The following story was written in 1930 by the Teachers, Pupils and Patrons of the Carbon District. Please, read the foreword about this project. If anyone knows the names of the writers of these stories please notify Kathy Hamaker so credit can be given to those that deserve the credit.
The mining community of Peerless is located three miles west of Helper and the first coal camp to be developed in the Spring Canyon district. The elevation is 6,000 feet.
In the year 1915, 440 acres of land high up on the cliffs above Helper were owned by a group of people from Ogden. This tract had either been overlooked or rejected by both the Spring Canyon Coal Company and the Utah Fuel company as mining property. Since the owners did not wish to operate a mine they were anxious to secure a purchaser, but with the property so located on a point of the mountain, it was difficult to determine how far under cover the coal would be burned, a fact which impeded the sale. However, the Sweet brothers, Charles and Will, took option on the property and following development work sold it to the mining me, Thompson and Murdock, of Salt Lake City, Utah.
Development of the mine followed in rapid strides. A tramway was built to convey the coal from the steep mountainside to the tipple and coal shipments were started about 1917. During the boom years of the coal business, from 1917 to 1921, the coal produced from this mine paid for the project and cleared a bonded indebtedness of $400,000.00 and by 1920 the mine was free from any outstanding obligations.
The coal is now practically worked out and the company has opened a new mine in Price Canyon just above Rolapp. Robert Howard was the Superintendent of the new mine from first operations, until his death, and great credit is due him for development of the new property.
The community of Peerless was comprised of about thirty houses, a store, an office, a post office, a very fine clubhouse for the officials of the company, and a school house, all being well occupied during the life of the camp. About 150 men were employed while the property was at its height of production.
The following story was written in 1930 by the Teachers, Pupils and Patrons of the Carbon District. Please, read the foreword about this project. If anyone knows the names of the writers of these stories please notify Kathy Hamaker so credit can be given to those that deserve the credit.
Rains precinct, including Mutual, is located at the upper end of Spring Canyon, seven miles west of Helper at an altitude of 7,000 feet above sea level.
The precinct of Rains has had several different operators within the history of its development. In 1915, L.F. Rains succeeded in interesting P.J. Quealy, a coal operator from Wyoming, in the coal lands just west of Standardville. The land was purchased from the government and the Carbon Fuel Company organized with Mr. Rains as president. It is interesting to note that Mr. Rains was formerly a grand opera singer, until he was attracted to the coal mining business in which he has since made a marked success. In 1913-14 he was general manager for the Standard Coal Company and prior to that time had gained experience selling coal in California.
The new mining community was named Rains. Little development work was necessary on the property and the first load of coal was shipped in November, 1915. Some 60 houses were built for the employees and their families, together with a school building, boarding house, and store. While the mine was at the peak of operation there were about 200 men employed and daily production of coal averaged from 1200 to 1500 tons. The coals seam was about 18 feet thick and of good quality. The mine was operated continuously until March 1930, at which time it was closed down and has not been reopened.
Other mining activities in the Rains precinct are given here in order of their development: Norton No. 1 mine was opened in the fall of 1917 by Thomas Lamph; Thompson Rains wagon mine was opened in the fall of 1917 by Thompson Rains; Norton No. 2 mine was opened in the fall of 1918 by Walter Dake; Annis and DeMyer mine was opened in February 1921, by Frank Hennis; Mutual No. 3 mine was opened in March 1925 by Albert Shaw. Superintendents of the Mutual Coal Company since 1921, have been Mans H. Coffin, Jr., Albert Shaw, W.J. Bowns, and Oliver Sutch.
The McLean mine has always been a small producer, having a daily output at present of from 50 to 100 tons. Mutual Coal Company is the only mine of consequence in this district.
The Mutual Coal Company has produced a total of 1,531,264 tons from February 1921, to December 31, 1931. The maximum tonnage for one year was 191, 635 tons and the minimum was 99,289 tons. Mutual coal is generally rated as one of the best domestic coals in the territory, operating in what is known as No. 2 sub-seam. The coal content of their present land holdings is 20,320,000 tons. Producing a yearly tonnage of 200,000 tons, which is more than any one previous year's tonnage, the life of the Mutual operation would be 100 years.
