient insight into the workings of the order to be enabled to state boldly that he was a member. He gave up the story of having accumulated money in Philadelphia, and began, to those confidential friends who under no circumstances can keep a secret, to tell of criminal acts which excited even their admiration. He had two explanations for his present means of support: one was that he was in receipt of a pension from the United States government, obtained fraudulently, and the other that he was "shoving the queer," in other words, passing counterfeit money.

To "Muff" Lawler he told, with more detail, the story he had already related to Pat Dormer, in Pottsville, relative to his Buffalo adventures. According to his account he had worked at a grain-elevator there (describing one that had no existence), and had quarreled with and killed a man under circumstances of peculiar atrocity, but assigned reasons that rendered him perfectly justifiable from the " Molly" stand-point. He suggested that as writing to Buffalo to obtain a card from the body-master there might lead to his detection and arrest, it would be better that he should be initiated over again and become an active member of the Shenandoah Division, of which he (Lawler) was body-master. The reasons given were satisfactory, and accordingly, on the 14th of April, 1874, the ceremony of initiation was gone through with at Lawler's house by reading to him an obligation called the "test," which he kissed in token of secrecy. He was now a full-fledged member of a society known throughout the coal regions, the Ancient Order of Hibernians, but among themselves recognized as the dreaded "Molly Maguires." He found the society acting avowedly under an act of the Legislature of Pennsylvania, approved March 10, 1871; and that its motto was "Friendship, Unity, and True Christian Charity." He found, further, that in its written constitution and bylaws were embodied the purest sentiments of morality and benevolence, not only as between the members, but as to all the world besides. But he also found that the written principles for the governance of the order were but a thin cloak to cover their real purposes in the perpetration and concealment of crime. Whilst there was no pretense at carrying out the avowed object of the society as a benevolent association, it was not every new and young member that was fully trusted : education was sometimes necessary before entering into full communion. The chief county officer, called the County Delegate, was alone deemed worthy of being made cognizant of all transactions; whilst even in a lodge or division the chief officer, called the Body-master, and those immediately concerned, were some

times, although not always, alone aware of a contemplated or perpetrated outrage. The members of one division could only under special circumstances be admitted to the deliberations of other lodges or chapters of the order; and as a consequence McKenna found that he had advanced but one step towards the object he had in view. He found that to attain his ends he would have to out-herod Herod or out-"Molly" a "Molly."

The character he had first assumed he intensified : he became loud, brawling, and boastful of crimes of all grades, from petty larceny to murder. He was ready to drink, sing, dance, court a girl, or fight. He boasted of the great benefit that he had been to the order, and was ever ready to pretend sympathy with the perpetrators of a crime, after its commission, which he had been unable to prevent and the full details of which he was anxious to discover. By reason of the merit he claimed to himself he succeeded in being elected secretary of his division, whereby he obtained a seat in the county conventions; and he had ambition for still higher preferment. In every hole and corner of the coal-region portions of Schuylkill, Northumberland, and Carbon Counties (with an occasional visit to Luzerne) Jimmy McKenna could at different times be found among the order, the loudest talker and apparently the biggest "Molly" of them all. But it is simple justice to James McParlan to state that this was only in appearance: with all his show of devotion to the order he never asked a man to join it, never by word or deed suggested or encouraged a crime. To this he has testified in trials both in Carbon and Schuylkill Counties. In Carbon County a desperate effort was made to prove the contrary, not only without success, but with a signal failure that recoiled upon the prisoner. The ill success there proved a warning to the defense in subsequent cases in Schuylkill Count}, and the effort to prove him in any respect an accomplice has been entirely abandoned.

It may be in place to mention at this point that the hardships endured by McParlan, in combination with the bad whisky he was compelled to swallow, resulted in a most singular effect upon his personal appearance during the latter part of his residence at Shenandoah. All of the hair fell off his head ; he lost his eyebrows, and his eyesight became impaired. Seeing him with a slouch hat on a bald pate, with green spectacles, rough shirt, and an old linen coat, swaggering along the streets, the last idea likely to present itself was that through his exertions a new era of peace, of law, and of order was about to dawn on the anthracite coal-fields.

HERE IS ANOTHER MOLLIE ITEM A LIST OF THE OUTRAGES IN THE COAL REGION

APPENDIX.
LIST OF OUTRAGES
SCHUYLKILL AND SHAMOKIN REGIONS.
PUBLISHED IN CONNECTION WITH THE SPEECH OF F. B. GOWEN, ESQ., BEFORE THE LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE, JULY 29 AND 30, 1875.
1874.
December 13.—John Taylor, inside foreman at Richardson colliery, received a threatening notice to leave. See notice marked "A." George Rose, watchman at Indian Ridge, warned by two strangers not to go down the shaft of the colliery to grease the pumps, as in their opinion it was not his duty, but that of the fireman.
December 28.—Communication marked " I" was received by Mr. J. II. Olhausen, superintendent Mahanoy and Shamokin branch.
1875.
January.—Three tunnel contractors at Preston No. 2 colliery, John Finigan, Samuel Davies, William Williams, were notified to cease driving a tunnel, or submit to a fine of fifty dollars each, imposed by the Miners' and Laborers' Benevolent Association.
February 14.—About four o'clock in the morning, the shaft.frame at the West Norwegian shaft was destroyed by fire, the work of an incendiary.
February 24.—A mysterious fire occurred at the East shaft about nine o'clock at night, originating in the fan-house, where there was kept a
359

