Chalk Creek (Coalville) Coal Mines

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Overview

(The following narrative incorporates the history of the coal mines in Chalk Creek Canyon, east of Coalville, and the railroad that served them.)

Coal was a badly needed resource as a source of home fuel for Utah's growing population, and to fuel its rapidly growing economy, to fuel the fires of the territory's growing mining, smelting, and manufacturing industries. In 1854, the Territorial Legislature offered a $1,000 reward to anyone who discovered a source of coal within 40 miles of Salt Lake City.

January 14, 1854
The following comes from the January 19, 1854 issue of the Deseret News, publishing the actual legislative resolution.

Resolution
Offering a Reward for the Discovery of a
Coal Bed near Great Salt Lake City
Be it resolved by the Governor and Legislative Assembly of the Territory of Utah, That the sum of one thousand dollars be and the same is hereby appropriated, out of any money in the public Treasury not otherwise appropriated, as a reward to any resident of this Territory who will open a good coal-mine not less than eighteen inches thick, within forty miles of Great Salt Lake City, in any accessible position, and that can be profitably worked; and when the Governor shall become satisfied of the fact, he may draw on the Treasury of the Territory for the amount in favor of the person entitled to it; and the Governor shall control said coal mine until further provided for by law.
Approved Jan. 14th, 1854

In 1860 William Kimball and John Spriggs claimed the $1000 prize for their mine in Chalk Creek canyon, just one mile east of Coalville, but were denied in January 1861 after a legislative committee found that the mine was more than 40 miles from Salt Lake. The mine was actually just 30 miles from Salt Lake City, directly across the Wasatch Range, but the politicians got out of paying the reward by measuring the distance wagons required to make the trip, 43 miles. They appealed the decision and in January 1863, their claim was rejected again because the coal was found to be inferior, being more of a lignite coal than a better quality bituminous coal.

During the January 1861 session, the Territorial House of Representatives concurred with the resolution of the Territorial Legislative Council to repeal the 1854 resolution offering the reward of $1000 for finding a coal mine. (The Mountaineer, Salt Lake City, January 12, 1861) (The Territorial Council became the state Senate with statehood in 1896.)

Coal Discovered

Coal was discovered in the Chalk Creek area in 1858 by Thomas Rhodes, who was searching for game when he came upon a small vein of coal. Using his hunting knife, he cut out samples which he took to Brigham Young in Salt Lake City. But no further action was taken.

(In 1851, Thomas Rhodes was voted in as treasurer of the Great Salt Lake City Council. In 1855, Thomas Rhodes settled what later became Kamas Valley, and by 1860 he had one of the largest ranches in the Kamas valley. The Rhodes Ranch was about where today's Kamas City is located. Prior to his death in 1869, while living on his ranch near Minersville, aboiut 250 miles southwest of Kamas. He was well known as being one of the best hunters and explorers in the Territory, having explored as far south as the Muddy River and Meadow Valley Wash in southern Nevada, and as far north as the Salmon River in central Idaho. He had first come to Utah, passing through in 1846 on his way to California. He returned to Salt Lake City with a large quantity of gold dust he had successfully panned for on the Sacramento River, and reportedly turned a major portion of the gold over the the Mormon church, for the benefit of the church.)

In 1860, two men, Samuel Fletcher and John Muir, were sent to investigate the possibility of working Rhodes' discovery. They came upon a ten foot outcropping of coal and reported their findings to the Church leaders, under whose direction the Church Coal Mines were developed in the district. (Daughters of Utah Pioneers, Our Pioneer Heritage, Vol. 7, p. 74)

(This was just four years after Daniel Wells and Stephen Taylor had opened the Church mine in Grass Creek Canyon.)

Joel Lewis and Henry B. Wilde, both settlers of the new Coalville colony, confirmed the Rhodes discovery near the south end of the settlement. Andrew Johnson, an early settler of Coalville and an associate of Lewis and Wilde, opened the mine. Then John Spriggs, who had arrived at the new settlement in June 1859, developed it further. Spriggs worked the mine but abandoned it after the coal was found to be of poor quality.

The following comes from the January 1, 1883 issue of the The Salt Lake Tribune (reprinted in Coal magazine, January 17, 1883, Volume 2, Number 3, pages 19, 20):

In Utah, the first discoveries of coal appear to have been made at Coalville, on the Weber River, when the Allen [Johnson] mine was opened eighteen years ago (1865). This had a vein eleven feet thick, dipping to the west. It was worked year after year until the town of Coalville had a series of levels and chambers under the entire place. The coal mined was for several years hauled to Salt Lake and other places by wagon. A narrow-gauge road, the Summit County Railroad, was built from Echo on the Union Pacific to Coalville, a distance of seven miles, and operated as a coal road for several years. Five years ago (1878), the miners struck a jolt in the vein, and the mine has since been abandoned for the present. The Spriggs mine is located near, and was opened about the same time and worked until about one year ago (1882).

On the hill west of Coalville and high up the range, the Carleton mine, opened about the same time, supplied Fort Douglas with coal for two years. This vein was seven feet thick, and had a two-foot deposit of fire-clay in the center. This was abandoned about sixteen years ago (1867), when the General Connor mine, twelve miles up Weber River above Coalville, was opened and worked for two years. The Dry Hollow vein, lying west of Coalville, was opened a little about this time, since which it has lain idle. There was no date kept of the workings of these various properties, and it would be mere guess-work to make any estimates of the quantity of coal taken from them.

