Mining - Images from the Past
Page by Bob Leathers
Mining Images from the Past
Hanna Basin Mining Companies and Mines
The primary employment in the Hanna Basin was coal mining. The area includes the active towns of Hanna and Elmo, along with the ghost towns of Carbon, Dana and Sampo. Forty-three documented mining companies, working over 50 individual mines, produced an estimated 220,032,841 tons of coal while operating in the Hanna Basin between 1868 and 2012. During the same period of time, 372 men were killed producing the coal. The coal mining section of this website provides details about all the mines and all the men that died in them.
(Union Pacific Coal Company Employee Magazine)
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Mining Image from the Past
Coal Miner Jargon
Pick Miner working in a room. About 1900. (Library of Congress)
- More at: Coal Miner Jargon
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Mining Image from the Past
A coal miner testing the Roof for loose Coal. (Library of Congress)
The leading killer of men in the Hanna Basin coal mines was falling coal and rock from the roof of the mine. The miner in the image above uses hand tools to expose the loose coal and rock in the roof then secures the area by installing supportive wall and roof supports. The miner then lays mining tracks to remove the coal in coal cars.
- More at - 1869: Lists of the Men Killed in the Hanna Basin Coal Mines
- More at - 1869: Men Injured in the Hanna Basin Mines
- More at - 1869: Hanna Basin Mining Companies and Mines
Mining Image from the Past
Kids in the Coal Mine - Breaker Boy
Breaker Boy. (Library of Congress)
- More at: Kids in the Hanna Coal Mines
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Mining Images from the Past
Union Pacific Coal Company's Hanna No. 1 Mine
Exploded June 30, 1903 and March 28, 1908
Exploded June 30, 1903 and March 28, 1908
UNION PACIFIC COAL COMPANY'S NO. 1 MINE IN HANNA EXPLODED JUNE 30, 1903 KILLING 169 MEN (WHILE FAMILY COLLECTION FROM BOB LEATHERS)
Union Pacific Coal Company's No. 1 Mine in Hanna (University of Wyoming - Heritage Center)
The Union Pacific Coal Company's No. 1 Underground Mine in Hanna was the first mine opened for coal production in Hanna. The mine and town were developed in 1889 and 1890. The mine started outside coal production in 1891 when the Union Pacific Railroad's Carbon Cut Off was completed in 1891. The No. 1 Mine produced 133,283 tons of coal the year it opened. The coal company itself used all the coal produced prior to 1891. The No. 1 mine was finally abandoned in 1909 after the March 28, 1908 explosion. The No. 1 Mine Dump - what was left of it - was dismantled and used to build the Hanna N. 4 Mine. Over the 17 years of coal production, the mine produced 4,291,860 tons of coal, with a yearly average of three hundred workers. The Union Pacific Coal Company’s No. 1 Mine in Hanna was the only mine in Hanna to experience an explosion. The No. 1 mine exploded four different times in its history. At the time of the explosions there were only two Union Pacific Coal Company Mines in existence, the No. 1 and No. 2 Mines. The first explosion occurred on April 28, 1890, killing one miner, Henry Ward. The second explosion occurred June 30, 1903, killing 169 men. The third and fourth explosions came on the same day, March 28, 1908, killing an additional fifty-nine miners. The No. 1 Mine was responsible for 229 miner deaths in the four explosions. Other types of accidents claimed the lives of an additional twenty-one miners for a staggering total of 250 men killed in the No. 1 Mine.
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Mining Images from the Past
June 30, 1903 and March 28, 1908 Explosions of the Hanna No. 1 Mine
The first or original Union Pacific Coal Company No. 1 Dump in Hanna. (Wyoming Mine Inspector Report)
Union Pacific Coal Company's No. 1 Mine in Hanna (University of Wyoming - Heritage Center)
The Union Pacific Coal Company's No. 1 Underground Mine in Hanna was the first mine opened for coal production in Hanna. The mine and town were developed in 1889 and 1890. The mine started outside coal production in 1891 when the Union Pacific Railroad's Carbon Cut Off was completed in 1891. The No. 1 Mine produced 133,283 tons of coal the year it opened. The coal company itself used all the coal produced prior to 1891. The No. 1 mine was finally abandoned in 1909 after the March 28, 1908 explosion. The No. 1 Mine Dump - what was left of it - was dismantled and used to build the Hanna N. 4 Mine. Over the 17 years of coal production, the mine produced 4,291,860 tons of coal, with a yearly average of three hundred workers. The Union Pacific Coal Company’s No. 1 Mine in Hanna was the only mine in Hanna to experience an explosion. The No. 1 mine exploded four different times in its history. At the time of the explosions there were only two Union Pacific Coal Company Mines in existence, the No. 1 and No. 2 Mines. The first explosion occurred on April 28, 1890, killing one miner, Henry Ward. The second explosion occurred June 30, 1903, killing 169 men. The third and fourth explosions came on the same day, March 28, 1908, killing an additional fifty-nine miners. The No. 1 Mine was responsible for 229 miner deaths in the four explosions. Other types of accidents claimed the lives of an additional twenty-one miners for a staggering total of 250 men killed in the No. 1 Mine.