limited quantity of giant powder; ttlere being no fire near at hand at the time, no cause can be given for the fire other than that of incendiarism.
February 26.—Burning of giant powder at the Norwegian shaft; supposed to have been the work of an incendiary.
February 28.—House burned down by parties unknown, at Richardson colliery.
March 19.—J. Showerley, watchman at Ellsworth colliery, beaten and his revolver taken from him.
March 19.—Communication marked " III." was received by Mr. Olhausen.
March 20.—Watchman at Mine Hill Gap colliery beaten and tied with a rope; watch stolen.
March 25.—Train-employees of the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad Company quartered at Ashland were molested by parties of men. These persons endeavored by threats and persuasion to intimidate the men and induce them to leave the service of the company.
March 25.—Telegraph-office at Locust Summit destroyed by an incendiary.
March 25.—Thirty-two cars loaded with coal dumped on track at Locust Gap, and six at Excelsior.
March 25.—A train of one hundred loaded cars were started down the grade and run off the track on Excelsior branch. Eight of the cars were badly broken in consequence. Damage, three hundred dollars. A few men at Palo Alto renounce the M. & W. B. A.
March 26.—Philadelphia and Reading Railroad Company engine No. 288 ran off the track at Mine Hill crossing.
March 26.—Unknown parties dumped twenty-nine loaded coal-cars on siding at Locust Gap Junction.
March 26.—Six loaded coal-cars dumped by unknown parties at Enterprise siding.
March 27.—Train-hands on Philadelphia and Reading Railroad Company's train stoned at Locust Gap. A number of men sent from Reading were met on their arrival at Gordon by a party of persons and persuaded not to go to work.
March 28.—Warehouse Philadelphia and Reading Railroad Company at Mount Carmel broken open, and three barrels flour, six hundred pounds fish, and one barrel butter stolen. Tool-house broken open and tools stolen.
March 29.—A large number of persons congregated at and near Locust Gap and stoned the crews of passing coal-trains.
March 30.—Switch turned wrong and spiked at Shenandoah Junction ; mixed train engine off the track in consequence.
March 30.—Tool-house No. 5 broken open and tools stolen. Notice left there addressed to Daniel Yost, boss of section. New men were threatened, and left, saying they were afraid to work.
March 31.—House-car burned and totally destroyed on siding at Excelsior. Loss, six hundred dollars.
March 31.—A party of men boarded a coal-train between Locust Gap and Alaska stations, drove off the engineer and crew, damaged the engine, and blocked the road with stones.
March 31.—Parade of miners and railroad-men at Gordon. A large number of miners from Heckscherville on way to Gordon to participate took possession of coal-trains, and on arrival at head of plane compelled the plane-hands to run them down to Gordon. The men employed at the planes were also notified to quit work or abide the consequences. The strikers stated that after the parade they would go through the shops and compel all the men to quit work; which no doubt would have been carried into effect had it not been for an accident which occurred, resulting from the premature discharge of a cannon which the strikers were using to fire a salute, and by which three men were injured, one of them fatally. Track barricaded near Locust Gap with stones and railroad.sills, train-men stoned and shot at by parties with muskets and other fire-arms. The mob took possession of engine No. 260, a revolver pointed at the head of the engineer, Hiram Trout, and told to clear out or they would blow his brains out. Engine No. 260 was left in the hands of the mob ; three engines following, having been warned of the trouble ahead, returned with their trains to Alaska. They were, however, together with train No. 260, subsequently brought safely to Gordon. Damage sustained by engine No. 260 at the hands of the mob was seventy-five dollars. A large and excited mob awaited the arrival of the train-men at their boarding-house in Ashland, and this, together with the previous occurrences of the day, rendered it necessary to withdraw the men from the region until other arrangements could be made.
March —.—Indian Ridge and Plank Ridge collieries. Threats made by strange men at two different times to burn breakers of the company if work was not soon started. Governor Hartranft consulted.
April I.—No movement of coal trade to-day. Company's property guarded by police force. Sheriff Werner, of Schuylkill County, applied to for protection.
April I.—Threatening notices posted at Colket & Newkirk collieries. See notice marked " B."
April I.—Repairs-men Thomas Catalow, Henry Fulke, and Philip Blake, on Preston branch, Mahanoy and Shamokin Railroad, threatened with violence if they did not quit work.
April 2.—Switch-lock broken and switch misplaced near Mahanoy City, throwing freight-train off track and engine and portion of train down the bank.
April 2.—Engine No. 237, on freight-train No. II, was run over an embankment at Elmwood colliery, a switch having been misplaced by some unknown person. Damage, one hundred and ten dollars. Sheriff Werner distributed his proclamation through the riotous region. Governor Hartranft also issued his proclamation.
April 2.—A large party of men and boys boarded a freight-train at Mahanoy City in defiance of the crew. They were driven off by aid of Sheriff Weaver and police force.
April 2.—An attempt made to burn the office of the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad Company at Tuscarora.
April 2.—John Stephens, a brakeman, living at Mahanoy Plane, shot at and stoned for refusing to unite with the strikers. The sheriff of Northumberland promised to be at Locust Gap next morning. No movement of the coal trade.
April 3.—Twelve empty coal-cars run off the track by unknown persons at Hillside colliery. Damage, twenty-five dollars.
