1900:
Placed set of rolls in Breaker to break down broken and egg coal.
Purchased Blake slush pump, 12” x 8” x 17.”
Trestle 40 feet high and 120 feet long built across Bear Creek to run cars with breaker rock to dumping ground.
December 20th, a 500 horsepower B & W boiler erected.
Purchased a Jeansville pump, 10” x 12” x 6.”
March 16th, No. 4 Slope flooded to a depth of 12 feet; idle 32 days.
Strike- 35 days, September 17 – October 29; 10% wage increase
1901:
Second pair of hoisting engines purchased for Short Mountain Slope, 30” x 48.” An 8” steam line was purchased from the Eagle Iron Works, Lykens, Pennsylvania. (Owner, Joseph Duncan)
Placed 12 jigs and rebuilt 4 breaker coal pockets.
Renewed half of Monabor dirt conveyor chain.
Bull boiler house contains 2044 horsepower B & W Boilers.
Boilers in service:
24 cylinder boilers in new boiler house; 12 cylinder boilers in Bull boiler house for an aggregate of 1800 horsepower
New steam way completed from the surface to the bottom of No. 4 Slope and an 8” wrought iron steam line relaid in it.
A single track slope started in the Lykens Valley Vein in Bear Gap Tunnel, to operate with compressed air, engine’s 14” x 24.” Also purchased a Norwalk air compressor.
1902:
Foundation for Short Mountain Washery started in December.
Laid 1800 feet of mine track at Millersburg to reclaim the old Short Mountain grading, which was loaded in railroad cars and sent to the McClellan Separator to be prepared for market.
Frame of separator rebuilt.
Two small locomotives torn down and rebuilt.
First set of B & W boilers, 500 horsepower, purchased for the new boiler house.
No. 4 Slope flooded, March 17th through June 9th, 82 feet vertical height, some of the water coming down from Williamstown Colliery.
Water tank put in service on Lykens Valley Slope to help the pumps.
Purchased 2 Jeansville pumps.
Strike from May 12th to October 26th, a total of 144 days. During the strike, 70% of working places closed.
1903:
Washery shipped the first coal in June.
Purchased second set of B & W boilers for the new boiler house.
Rebuilt Bull boiler house.
Purchased Baldwin No. 10 steam locomotive for No. 3 Level.
Started to store coal at McClellan.
Motor line in Lykens Valley Drift now a mile and one quarter long.
Drove Niagara steam-way near No. 2 fan.
Started to drive trial slope, No. 3 Level west.
1904:
Purchased second locomotive boiler for the Washery.
Washery worked the last day of the year only – no market.
All buildings but the breaker and separator painted.
Two steam locomotives, purchased 20 years ago, were repaired.
All cylinder boilers torn down.
Purchased two 12” Jeansville pumps and equipment.
Lykens Valley Drift reached boundary and is being robbed back.
Reopening Bear Gap Tunnel to White Ash Measures.
Driving No. 4 Slope extension.
1905:
Purchased slush mixer for washery.
Erected new pump house and boilers for washery.
Began building new car shed, near new boiler house.
Purchased new engine for separator.
Purchased third set of B & W boilers for new boiler house.
Erected slush trough trestle, 550 feet long and 90 feet high, from breaker to culm bank, south of washery.
Erected trestle in front of Bull boiler house to discard trestle over the boilers.
Purchased 2 Jeansville pumps.
Openings: Short Mountain Slope, Lykens Valley Slope, Whites Vein Drift- West, Lykens Valley Drift- East, and the Bear Gap Tunnel.
1906:
Erected new concrete locomotive house near general shop.
Purchased No. 12 Locomotive.
Erecting concrete electrical plant and air compressor building near Bear Creek, containg 2 Norwalk air compressors and one Ridway Engine and Dynamo, and also 1 Harrisburg Engine and Dynamo.
February 1st, started to use Lobdell car wheel, previously used Whiting wheel.
Purchased one self contained engine for construction work.
Purchased second Norwalk air compressor
February 25th, the blacksmith and carpenter shops burned.
April 18th, the locomotive house burned.
Erecting shop, near main building.
