Pancoast Breaker

Pancoast Breaker

Crowd outside the Breaker after the 1911 Disaster  Digitally Watermarked

Crowd outside the Breaker after the 1911 Disaster

Photographer/Illustrator Year Repository
Unknown 1911 Anthracite Heritage Museum



Brief Chronology of Mining Developments

Year Month Day Comments
1881 Jun 20th mine first opened
1881 - - slope sunk 750 feet
1881 - - shaft sunk to 70 feet depth, at a location 700 feet east of slope, dimensions 10 x 22 feet
1881 - - new breaker erected with capacity of 7-800 tons per day, connected to shaft and slope by 3000 feet of narrow gauge railroad track, on which is operated a 12-ton locomotive
1881 - - the Lackawanna Railroad in haste to complete the railroad lateral to the mine because the breaker construction contract is due to be completed November 1st
1883 May - new main shaft sunk to a depth of 224 feet, dimensions 10 x 34 feet
1884 Jan 14th sinking of new second opening shaft commenced, located 210 feet from main shaft
1887 - - original slope and first shaft marked as abandoned on 2nd Penna. Geological Survey Mine Sheet, precise dates of abandonment unknown
1889 - - there is a large company store near the colliery
1889 - - the operators reported to be examining the possibility of using electric locomotives for underground mine haulage
1891 - - Sanderson attempts to sell the property to the Lackawanna Railroad for $750,000 but the price is deemed too high
1891 - - Sanderson, one of the operators, seeks a loan of $300,000 from the Lackawanna Railroad but the request is declined
1899 - - Sanderson willing to sell for $1.25 million
1911 Apr 7th a total of 72 mineworkers and a member of the rescue crew lost their lives after being overcome by smoke from the fire
1911 Apr 7th fire discovered in the China Vein, originating in an engine house 200 feet from the foot of the hoisting shaft


Production Statistics Table

Year Current Name Tonnage Mined Tonnage Shipped Employees Days Worked Operator
1881 Pancoast 0 0 62 - Pancoast Coal Company
1882 Pancoast Shaft and Slope 63707 - 256 222 Pancoast Coal Company
1883 Pancoast Shaft and Slope 54576 - 188 209 Pancoast Coal Company
1884 Pancoast Shaft 88902 - 327 194.5 Pancoast Coal Company
1885 Pancoast 142118 129288 405 208.5 Pancoast Coal Company
1886 Pancoast 136450 121314 400 204 Pancoast Coal Company
1887 Pancoast Shaft 178437 164268 453 222 Pancoast Coal Company
1888 Pancoast Shaft 188062 176293 608 226.3 Pancoast Coal Company
1889 Pancoast Shaft 153111 138025 621 199.5 Pancoast Coal Company
1890 Pancoast 143662 131842 407 205.75 Pancoast Coal Company
1891 Pancoast 186485 172231 414 228.75 Pancoast Coal Company
1892 Pancoast 178294 167469 507 182.75 Pancoast Coal Company
1893 Pancoast 200758 198936 568 205.5 Pancoast Coal Company
1894 Pancoast 203838 202249 661 187 Pancoast Coal Company
1895 Pancoast 224092 221488 660 210 Pancoast Coal Company
1896 Pancoast 198725 196261 653 199 Pancoast Coal Company
1897 Pancoast 192269 189570 632 185.5 Pancoast Coal Company
1898 Pancoast 238683 204228 641 195.75 Pancoast Coal Company
1899 Pancoast 258423 225066 646 222.5 Pancoast Coal Company
1900 Pancoast 241914 213369 628 207.75 Price Pancoast Coal Company
1901 Pancoast 338653 313047 827 283.75 Price Pancoast Coal Company
1902 Pancoast 197665 179479 871 154 Price Pancoast Coal Company