April 3.—Two freight-cars run off the track at Ellangowan colliery by unknown party. Damage, two thousand and eighteen dollars.
April 6.—Tool-house at Locust Gap thrown into the creek.
April 7.—A piece of iron was found wedged in a frog on the main track east of Mahanoy Plane. It was discovered in time to prevent damage.
April 7.—A loaded car at Burnside colliery siding was started down the grade by parties unknown.
April 7.—A pistol notice was fastened to blacksmith-shop at Newkirk colliery. See notice " C."
April 8.—Attempt made to run loaded cars down the grade at Burn- side colliery.
April 12.—A car started on Heckscher branch, near Shenandoah, running down main line of Shenandoah branch about the time the passenger-train from Mahanoy Plane to Shenandoah was due.
April 12.—Switch and two caution-boards torn out at Wadesville, Mount Carbon Railroad.
April 12.—A half-drift wagon-wheel placed between two sills on the track at Horseshoe curve, Mine Hill Railroad.
April 15.—Switch-lock broken at Glendower, Mine Hill Railroad. April 17.—Block of houses at Bast colliery burned by parties unknown.
April 18.—Two mules stolen from stable of the West Shenandoah colliery found the next day near Conner's mines.
April 21.—Men about starting to work in Greenback colliery deterred by threats and abusive language.
April 19.—Tool-house No. 6, above Landingville, was broken into, tools taken out and thrown down the bank, and the hand-truck at tool- house was disposed of in the same way. William Timmins, Benjamin Gough, Joseph Gough, West Shenandoah colliery, were intimidated and stopped from working by a party of men, and again on May 13 were told by them that they would be reported to the M. £ L. I). A. and be fined fifty dollars.
April 22.—Hose of water columns at Mahanoy Plane, Gordon, and Excelsior cut.
April 22.—Two gondola-cars, loaded with ties at Excelsior, set on fire.
April 22.—Switch at Enterprise Junction set wrong and rails blocked; obstruction removed before damage resulted.
April 22.—Special policeman Doolan, while in discharge of duty on train, attacked by five men, thrown from the train, and severely beaten.
April 23.—Two railroad employees, Frank Backman and Owen Lawrence, having resigned their connection with their Union and agreed to go to work, their houses were visited by strikers, shots fired, and threatening language used to stop them from working.
April 28.—House of Christian Calleary, miner, at Bast colliery, stoned, windows broken, and damage done to furniture.
April 29.—Freight depot at Mount Carmel broken into, and provisions stolen.
April 29.—Three pistol notices posted at North Franklin collieries, where men were working at reduced wages. See " D," " E," "G."
At different times during April, the following men, working at the North Franklin collieries, were subjected to abuse, and their houses stoned and furniture damaged by strikers: Peter Hoffman, abusive language used and windows of house broken; Henry Lagerman, Sr., windows broken; Henry Lagerman, Jr., abused; Peter Strasser, windows broken; David Strasser, windows broken; Henry Rhoads, abused for working; Eliza D. Jones saw and heard parties planning to burn the breaker.
May i.—Freight-car at Locust Gap broken open, and flour and feed stolen to the amount of thirty-five dollars.
May 2.—The houses of men at Gordon, who had left the Miners' and Workingmen's Benevolent Association and gone to work, were visited at night by parties, threats made, and shots fired.
May 3.—Freight-cars started from siding at Mahanoy City by some persons unknown, and run off the track at main road switch.
May 3.—Obstructions placed on track below Girardville.
May 3.—Engine "Gem" was stoned while passing through Girardville at about nine P.M.
May 4.—Ben Franklin colliery burned; the work of an incendiary.
May 4.—A watchman and two other men at Helfenstein colliery driven off by an armed party.
May 4.—Watchman at Locust Gap beaten and watch stolen; watch returned.
May 5.—Oil-house at Locust Summit, used as a temporary telegraph- office, burned.
May 5.—Stable at Locust Spring colliery robbed of thirty bushels of corn and oats.
May 5.—Heavy wire rope at Gordon Plane No. I cut. Loss about five hundred dollars. Telegraph-office at Locust Summit again destroyed by fire. Loss, two hundred and fifty dollars.
May 6.—Attempt made to destroy the trestles at Locust Gap by boring holes in the timbers and charging them with dualin. George Keich and Wenscle, working at Newkirk colliery, were told that it was a pity they were not both killed, and if they were not careful they would be attacked on their way home.
May 7.—At Excelsior Summit, Locust Gap, and Garretson's, the hose was cut from the water columns and tanks by unknown persons.
May 9.—Breaker of Enterprise colliery destroyed by fire; supposed to be the work of an incendiary.
May 10.—A mob of about two hundred and fifty armed men stopped the men who were about starting to work at Hickory Ridge colliery, maltreating the mine boss. Some party drove off the workmen at the Lancaster colliery. An incendiary notice served on a man at a Mount Carmel colliery. (See notice marked " F.") Charles Shaffstal, West Brookside colliery, threatened and abused with bad language at Tower City for working.
May ii.—Assistant foreman Henry Lloyd, at Beechwoocl colliery, badly beaten by strange men.
May 13.—Stones, logs, etc., placed on track between Mahanoy City and St. Nicholas.
May 14.—Michael LafTy, a workman at Beechwood colliery, fired at on his return home from work.
May 18.—John Veith, district superintendent at Locust Gap, house stoned and window broken.
May 19.—Signal tower at Mahanoy Plane, east of Bear Ridge colliery No. 2, burned at four o'clock A.M.
May 19.—Ticket- and telegraph-office at Excelsior station burned at about two A.M.
No date.—George Woart worked at East Franklin colliery, but was so abused by being called blackleg and other names that he was obliged to stop work and move his family to Tremont.