The Crismon mine is located up a gulch [Spring Hollow] near its head, and is reached by the Utah Eastern, which climbs up two miles, for a part of which the grade is 175 feet per mile (3.3 percent). The mine is supplied with an engine and hoisting machinery. The shaft runs on an incline on the vein, the dip to the northwest being thirteen degrees. The incline is 700 feet; and levels are cut every 100 or 200 feet. These levels run each side, and have been extended 1200 feet each from the shaft. From these levels, chambers are taken out on the upper side, the chambers being thirty feet wide, leaving pillars between, sixteen feet wide. After all the chambers are worked out on the level, then the pillars are nearly all removed, permitting the earth above to sink and close up the aperture. The vein is eleven feet thick, and was not struck on the incline until a depth of 450 feet had been reached. The space worked out and now mined is 800 by 2600 feet. A portion of this mine has been on fire for several years, but is in a place where the fire will do no damage.

A short distance down the gulch, is the Wahsatch mine, worked in similar manner to the Crismon. The machinery from the old Wahsatch shaft has been placed at the new one, and the work of mining lately began. The coal, on being hauled to the surface, is dumped from the cars on slanting screens, which permit the slack or finer portions to go into a car for waste, while the good coal goes into another car. The amount of waste or screenings is from 30 to 40 per cent of the whole. Both of these mines are owned by the Home Coal Company, of which R. C. Chambers is President; R. T. Burton, Vice-President; F. A. Mitchell, Secretary; H. Dinwoody, Treasurer; having a capital stock of $250,000. The output of the two mines is 110 tons per day, most of which goes to the Ontario mill and mine at Park City. This product is about the regular yield the year round.

The following comes from Tullidge's Histories, Volume II, 1889, page 521.

Coalville, which was first called Chalk Creek, was settled in the spring of 1859, and soon after the arrival of the first settlers the coal mines began to be discovered. About a year previous to their arrival, it is said, a Mr. Thomas Rhodes while hunting found on Chalk Creek, about five miles from the Weber, the cropping out of a coal measure. He dug a specimen out with his knife, took it into Salt Lake City and reported the circumstance. Further than this, however, Mr. Rhodes is not known in the discovery and development of the coal mines of that district.

The Rhodes' discovery was followed up by Joel Lewis, who joined the new settlement on the Weber at an early day. He dug out a little of the coal and brought it to the camp. Andrew Johnson, Joel Lewis and Bishop Henry B. Wilde were the first to discover coal on the Weber, and they did the first labor in opening the mine on ground now near the south end of the town of Coalville. This was in 1863. But the Rhodes mine was the first in the order of discovery and development. John Spriggs, who arrived in the settlement in the spring of 1859, opened this mine and worked it to some extent, but it was abandoned on account of the coal being of a poor quality.

In 1863, Andrew Johnson opened a coal bed about one and a quarter miles north-east of Chalk Creek, now Coalville. He afterwards sold out one-half interest in his mine to John Allen, and finally Mr. Johnson sold out his interest to Howard Livingston, Salt Lake City. Andrew Johnson also performed the first labor in opening the coal bed in Spring Hollow. In 1860, Daniel H. Wells, Bryant Stringham and Stephen Taylor opened the mines in Grass Creek Canyon, about five miles north-east of the settlement on Chalk Creek, and these mines were afterwards worked and known as the Church mines.

In the year 1866, John Spriggs opened the coal measure underlying the town of Coalville, a little north-east of the opening made by Wilde, Lewis and Johnson. It is now known as the Spriggs mine, and is owned by the heirs of Bateman and Spriggs. The coal from this mine is of excellent quality for domestic purposes, but the working of this mine has been abandoned — the Home Coal Company were the last operators of that property and worked the coal out, all except pillars which cannot be taken out without endangering the surface. The development of the coal beds under and around Coalville has been much obstructed by the Union Pacific Railroad's refusing to carry the coal to market on reasonable terms.

Coalville

Coalville was first settled in late April 1859 by William Smith, Alanson Norton and Andrew Williams. William Smith had previously been aware of the nature of the area around where Chalk Creek joined the Weber River and determined it was very suitable for settlement after finding some mature wheat that had grown from seeds dropped by accident by one of the many emigrant wagons traveling to Salt Lake City. Williams, Smith and Norton examined the area after Williams had spent the previous winter of 1858-1859 at the mouth of Echo Canyon. They returned to Salt Lake City and within two weeks returned to their new settlement with three more men, Henry B. Wilde, Thomas G. Franklin, and Joseph Stallings. Within a month, by early June 1859, the six men plowed a field of about five acres, planting wheat and vegetables at a place that became the town center of the new settlement first known as Chalk Creek, but later named Coalville. At the time, the nearest settlers were 25 miles away at Snyder's mill in Parley's Park, and the mail station at Echo.

The county seat of Summit County was at Wanship until it was moved to Coalville on February 16, 1872.

Timeline

In November 1859, the Deseret News ran an editorial comment about the mine near Coalville: "That Coal Mine. -- What has become of the newly discovered coal mine on the Weber? From the stir that was made about it, there were good reasons for believing that if coal existed there to any considerable extent there would have been some brought to the city before this time. Does coal exist there or not? and if it does, in what quantities, and what its quality?" (Deseret News, November 2, 1859)

December 28, 1859
The following comes from the December 28, 1859 issue of the Deseret News

Legislative Proceedings. -- On Tuesday the 20th, in the Council, a report from J. W. Fox, Territorial Surveyor General, in relation to the Weber coal mine, distances from this city, etc., was received, read and referred to the committee on Agriculture, Trade and Manufactures.

Weber Coal Mine. -- A good specimen of coal from Weber mine has been exhibited in our office by Messrs. Kimball and Spriggs, who report that they have extended the tunnel, which they commenced at the base of the mountain one hundred and thirty feet passing through some four or five veins of coal of various thicknesses, and have reached one that is some four feet thick and of a quality superior to any that has heretofore been found in the Territory.

By the report of Mr. Fox made to the Legislative Council on the 20th inst., it is made to appear that the distance from the Council House to the coal mine by way of Parley's Park is about fifty one and a quarter miles, and that by making a road down Silver creek from the crossing to the Weber, the distance can be shortened some three miles, making it only forty-eight miles to the coal bed by that route.