Finsihed sinking Bear Gap Slope.
April 1 to May 10 strike, called suspension. The colliery lost 36 days.
1907:
Bucket conveyor and pit installed at the washery.
Locomotive boiler purchased and installed at washery.
Purchased new set of broken coal rolls.
Finished the new shop.
Rebuilding part of Bull boiler house.
Purchased feed pump for new boiler house.
Erected concrete tank at the fresh water plant.
Purchased No. 10 White Ash Slope engine.
Purchased No. 5 General Electric locomotive.
Using first Red H dynamite for coal, previously used Black Powder.
Erected motor barn and tracks, Bear Gap Tunnel.
Strike 1 -7/9 days.
1908:
Laid water pipe for fire line from tanks to breaker.
Laid water pipe for fire line to shop.
Erected new oil house at breaker.
Erected trough for slushing dirt from breaker to bank.
Erecting rock and dirt plane on west wend of Big Lick Mountain.
Erecting chute to load “Franklin” coal in railroad cars.
Purchased 3 new circular water tanks and placed on west end of Big Lick Mountain.
Purchased No. 6 General Electric locomotive.
Built new mine cars, lower and wider, nicknamed the “Merry Widow.”
Electrified haulage No. 3 Level West Gangway, formerly handled by a steam locomotive.
Electrified haulage No. 1 Level.
Sinking No. 4 Slope extension and purchased engine.
1909:
Erecting stacks and making more flue space at Bull boiler house.
Enlarged fresh water pump’s plant.
Started to place electric lights around outside of colliery and inside of buildings.
Repaired water trough from tunnel to breaker.
Erected first bath house for miner’s near Bull boiler house.
Purchased Draeger Rescue Apparatus.
Builidng No. 4 electric locomotive.
Electrified haulage No. 2 counter, No. 3 Level.
Bear Gap engine, changed cylinders from 14” to 18.”
Purchased Goyne Compound Condensing Duplex Pumps for bottom of No. 4 Slope.
Suspension: 6 and 5/9 days
1910:
Purchased new water heater for Bull boiler house.
Constructed coal pockets for Bull boiler house.
Erected new ash conveyor at Bull boiler house.
Erected new mine water tanks and trough for breaker supply.
Purchased new transit.
Erected consolidated water heaters for both Bull and new boiler house.
Proposed new breaker.
Preparing to sink Basin Pillar Slope, No. 2 Counter, No. 3 West, Big Vein.
Completed pump house, bottom No. 4 Slope.
Making pump house No. 4 Slope extension.
Purchased new pump at No. 4 Slope extension.
Purchased white ash coal slope engine.
Purchased Little Giant air drill.
Suspension 73 days due to slow market.
1911:
Extensive alterations to No. 4 breaker.
Erected lumber storage building close to general shop.
Erected new air compressor building – concrete blocks – 4th air compressor in 3rd building, south of No. 1 Shaft on same level; purchased Ingersoll Rand air compressor.
Erected eastside fan, No. 3, concrete block building at west end of Big Lick Mountain.
Purchased No. 13 steam locomotive.
Erected pea coal stoarge with conveyor at the retail to discontinue storage yard at Millersburg.
Draeger Rescue Apparatus completed.
Erected safety-lamp building, concrete, fireproof, close to No. 1 Drift on Short Mountain.
Driving No. 1 Drift test slope.
Made 7 fireproof stables inside.
Erected No. 4 fan for White Ash.
Purchased engine for No. 1 Basin slope
January – 29 degrees below zero.
Suspension and railroad embargo: 82 days.
1912:
New shaker addition for washery.
Erected conveyor line at washery with trough; along highway.
Extensive breaker repairs – 4th breaker.
Additional battery of boilers removed from Williamstown and Bull engine house enlarged.
Erected brass foundry building.
New breaker – 5th completed at Short Mountain – started August 12, 1912; it was finished in February 1913 and sorted its first coal on March 1st.
Only 155 wooden cars in use, began buying steel cars.
Erected new motor house between air compressor building and small power plant at No. 1 Shaft level.
Built breaker slate plane.
Erected No. 4 fan, Bear Swamp.