May 20.—A party of about twenty strikers attacked men working at Newkirk colliery. Two of the workmen wounded.
May 25.—Carpenter-shop at Palo Alto broken into, and a lot of tools to the value of thirty-five dollars stolen. Railroad iron and sills were placed upon the track at two points between Excelsior and Shamokin, by some unknown person, supposed with the intention of throwing passenger-train from the track. The obstructions were removed by the engine attached to passenger-train without damage.
June 2.—Obstructions were placed upon track on Shenandoah brancli by some persons unknown, with the intention of throwing passenger-train from the track. The obstructions were discovered and removed before arrival of the train.
June 3.—Engine " Gem," conveying Mr. J. H. Olhausen, superintendent, was fired at when near Mahanoy City by some persons unknown. No injury sustained.
June 3.—In the morning about seven o'clock, a large body of men, estimated to be from five hundred to one thousand in number, from Hazle- ton and vicinity, made their appearance in the neighborhood of Mahanoy City and stopped (he men working the North Mahanoy, Primrose, Jones, Ward & Oliver's, Beaver Run, and Hartford collieries. About twelve o'clock a mob of men from Shenandoah and other localities in this region, numbering about twelve hundred, marched through Mahanoy City. Their first act was to demand the release from the lock-up of a man who had been arrested in the morning by the chief burgess; this they effected by paying the fine. At two o'clock several hundred of the mob gathered at the colliery worked by King, Tyler & Co., and compelled their men to quit work. Sheriff Werner ordered the rioters to disperse, and was reading the riot act, when he and his posse were fired upon by the rioters. Two policemen of the Mahanoy City force were slightly wounded. After this attack, the mob marched to St. Nicholas colliery and dispersed. Governor Hartranft, having been called upon, ordered companies of troops to Mahanoy City and Shen- andoah to protect lives and property. On the morning of same day (June 3) a large body of men gathered about the West Shenandoah colliery, threatening to stop the men working there, but were prevented from making an attack by the force of armed police under Joseph Heisler. An attempt was made to throw the night passenger-train to Shenandoah from the track, by obstructing the road with stones, but the attempt was discovered in time to prevent an accident. A party of about thirty men, towards evening, while still daylight, went to the colliery worked by William Schwenk, near Mount Carmel, and deliberately fired the breaker, standing around until it was consumed. The colliery had worked since June I at reduced wages.
June 4.—Just before daylight, a body of men fired upon the police guarding the Centennial colliery, near Shenandoah, but, their fire being returned with effect, they dispersed without further attempt. A party of men left St. Clair in the morning, going in the direction of New Castle, stopped the men working for Joseph Denning screening coal- banks, also the men working at Ellsworth colliery. In the afternoon a party visited Mine Hill Gap and Beechwood collieries, but did nothing aggressive.
June 8.—Some of the men going to work at the Locust Run colliery were driven back by a mob. The same day the party molested the platform-men at Locust Run colliery and drove two men home.
June 9.—One of the workmen at Eagle Hill colliery attacked by two discharged men.
June 12.—At about half-past three o'clock P.M., Robert Gilgore and James O'Leary, contractors at the Oakdale colliery, left the mines to return to Forestville, their residence. As they were crossing the mountain lying between Oakdale and Forestville, they were fired upon from the bushes by three men armed with shot-guns. O'Leary was shot in the arm in three places; Gilgore received a great number of shot in his arms, hands, and lower limbs. The persons who made the attack were unknown to Gilgore and O'Leary.
June 28.—About five o'clock in the morning, William Thomas was attacked in the stable of the Shoemaker colliery, near Mahanoy City, by seven strange men, firing at him several times, striking him in three places, — in the neck, leg, and about the front of the body. During the firing a horse was killed, and a mule was shot in the leg. Thomas's injuries were not dangerous. John Blair, engineer, and Thomas Chapman, stable boss, were in the stable at the time.
July 4.— At the Centralia colliery, the night engineer of pumping- engine was fired upon by two men from door of engine-house, but was not injured. The two former engineers, James McBraerty and Patrick Devine, had struck against a reduction of wages, and the man fired at had taken one of their places.
July 6. — About half-past two o'clock in the morning, police officer Frank Yost, of the Tamaqua police, was shot by two men in Tamaqua. He live'd until about ten o'clock that morning. Officer McCarron, who was standing across the street, fired at the men, but hit neither of them. At the time Yost was shot, he was on a ladder, at a lamp-post, turning off the gas. The night was very dark.
July 15. — Another attempt was made to assassinate William Thomas. He had just got into a passenger-car at the Lehigh Valley Railroad depot, at Mahanoy City, for the purpose of going home to Shoemaker's colliery, when he noticed several rough-looking men watching him. Immediately surmising their object, he started to go out of the car, the train just leaving the depot, and as he jumped from the car a shot was fired at him from the platform, but without effect. This party were also strangers.
.A.
Mr. John Taylor — Please leave Glen Carbon, or if you dont you will suffer; by order of the B. S. H. We will give you one week to go but if you are alive on next Saturday you will die: Remember and
leave.
(No signature.)
Now men i have warented ye before and i willnt warind you nomor — but i will gwrintee yo the will be the report of the revolver.