The Legislature will no doubt take some action in relation to a matter of so much importance to the people in this part of the Territory, and if coal exists there in such quantities as represented, of which there can be but little doubt, some measures should be taken to make it easy of access by improving the roads over which it will have to be transported to this city and other cities and settlements in Great Salt Lake Valley.

In January 1860, the federal Surveyor General of Utah Territory announced that the coal mine in Chalk Creek claimed by Kimball & Sprague [sic: Spriggs] were found to be illegal because they were located on federal land, "the illegal surveys of the half section of land embracing the coal mines which are property of the United States." (extracted from correspondence published in the October 3, 1860 issue of the Deseret News, between S. C. Stambaugh, Surveyor General, Utah Territory, and the Commissioner of the General Land Office, concerning the legality of surveys completed by persons not affiliated with the General Land Office. The Commissioner stated that such surveys are in direct violation of the law of 1807.)

May 2, 1860
The following comes from the May 2, 1860 issue of the Deseret News.

Latest from the Coal Mines. -- A few days since Mr. John Spriggs, one of the principal operators in the Weber coal mine, called at our office and made a favorable report concerning the quality and quantity of the coal, and exhibited some very good specimens, equal to any that has ever been brought to the city from the San Pete or other mines in the Territory.

He reports that two tunnels have been cut into the mountain to a considerable distance, one of which passes through three veins of coal from five to six feet thick, and the other through two veins, one six and the other about twelve feet in thickness. The upheaving of the earth at some period of time has so changed the horizontality of the strata that in drifting into the mountain at the base, on a level, the veins, which are at various distances apart, are passed through successively, their downward inclination being at an angle of some forty or fifty degrees. The coal can be taken out very easily, and Mr. Spriggs is of the opinion that without extending them any further into the mines that fifty tons of coal daily can be delivered at the entrance of the tunnels at a cost of about six dollars per ton.

1864
In its 1883-1884 report on the nation's mineral resources, the United States Geological Survey stated that the earliest coal development in Utah was at the Acme Coal Company at Coalville in 1864. About a hundred men were employed working a twelve foot vein, with most of the coal being consumed chiefly at the Park City silver mines. (USGS: 1883-1884 Mineral Report, p.89)

(Research in available online newspapers finds no reference to "Acme Coal Company" in Utah, during any time period.)

Dry Hollow Mine

Dry Hollow is the next canyon north of Coalville

(Supplied coal to Fort Douglas)

Carelton Mine (Dry Hollow) (1863)

December 19, 1863
P. E. Conner sells to George Carleton, for $1,000.00, 1/3 interest in Weber Coal Mining Company, situated in the Wasatch Mining District, about 1-1/4 miles west of junction of Spring Creek and East Weber River and for 15,000 feet along Spring Creek. (Summit County Abstracts, Book 1, p.280; Summit County Old Records, Book A, p.5-7)

Telegraph Mine (Dry Hollow) (1864-1865)

February 4, 1864
William Galbreth sells "Weber Coal Mine" to George W. Carleton. (Summit County Abstracts, Book 1, p.280; Summit County Old Records, Book A, p.9)

November 13, 1865
George Carleton, of Salt Lake City, sells 1/2 interest in the "Telegraph Coal Bed" (with same description as previous "Weber Coal Mine, below") to William L. Halsey, of Salt Lake City, for $5,000.00. (Summit County Abstracts, Book 1, p.281; Summit County Old Records, Book A, p.51)

Called "Telegraph Coal Bed", also "Telegraph Coal Plat. "Telegraph Coal Mine", circa 1871

Weber Coal Mining Co. (Dry Hollow) (1868)

June 15, 1868
Weber Coal Mining Company organized, at the Tithing Office in Coalville. Coal claim is west of the Wasatch Coal Company claim and lies in Dry Hollow. John W. Farnsworth, President; John Williams, Treasurer; H. B. Wilde, Secretary; Isaac Shaw and H. B. Clemons were other organizers. (By-laws filed with Summit County Recorder, in Summit County Old Records, Book A, p.159-160)

Allen Hollow Mine

Allen Hollow was directly north of Coalville, about 1/2 mile north

"Pacific Coal Survey"

(First Johnson mine was in Allen Hollow; sold to Livingston [1864]; sold to Redden [1870]; sold to Chalk Creek [1889]; sold to Hopkins Coal [1895])

(A second Johnson mine was in Spring Hollow)

Johnson Mine (Allen Hollow) (1863)

1863
"In 1863, Andrew Johnson opened a coal bed about one and a quarter miles north-east of Chalk Creek, now Coalville. He afterwards sold one half interest in the mine to J. Allen, and finally Mr. Johnson sold out his interest to Howard Livingston of Salt Lake City. Andrew Johnson also performed the first labor in opening the coal bed in Spring Hollow, and sold out to Wm. H. Smith." (Tullidge's Histories, Volume II, 1889, page 139)

July 23, 1864
County Surveyor certifies possession of "Pacific Coal Survey", situated on Chalk Creek Canyon, five miles from Coalville, to John Spriggs and William H. Kimball. (Summit County Recorder, Old Records Book A, p.34)

(Research in available online newspapers finds no reference to "Pacific Coal Survey" in Utah, during any time period, as well as any reference in multiple internet searches.)

August 6, 1864
John Spriggs and William H. Kimball sell the "Pacific Coal Survey" to Howard Livingston. (Summit County Abstracts, Book 1, p.281; Summit County Old Records, Book A, p.32-35)

June 30, 1865
Andrew Johnson, of Coalville, sells , for $2,000.00, to Howard Livingston, of Salt Lake City, 1/2 interest in "Johnson's Coal Mine", on Chalk Creek near Coalville. (Summit County Abstracts, Book 1, p.280; Summit County Old Records, Book A, p.24)

Apparently the sale did not take place, with Johnson trying to sell the mine again in 1868 and 1869.