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Mining Image from the Past
Lists of Men Killed in the Hanna Basin Coal Mines
Hanna Cemetery with a dragline in the background. 2005. (Image by Bob Leathers)
Hanna Cemetery. September 16, 2023. (Image by Gary Beaver)
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Images from the Past
Union Pacific Coal Company's No. 2 Mine
Frank Scarpelle, Nathan Gillespie, E. M. Mandy, Edlund and Clegg. Union Pacific Coal Company No. 2 Powerhouse (Gert Milliken from Gary Milliken)
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Image from the Past
Union Pacific Coal Company's No. 2 Mine in Hanna
Hanna Miners on the Hanna No. 2 Dump. (Hanna Basin Museum)
The Union Pacific Coal Company's No. 2 underground mine in Hanna, like the No. 1 mine, was developed in 1889 and 1890. The lower levels of the No. 2 mine did contain large amounts of explosive gas much like the No. 1 mine, but no explosions or fires causing death occurred during the life of the mine.
In 1891, the mine produced 38,507 tons of coal for outside use. The mine itself used all the coal produced prior to 1891. The mine was then idle for 3 years, 1892 through 1894.
In 1895, the No. 1 mine caught fire and was forced to temporarily close. The shutdown of the No. 1 forced the No. 2 back into production. When the No. 1 mine recovered from the fire late in 1895 the No. 2 mine when back to idle status. The No. 2 mine went idle for the next nine years, 1896 through 1904. The No. 2 produced 31,131 tons of coal in 1895.
In 1904, the No. 2 mine was forced back into production due to the June 30, 1903 explosion of the No. 1 mine.
In 1906 the No. 2 dump / tipple burned and a new dump was built.
June 9, 1922, the No. 2 dump, boiler house and powder house were once again destroyed by fire. A new tipple was built and the No. 2 mine was back in production by November 13th of the same year.
The No. 2 mine was closed permanently on April 20, 1934 when all the coal had been removed. The No. 2 mine produced 6,206,201 tons of coal over 31 years of production. During the mine’s lifetime, the largest number of workers was 633 in 1918 and the low number of workers was 280 in 1930.
Over the lifetime of the No. 2 mine the following Foremen were in charge of the mine: Mr. Joseph Cox, Mr. John Battle, Mr. James While, Mr. Alfred Dodds, Mr. Thomas Wakely, Mr. W. B. Rae, Mr. Charles Higgins, Mr. Edward Brooks, Mr. John Kinghorn, Mr. William Hughes, Mr. J. G. Crawford, Mr. Herbert Chadwick, and Mr. J. V. McClelland.
The Hanna Basin mines (Hanna, Elmo, Carbon, Sampo and Dana) experienced a total of 372 miner deaths. The No. 2 mine in Hanna was responsible for 27 of the 372 deaths.
In 1891, the mine produced 38,507 tons of coal for outside use. The mine itself used all the coal produced prior to 1891. The mine was then idle for 3 years, 1892 through 1894.
In 1895, the No. 1 mine caught fire and was forced to temporarily close. The shutdown of the No. 1 forced the No. 2 back into production. When the No. 1 mine recovered from the fire late in 1895 the No. 2 mine when back to idle status. The No. 2 mine went idle for the next nine years, 1896 through 1904. The No. 2 produced 31,131 tons of coal in 1895.
In 1904, the No. 2 mine was forced back into production due to the June 30, 1903 explosion of the No. 1 mine.
In 1906 the No. 2 dump / tipple burned and a new dump was built.
June 9, 1922, the No. 2 dump, boiler house and powder house were once again destroyed by fire. A new tipple was built and the No. 2 mine was back in production by November 13th of the same year.
The No. 2 mine was closed permanently on April 20, 1934 when all the coal had been removed. The No. 2 mine produced 6,206,201 tons of coal over 31 years of production. During the mine’s lifetime, the largest number of workers was 633 in 1918 and the low number of workers was 280 in 1930.