a.

Notice is here given to you men the first and the last Notice that you will get for no man to go Down this slope After to Night if yo Do you Can Bring your Coffion Along With you for By the internal Crist We mean What this Notice says you Drift man stop at home and Cut no more Coal let him go and get Coal himself I Dont mean Engineer or firemans let them mine there one Work now men (he Next Notice you Will get I Dont mean to Do it with my Pen I Will Do it With that there Rolver I Don't Want no more Black legs at this Col- lary.
(No signature.)
D.
1 I

B £
Notice you have Caried this as far as you can By cheating thy men you three Bosses Be Carefull if the Above dont Be your home in a short Time.
From a Stranger he nowes you
Take notice Aneny Black Leg that will Take Aney Eunnion man Plac will have A hard Road to travel you will Rot in this shape if you
to Escape this home \^O^A~ tW~~] Coal
By a stranger
IF1.
If Thomas Martin Dont Stop we will burn down his Breaker.
(No signature.)
Or.
NOTICE.
Any blackleg that takes a Union Mans job while He is standing for His Rights will have a hard Road to travel and if He dont he will have to Suffer the consequences

Beacher and Tilton
NOTICE.
Any man Starting to Work on the rail road now going to begin under the basis will have to Stand the consequnces. So black legs to notice.

M. M. N.

Black Legs Take Notice—
that you are in dang er of your Life by working in the mines without the Consent of the union men of Swatara Branch 14 Dis
at Middle Crick mines.
X.
Frackville Dec. 28, 1874 J. H. OLHAUSEN Supt Dear Sir
At a special meeting of Branch No. 3 of the
M. W. B. Ass. Members of the Branch comprising the whole working force of the Road Plane and Level, that they have decided to quit work at 6 o'clock P. M. New Year eve for to attend their first Annual Ball. Hoping that you will arrange accordingly with this committee who will present you. with this copy
I remain Yours truly
W. F. Payne Prest
Chas Hartsog Secty
/
II.
Gordon Feb 9, 1875.
The employees of gordon members of the M. W. B. A. of gordon do petition officers of the M. H. M. S. divission to grant us the privil- lege of going to work at 7 o'clock A. M. but no later than seven but are willing to go to work before seven if the officers want us to do so 2nd that when engine or crew goes out at 7 o'clock A. M. and conies in at 6 o'clock P. M. that they receive a day for it the same as they get on other parts of the divission 3nd when an engine with a regular crew is sent to work on another part of this divission the crew belongs to said engine to go along with her for it has been a practice when an Engine was wanted at Shamokin and other parts of the divission the engine was sent and the regular crew of said engine had to lay off the employees at gordon do ask as a favor the officers of this divission to have those matters settled. we remain
Respectfully your Committe.
P. H. Nolan T. J. Smith
C. A. Miller C. S. Wilson
III.
Moh Plane Mar. 19 1875
J. H. Olhausen Supt
The following resolution were passed by Branch No. 3. of M. & W. B. Ass. That all Branches of Industry cease work to-morrow morning Sat. Mar 20 | 75 and will not work till such members as were des- charged are reinstated
By order of the Branch
Chas Hartsog
Secty
(Notice found posted at Locust Summit, March 31, 1875.)
NOTICE
Mr. Black-legs if you dont leave in 2 days time you meet your doom their will Bee an open war
imeateatly
(Notice found in yard of D. Patchen, Engineer, Cressona.)
from the gap Daniel Patch
remember you will be running in this coal region at night you took an nothermans engin we will give you fair warning in time and some more. V.L. M. M. H. S. T.