October 21, 1868
Andrew Johnson sells to David H. Kinsey, of Provo, and C. E. Dixon, of Payson, the "Johnson Coal Mine", about 3 miles northeast of Coalville on the northeast side of Spring Hollow. (Summit County Abstracts, Book 1, p.285; Summit County Old Records, Book A, p.179) Later noted as VOID, per affidavit by Andrew Johnson.

October 18, 1869
Andrew Johnson sells 1/2 interest in "Johnson Coal Mine" to R. Jackson Redden, for $3,000.00. Redden sold it back to Johnson on 15 January 1870. (Summit County Abstracts, Book 1, p.287; Summit County Old Records, Book B, p.130, 140-141)

September 12, 1865
Howard Livingston sells all of "Pacific Coal Survey" to Richard A. Keyes, for $4,000.00. (Summit County Abstracts, Book 1, p.281; Summit County Old Records, Book A, p.36)

May 13, 1867
Richard A. Keyes mortgaged 1/2 interest in "Johnson Coal Claim" to William Gilbert for $2,500.00. (Summit County Abstracts, Book 1, p.283; Summit County Old Records, Book A, p.106, 107) Mortgage satisfied and discharged on 30 April 1868. (Summit County Old Records, Book A, p.107)

May 1, 1868
Richard A. Keyes sells 1/2 interest in "Johnson Coal Mine" and all of "Pacific Coal Survey" to John W. Kerr, for $12,000.00. (Summit County Abstracts, Book 1, p.285; Summit County Old Records, Book A, p.150)

June 1, 1868
John Allen sells 1/2 interest in "Johnson and Allen Coal Mine" to William Kiskadden and Joseph T. Snealwood. (Summit County Abstracts, Book 1, p.285; Summit County Old Records, Book A, p.157)

December 29, 1868
"Coal! Coal! The undersigned, having purchased the celebrated Johnson Coal Mine, are now prepared to furnish Coal, which is acknowledged to be the best quality on the Weber, without delay to teams. Kinsey & Dixon" (Deseret News, December 29, 1868)

(The above advertisement was run in the Deseret News the last two weeks of December 1868 and the first week of January 1869)

February 26, 1869
William Kiskadden sells 1/4 interest in "Johnson Coal Mine" to John W. Kerr. (Summit County Abstracts, Book 1, p.287; Summit County Old Records, Book B, p.108)

February 23, 1870
Andrew Johnson leases to R. Jackson Redden the "Johnson Coal Mine" for $1.00 for 99 years. (Summit County Old Records, Book B, p.147; Summit County Abstracts, Book 1, p.287)

February 23, 1870
Andrew Johnson sells to R. Jackson Redden "Johnson's Coal Mine" for $3,200.00. Jackson agrees to give Johnson the money in return for clear title. Mine is located 2 miles NE of Coalville, along Spring Creek. (Summit County Old Records, Book B, p.148; Summit County Abstracts, Book 1, p.287)

February 23, 1870
R. Jackson Redden sells to Thomas B. Morris the property known as "Johnson's Coal Mine". (Summit County Old Records, Book B, p.149; Summit County Abstracts, Book 1, p.287)

(Return Jackson Redden became involved in Park City mines by October 1872. By 1884 he was Justice of the Peace in Hoytsville, three miles south of Coalville. He had come to Utah in July 1947 as part of Brigham Young's original company. He was born in Ohio in 1817, and died in August 1891 at his home in Hoytsville)

Chalk Creek Coal Company (Allen Hollow) (1889)

September 25, 1889
The Chalk Creek Coal Company filed their articles of incorporation. (Salt Lake Herald, September 26, 1889, "yesterday")

February 2, 1890
"Fifteen months ago [late 1888] the Chalk Creek Coal Mining Company began developing their property, which lies one mile from Coalville up Allen's Hollow. They have driven in two openings, one a distance of 150 feet and the other 100 feet. These are on the incline of the dip in the vein, which is 22 degrees to the north and east, and at the heading there is twelve feet of solid coal of excellent quality. They began shipping coal last week, and hope to bring lots of it to this market in the near future. They expect to soon have a spur of the railroad run to the mine, a distance of one mile to build. The company spent about $5000 on these developments. The present officers are O. L. Brown, president, and W. W. Rivers, secretary. This vein is the same as the old Allen mine, which was worked at Coalville for many years." (Salt Lake Tribune, February 2, 1890)

August 13, 1890
Chalk Creek Mining Company (Summit County Recorder, Index To Lands, Book 1, p.89)

January 1, 1893
"The Chalk Creek Coal Mining Company, after working several years in developing their property near Coalville and spending about $25,000, lately got in with their long incline to where the vein is ten feet wide and the coal solid and of excellent quality. They have good machinery and report the product for the year at 3000 tons. It was only one month ago that they really began shipping. Their coal is sold in this city." (Salt Lake Tribune, January 1, 1893)

(During 1893 and 1894, a series of law suits by vendors against the company forced the Chalk Creek Coal company to call for an assessment on its stock in July 1893, and again in January 1894, as well as a special stockholders meeting on September 24, 1893. The stock held by shareholders that did not participate in the assessment was declared delinquent and sold at auction in early 1894. Additional law suits and financial troubles followed in 1895 and 1896.)

December 1, 1894
"Old Allen.—This mine is being put in good shape for large productions. At present its capacity is small, 20 tons per day, but in a month it will turn out 50 tons per day. Its vein, 11 ft. thick, dips at an angle of 45 degrees. It was originally worked by sinking from the outcrop, which is 700 ft. from the present vertical shaft, which tapped the vein at a depth of 300 ft. One level is being extended each way from the bottom of the shaft, another 200 ft. above on the dip of the vein, and a winze or incline was run down from the bottom of the shaft 80 ft. and a level run there. But little except dead work or rather development work has been done this year, and yet considerable coal has been sold." (Engineering and Mining Journal, December 1, 1894)

(In March 1910, the Chalk Creek Coal and Mining Company was among the thousands of corporations all across the state that were involuntarily dissolved for failure to pay their state corporation license fee.)

