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Page 110
COAL MINING
CHAPTER XXI
WHEN the Legislature of Pennsylvania offered its
apology for bringing a new railroad up Redbank to Driftwood, the
legislators may have had in mind the bituminous coal, in the two
valleys.
Although the early geological surveys of Pennsylvania
showed the coal measures around DuBois to be barren, yet this
territory was destined to develop one of the large bituminous mining
sections of Pennsylvania, and after the Low Grade Railroad was
built, it was not long until mining commenced.
The first mining operation was started in 1875 or 1876
by William P. Jones and Peter Jones, called the "Centennial
Collieries."
The next development was by what was known as the
"Sandy Lick Gas, Coal and Coke Company." This company obtained a
lease for a mining operation from Alfred Bell opposite a point where
the "Rochester Mine" was later opened. A dispute, however, arose and
this concern gave up its lease and moved across the railroad and
opened what was known as the "Hilldrup Mine," subsequently operated
by the Hopkins Coal Co. This mining company did not last many years.
Alfred Bell owned a large tract of land west of what
was afterwards the borough limits of DuBois. The timber on this
property, with other lands Mr. Bell succeeded in getting, made him
quite wealthy.
In 1876, a mining company was organized under the name
of "Bell, Lewis & Yates," which in the early part of the year of
1876 commenced to operate what afterward was known as the "Rochester
Mine" in the little valley from the Low Grade road toward the
Lithuanian Cemetery. In this firm was a son of Mr. Bell. This firm
leased from Mr. Bell the coal under his land.
Of course, when a mining operation started, it was
necessary to have a miners' strike, and in 1877 this operation had
its first strike. The history of the strike is gathered from a note
in the "Reynoldsville Herald and DuBois City Star," in the issue of
September 4, 1877. The following statement is taken from that paper:
"At last a change has occurred in the phase of affairs
in at least one of the DuBois City coal mines. After waiting for a
considerable length of time with the expectation that the strikers
would return to the mines, the operators of the Rochester Colliery
have brought new men into their works. It was thought necessary to
have the sheriff on hand at the time the mines were reopened, and
Sheriff Pentz, of Clearfield, appeared upon the scene on Monday of
last week.
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