vx.
we hear notify you to leave th Road for you took a nother man chop take a warning to Save your live
to Yost
(From the Miners' Journal, March 30, 1867.)
MURDERS IN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY DURING THE LAST THREE YEARS.
As considerable attention is now paid by the press abroad to the terrible prevalence of crime in Schuylkill County and the insecurity of life and property, and as legislation is asked on this important matter, we publish below the murders known to have been committed in this county from January I, 1863, to this date. The list is a startling record.
18S3.
January 2.—James Bergen, killed by shooting, Coal Castle.
March 3.—Mary Cochlin, killed by ill-treatment from her husband, Pottsville.
April 6.—Ellen Shay, killed by her husband, Timothy Shay, St. Clair-
April 8.—Joseph Riland, killed by Felix Cilley, I'ottsville.
April 26.—Patrick Gillon, killed by A. Leary, by stabbing, Norwegian Township.
August 15.—Daniel Eckerly, killed by James Burk, by stabbing, Ashland.
August 23.—Gilmore, killed by cause unknown, Fottsville.
August 30.—John W. W. Noble, killed by shooting with a pistol, Pottsville.
September 25.—Charles Mendham, killed by shooting, Pottsville.
October 17.—Patrick J. Hassey, killed by shooting, St. Clair.
November 17.—Margaret Brown, killed by kicks and blows, Norwegian Township.
November 2.—Man unknown, killed by cause unknown, Tremont Township.
November 13.—David Davis, killed by cause unknown, Mount Laffce. 1864.
January 12.—Patrick Ormsby, killed by pistol-shot, Mahanoy Township.
February 13.—Hiram Freher, killed by beating, Tremont Township.
February 27.—John Stinson, killed by stabbing, Blythe Township.
February 27.—James Shiels, killed by Hugh Curran, by stabbing, Blythe Township.
March 17.—Mary Brennan, killed by cause unknown, Cass Township.
April it.—Michael Curren, killed by John Britt, by shooting, Mine Hill Gap.
August 14.—Alice Devlan, killed by cause unknown, Cass Township.
August 21.—Unknown man killed by being mutilated, Mahanoy Township.
August 29.—Elizabeth O'Brien, killed by cause unknown, Cass Township.
September 11.—Robert Gardner, killed by clubs and axes by Dennis Aiken, John Donnelly, and a man unknown, Tremont Township.
October 10.—Michael Bemerick, killed by shooting, Minersville.
October n.—George W. Thompson, killed by violence, Tremont Township.
November 10.—Reese Jenkins, killed by pistol-shot, Mahanoy City.
November 20.—John Lawler, killed by Patrick Dolan, by stabbing, Foster Township.
1865.
January 3.—Edward McAtee, killed by Andrew Sorocco, blows and kicks, 1'ottsville.
January 18.—Michael Darken, killed by Michael Merrick, by shooting, St. Clair.
May 15.—William Williams, killed by John Barnet, by shooting, Blythe Township.
June 16.—William A. Boyle, killed by cause unknown, Pottsville.
April 3.—Enoch Evans, killed by Lewis Hurtig, by stabbing, Port Carbon.
April 30.—Patrick Clawes, killed by James Brennan, by pistol-shot, Shenandoah City.
April 30.—Michael Clawcs, killed by James Brennan and John De- laney, by pistol-shot, Shenandoah City.
July 2.—Thomas T- Hagerty, killed by Hugh Riddle, by stabbing, North Manheim Township.
August 14.—Nicholas Burkhard, killed by shooting, Pottsville.
August 25.—David Muir, killed by shooting, Reilly Township.
October 23.—John McMachy, killed by Patrick Delaney, by stabbing, Foster Township.
December 25.—Albert Pittz, killed by Thomas Griffith, by blow, Locust Dale.
1866.
January 10.—II. II. Dunne, killed by shooting, Norwegian Township.
January 19.—Mark Mala, killed by Thomas McAnalley, by shooting, Mahanoy Township.
April 2.—Patrick Dooling, shot and killed while attempting to murder Mr. Lewis, boss at Cole's colliery, Mahanoy Township.
July 4.—-"Lewis Williams, killed by Patrick Conners, by shooting, Llewellyn.
September 9.—George Theobold, killed by unknown person, by shooting, Mahanoy City.
X867.
February 9.—Michael Kain, killed by John Kain, by shooting, New Philadelphia.
February II.—John Donohoe, shot and killed while attacking North- all's house, Tuscarora.
March 15.—William H. Littlehales, killed by unknown men, by shooting, Cass Township.
March 22.—Patrick Stinson, killed by James Gallagher, by shooting, Mahanoy Township.
March 23.—Jacob Johnson, killed by Irish robber, by shooting, Union Township.
In all, fifty murders.
The murder of Mr. Littlehales and that of Mr. Johnson are too new to need comment.
In 1866 six murderous assaults, in which parties were seriously injured, and twenty-seven robberies recorded.
In 1867, to March 16, there were six murderous assaults and twenty- seven robberies, which we have been called upon to record, independent of the murders.
We have heard of several other murders and homicides, of which the particulars could not be obtained, the bodies having been removed secretly.
But few arrests of the murderers have been made.
TEST, SIGNS, AND PASSWORDS.*
TEST.—I do declare and promise, in the name and through the assistance of the A. O. II., that I will endeavor to keep inviolable all the secrets of this board or fraternal society from all but those I believe to l>e regular members and bound in the same fraternal ties.
1st. I declare and promise that I will support the present Constitution and By-Laws of the A. O. H. in preference to any other.
2d. That I will be true and steadfast to the brethren of this society, dedicated to Saint Patrick, the holy patron of Ireland, in all things lawful, and not otherwise, and that I will duly and regularly attend when my lawful superiors shall think proper, and conform myself to the regulations made by them, so long as those who are or may be in trust shall think proper.
3d. That I will not knowingly or willingly provoke, challenge, or fight any of my brothers. If a brother should be ill spoken, or otherwise treated unjustly, I will, according to circumstances, espouse his cause and give him the earliest information; aiding him with my sincere friendship when in distress.
4th. I also declare and promise that I will not admit or propose any person of bad or suspicious character into our honorable board knowing him to be such, and that I will endeavor to propagate friendship and brotherly love among such of my acquaintances as may be thought worthy of such confidence.
5th. That I will not at any meeting drink to intoxication, so as to endanger a disclosure of names, regulations, or members thereof.
6th. That in towns and counties I will be attached to our national interest according as opportunity may answer, and I will not wrong a brother to my knowledge.
7th. That I will not withdraw myself from this honorable board or join in society with persons of other denominations, not meaning
*The test, signs, and passwords here printed were discovered by the detectives and kindly placed at my disposal.—F. P. D.
trade societies, sailors, or soldiers. (This is laid on the floor, then picked up with the right hand and kissed.)
8th. I, , having made the above promises of my own
free will and accord, may our brethren assist me in my endeavors to fulfill the same and protect our friendship, and grant us to live in a state of grace, that we may show forth to the world that we are true and honorable Knights of St. Patrick! Amen.