Hopkins Coal Company (Allen Hollow) (1895)

January 1895
The coal mine in Allen Hollow of the Chalk Creek Coal Company was bought by the Hopkins Coal Company in late 1894 or early 1895. In early January 1895, the new company built a retail coal yard in Park City to sell its "Pioneer Allen Coal" to that city's residents, and the newspaper ads began in early February 1895.

(Mark Hopkins had sold his small coal mine at Rock Springs, Wyoming, in February 1890. He had also been the superintendent of the Union Pacific mine in Rock Springs. In early 1891 he was in Colorado Springs, Colorado, recovering from typhoid fever, and by October 1894 he was a resident of Coalville.)

April 9, 1896
"The Hopkins coal mine turned out 10,000 tons, being operated only a portion of the year." (Inter-Mountain Mining Review, April 9, 1896)

May 1, 1896
"Considerable work has been done by the Hopkins Coal Company the past week in improving the roads to that mine." (The Coalville Times, May 1, 1896)

1897
Hopkins Mine "It is worked on the room and pillar system. The machinery equipment, consisting of a pair of 12x16 geared hoisting engines, two boilers of about 50-horse power each, screening and other apparatus, are in excellent condition, and sufficient for a capacity of 300 tons daily. The main opening is a slope driven on the dip of the vein, which is at an angle of twenty-five degrees. The slope is down about 1,100 feet, and there are three pumps, one sinking pump and two stationary pumps, for handling the water. The quantity of water so far developed is little in excess of the amount necessary for feeding the boiler, and is lifted from the sump into settling tanks at the surface. The mine is working one entry and ten rooms, and were cleaning and getting ready to sink the slope for another level. The second opening from the lower level to the surface has just been completed. By means of this opening the mine is provided with a good ventilation. The amount of coal produced in 1897 was 9,154 tons, about double the production of 1896." (Utah Coal Mine Inspector's Report, 1897, dated February 1, 1898)

1898
"I found the mine not looking so good. They had struck a large stream of water in one of the inside rooms. The machinery was not large enough to keep it out, so they had to abandon the lower part of the workings. The prospects are very poor for the coming year. The output of the mine for 1898 was 8,777 short tons." (Utah Coal Mine Inspector's Report, 1898, dated December 31, 1898)

July 17, 1898
"The Hopkins Coal company's mine, located about one-half mile from Coalville, is one of our best mines, owned by Coalville and Park City men. It employees at present 21 men and works about four days per week. Coal is hoisted with a fine steam plant of sufficient capacity for 300 tons per day, through a slope about 1,300 feet to the face, which has an excellent manway and air course, thus affording good ventilation and making ingress and egress an easy matter. Although the main body or vein of coal has not yet been obtained, it is anticipated that it will be found soon, but the vein on which they are now working, though not as thick as other mines here-abouts, is of a very fine quality and the quantity is sufficient to supply the market in any amount up to 150 tons per day." (Salt Lake Herald, July 17, 1898)

(The Hopkins Coal Company was shown in December 1898 and December 1899 as being delinquent in paying their Coalville city property tax on the SE-1/4 of the SW-1/4 of Section 4.)

(The Hopkins mine was not included in the 1899 Utah Coal Mine Inspector's Report)

December 29, 1899
"The building formerly used by the Hopkins Coal company as an office has been purchased by the Grass Creek Coal company, and was on Friday last moved to the mouth of Grass Creek canyon. We understand that it will be taken up to the mines and used as a store, so that the people who live up there will not be compelled to come down to Coalville for their merchandise." (The Coalville Times, December 29, 1899)

January 27, 1900
Advertisements for the Hopkins Coal Company continued offering the "Pioneer Lump coal from the Hopkins mine" until the January 27, 1900 issue of the Park Record newspaper. No ads were published until the March 10, 1900 issue, when coal from the Hopkins mine was no longer offered for sale. (Park Record, January 27, 1900, March 10, 1900)

(After March 1900, newspaper advertisements continued on a weekly basis in the Park Record newspaper, but without the reference to "Hopkins Lump.") (All Hopkins Coal Company ads in the Wasatch Wave newspaper in Heber City stopped with the April 7, 1899 issue.)

March 10, 1900
"Coalville Notes. Coalville. March 9. -- Mr. George C. Kidder of Salt Lake City has been here for the last few days taking down and loading on the cars all the machinery of the Hopkins Coal company, formerly used at the company's coal mine, and as soon as the work of loading is completed it will be shipped to Salt Lake City, subject to the further orders of the company. Thus the last hope of what was once an active and prosperous industry, employing nearly 100 men, is closed." (Salt Lake Herald, March 10, 1900)

May 8, 1903
Due to unpaid delinquent county property taxes, the property of the Hopkins Coal Company, on the SW-1/4 of Section 4 was sold to the highest bidder on May 29, 1903 on the steps of the Summit County Court House in Coalville. (Coalville Times, May 8, 1903)

February 5, 1904
David Rees petitioned the Coalville City Council to obtain the deed to the Hopkins Coal Company property. (Coalville Time, February 5, 1904)

(The Allen Hollow mine site was reclaimed in 1987 by the Utah Abandoned Mines Project.)

Spring Hollow Mine

(Spriggs and Kimball Mine)

(Wasatch Mine)

(The Weber Coal mine was in Spring Hollow, which is in Section 3 of Township 2N, Range 5E)

The Spriggs & Kimball mine in Chalk Creek Canyon was later worked as the Wasatch Mine, and still later as the Weber Mine, and by 1898 (before the 1899 opening of the Sunnyside mine in Carbon County) was the fourth largest coal mine in the state. (Powell, Allan Kent. "A History of Labor Union Activity in the Eastern Utah Coal Fields, 1900-1934". PhD dissertation. 1976, p. 9)

Spriggs and Kimball Mine (1864)

John Spriggs and W. H. Kimball opened their mine in Coalville in June 1859.

