iagenweb
 Guthrie County
Coal Mines



History of Coal Mining in Iowa
by
James H. Lees
1909





      Coal was early mined over the entire eastern part of this county to supply the local demand.  As early as 1867 there were banks opened in the bluffs of the Middle Raccoon from its entrance into the county to Fanslers and Panora in the eastern part.  The Marshall Mines on Longbranch and the Lonsdale mine on Deer Creek were among the most important then in operation and gave their names to the harizons mined.  The Marshall coal was of excellent quality, free from impurities and bright and brittle.  The Lonsdale was also a good domestic coal and proved a boon to the dwellers of the prairies. 
      In 1885 there were twenty-three mines operating along the Middle and South Raccoon rivers and their tributaries in the eastern part of the county. All were purely local.  Among the most important was the Clipper mine owned by Marchant and Winters and located near Fanslers.  It was 126 feet deep and pierced a two-foot vein which was worked longwall.  A feature unusual among the small mines was the use of storage sheds, which equalized the demand.  Several of the mines near Fanslers were from sixty to eighty feet deep.  Those farther to the east were generally shallow shafts or drifts.  A mine which supplied an important trade at Panora was that of D. D. Rees 100 feet deep, working and eighteen-inch vein.  About 1891 W. D. Simon opened the Greenbriar mine near Jamaica.  It was sixty-eight feet deep to a coal bed two feet four inches thick, and was the only one in the county worked room and pillar.  Steam hoist was utilized for some time and was the only installation of the kind in the county.  At this time coal was selling for $2.50 to $3.00 per ton at the mine and the miners received six cents per bushel.  The mines have always had a brisk trade in the winter and woing to the lack of storage facilities have often not been able to keep up with the demand as the coal was especially adapted for domestic use.
       All the mines above mentioned are still in operation and of late years a number of others have been located near Yale in the same field as the Jamaica mines and near Bayard and Bagley.  In consequence of these developments the industry has assumed quite an importance, although the output is not large as compared with some of the other counties and the country has never had a shipping mine.






 
Coal mines in Guthrie County https://programs.iowadnr.gov/maps/coalmines/




Coal Mine Fatalities and Non Fatalities


Name
 Accident
Date
 Age
 Fatal or
Non Fatal
Roe Bittener
 Sept 1 1908
N
Will Gilson
 Dec 13, 1911
N
Frank Green
Feb 1, 1906
N
Archie Thomas
 May 11, 1911
N
Joe Whipple
 Dec 22, 1909
F


Coal Companies and Mines of Guthrie County
( There were many other smaller non-named mines acorss our county see map in link above)

Coal Mine
 Dates of operation
 Approx Location by
present day landmark
 Date of
Newspaper
Article
 Newspaper Bits' Pieces
Alexander Lamb #1
 1885-1887
 North of Stuart

Andrew Muldoon
1885-1889
 Southwest of Nations Bridge

Bran

1904
  Love and Ed Harwood have leased the Bran Coal mine and are now getting out coal
Butler and Graham Coal Co
 1906-1908
 South of Springbrook State Park

Coe




Clark Coal Co.
Northwest of Springbrook State Park

Clark Mine
North of Lake Panorama

Deer Creek Mine
 1898-1908
 Northwest of Stuart

D D Reese
1885-1897
 South of Panora

Decker Coal Co
South of Springbrook State Park

Driscoll Mine
Northeast of Menlo

Dygart
Southwest of Panora

Eclipse Mine
South of Springbrook State Park

Eureka Mine
1874-1894
 South of Bayard

Fisher
Southwest of Panora

Greenbrier Coal Co (Simons Mine)
 1888-1908


Gilson Buttler



Harris Mine
 1894-Null
 West of Lake Panorama

Hughes Mine
Southwest Bayard

Hughes and Sons Coal Co
 1906-1908
 East of Guthrie Center

Jack Mansell Coal Mine
South of Springbrook State Park 1900
 Jack Mansull has placed an engine at his coal mine in Fansler to hoist coal by steam.
J D King Coal Company
1903-1908
 Northwest of Springbrook State Park
 1900


1900

1900
 Emerson Stoderage has sold a half interest in his coal mine to
John King Jr.

Emerson Stoderage is sinking an air shaft to his new coal mine

Another new house has been built in Kingsvill on John Kings land at the coal mines
John Marshman Mine
South of Springbrook State Park

Jones Mine



Keeler Mine
Southeast of Marlowe Ray
Wildlife Managment Area

Kings



Lonsdale
 1885-1887
 Northeast of Stuart

Mallon Mine
1900-1915
 South of Springbrook State Park 1900
 Mat Mallon has opened up a new coal mine on middle Coon at Fansler.  He is now at work getting out coal of very superior quality, which he will deliver to parties in town or at the bank.  During the fall months all that are able should fill up the coal bins avoiding the bad roads and the increase price  of the weather months.
Mansell and Sweeney Coal Co
South of Springbrook State Park

Mansell Soal Co
 1905-1912
 South of Springbrook State Park

Moon and Smith
 1920-
 North of Stuart
 1922
 The rain Tuesday flooded the Moon and Smith coal mine north of Stuart. Workmen were able to resume work there Wednesday.
Middleton (Black Diamond) Coal Co
North of Guthrie Center

M N Thomas Coal Co (Thomas Shaft)
 1894-1899
 South of Springbrook State Park

Merchants

1904
 Mr. Shrory, of Jamaica moved Bill Winters' house from the spring run upon the top of Merchants big hill.  Also moved Dayton Long's house from near Merchants coal mine up onto the old Chambers hill. Ouite a crowd was present to see the houses moved up the big hills with a steam engine.
OK Mine
 1908-1914
 South of Panora

Old Mount Mine
South of Bayard

Ole Oleson Mine #1
South of Springbrook State Park

Old Scott Bank
Northwest of Springbrook State Park

Old Thomas Mine
Northwest of Springbrook State Park

Orillia Coal Co
South of Springbrook State Park

Orillia Coal Co #2
 1939-1942
 South of Springbrook State Park

Panora Coal
South of Panora

Renslow Coal Co
South of Springbrook State Park

Renslow Coal Co (Fay)
 1932-1934
 South of Springbrook State Park

Renslow Coal Co (Lloyd)
South of Springbrook State Park

Scott Brothers Coal Co
 1899-1905
 South of Springbrook State Park

Scott Coal Co
South of Springbrook State Park

Scott Mine
 1894-Null South of Springbrook State Park 1904
 John Fickle and wife have moved into the old Scott house by the Scott coal mine.
Sipe Coal Co
1924-1939
 South of Springbrook State Park

Sipe Jentz Coal Mine
South of Springbrook State Park

Stapes Mine
Southeast of Marlowe Ray
Wildlife Managment Area

Suggert and Saint
1894-Null
 North of Stuart

Tann Mine
Northwest of Marlowe Ray
Wildlife Management Area

Wales Coal Bank
 1887-1896
 South of Bayard

Wasson Mine
South of Panora




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