SIGNS AND PASSWORDS.
Q. What is the best remedy for Irish grievances ?
A. An Irish Parliament in College Green.
Q. Will the Irish hold on for their rights ?
A. Yes; their rights they will fight for, and in justice must have.
QUARRELING TOAST.—Q. What is the meaning of all this ?
A. I am insulted.
SIGN.—Two first fingers of the right hand downwards on the apple of the throat.
Annver.—Two first fingers of the left hand to the side of the nose.
BODY-MASTER'S TOAST.—Q, May the exiles so noble and brave still firm stand !
A, Yes; for tyrants we make tremble and hope our country to save.
PRIVATE MARK.—Dot on last o but one on card.
TOAST.— Q. What do you think of our nation?
A. The land question will cause great vexation.
Q. The tory landlords will oppose the bill.
A. Yes; Bishop McIIale will praise their master still.
WINTER NIGHT PASSWORDS.— Q, The winter nights are sharp and clear.
A. Yes; I hope heresy will soon disappear.
QUARRELING TOAST.—Q. Friend, do not be too fast.
A. I am too much aggravated.
SIGN.—The right forefinger and thumb to the point of the vest, between second and third button-holes.
Answer.—The left hand to the bottom of the sleeve.
BODY-MASTER'S TOAST.— Q. May all Irishmen in peace agree !
A. And in friendship bands our country free.
TOAST.—Q. What is the cause of this council at Rome ?
A. To show heresy the way to salvation and eternal freedom to gain.
Q. Will the Bishop at Rome Erin's friendship despise ?
A. No; it is the key to protection and true faith to keep alive.
WINTER NIGHT PASSWORDS.— Q. Dark nights are unpleasant. 32*
A. Yes, for strangers to travel.
QUARRELING TOAST.—Q. Friend, what is wrong with you?
A. I have reason to complain.
SIGN.—The right hand to the right eyebrow.
Answer.—The left hand to the left eyebrow.
BODY-MASTER'S TOAST.— Q. May Erin's sons for tenant rights all agiee!
A. Yes, from tithes and taxes we trust to be free.
TOAST.—Q. What do the powers of Europe intend to do?
A. To cripple the Church heresy has in view.
Q. If France, Spain, and Austria does firm stand, they will drive Victor Emanuel from the Pope's land ?
A. (Not given.)
WINTER NIGHT PASSWORDS.—Q. The clouds are heavy.
A. Yes ; a storm is approaching.
QUARRELING TOAST.—Q. What is the offense, sir?
A. It is my fault.
SIGN.—The forefinger of the right hand drawn down on the point of the nose.
Answer.—The forefinger of the left hand drawn over the apple of the throat.
BODY-MASTER'S TOAST.—Q. May our race all with us unite !
A. Yes, like Derry and Belfast, to give us liberty and right.
PRIVATE MARK.—A pen-hole through the last c on card.
TOAST.—Q. What is your opinion of the present state of affairs in France ?
A. The Irish President will bold the reins of power.
Q. Will the French unite to avenge their wrongs?
A. Yes; with McMahon at their head they will gain what Napoleon lost.
QUARRELING TOAST.—Q. Who is in the wrong?
A. Not I, tried and true.
SIGN.—The thumb of the right hand under the chin.
Answer.—The left hand grasping the left collar of the coat.
BODY-MASTER'S TOAST.—Q. May the hills and glens of Motherland once more resound to the tramp of the Irish clans!
A. Yes, and place the green victoriously above the red.
PRIVATE MARK.—A dot on the first m on the card.
TOAST.—Q. What do you think of England's bigotry?
A. Ireland has gained a grand victory. Mr. Butt has let the bigot Saxon sec that one noble bishop must be free.
QUARRELING TOAST.—Q. You are very stiff, sir.
A. I am always so.
SIGN.—Catch the left ear with the right hand.
Answer.—The left hand to the right ear.
BODY-MASTER'S TOAST.—Q. May the sons of St. Patrick unite to be free!
A. Yes, and protect the Church against heresy.
PRIVATE MARK.—A dot on the first v on the card.
TAST.—Q. What is your opinion of the education question?
A. Gladstone is bound to give Ireland her demands.
Q. France is preparing?
A. Yes, and so is the Czar. Yes, and Ireland for her liberty when they proclaim war.
WINTER NIGHT PASSWORDS.—Q. The night is on the turn.
A. Yes, so is our enemies.
QUARRELING TOAST.—Q. You seem unpleasant, sir.
A. Yes, but I see I am astray.
SIGN.—The right hand to the bottom of the vest, and pull down by the waist.
Answer. The left hand on the left hip.
BODY-MASTER'S TOAST.—Q. May all Catholic nations unite and agree!
A. Yes, and break down Bismark's plans and protect the Holy See.
PRIVATE MARK.—Make a stroke across the last a on card.
TOAST.— Q. What is your opinion of the coming election?
A. We hope rulers will carry the sway.
Q. Ireland must get what she wants.
A. Yes, with the united action of the clergy and people.
WINTER NIGHT PASSWORDS.—Q. There is a change on the nights.
A. The times are also changing.
QUARRELING TOAST.— Q. Be not afraid.
A. I will not disgrace my country.
SIGN.—Rub with the middle finger of the right hand inside the right side of shirt neck.
Answer. The middle f.nger of the left hand inside the left side of shirt-neck.
BODY-MASTER'S TOAST.—Q. May the President of France and Don Carlos of Spain unite to restore the Pope back to his right again!
A. (Not given.)
PRIVATE MARK.—A dot on first c on card.
TOAST.—Q. What do you think of the Liberal cause?
A. They have made a great change in the country's laws.
Q. Yes, the tories' power is not so great.
A. Yes, we have a change in the power of state.
QUARRELING TOAST.—Q. For what do you quarrel, sir?
A. For want of patience.
SIGN.—The two first fingers of the right hand to the chin.
Answer.—The left hand to the left eyebrow.
BODY-MASTER'S TOAST.— Q. May our cause now be firm, for the day is at hand!
A. Yes, when tyrants may tremble and flee from our land.
PRIVATE MARK.—Pen-hole through last s on card.
TOAST.—Q. What is your opinion of the land bill ?
Gladstone holds our country in bondage still.
A. Yes, if we had honest men our cause to take
We by union could have a power in state.
QUARRELING TOAST.—Q. Why do you ruffle me, sir?
A. I am sorry for it.
SIGN.—The right hand to the lower lip, pulling it down.
Answer.—The left hand to the right elbow, with a rub.
BODY-MASTER'S TOAST.—Q. May our union be firm and true !
A. Yes, our cause has done great work, and still has more to do.
PRIVATE MARK.—Dot on first c on card.
(From the Shenandoah Herald, June 8, 1876.)
When affairs in this county were in a very different condition from what they are in to-day, the following letter was received by the editor of the Herald:
" GlRARDVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA.
" DEAR SIR :" (The first few lines refer to a matter of business,—the printing of some Ancient Order of Hibernia charters,—upon which the writer wishes no remarks to be made.) " I am surprised at the zest displayed by you through the medium of the daily {Herald} on the situation of affairs in the county, and believe that the stand taken by you is unwarrantable. We are thoroughly aware that lawless acts have been committed during the past few months, but does the
REIGN OF TERROR'
facilitate a return to quietness and good feeling? I am deeply interested in this matter, for I am under the impression, which has been