September 10, 1859
Spriggs and Kimball advertise that they have coal from their Weber mine, "recently discovered on the Weber River." The coal sample had been furnished by "Mr. Spriggs." (The Mountaineer [Salt Lake City], September 3, 1859; September 10, 1859)

September 14, 1859
"Weber Coal Mine. -- The discovery by Mr. Spriggs, of a coal bed on the Weber, above where the emigrant road from the east, crosses that stream, has been the subject of much conversation in this city for the last two weeks, and much anxiety has been manifested in relation to it. If good coal exists there in sufficient quantities to supply the inhabitants of this city and surrounding country it will be of incalculable benefit, as fuel will eventually be scarce in this part of the Territory." (Deseret News, September 14, 1859)

1866
" In the year 1866, John Spriggs opened the coal measure underlying the town of Coalville, a little north-east of the opening made by Wilde, Lewis and Johnson. It is now known as the Spriggs mine, and is owned by the heirs of Bateman and Spriggs. The coal from this mine is of excellent quality for domestic purposes, but the working of this mine has been abandoned. The Home Coal Company were the last operators of that property and worked the coal out, all except pillars which cannot be taken out without endangering the surface." (Tullidge's Histories, Vol. 2, 1889, page 522)

April 13, 1872
John Spriggs sells 1/2 interest in the property known as "John Spriggs Coal Mine" to Isaac C. Bateman and David E. Buel. The coal mine had been worked by John Spriggs for 10 years. Also 1/2 interest in another coal mine known as "The Coke Mine", located 5 miles east of Coalville. Also 1/2 interest in another mine, adjoining the "Spriggs and Kimball Mine", lately belonging to Howard Livingston, located 4 miles east of Coalville. Also 1/2 interest in a coal mine located 1 mile east of "John Spriggs Mine", and within the city limits of Coalville, located 400 yards NE of the Lime Kilns. This 1/2 interest being controlling interest and management control. (Summit County Old Records, Book B, p.265-267; Summit County Abstracts, Book 1, p.288)

"John Spriggs Coal Mine", on Spring Creek, circa 1872 (Summit County Recorder, Abstracts Book 1, p.288)

"Spriggs and Kimball Coal Mine", circa 1872 (Summit County Recorder, Abstracts Book 1, p.288)

Wasatch Coal Mining Company (Spring Hollow) (1868)

May 2, 1868
Briant Stringham, of Salt Lake City, sells, for $100.00, Lot 3, Block 18 of Coalville City Plat to Wasatch Coal Mining Company. (Summit County Abstracts, Book 1, p.285; Summit County Old Records, Book A, p.152-153; Summit County Recorder, Index To Town Lots, Book 1, p.18)

March 20, 1874
United States patented land in the NE-1/4, Section 3, T2N, R5E, to Nicholas Gruebeck. (Summit County Recorder, Old Records Book D, p.166)

July 7, 1875
Wasatch Coal Mining Company sells to George Nebeker and Paul A. Schettler, both of Salt Lake City, all of Lots 4 and 6, Block 1, Superior Coal Plat, in Spring Hollow, near Chalk Creek, containing 479.6 acres, for $25,000.00. (Summit County Old Records, Book E, p.126; Summit County Abstracts, Book 1, p.290)

November 11, 1875
Union Pacific Railroad, upon delivery of patent from U.S., agrees to deliver deed to George Nebeker and Paul A. Schettler the land in Section 3, T2N, R5E, on which they are occupying and working as coal mines. Purchase price was $10.00 per acre for the 284.54 acres involved. (Summit County Miscellaneous Record, Book I, p.3)

August 16, 1878
Nebeker and Schettler sell, for $1.00, above described property to Wasatch Coal Mining Company. Schettler assigned his rights and interests to Nebeker on same day, for the amount of $1.00. (Summit County Miscellaneous Record, Book I, p.5)

August 19, 1878
Wasatch Coal Company (Summit County Recorder, Index To Lands, Book 1, p.275)

Crismon Mine (Spring Hollow) (1869)

April 9, 1867
Territorial Surveyor certifies possession of Lot 4 and Lot 6 of Block 1 of "Superior Coal Plat" to W. W. Cluff (1/4 interest, 160.85 acres), William H. Smith (1/4 interest, 160.85 acres), and F. A. Mitchell (1/2 interest, 318.75 acres). (Summit County Abstracts, Book 1, p.282; Summit County Old Records, Book A, p.87-88)

January 1, 1868
William H. Smith sells to W. W. Cluff 1/4 interest in Lots 4 and 6, Block 1, Superior Coal Plat. (Summit County Old Records, Book E, p.85-86; Summit County Abstracts, Book 1, p.289)

April 1, 1868
W. W. Cluff and F. A. Mitchell sell all of Lots 4 and 6, Block 1 of "Superior Coal Plat" to Wasatch Coal Mining Company. (Summit County Abstracts, Book 1, p.289; Summit County Old Records, Book E, p.63-65)

May 13, 1868
Territorial Surveyor certifies possession of Lot 1, Block 1 (221 acres) of "Superior Coal Plat" to John Allen. (Summit County Abstracts, Book 1, p.285; Summit County Old Records, Book A, p.153)

May 13, 1868
Territorial Surveyor certifies possession of Lot 3, Block 1 (221 acres) of "Superior Coal Plat" to Richard A. Keyes. (Summit County Abstracts, Book 1, p.285; Summit County Old Records, Book A, p.154)

June 12, 1868
Territorial Surveyor certifies possession of Lot 2, Block 1 (329.64 acres) of "Superior Coal Plat" to R. J. Redden. (Summit County Abstracts, Book 1, p.285; Summit County Old Records, Book A, p.158)

