1870    Carbon Hill being worked under lease by Malvern & Scott Co.   ( this may be the first colliery in Old Forge, according to existing records).

 

1872    The colliery was bought by the Greenwood Coal Co., and owned it till 1876.

 

            This colliery is located in Old Forge Township, and situated on the west bank of the Lackawanna river, on the Lackawanna and Bloomsburg Railroad. It was operated by the Glenwood Coal Co, and is now in bankruptcy.   George Filer is the GM, Edward Jones is mine boss, and A. Wisenflew is the outside foreman.

              The openings to the coal consists of 2 shafts and a tunnel. One of the shafts caved in and is being used as a pump shaft. There is a breaker connected with these mines. They mine and prepare about 250 tons of coal per day.  They employ 40 miners, 40 labors, 5 drivers, 3 door boys, 5 company men in the mines. 25 slate pickers, 4 head and  plate men, 3 drivers, 2 company men, 3 mechanics, and 2 bosses outside. In all 132 men and boys. They are working the Carbon Hill Vein of coal, average thickness, 6 feet. They work headings 15, air ways 15, and chambers 25 to 27’ wide. They leave pillars from 8 to 15’ wide to sustain the roof. The roof is rock and the mines are in good   working condition.

              Ventilation in the shaft is produced by a steam jet, and in the tunnel by a furnace. The intake for the main shaft, area 100, and the upcast is in the main shaft, an area 60 feet. The intake for the tunnel is the mouth of the tunnel, area  50 feet, and the outcast is the furnace  airshaft, area 60 feet. There is some noxious gas evolved in the shaft. The mines are examined every morning before the men go to work, and every evening to see that the main doors are closed. The main doors are hung to close on their own accord. They have attendants at the main doors, the air   is circulated to the face of the workings in the shaft in one volume. The amount of pure air is 4000, and in the tunnel is 5000 cubic feet per minute, the amount of ventilation has been measured and reported. Ventilation is good.

               They use one breaker engine, 25 horse power, 2 hoisting engines, 45 horse power each, and 1 pumping   engine, 60 horse power. They have a safety carriage with all the modern improvements, adequate brake and flanges of sufficient strength and dimensions for safety attached to the hoisting drum. The boilers have been cleaned and examined and reported in good condition, they have a steam gauge to indicate the pressure of steam. The breaker  machinery is boxed and fenced off so that operatives are safe.

                        They have furnished maps of the mines, they have no second opening for the shaft yet, but they have for the tunnel, they have a house for the men to wash and change. There is some standing water in the old shaft workings, The  mine boss seems to be a practical and competent man, he has a fire boss to assist him, there are no boys working in the mines under 12 years of age, the engineers seem to be experienced, competent and sober men. They do not allow any persons to ride on loaded carriages in the shaft, or allow no more than 10 men to ride on the safety carriage, at one time. The parties having charge know their duty in case of death or serious accidents. The tunnel workings is in a different vein of coal from the vein they are working from the shaft, and the shaft landings are protected by safety gates.

 

1873    Wyoming Coal Fields, Luzerne County, East of Jenkins Twp. #32 is the Carbon Hill Colliery. #2 shaft abandoned. Located in Old Forge Township. Served by the DL&W Railroad. 2 shafts, 1 slope, 1 tunnel.

 

1882    The colliery having been idle for six years was bought by the Pennsylvania coal co., and was abandoned in 1884.

 

1892    The breaker was served by a switch, from the tracks along the Lackawanna River, up a grade to the top of  the flats.  ( Near what is now near the end of Lincoln St., off Moosic Rd. The switch was located about 1 mile east of the breaker. The old roadbed is still in place, and has several dog holes along it.)

 

1907    New hospital and foreman’s office were built in the 5 Foot vein