Coal mines around Norris
I have had interest in local coal mines ever since starting genealogy around 1999 and 2000. Well that's when it started because I would often read about little mines or see names of relatives that worked here and there at mines not including my Dad or great Uncle (by marriage who was a coal miner). I have seen listed a mine that has intrigued me but have yet to find much about it other than it was a brief mine in the mid to late 1930's by the name Billings & May. I have found the Billing's name of Arthur Billings but have no luck with the May. Since I have linked every May in this county and is buried here but two as all related it was no doubt a relative of some sort but whom I have yet to find. Anyways that mine was down by Saint David and not the mine I'm going to discuss.
A small town north of Canton off route 78 sits a small town of Norris which is situated on the former CB&Q/BN/BNSF railroad tracks which are now long gone since 2017 and the the track removal process. At one time sat a Coal mine west of Norris acrossed the road from that huge hill we are all used to seeing. It turns out that huge hill was a waste pond for the mine. I also just assumed it was from coal mining in this area since Dad mentioned something about it which i wish i paid better attention now. In 1969 Truax Traer Coal company opened a mine west of Norris. I'm guessing there was mining here before considering the counties rich history of mining. A Railroad spur was built off the CB&Q main line from north of Norris down to this mine. The mine itself in the 1970's used a white electric locomotive to move cars and there appears to have been a small yard of several tracks. I'm guessing the electric stayed on the mine property to move cars and a locomotive off CB&Q would come get the haul wen they were done. I am not sure about this though unless they had electric lines all the way up the spur to the mainline which I doubt but never know. So far been only finding little details here and there on this mine. Truax had a mine out at Fiatt at one point too and around Cuba as I've seen their name on maps in Joshua and Putman townships. In 1971 the mine became the Consolidation Coal Company and remained under that name until the mine closed in 1980. The pictures I am posting are of the area where this mine was some ties still existed as well as track under the gravel road that it once crossed west of Norris. The right of way heading north to the mainline can also be seen from Norris blacktop. The hill remains and google earth shows a lake which was used for waste up there.
There appears to have been another mine around Norris at one time to the north of the CB&Q line which has quite a long history spanning several decades with many changes of ownership. The mine opened in 1883 and ran until 1884 as the Williams Coal company operated by EE Williams. In 1885 until 1892 it was the Norris Coal mine operated by Taylor Williams. In 1892 changed ownership again ran by DH Williams and it was once again Williams Coal Company an ran until 1897. It was closed for a time until 1898 when it was Norris Coal again and the company was T Parcel and company. It didn't last the next year in 1899 it was operated by Norris Coal company.
In 1900 until 1917 it was the Norris Coal mine operated by the Norris coal & mining company.
The 1885 annual report showed it on the CB&Q and the seam worked is No. 6, dept 125 feet. It was thought to be unsafe and were working to fit it to accordance of th requirement of the law. The 1897 annual report said due to reductionn in the price of raining took effect in all mines acrossed the county the miners at the DH Williams mine at Norris refused to start at reduced wages until back pay was forth coming. The mine was closed for a bit. In 1899 annual report the Norris coal company abandoned it's mine and went out of business. In 1900 the Norris Coal Company reopened and sunk it to the No 5 seam which is four feet four inches in thickness and good quality coal. In 1902 a storm struck on June 10,1902 destroying all the top works near the mine's plant including head gear,dumps,engiene and boiler house. The damage was estimated to be $8000. The company reconstructed the tower and rebuilt the engiene and boiler house erecting a shaker screen and railroad chutes. In 1906 the mine replaced it's old second motion engiene with a new first motion engiene. The company also repaired some old boilers and replaced others with new and built a new brick house. In 1917 the Norris Coal mining company which had been closed a bit reopened under the name "Genuine Norris Coal Mining Company". It seems to have closed in 1921 and was the Alden Coal Company until 1925 after that. I need to look at old maps and investigate the area where this was. My source was the Hinton-gen website which provides alot of information about mines in this county as well as a friend David told me the years it operated as well as some information on a few other mines in this county which I appriciate. I wish i was around to see the electric locomotive at the traux/consolidation mine since it sat off the highway. I wonder what became of it?
There appears to have been another mine around Norris at one time to the north of the CB&Q line which has quite a long history spanning several decades with many changes of ownership. The mine opened in 1883 and ran until 1884 as the Williams Coal company operated by EE Williams. In 1885 until 1892 it was the Norris Coal mine operated by Taylor Williams. In 1892 changed ownership again ran by DH Williams and it was once again Williams Coal Company an ran until 1897. It was closed for a time until 1898 when it was Norris Coal again and the company was T Parcel and company. It didn't last the next year in 1899 it was operated by Norris Coal company.
In 1900 until 1917 it was the Norris Coal mine operated by the Norris coal & mining company.
The 1885 annual report showed it on the CB&Q and the seam worked is No. 6, dept 125 feet. It was thought to be unsafe and were working to fit it to accordance of th requirement of the law. The 1897 annual report said due to reductionn in the price of raining took effect in all mines acrossed the county the miners at the DH Williams mine at Norris refused to start at reduced wages until back pay was forth coming. The mine was closed for a bit. In 1899 annual report the Norris coal company abandoned it's mine and went out of business. In 1900 the Norris Coal Company reopened and sunk it to the No 5 seam which is four feet four inches in thickness and good quality coal. In 1902 a storm struck on June 10,1902 destroying all the top works near the mine's plant including head gear,dumps,engiene and boiler house. The damage was estimated to be $8000. The company reconstructed the tower and rebuilt the engiene and boiler house erecting a shaker screen and railroad chutes. In 1906 the mine replaced it's old second motion engiene with a new first motion engiene. The company also repaired some old boilers and replaced others with new and built a new brick house. In 1917 the Norris Coal mining company which had been closed a bit reopened under the name "Genuine Norris Coal Mining Company". It seems to have closed in 1921 and was the Alden Coal Company until 1925 after that. I need to look at old maps and investigate the area where this was. My source was the Hinton-gen website which provides alot of information about mines in this county as well as a friend David told me the years it operated as well as some information on a few other mines in this county which I appriciate. I wish i was around to see the electric locomotive at the traux/consolidation mine since it sat off the highway. I wonder what became of it?
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