June 12, 1868
Territorial Surveyor certifies possession of Lot 5, Block 1 (91 acres) of "Superior Coal Plat" to R. J. Redden and H. B. Wilde. (Summit County Abstracts, Book 1, p.285; Summit County Old Records, Book A, p.158)

June 29, 1868
R. Jackson Redden mortgages 1/2 interest in Lot 5, Block 1 (for $500.00), and all of Lot 2, Block 1 (for $700.00) of "Superior Coal Plat" to Joseph Woodmansee. (Summit County Abstracts, Book 1, p.285; Summit County Old Records, Book A, p.166-167) Mortgage satisfied and discharged on June 5, 1869. (Summit County Old Records, Book B, p.115)

April 12, 1869
City Surveyor certifies possession by Samuel Fletcher, David H. Kinsey, Thomas Dixon, John Kerr, and Thomas Price of Claim No. 7, adjoining "Superior Coal Plat" in Spring Hollow, along west bank of Spring Creek, north of Crismon's Claim, containing 700 acres. (Summit County Abstracts, Book 1, p.287; Summit County Old Records, Book A, p.232, with map)

June 5, 1869
R. Jackson Redden sells 1/4 interest in Lot 2, Block 1 of "Superior Coal Plat" to Richard Maxfield, for $3,303.00. (Summit County Old Records, Book B, p.116)

June 5, 1869
R. Jackson Redden sells 1/4 interest in Lot 5, Block 1 of "Superior Coal Plat" to Charles Crismon and Sons, for $3,900.00. (Summit County Old Records, Book B, p.117)

"Crismon and Maxfield Coal Mine", mortgaged in 1873. (Summit County Recorder, Abstracts Book 1, p.288)

October 13, 1869
"New Coal Mine. -- We understand that last Monday the miners engaged in tunneling in the coal mine of Messrs. Crisman & Maxwell [sic: Crismon & Maxfield], in Grass Creek Kanyon, near Coalville, struck a vein of good coal about five feet in thickness." (Deseret News, October 13, 1869; the mine was in Chalk Creek, not in Grass Creek)

Robinson Mine (Spring Hollow) (1872)

October 9, 1872
John Robinson, William Hudson, and Samuel Fletcher, all of Coalville, mortgage to James T. Little, for $1,500.00, the coal mine of Robinson and Company, situated in Spring Hollow, with three openings, 2 miles north of Coalville, on land containing 160 acres. Also included was the "Fletcher Coal Mine" in Grass Creek. Canceled on 15 July 1878, by order of S. P. Hoyt. (Summit County Recorder, Old Records Book C, p.101)

"Robinson and Company's Coal Mine", in Chalk Creek Canyon, mortgaged in 1872 (Summit County Recorder, Abstracts Book 1, p.288)

Home Coal Company (Spring Hollow) (1880-1894)

The first commercially successful coal mine in Utah Territory was a mine that by 1886 was operated by the Home Coal company. The mine was operating from both the Wasatch and Crismon mines in the vicinity of Coalville. During 1886, the mines produced 24,417 tons of marketable coal, which was shipped principally to Park City and Salt Lake City. The coal bed was 12 feet thick and the coal was used principally for domestic purposes and for stationary boilers. (Charles A. Ashburner, "Coal Production In Utah, 1886," AIME Transactions, Volume 16, 1887-1888, page 356)

November 11, 1875
Union Pacific Railroad sells to William S. Barton the coal lands located in Section 3, T2N, R5E. (Summit County Old Records, Book M, p.319)

October 4, 1880
Home Coal Company made purchases of the 240 acres in Section 3, based on an October 4, 1880 agreement with Robert Taylor Burton; at the time of that agreement, R. J. Taylor was President Pro Tem, and F. A. Mitchell was Secretary of the Home Coal Company. (Summit County Old Records, Book M, p.319)

October 8, 1880
"Home Coal Company, which was formed by grouping together the mines of Spring Hollow, which were previously owned by the Wasatch Coal Mining Company and Mr. George Crismon. This now influential company is made up of citizens of Utah, with R. C. Chambers (the famous superintendent of the great Ontario silver mine and works) President, and F. A. Mitchell, Secretary. This company was incorporated October 8th, 1880, by the following gentlemen: R. C. Chambers, Robert T. Burton, Ed. Wilkes, John A. Groesbeck, George Crismon, F. A. Mitchell, C. W. Bennett, Robert Harkness, H. A. Van Praag, Henry Dinwoodey. The Home Coal Company purchased from F. A. Mitchell his interest in the Wasatch mine and from George Crismon the Crismon property. These combined interests comprise some 350 acres of coal lands, which is by far the most extensive body in Summit County." (Tullidge's Histories, Volume II, 1889, page 522)

October 15, 1880
Nicholas Gruesbeck and Lewis S. Hills sell to the Home Coal Company land in the NW-1/4, Section 3, T2N, R5E. Purchase price was $30,000.00. (Summit County Recorder, Old Records, Book M, p.166)

October 16, 1880
Wasatch Coal Mining Company sells to Home Coal Company coal lands in Section 3, T2N, R5E, as follows. (Summit County Recorder, Old Records, Book M, p.319)

October 16, 1880
George Crismon sells to Home Coal Company the coal lands in Section 3, T2N, R5E. (Summit County Old Records, Book M, p.319)

December 27, 1880
Home Coal Company purchased coal property from Wasatch Coal Mining Company, and from George Crismon. (Summit County Recorder, Index To Lands, Book 1, p.84)

October 19, 1886
William S. Barton sells to Home Coal Company, by agreement for $550.00, the following coal land located in Section 3, T2N, R5E. (Summit County Old Records, Book M, p.319)

Also operating at the time (October 1886) are the Crismon Coal Company and the Wasatch Coal Company.