Purchased electric fan blower for inside of mines.
Erecting hoisting engine and making engine room in the Whites Vein Basin Slope.
Pump room and erecting of big Goyne pump completed.
No. 1 Shaft, began sinking March 12, 1912. First cars delivered in 1915.
Seven week strike totaling 43 days and one day suspension.
Six week wreck on Short Mountain Slope.
1913:
Erected new slate conveyor north of washery.
Additional battery of boilers from Williamstown for new boiler house.
Purchased cellar oil tanks for supply store.
Purchased second Ingersoll Rand air compressor.
Razing No. 4 breaker and separator.
Erecting concrete pockets at retail yard.
Sinking: East side air slope; Whites Vein Basin Slope, No 4. Extension, No. 4 Slope; trial slope in the Big Vein East, bottom of Bear Gap Slope, completed 1914.
Supsension: 13 and 4/9 days. Also idle 5 days for Old Home Week.
1914:
Boiler raised and fire boxes placed under them.
New air line to White Ash.
Erected new fan, engine house and air shaft, east end of Short Mountain and south of air compressor.
Erected steel trestle for boiler coal tracks, new boiler house.
Wooden cars entirely discarded.
Mine car wheel from present pattern in use 7 years and will be continued. The American Car and Foundry Wheel.
Pennsylvania Railroad placed large railroad car scales west of Lykens, doing away with scale at both collieries.
Placed steel timber at No. 4 Level Whites Vein West, No. 4 Slope.
Placed motor route in old No. 1 Level, Whites Vein East.
First Red Shale gangway in No. 3 Level, No. 1 Shaft. Called the No. 7 Counter Whites Vein East, No. 4 Slope.
Bore hole for drainage of shaft tunnels.
Completed plane, Whites Vein East, old No. 1 Level. This plane will abandon Lykens Valley Slope.
Driving raise on Whites Vein Basin Slope.
Suspension: 61 and 4/9 days. One day strike.
1915:
Erected heater house for washery.
Purchased 3 Wilmot jigs. A buckwheat, pea and stove.
Placed new style of grater in boilers.
Purchased a 10 horsepower electric hoist for haulage on the rock bank.
Erected inside foreman office and hospital near No. 1 Shaft.
Fire at bottom of No. 4 Slope, East Big Vein. It was discovered by Joseph West. The colliery was idle for 2 days starting November 8th.
Electrified haulage on No. 5 Level.
Sinking: East side air slope; Basin Slope, Whites Vein, No. 4 Slope; Trial Slope, Pat Martin, White Ash; No. 1 Shaft finished May 1.
Suspension of 93 days.
1916:
Built cross conveyor at food of old conveyor at washery.
September 12th, an engineer pulled a loaded car over the new sheave wheel at No. Shaft.
March, the Bear Gap Slope territory was finished.
Placed hospitals at the No. 1 and No. 5 Levels in the No. 1 Shaft.
Strike, 17 days missed and suspended for 19 days.
1917:
April – The United States declared war on Germany.
Purchased new cylinder for washery engine from Goyne brothers.
Rebuilt No. 8 steam locomotive.
Purchased chassis for first auto ambulance.
Placed new steam rock dump west of breaker. The first car dumped July 10th.
Built blacksmith shop for Dolan aside concrete ambulance house.
Erected combined bath, ambulance and lamp house, at the west end of the Big Lick Mountain.
Erected chute to load ashes in railroad cars from old slush bank, east of breaker for Railroad Company.
Purchased ash handling device for new boiler house.
Rebuilt 2 older style motors.
Erecting turbo generator building and machinery aside of Ingersoll Rand air compressor.
Completed plane from Bear Gap Slope section to No. 5 Level, No. 1 Slope.
Rock airway driven at No. 1 Level East to discontinue fan on west end of Big Lick Mountain.
Electrified No. 3 Level, Red Shale Gangway for haulage.
Purchased first electric pump and placed it in 1921 at No. 2 Level, No. 10 Slope.
Drive new fan way from close to the top of No. 10 Slope to surface and ran an electric cable down.
Miners began to leave the mines as early as 2:00.