Over the lifetime of the No. 2 mine the following Foremen were in charge of the mine: Mr. Joseph Cox, Mr. John Battle, Mr. James While, Mr. Alfred Dodds, Mr. Thomas Wakely, Mr. W. B. Rae, Mr. Charles Higgins, Mr. Edward Brooks, Mr. John Kinghorn, Mr. William Hughes, Mr. J. G. Crawford, Mr. Herbert Chadwick, and Mr. J. V. McClelland.
The Hanna Basin mines (Hanna, Elmo, Carbon, Sampo and Dana) experienced a total of 372 miner deaths. The No. 2 mine in Hanna was responsible for 27 of the 372 deaths.
1889 - 1934:
- More at: Union Pacific Coal Company's No. 2 Underground Mine at Hanna, Wyoming
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Mining Image from the Past
Union Pacific Coal Company's No. 4 Mine in Hanna
The Union Pacific Coal Company's Hanna No. 4 mine opened mine development on April 4, 1911 and opened coal production in 1912. The No.1 mine was partly built from salvaged parts of the No. 1 Mine after the March 28, 1908 explosion. The mine produced only 29,583 tons of coal in its first year. The mine closed production at the end of 1941 when the mining operations were moved north of Hanna to the new 4A mine facility north of town. The mine operated in Hanna for 30 years and produced 10,226,125 tons of coal with a peak work force of 331workers. The Hanna Basin Mines (Hanna, Elmo, Sampo, Carbon, Dana, and Wagon mines) experienced a total of 372 miner deaths. The No. 4 mine in Hanna was responsible for 24 of the 372 deaths.
Hanna's No. 4 mine. (While Family Collection from Bob Leathers)
- More at: 24 men killed in the No. 4 mine.
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Mining Image from the Past
Kids in the Hanna and Other Coal Mine - Breaker Boys
Breaker Boys. Pennsylvania Coal Company. South Pittson, Pennsylvania (Library of Congress)
- More at: Kids in the Hanna Coal Mine
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Mining Image from the Past
Kids in the Hanna and Woodward PA Coal Mines
Woodward coal mine, Kingston, PA. (Library of Congress)
- More at: Kids in the Hanna Coal Mine
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Image from the Past
Hanna Mine Explosion Monument on Hanna No. 1 Hill - September 22, 2023
April 23, 2024: The American flag once again flies over the Hanna Mine Explosion Monument on Hanna Hill thanks to long time Hanna resident Gene Buckingdorf.
Hanna No. 1 Hill Mine Explosion Monument. Sept. 2024. (Image by Bob Leathers)
Hanna No. 1 Hill Mine Explosion Monument. Sept. 2023. (Image by Bob Leathers)
September 22, 2023
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Mining Image from the Past
1960: Rosebud Coal Sales
Rosebud Tipple. Hanna. (Gary Milliken)
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Mining Image from the Past
Hanna and Arch Mineral Corporation and Arch of Wyoming Surface Mines
Hanna Wyoming. Seminoe Mine #2 at top right of the picture. Coal Train at the town railroad crossing.. (While Family from Bob Leathers)
Arch Mineral Corporation had a huge influences on the town of Hanna. Have a look at its updated history.
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Mining Images from the Past
Union Pacific Coal Company's No. 1 Mine
Flooding of No. 1 Town. - as shown in the picture below - was a huge problem for the Union Pacific Coal Comapany's No. 1 town in Hanna. The problem was solved when the company moved all the No. 1 housing to higher ground across the railroad tracks to an area called Butler's Addition.
Hanna No. 1 Town Flooded. (Gert Milliken from Gary Milliken)
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Mining Image from the Past
Union Pacific Coal Company's No. 2 Underground Mine at Hanna, Wyoming
Hanna Miners on the Hanna No. 2 Dump. (Hanna Basin Museum)
The Union Pacific Coal Company's No. 2 underground mine in Hanna, like the No. 1 mine, was developed in 1889 and 1890. The lower levels of the No. 2 mine did contain large amounts of explosive gas much like the No. 1 mine, but no explosions or fires causing death occurred during the life of the mine.
In 1891, the mine produced 38,507 tons of coal for outside use. The mine itself used all the coal produced prior to 1891. The mine was then idle for 3 years, 1892 through 1894.
In 1895, the No. 1 mine caught fire and was forced to temporarily close. The shutdown of the No. 1 forced the No. 2 back into production. When the No. 1 mine recovered from the fire late in 1895 the No. 2 mine when back to idle status. The No. 2 mine went idle for the next nine years, 1896 through 1904. The No. 2 produced 31,131 tons of coal in 1895.
