Identity elements
Reference code
Name and location of repository
Level of description
Item
Title
D17170-19
Date(s)
- 1944-03-18 (Creation)
Extent
Name of creator
Content and structure elements
Scope and content
Series of Wilkeson Products interior and exterior mine photographs. Jim "Corkie" Kelly, miner's lamp shining, was pictured at the working face of the Wilkeson Products mine on March 18, 1944. The ladder to the right accessed a chute which was being driven up the coal seam. The large heavy sawn timbers held up the roof above Mr. Kelly's head. The Wilkeson Products mine had a short life span of less than two years. The U.S. government had pumped in money to support the coal industry during WWll with the intention of helping the war effort. The mine was built in 1943 using the best construction and equipment possible but was only able to produce 54,000 tons of coal. Two miners, Jack Cloves Smith and Harold E. Barber, lost their lives at the mine. (Kombol, Bill, "When Coal Was King," Voice of the Valley, p. 5, 1-3-2012) TPL-6618
Coke industry--Wilkeson; Coal mining--Wilkeson; Coal miners--Wilkeson; Wilkeson Coal & Coke Co. (Wilkeson); Kelly, Jim; World War, 1939-1945--Economic & industrial aspects--Wilkeson;