Sinking: No. 9 Rock Slope; No. 10 Rock Slope; No. 2 Basin Slope, to 7th and 8th lifts.
Strike of 10 days and idle for 4 days during an incident where miners were trapped underground.
1918:
November 11th, Armistice signed between Germany and the Allies.
Purchased No. 14 Vulcan locomotive, 10” x 16.”
Experimenting to burn pulverized fuel, which finished in November 1921.
Alterations and addition to general office building in Lykens, finished in February 1919. Placing high tension pole line between Short Mountain Colliery and the Williamstown Colliery through Bear Valley.
Drove No. 10 Rock Slope in White Ash Measures to first lift and placing electric hoist.
Drove No. 9 Rock Slope from No. 5 Level, which is the bottom of No. 1 Shaft.
September, 3 days of strikes for wage increases.
October: Spanish Flu epidemic (Global Pandemic)
1919:
April 18th, the washery was destroyed by fire. Immediately, efforts began to construct a new one.
July 18th, ground was broken for the new Division Power Plant.
Placed outside plane from Bear Gap Tunnel Level to top of No. 1 Shaft.
No. 10 Rock Slope in operation first week of year.
No. 32 Plane driven. This would be the last plane driven at the colliery.
Suspension for 14 days.
Celebration for the homecoming of World War soldiers, idle 4 days.
1920:
January 29th, the new washery began to operate.
Purchased 10” x 18” conveyor line for washery to reclaim slush bank south of washery. The line was never fully erected.
Purchased Cadillac Touring car.
Fire inside of lamp house, Lykens Valley side.
Purcahsed electric locomotive for Bear Gap Tunnel for service between No. 10 Slope and engine plane.
During peak of high water, 5,725 gallons per minute were delivered to the surface.
No. 9 Rock Slope extended to No. 9 Level.
No. 10 Rock Slope extended to No. 2 Level.
Strike of 19 days, but the washery continued work.
1921:
Washery boilers condemned and steam furnished by colliery.
Division Power Plant, pulverizing coal plant and high tension lines all completed. Work was done by H. C. Felver.
April 21st, started preparation for handling and storage of slush above power plant and breaker pump.
June 18th, slush pumped to power plant. The first boiler fired August 8th. The new boiler house shut down on September 20th. First electricity was delivered to Williamstown on October 15th. The Bull boiler house was shuttered on December 29th.
October 21st, started preparation for handling and pumping of slush from washery.
Purchased electric fan for No. 10 Rock Slope and placed it near the top of the Slope.
Purchased an electric locomotive for the No. 3 Level.
Sinking No. 10 Rock Slope.
Suspension: 29 days and a 1 day strike.
1922:
July 17th, started to dsimatnle the Allis-Chalmers Triturator in pulverizing plant. Preparing it for its return to Milwaukee. It shipped on August 17th.
Extensively reparing spray pond and baffle.
Placed duplicating dust conveyor system in power plant.
December, purchased an Oakland Roadster.
February 1st, fire at the pulverizing mill.
May, purchased an electric locomotive for the No. 4 Level.
Strike from April 1st to September 10th.
Missed a total of 142 days.
1923:
Work to remove ashes and mine refuse from the culm bank began in November. The contract for the work was given to Rhoads Construction Company.
Purchased Fuller Mills for pulverizing fuel plant.
Purchased motor generator set for power plant.
Placed one 20 ton motor truck scales at retail yard.
Extensive renewals and changes made on breaker tanks and troughs.
January 22nd, the breaker dumped 955 cars.
No. 10 Rock Slope completed to No. 3 Level.
November 5th, the washery was suspended for rest of year.
2 strikes lasting for more than 50 days.
1924:
Purchased one 3 ton white motor truck.
Completed tine line with East Penn Electric Company, amassing 22,000 volts.
Purchased first Reo Speed Wagon.
Purchased two No. 1 buckwheat jigs.
Purchased boiler feed pump for the power plant.
Renewed water trough from Bear Gap Tunnel to breaker.
April 23rd, the last car was hoisted from the No. 1 Level, No. 1 Shaft.
Purchased one 8 ton, 250 volt electric locomotive for the No. 4 Level.