In 1904, the No. 2 mine was forced back into production due to the June 30, 1903 explosion of the No. 1 mine.
In 1906 the No. 2 dump / tipple burned and a new dump was built.
June 9, 1922, the No. 2 dump, boiler house and powder house were once again destroyed by fire. A new tipple was built and the No. 2 mine was back in production by November 13th of the same year.
The No. 2 mine was closed permanently on April 20, 1934 when all the coal had been removed. The No. 2 mine produced 6,206,201 tons of coal over 31 years of production. During the mine’s lifetime, the largest number of workers was 633 in 1918 and the low number of workers was 280 in 1930.
Over the lifetime of the No. 2 mine the following Foremen were in charge of the mine: Mr. Joseph Cox, Mr. John Battle, Mr. James While, Mr. Alfred Dodds, Mr. Thomas Wakely, Mr. W. B. Rae, Mr. Charles Higgins, Mr. Edward Brooks, Mr. John Kinghorn, Mr. William Hughes, Mr. J. G. Crawford, Mr. Herbert Chadwick, and Mr. J. V. McClelland.
The Hanna Basin mines (Hanna, Elmo, Carbon, Sampo and Dana) experienced a total of 372 miner deaths. The No. 2 mine in Hanna was responsible for 27 of the 372 deaths.
In 1891, the mine produced 38,507 tons of coal for outside use. The mine itself used all the coal produced prior to 1891. The mine was then idle for 3 years, 1892 through 1894.
In 1895, the No. 1 mine caught fire and was forced to temporarily close. The shutdown of the No. 1 forced the No. 2 back into production. When the No. 1 mine recovered from the fire late in 1895 the No. 2 mine when back to idle status. The No. 2 mine went idle for the next nine years, 1896 through 1904. The No. 2 produced 31,131 tons of coal in 1895.
In 1904, the No. 2 mine was forced back into production due to the June 30, 1903 explosion of the No. 1 mine.
In 1906 the No. 2 dump / tipple burned and a new dump was built.
June 9, 1922, the No. 2 dump, boiler house and powder house were once again destroyed by fire. A new tipple was built and the No. 2 mine was back in production by November 13th of the same year.
The No. 2 mine was closed permanently on April 20, 1934 when all the coal had been removed. The No. 2 mine produced 6,206,201 tons of coal over 31 years of production. During the mine’s lifetime, the largest number of workers was 633 in 1918 and the low number of workers was 280 in 1930.
Over the lifetime of the No. 2 mine the following Foremen were in charge of the mine: Mr. Joseph Cox, Mr. John Battle, Mr. James While, Mr. Alfred Dodds, Mr. Thomas Wakely, Mr. W. B. Rae, Mr. Charles Higgins, Mr. Edward Brooks, Mr. John Kinghorn, Mr. William Hughes, Mr. J. G. Crawford, Mr. Herbert Chadwick, and Mr. J. V. McClelland.
The Hanna Basin mines (Hanna, Elmo, Carbon, Sampo and Dana) experienced a total of 372 miner deaths. The No. 2 mine in Hanna was responsible for 27 of the 372 deaths.
1889 - 1934:
- More at: Union Pacific Coal Company's No. 2 Underground Mine at Hanna, Wyoming
Use: April and October
Last: April 2024
Last: April 2024
Mining Image from the Past
Superstitions in the Coal Mines: Tommyknockers, Knockers, Demons, Gnomes and Fairies
Shared from YouTube
Hanna Basin coal miners, especially in the early days, were very superstitious. The miners worked in dangerous and dark places, so demons were always around. The belief in underground creatures in the Hanna Basin mines came primarily from the UK - England, Wales, and Scotland. Miners took precautions against bad luck at home and in the mine.
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Mining Image of the Past
Old Mine Office. About 1915. George Film, Billy Milliken, O. G. Sharrer, Tomas Love
Albert "Abby" Film worked at the Union Pacific Coal Company Store in Hanna. He worked in the original store, which was moved from Carbon to Hanna. At the same time, Albert's older brother George Film was the Union Pacific Coal Company's Hanna Materials Clerk from about 1910 to 1915.
April 2024
Mining Image from the Past
Hanna Basin Coal Mining
Underground Coal Mining (Library of Congress)
- More at: Hanna Basin Mining
Mining Image from the Past
Boys in the Coal Mine
Boys in the Mine (Library of Congress)
- More at: Mining
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Images from the Past
1900 - 1910: Images of the Sweetwater Mine Near Rock Springs
from Philppe Coste in France
from Philppe Coste in France
Philippe Coste in France - found four photos from SWEETWATER, Wyoming. He donated the pictures to the Hanna Basin Museum Website. The French man driving the motor was identified as - EMILE MONNER - working in the Rock Springs area in 1910.