The present school house located at Rains was built in 1921, and also serves the population from Mutual. Rains is also the post office for the Mutual camp.
The following story was written in 1930 by the Teachers, Pupils and Patrons of the Carbon District. Please, read the foreword about this project. If anyone knows the names of the writers of these stories please notify Kathy Hamaker so credit can be given to those that deserve the credit.
Rolapp is picturesquely located at the foot of Castle Rock, at the junction of the Bear River and Price River canyons on the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad. It is approximately eleven miles northwest of Helper and one mile northwest of Castle Gate, at an elevation of 6256.25 feet. The new Pike's Peak Highway, completed in October 1931, runs through the center of town. A stage line was started in July 1931 between Salt Lake City and Price. Thus, Rolapp is conveniently located for transportation and communication with Salt Lake City and other state centers.
In 1913 this district attracted the attention of Mr. Frank Cameron, who had previously developed the Heiner property. The first work began in Rolapp with thirty-five men employed. Because of its location the camp was appropriately named Bear Canyon. As the population increased and the mine prospered, the camp was given the name of Cameron, in honor of Mr. Cameron. In 1917, Frank Cameron sold his interest to Henry H. Rolapp. Again the name of the camp was changes in honor of the new manager. The Royal Coal Company owned the property until 1930 when they sold their interests to the Spring Canyon Coal Company.
Rolapp is not incorporated and is, therefore, governed by the county. There are no parks, amusement halls, libraries or churches. All public meetings and gatherings are held in the school buildings. The population varies during the different times of the year. In the winter it is much greater because of the increase in the amount of work in the mine. One can readily see that the present output is not as great as it was in previous years, by comparing the population between the years 1913 to 1920, and the period of 1920 to 1930. In the first period there was an increase of 226 people, while in the latter - a longer period of time - there was an increase of only 129.
The capacity of the mine, when working full force, ranges from 1,000 to 1,200 tons per day. About forty-five men are employed in the mine and about thirteen employed outside. The following nationalities are represented in the town: American, Austrian, Italian, Greek, and Japanese. Most of the foreign born people readily adapt themselves to American customs and habits of living. At the time when the mine was booming this was even more pronounced than it is today. At that time the people were more permanently settled because of the steady work. Realizing that this would ]be their home for several years they were more interested in making their homes comfortable and attractive. The recent decline in economic conditions has caused many residents to move to other localities.
The following story was written in 1930 by the Teachers, Pupils and Patrons of the Carbon District. Please, read the foreword about this project. If anyone knows the names of the writers of these stories please notify Kathy Hamaker so credit can be given to those that deserve the credit.
The town of Scofield lies in the bituminous coal fields of Carbon County about 19 miles from the main line of the D. & R. G. Railroad with an elevation of 6,675 feet. Nestled among the hills that surround the upper part of Pleasant Valley, the town is completely isolated from the rest of Carbon County.
"Pleasant Valley is about six miles long and one mile wide, practically all of which is good wild hay land". The early settlers realized that the luxuriant growth of native grasses would make splendid pastures so by 1879 and 1890 immense herds of cattle roamed over the hills and valleys. The first settlers who were attracted by these immense ranges were: S. J. Harkness, T. H. Thomas, Williams Burrows, O.G. Kimball, D. D. Green, J. W. Metcalf, H. McKochency, and Joseph Castle. These pioneers had numerous friendly contacts with the Indians. Deer, wild fowl, and beaver were plentiful, while the streams offered excellent opportunities for fishing. The town was named in honor of General Scofield who owned a ranch in the vicinity and was an early timber contractor.
"Scofield has always been connected with the early history of coal mining in the State of Utah, and within a radius of three miles there are four mines which have been, or are now in operation. They are Winter Quarters, Utah Mine, Union Pacific Blue Seal, and Kinney."
Shortly after the coming of the settlers, coal was discovered. "The hidden treasures of the mountains were not long to lie hidden, and the discoverers soon found out that the supply was inexhaustible - that coal cropped out on every hand where veins were worked. The railway companies, finding that the coal fields were of such magnitude and covered much territory, began to survey for practical routes to reach the coal. The quiet atmosphere of the cattle men was turned into the hustle and activity that attends the openi