Anthracite Coal Miners of Eastern PA (Scranton, Wilkes-Barre: wedding, high school, casino)

[theatergypsy]

I well remember the Klinkers. Had to shake the handle until the ash fell through the grate and how the klinkers would sometimes get stuck. Then we had to go get Dad because we weren't allowed to deal with them.

We would stand on the sidewalk by the cellar window until Dad put the ashes in the tub and lifted them out the window, then we dragged the tub to the curb for the ash man to pick up. Good times.

[thecoalman]

There's two main fileds of anthracite. The norther field is under Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. The Southern field is in centered on Pottsville.
http://explorepahistory.com/images/ExplorePAHistory-a0j6l1-a_349.jpg (broken link)


Generally speaking the coal in the northern field is white ash and the coal in the south is red ash. It's very hard to get white ash to clinker. It also has a lower ash content of about 10 to 11%, That means it will have 10 to 11% of its original weight when fully burned. In a hand fired stove you can pretty much burn it to powder.

The red ash will clinker more easily and usually has much higher ash content. Some people prefer it because it burns more easily.

One very notable exception is some of the coal from Hazleton which is very dense and hardest you can find. This is white ash and it the ash content can go as low as 4 to 5%. Most coal has a glass like texture but this could be mistaken for colored glass, you could literally get shards from it sharp enough to shave with. It's actually hard to burn but it packs a lot of BTU's.

[sheena12]

Our house has a lovely Victorian fireplace. The surround is carved abd ornate, topped with an oval mirror a hearth and shelf.
The oal vent is still there in the middle of some tiles. I have sen this exact fireplace in several other homes in the are.
We are thinking about making it into a gas fire place, We are also tinking of returning to it; rots.
What do you think?

[coalboy]

Originally Posted by thecoalman

There's two main fileds of anthracite. The norther field is under Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. The Southern field is in centered on Pottsville.



Generally speaking the coal in the northern field is white ash and the coal in the south is red ash. It's very hard to get white ash to clinker. It also has a lower ash content of about 10 to 11%, That means it will have 10 to 11% of its original weight when fully burned. In a hand fired stove you can pretty much burn it to powder.

The red ash will clinker more easily and usually has much higher ash content. Some people prefer it because it burns more easily.

One very notable exception is some of the coal from Hazleton which is very dense and hardest you can find. This is white ash and it the ash content can go as low as 4 to 5%. Most coal has a glass like texture but this could be mistaken for colored glass, you could literally get shards from it sharp enough to shave with. It's actually hard to burn but it packs a lot of BTU's.

another big 'shout out' and thank you for your intimate knowledge and obvious affection for 'King Coal' and your willingness to share it with the rest of us...

As I always say Coalman, 'you da man, I'm just the boy standin' next to da man...'
Coalboy

PS, another 'shout out' to my my man, Fisheye who knows and shares all in the realm of firewood..another wealth of great info...
Guys like you are what America is all about...

YOU GUYS ROCK!

[faeryedark]

Originally Posted by Clark Park

Although I live in Philly, a part of American History that has always fascinated me was the story of anthracite coal mining, the miners, and their families in Pennsylvania. The story includes the interesting aspects of the Molly Maguires, the Lattimer Massacre, the Phoebe Snow advertisements, the Strike of 1902, the Centralia Fire, etc.

I have toured the region over the years and have visited several times places like Eckley Miner's Village, the Anthracite Museum in Scranton, the Ashland Coal Mine Tour, and others.

Why is it so interesting? I believe it was Pennsylvania coal that fueled the American Industrial Revolution from the decade before the Civil War right up until World War 2. The fact is, the life of the miners and their families were so hard! It was almost a kind of slavery: low wages, long hours, crummy houses in "patch towns" provided by the mining company, having to buy goods from the overpriced company store, exposure to danger and unhealthy conditions.

For example, consider the "breaker boys": these kids - they were supposed to be 12 and up, but the company never checked birth certificates or other documents and there were boys as young as 8 working long hours, sitting on hard wooden benches picking slate and other impurities out of the coal coming down in chutes for 10, 11 or 12 hours a day. They would come home covered in coal dust with bleeding hands. If they were slow or not showing "enthusiasm" at their bench, there was a manager with a big wooden stick who would beat the boy! Yikes!

Did any of you come from coal mining families? Can you share with us any stories you might of heard how people made ends meet? I would love to learn more about the lifestyles of the miners, their families, and people in the region.

I know this an older thread, but..yes. My family has it's coal connections. my dad's older siblings (He was the youngest born in 1919) worked in the coal mines.
They were from the Valley View area
My great-grandfather was lucky enough to have learned a trade, and was a blacksmith, as was my grandfather..but from what I understand, most of the boys(my dad's brothers) went to the coal mines at least for a little bit...it's even listed on the census.
Sadly, my dad passed away in 1989 at age 70 and all his family passed before him
So, I'm still searching for info myself.

[lvictor]

It appears our great great grandfather Peter Pegnetter immigrated to Jermyn in 1892 to (probably) work in the mines...his wife,Christina followed in 1893 with 5 children. They left the town of Jermyn a few years later. Does anyone have any information where I can look for old records that would verify this
Linda

[lvictor]

My great grandfather, Peter Pignitter or Pegnetter might have worked for the coal co in Jermyn....are there records I can search? Any ideas on where I can start researching this would be so much appreciated.
Linda

[lvictor]

The dates Peter Pegnetter or Pignitter lived and worked in Jermyn would've been 1892 to about 1895. Any ideas on where I can start researching this would be appreciated.

[thecoalman]

I have a picture of the Jermyn breaker pretty good resolution, send me your email in a DM and I'll send it to you. If he worked at the breaker this would probably be the building he worked in.

[cma401]

My father was from the Wilkes-Barre area. My grand father, great grand father and great-great grandfather were coal miners. How can I find more information about my ancestors?