"In the early [18] '90s independent operators began to open mines along the Union Pacific. P. T- Quealy and associates opened what is known as the Central Coal and Coke Company No. 2 mine, and Mark Hopkins opened a mine at Sweetwater, then known as Hopkinsville. Both of these properties were acquired by the Sweetwater Coal and Mining Company, controlled by G. W. McGeath and were afterwards turned over to the Central Coal and Coke Company, now operating the properties." Central Coal and Coke Company No. 2 started operation in 1888 and closed in 1937. The Sweetwater Mine was operated by the Gunn-Quealy Coal Company and operated from 1919 to 1925. When that area became known as Quealy there were 60 houses there, and one of them was Mark Hopkins the mine founder's wife's home - Ichabod S. Bartlett's History of Wyoming volume 1. (Jennifer Messer Museum Coordinator, Rock Springs Historical Museum)
The 1912 Annual Report of the State Coal Mine Inspector of Wyoming has the Central Coal and Coke Company No. 1 Mine referred to as the "Sweetwater", so it would be reasonable that the mine camp was named as such. I am not sure when the town of Quealy was named, but it would have been later. Since it is now known as the old Quealy townsite, it makes sense that most people including myself had never heard of Sweetwater. (Ryan Reed, BRS Engineering)
Coal Camp at Sweetwater, Wyoming. (Image from Philppe Coste from France) (Hanna Basin Museum Website)
Sweetwater, Wyoming Coal mine. (Image from Philppe Coste from France) (Hanna Basin Museum Website)
An Electric Motor or Engine coming Out of the Sweetwater, Wyoming Coal mine. (Image from Philppe Coste from France) (Hanna Basin Museum Website)
A group of coal miners coming off shift surrounding the electric motor at the Sweetwater coal mine near Rock Springs. (Image from Philppe Coste from France) (Hanna Basin Museum Website)
Rock Springs Mine Map Rock Springs Mine Map (Facebook: Wyoming - Early History of the Cowboy State)
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Mining Image from the Past
Mules and Boys in the Mine
Boys in the Mine. (Library of Congress. National Child Labor Committee Collection).
- More at: Miners
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Image from the Past - Picking a Slag Pile
Woman Picking a Slag Pile (Library of Congress Ben Shahn photographer)
1937: In the image above, a Pennsylvania woman and child are pictured picking coal from a Slag Pile. They were paid ten cents for each 100 pound sack (Library of Congress Ben Shahn photographer)
A Slag Pile, Spoil Pile or Slack Pile was the unwanted materials, such as dirt, rock, shale, bone, slate, and coal slack, which were taken out of the mine and dumped into a pile. Some good and burnable coal was naturally mixed with the Slag.
1920-1970: Until the 1970's Hanna homes were heated by coal. Coal was valuable during the long and cold winters. To some in Hanna the Slag Piles were a valuable source of coal for personal use. In the 1960's propane and natural gas heating systems started arriving in Hanna, before that it was coal. Most of the Hanna coal mines - underground and surface mines - had a Slag Pile somewhere close to the mine. Hanna folks picked over the Slag for usable coal for personal use when the mine was idle or not active.
1930-1970: The tall black peaked hill found near Jap Town - near the Hanna cemetery road - was a Slag Pile from the Union Pacific Coal Company's No. 2 mine in Hanna.
A Slag Pile, Spoil Pile or Slack Pile was the unwanted materials, such as dirt, rock, shale, bone, slate, and coal slack, which were taken out of the mine and dumped into a pile. Some good and burnable coal was naturally mixed with the Slag.
1920-1970: Until the 1970's Hanna homes were heated by coal. Coal was valuable during the long and cold winters. To some in Hanna the Slag Piles were a valuable source of coal for personal use. In the 1960's propane and natural gas heating systems started arriving in Hanna, before that it was coal. Most of the Hanna coal mines - underground and surface mines - had a Slag Pile somewhere close to the mine. Hanna folks picked over the Slag for usable coal for personal use when the mine was idle or not active.
1930-1970: The tall black peaked hill found near Jap Town - near the Hanna cemetery road - was a Slag Pile from the Union Pacific Coal Company's No. 2 mine in Hanna.
- More at: Hanna Basin Coal Mines
- More at: Coal Miner Jargon
Image From the Past
1923. Hanna No. 4 Mine. Trip of Men Going Into the Mine. (While Family Collection from Bob Leathers)
- More at: Coal Miners
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