1925:
Purchased spray pump for spray pond.
Placed flood lights on top of power plant.
October, rebladed the No. 2 turbine.
Feburary, June and September spent extensively repairing the No. 1 turbine.
Began to rebuild the Reservoir and Dam in July and finished in October.
Placed brake bands on No. 1 Shaft, South Engine in April.
Started to repair No. 1 Shaft Engines in September and finished in December.
Began repairs to the air compressor in November and finished in January 1926.
Hoisted the last car from No. 2 Level, No. 1 Shaft on January 12th.
Placed electric pump on No. 3 Level, No. 10 Rock Slope.
Purchased cement gun.
January 28 – September 1: Washery work only. Suspension and strike.
Strike: 103 days
1926:
February 18 – Colliery resumed operation.
April 26- Cement gun was first used at No. 2 Shaft at Williamstown.
Purchased material for ash testing device on May 24.
June 1- Purchased one 8 ton electric locomotive for the No. 5 level, No. 1 Shaft.
July 14- No. 9 Slope closed for 4 days, pulling bar broke and cars went back.
July 21- Finished removing refuse from top of culm bank, top of Polish Row, which started in November 1923.
August 2- Began excavating for addition to bath house, west end of Big Lick Mountain.
August 4- Rhoads Construction Company skipping bank to make place for road from breaker to retail yard.
August 7- Placed 10” meter on water line in Glen.
August 25- Erecting new No. 1 buckwheat jig.
September 3- Approved order to Ingersoll Rand XPV-3 Plate Valve air compressor, to be placed in old brick power plant building, near No. 1 Shaft.
September 16- Finished concrete wall behind power plant and pulverizing mill.
September 17- Building ticket and lamp house, No. 1 Shaft.
October 22- Union fee raid to $50.00.
November 16- Rained 5.29 inches, No. 10 Slope idle on November 19th due to high water.
November 22- Washery employees refuse to work 10 hour shift.
August 19- Air compressor broken, repaired December 1.
Spray pond tunnel leaking at Division power plant; bought power from Monday, December 6 until Friday, December 10.
December 16- Began to entirely replace the slate bank conveyor line at the washery.
Began driving No. 12 Slope tunnel, preparing to sink No. 12 Slope from No. 5 Level, East No. 1 Shaft, July.
Placed new column line, 1480 feet, on No. 10 Slope to take care of new electrical pump at No. 3 Level.
Finished electric pump No. 9 Level, No. 9 Slope.
Washery- strike, 41 days; worked 97 days. The rest were idle due to suspension.
Total colliery strike of 40 days.
1927:
February 15- Finished building slate conveyor across the road from Short Mountain washery.
February 16- Rebuilding broken coal jigs in breaker.
February 24- Purchased five McCaa Rescue Apparatus.
February 25- Finished erecting new air compressor in cement block building near No. 1 Shaft.
April 30- Red Shale Gangway, West No. 3 Level, finished.
May 6- Installing engine on top of plane at end of West Red Shale Gangway No. 3 Level
May 13- Installed fan No. 4 Level East.
May 31- Purchasing material for experimental separator.
June 25- Making retaining wall along No. 1 Drift.
July 14- Moved contents of lamp house to top of No. 1 Shaft and into a new building
July 22- Rained 8.06 inches from 4 p.m. to 4 a.m.
August 23- Power plant tied to Pennsylvania Power and Light Company of Pine Grove. Testing phase.
October 3- Four cars jumped the track, closing No. 9 Slope until the 7th of October.
October 7- Fire discovered at 6:30 a.m., No. 4 Level, East Big Vein No. 10 Section. Declared out on March 3, 1928.
October 12- Explosion on No. 4 Level East, about 8:50 a.m. at No. 3 cross-cut. Mr. John Betz, division engineer, burned and injured. Died en route to Harrisburg Hospital.
November 1- Mr. D. V. Randall appointed General Superintendent.
November 3- Began to replace the No. 1 dryer shell in power plant.
Colliery worked 229 days; suspended 34 days; strike 3 days.
