Ligonier Valley Rail Road Newspaper Articles
We have compiled over 1,400 newspaper articles that mention the Ligonier Valley Railroad, or related subjects. The articles were originally published starting in 1873 and our collection runs through 1995. Enjoy!
Ligonier Echo
Wednesday, August 8, 1934
Mine to Close End Of Month
Company Forced To Close Mine As All Available Coal Is Out
Mine Operated 22 Years
Operations of the Westmoreland-Connellsville Coal and Coke Company's mine at Fort Palmer near here will cease within two weeks, it was definitely announced several days ago by officials of the company. All available coal in the mines has been completely worked out. The news of the mine closing was a blow to Ligonier Valley as approximately 125 men have been employed at the mine regularly the past year, many of whom reside in Ligonier.
The Fort Palmer mine has for years been one of the most productive in this district,
supplying a high grade bituminous coal and quality coke. It was in 1912 that the Westmoreland-Connellsville Co. started operations at the center there and from that date the mine steadily advanced from a productive and efficiency basis in both the coal and coke field.
It is estimated that over 330 acres of coal lands has been mined out during the 22years and mine has operated, until now there is hardly a trace of marketable coal in the section.
The past few weeks have seen a curtailment of activities at Fort Palmer, with only about one-half of the regular employees continuing their duties.
The peak man-load at the Westmoreland mine was back in the "war days" when some 300 were on the payroll and until the past year more than half of this number were dependent on the mine for their livelihood. A greater portion of these employed at Fort Palmer will likely transfer to other fields in both the soft and hard coal regions, while others intend to seek employment, at other Valley coal centers.
While the company claimed lack of coal as the reason for the shut-down of the plant, those I interviewed believed differently. One person said access to a neighboring coal supply was declined. The mine caused subsidence was affecting the company houses to the point where doors could no longer be closed, the Great depression and the resolve of the miners to unionize are believed to be the real reasons.
The buildings were apparently razed and the lumber re-used. Ford "Grassy" Menoher built a number of cottages along Route 30, near Gallo's swimming pool; Ford Kinsey did the same along Mill Road in Waterford. And imagine my surprise when asking Peg Dillon what had happened to all the houses she said, "You're sitting in one of them. We moved this house from Fort Palmer." She has lived in the same house on Austraw Road for 58 years, alone since her husband, Lloyd Dillon died.
Whatever the reasons for the plant shut-down, the facts are: the town has disappeared; it lived for only 26 years.