Pennsylvania Anthracite Coal Mining.mpg

Vintage 1920's film showing the workings of an underground Northeastern Pennsylvania Coal Mine. This silent film (originally a 16mm hand-cranked movie) shows the miners arriving at the mine and switching into mining clothes with their street clothes held up by lines near the ceiling. The miner receive safety equipments and electric head lamps and then are issued cases of dynamite. Before entering the mine they update the peg board and take the token that allows the mine operator to know exactly who is in the mine at any given time. Once in the shaft the miners drill a hole in the face of the coal seam and then pack it with the explosives. After the dust clears, the miner and his helper shovel the coal into a cart for movement to the main gangway. There the coal is transferred into larger carts and pulled away by mules. In addition to the mule drivers and "spraggers" the film shows the coal breaker where boys and disabled men pick the slate out of the coal. The creation of the culm pile is shown with railroad cars of mine waste being dumped into giant piles. Finally the coal is washed and sorted into various sizes: stove, egg, nut and then shipped out in railroad cars.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Pennsylvania
• Anthracite
• Coal
• mining
• slate
• culm
• breaker
• slag

[ibbotson400]

Great video. Do you know the location of this colliery? Is this video available as a donation to our historical society? If not can we purchase a copy?

[MrDannysuzy]

these boys are more badass than chuck norris

[randomutubejunk]

Really amazing stuff. Hard workers back then!

[61dlw]

Important video. I have some questions. Could you contact me?

[jonatimc]

Great video and very informative with the safety issues that were not enforced or regulated back in those times.

[Sakuraismeantonaruto]

This was very helpful. Thank you. 

[MColaizzo]

One of the best mining videos I've ever seen.

[thcthc]

Perfect Video.Thank you for posting