2500 Men Employed at Coal Mines

Twenty-five Hundred Men Employed at Mines

Almost 900,000 Tons Taken Out Last Year

Most Mines in Any County

Seventy Here and Mine Inspector Says County Could Easily Surpass All Others in Production

  With the single exception of Monroe more men are employed in coal mining in Appanoose county than in any other county in Iowa and the only counties exceeding the output of Appanoose are Monroe and Polk.  In the past year Appanoose rose to third place in production, Mahaska being passed and made fourth.  There was an increase in production in this county last year of 169,000 tons, making a total of 892,000, though the number of men increased but 32, being a total of 2499. Monroe had 2839 men and 1,600,000 tons of coal.  In the next class below the big four mentioned above are Wapello, Jasper, Marion, Boone and Lucas running from 865,000 to 290,000.

Number of Mines Increased

  The state is divided into three districts for inspection purposes, the first being composed of Monroe, Appanoose, Lucas, Wayne, Taylor, Page and Adams.  In these counties are 124 mines and Appanoose has 70 of them according to the report made by John Verner, Inspector, submitted for the year ending June 30 and just published. This is an increase of two mines in the county in one year and makes Appanoose far in the lead as to number of mines, the next county in the state being Mahaska with 26.  The mines opened during the past year are reported to be Oriental Coal Co., Exline Coal Co., No. 7 Peerless Coal Co., No. 30 Manufacturers Coal and Coke Co. Those abandoned were Economy No. 2 and No. 7, Centerville Block.

Only Few Accidents

  In the past year there were but two fatal accidents in the 70 mines with 2500 men employed. They were as follows:  Geo. E. Howe, killed by a fall of coal in the Peacock mine Sept. 11, 1902. C. Conger killed by a fall of coal in the Exline mine March 20, 1903. Of the 11 fatal accidents in the district Monroe had seven of them.  

  The serious accidents credited to Appanoose are:

  S. Gugerich, leg broken by fall of coal in Illinois & Iowa Coal Co. mine Oct. 16, 1902.

  P. Morganda, hip dislocated by fall of coal in the Star Coal Co. mine Nov. 3, 1902.

  Wm. Smith, ankle broken by all of coal in Consumers Coal Co. mine, Nov. 15, 1902.

  J. Gollis, foot broken by fall of coal in Star Coal Co. mine, Dec. 2, 1902.

  J. Peckham, a driver, leg broken by a fall between cars, in Tipton Coal Co. mine, Dec. 24, 1902.

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 [From the Semi-Weekly Iowegian, 1903, digital image in Newspaper Clippings (1899-1953) and Obituaries (1822-1978) from the Semi-Weekly Iowegian.  FHL US/CAN Film 1703961, Items 2-7 (Salt Lake City, Utah:  Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1990)]