25th Annual Independent Coal Miners Picnic

2009-08-09T09:43:00.044-04:00

WELCOME TO THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE INDEPENDENT COAL MINERS PICNIC HEGINS, PA.

STEVE FORGOTCH 50 YEARS AN ANTHRACITE COAL MINER AND TOMMY SYMONS ONE OF THE 'BREAKER BOYS' SHOOTIN THE BREEZE AND SINGIN "UNI MAN"

THE ONE AND ONLY COAL MINER DAVID A. LUCAS WHO ORGANIZES THE COAL MINER PICNIC

DAVID A AT WORK

DAVID A, STEVE FORGOTCH, TOMMY SYMONS

DAVID A, STU RICHARDS (ME) STEVE FORGOTCH AND TOMMY SYMONS

STEVE'S HAT SAYS IT ALL.

STEVE AND SOME OF HIS PROUD FAMILY

SCENES AROUND THE PICNIC GROVE

THE FAMOUS SOUPS ON HAND.. THATS OXTAIL AT THE BOTTOM

THE SOUP KETTLES Hmmmmmmmmm!

A FEW OF THE COAL MINERS PROUD,HARD AND ALL AROUND GOOD PEOPLE

NOW TELL ME COAL MINERS DON'T HAVE GREAT TATTOOS!

FAMILY AND FRIENDS

PRESENTING TO DAVID A, A SONG ENTITLED "THE BALLAD OF THE 25TH ANNUAL COAL MINERS PICNIC" WRITTEN BY TOMMY SYMONS AND SUNG BY THE BREAKER BOYS IN HONOR OF WHAT HE HAS DONE FOR THE COAL MINERS OF PENNSYLVANIA. IT WAS A GREAT HONOR FOR US TO DO THIS FOR DAVID A.

SINGIN THE BALLAD

WITH DAVID A, THE BREAKER BOYS STU AND TOMMY A REAL PROUD MOMENT

SITTIN DOWN AFTER A COUPLE OF HOURS OF PLAYING COAL MINING MUSIC AND TAKIN A BREAK WITH A MINER

THIS MINER CAN PLAY SOME COUNTRY

YOUNG COAL MINER JAMIN WITH TOMMY

RICH..MAN CAN THIS GUY PLAY, HE MADE MY MARTIN SOUND LIKE IT NEVER DID BEFORE!

FATHER AND SON D&R LOGGING

NEED SOME LOGGING CALL THESE GUYS

MY GRANDSON PLAYING WITH "MEMPHIS" A SEVEN WEEK OLD LAB. THAT CAN REALLY DIG.

MY GRANDSON AND SOME NEW FRIENDS HAVIN FUN AT THE PICNIC.

DAVID A AND DJ..GOLDDUST..IF YOU NEED A DJ THIS IS THE GUY.EXCELLENT.....IF YOUR LOOKING TO BOOK DJ GOLDDUST
YOU CAN CALL DJ GOLDUST @ 717 365 0901
570 682 9248
CELL 717 856 5006

WHAT A GREAT DAY, IF YOU CAN MAKE IT NEXT YEAR TRY YOUR HARDEST. THESE ARE THE BEST PEOPLE IN THE WORLD.

STU

25TH ANNUAL INDEPENDENT COAL MINERS PICNIC..DAVID A. LUCAS

2009-08-01T23:27:00.004-04:00

TAG PHOTO TO ENLARGE

On August 8th, 2009 the 25th Annual Independent Coal Miners Picnic put on by the efforts of Coal Miner David A. Lucas will be held at Hegins Park. If you can make this picnic don’t miss it. Because you will be in the company of the finest people you will ever have THE opportunity To be in the company of. Men who have worked hard all their lives, and never complain about the work they do, men who stand up for themselves and the rights of their fellow miners.
In all my years I would rather spend my time with these guys than any of the so called important people this country has. And for me and my butty Tommy Symons “The Breaker Boys” it is the greatest honor of our musical and living history career to be accepted and part of their lives.

BELIEVE ME IF YOU ARE IN THE AREA DON’T MISS THIS EVENT.

WHEN COAL WAS QUEEN BY JAY LUKE

2009-07-28T19:57:00.002-04:00

For the Coal Region History Buff a new and interesting book is out written by Mr. Jay Luke, It is entitled “When Coal Was Queen” by Tribute Books this book tells the story of Olyphant, Pennsylvania a town that was built upon the Anthracite Coal Industry in Northeastern Pennsylvania. The book is a collection of fascinating stories about the people, the various fire companies, the life and times of the people who worked in and about the mines and especially the coal miners from the area. Also included is a look at some of the interesting and notable personages of the town of Olyphant, Pa. And what interested me is the well researched history of coal mining in the region.
The author Jay Luke is a musician and artist he has complied an interesting well researched history of Olyphant. Jay is a graduate of Marywood University, and works as a graphic artist. His interests in history and the arts is well represented in this great book.

The book can be purchased at Amazon.Com
When Coal Was Queen: The History of the Queen City - Olyphant, Pennsylvania (Paperback)
by Jay Luke (Compiler), III Stephen Klem (Compiler), Steve Lichak (Compiler)

________________________________________
List Price: $19.95
Price: $19.95

LAST TRIP FROM SCHUYLKILL HAVEN ON THE SCHUYLKILL CANAL

2009-07-03T18:26:00.005-04:00

I FOUND THIS ARTICLE TODAY WHILE RESEARCHING AT THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY.
IT CAME FROM A MARCH 12, 1952 ISSUE OF THE POTTSVILLE REPUBLICAN.

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