1928:
January 21- Surveying to place fresh water pump near Rattling Creek south of Lykens Mercantile Company near company ice dam.
March 2- Diamond drilling began today on Pat Martin East No. 3 Level, No. 10 Slope.
March 6- Began to excavate for foundation to place 9000 kilowatt turbine at Division power plant.
March 13- Second dryer shell for power plant arrived on this date.
April 28- 18” of snow in Bear Valley, the high tension line going to Williamstown was blown down by sleet and snowstorm.
May 6- Breakdown in the No. 2 Level near pumps, breaking pipes and blocking ditch. Colliery was idle 7th and 8th. No. 9 Level did not work until June 11, 1928.
May 18- New Meteor ambulance arrived from Pique, Ohio.
June 3- First set of relief timber put in No. 1 Shaft.
July 17- Poured concrete for pump house near Rattling Creek.
August 13- Mr. R. A. Quin, Vice President. Mr. D. V. Randall, General Manager.
August 20- Finished erecting two new, red, round, fresh water tanks above power plant.
August 31- Placed casing for water company pump house, top of Polish Row.
September 14- Began to clean out Bear Creek, at the Wiconisco Creek with a steam shovel.
October 5- Turned water into reservoir for new pumping plant along the Rattling Creek.
October 7- Fire discovered at top of pumpway from No. 7 Level to No. 5 Level. Sealed and slushed finishing November 21; Colliery working November 22, 1928.
November 2- Placing electric pump at No. 7 Level to replace one destroyed by fire.
November 23- Began to pump fresh water from new reservoir near the Rattling Creek to power plant tanks.
December 6- Put new cylinder on south shaft engine.
December 28- Placed safety posts along hill going to colliery.
December 29- Started water company electric fresh water pump, top of Polish Row, closing down fresh water pumps at Short Mountain washery.
Washery worked 298 days; colliery worked 205 days; colliery suspended for 32 days.
1929:
January 13- Tunnel being driven from Whites Vein to Red Shale No. 5 Level around fire zone, struck Red Shale today.
January 15- Mr. V. V. Secor, Station Engineer, and Mr. Thos. McGretty , Assistant Station Engineer, resigned.
January 16- Mr. Well. Chaundy, Station Engineer, and Mr. George Wilt, Boiler Room Foreman.
February 19- Closed down fresh water pumping plant near retail coal yard.
March 31- Fire zone in pumpway from No. 7 to No. 4 Levels closing, after pumping 2495 mine cars of slush.
April 16: Timber bank given contract to Mr. Chas. & Fred. Hoffman.
April 24- Began foundation for new coal tester house, foot of hill, north of retail yard.
April 28- Installed car stops at top of No. 1 Shaft.
May 6- Tearing down the last red company house, north of Coaldale.
June 4- Installed electric pump, No. 8 Level, No. 1 Shaft.
June 10- Installed tugger at No. 5 Level, No. 1 Shaft.
June 13- Driving tunnel, No. 5 Level, No.1 Shaft for Barney Hoist engine house.
June 25- Began placing 12’ steam line between power plant and air compressor.
July 25- Began to erect electrical engine at tunnel plane.
July 30- Lykens Water Company installed chlorinator at Lykens Reservoir at noon.
August 14- Pennsylvania Power and Light Company cutting line down Big Lick Mountain, west of Williamstown Colliery to run light line to Lykens Valley.
August 30- Began to install car stops at breaker.
September 3- Began to repaint high tension line towers.
September 6- Purchased new Chevrolet sedan.
September 12- Began installing No. 3 buckwheat jigs at breaker.
September 21- Began placing red tickets with the coal shipments to distinguish our coal from others.
October 1- Began bringing up five cars a run on No. 9 Slope.
October 5- Mr. E. A. Van Horn resigned as Superintendent of this division, here since October 16, 1919.
October 15- Began driving raise from No. 3 Level, No. 10 Slope for No. 11 Slope.
November 1- Mr. W. B. Geise, Superintendent of this division.
Washery worked 129 days; colliery worked 164 days; colliery suspension 133 days
I found this interesting as I was looking for where my No. 1 Yoke “Short Mountain Foundry” Bell came from.