January 1, 1893
The Home Coal Company operates a mine at Coalville, employing 170 persons, and during the past year it turned out 37,290 tons. The company made improvements to their plant during the year to the extent of $35,000. Most of their coal is used in and about the mines at Park City." (Salt Lake Tribune, January 1, 1893)

March 1, 1893
Wasatch Coal Company (Summit County Recorder, Index To Lands, Book 1, p.84, 85)

October 6, 1894
"The Home Coal company has been succeeded by the Weber Coal company, and the latter has erected sheds and made improvements on Third West street." (Salt Lake Herald, October 6, 1894)

December 1, 1894
"Wasatch Coal Mine.—The largest producer at Coalville for several years has been this mine, managed by the Home Coal Company until lately, but which is now under management of the Weber Coal Department of the Ontario Silver Mining Company, says the Salt Lake Tribune. This company has in the 10 months of 1894 turned out nearly 50,000 tons of coal. The plant consists of large boiler capacity and powerful steam hoist, and a very thoroughly equipped tipple, screening and loading chutes located in a long building built across the gulch and over the several railroad tracks of the spur road extending some three miles from the yards of the Union Pacific at their Coalville station. The slope runs down at an angle of 30 degrees 256 ft. until it strikes the vein, which has a dip of 19 degrees. This slope or entrance is now down 650 ft. Six levels 100 ft. apart have been opened, part of these being under and back of the incline before it taps the vein. The coal averages 10 ft. thick, and is mined the usual way by cutting out rooms, leaving ample pillars between, which pillars in time will be drawn out. The upper level has been opened 4,500 ft. and the other five an average of about 3,000 ft. each. The mine as now opened has a capacity of 500 tons of coal per day, and 80 men are at present employed." (Engineering and Mining Journal, December 1, 1894)

November 1896
The Home Coal Company went into bankruptcy along with the Utah Eastern Railroad, with Charles Rood and Robert C. Chambers appointed as receivers and/or trustees. They sold the coal lands of the former Home Coal Company to the Weber Coal Company in November 1896.

(The Wasatch Mine lost its place in the top five mines in Utah with the 1899 development of the Sunnyside mines of Rio Grande Western's Utah Fuel Company in Carbon County.)

Weber Coal Company (Spring Hollow) (1894)

November 14, 1896
Charles L. Rood, Trustee, sells by quit claim deed, for 700 shares in coal company, to Weber Coal Company the following land in Section 3, T2N, R5E. (Summit County Quit Claim Book B, p.412)

(Section 3 and east part of Section 4 is Spring Hollow) (Section 9 is Allen Hollow)

November 14, 1896
Robert C. Chambers, for 700 shares in coal company, sells to Weber Coal Company following land in Section 3, T2N, R5E. (Summit County Quit Claim Deeds, Book B, p.413-414; Summit County Abstracts, Book 1, p. 84-85)

November 20, 1896
"Articles of incorporation of the Weber Coal company were yesterday filed in the office of the county clerk. The incorporators are Robert C. Chambers, L. U. Colbath, Thomas J. Almy, C. L. Rood, and Walter Almy, all of Salt Lake City. The company's property is composed of coal lands and coal mines in Summit county and the machinery, tools and implements in use for the operation of the same." (Coalville Times, November 20, 1896)

December 29, 1907
"The Daly West secured control of the Ontario properties during the past year and this noted old dividend payer is considered a very valuable asset. The Bamberger interests are to be congratulated on adding to their holdings, which also include the following subsidiary companies: The Weber Coal company of Coalville, Utah, and the Park City Light, Heat and Power company, all of which receive the same able management as the Daly West company." (Salt Lake Tribune, December 29, 1907)

May 18, 1917
"It is understood that the old Weber Coal company mine near Coalville maybe started up in the near future. The matter of fixing up the spur from the main railroad of the Union Pacific to the mine is now up before the railroad officials, and if satisfactory arrangements can be made the mine will be reopened. The property is about two and a half miles from Coalville. It has been inactive for three or four years. It is reported that there is a great coal measure exposed, one that promises a large tonnage of coal. It is twelve feet wide in places. The property was owned jointly by the Daly Mining company and the Ontario Silver Mining company, or the Bamberger and Wall interests." (Salt Lake Herald, May 18, 1917)

September 6, 1917
Weber Coal Company deeds to UPRR 14.5 acres in SW-1/4 of Section 3, T2N, R5E. (Summit County Abstracts, Book 1, p.87)

(To be used for the new railroad spur)

May 1914
The Wasatch mine of the Weber Coal company was closed due to lack of sales, and having operated at a loss for a "considerable period." (Coalville Times, May 8, 1914)

May 1917
The Wasatch mine of Weber Coal company re-opened. (Deseret News, May 18, 1917)

January 25, 1918
"James McDonald, who since last October has had charge of the pumping machinery at the old Weber coal mine, owned by the Ontario company, came up to the Park the first of the week. The mine is now clear of water, and workmen engaged in cleaning out the various drifts. The shaft is down 900 feet, with many drifts of great length, and by the first of March the mine will be working in full swing, and coal marketed that will reduce the shortage to a very material extent. The spur from the Union Pacific to the mine is completed, and Coalville will soon, be again on the map as a coal producing center." (Park Record, January 25, 1918)

March 9, 1918
"The Weber Coal company's mine at Coalville has been unwatered and a much larger tonnage than formerly is being mined and shipped." (Salt Lake Telegram, March 9, 1918)

September 11, 1920
"Superintendent Newton Dunyon and Master Mechanic Frank Kane of the Ontario company, motored to Coalville Wednesday to note progress being made on modern improvements at the Weber coal mine at that place and which is owned and operated by the Ontario. Tho old steam hoist at this coal mine la being replaced with a modern electric hoist, a new system of tripping will be installed and other important improvements made that will greatly facilitate production of coal and making work easier for the miners." (Salt Lake Telegram, September 11, 1920)

December 15, 1923
"The Ontario also owns four-sevenths of the Weber coal mine and a similar interest in the Ontario drain tunnel, the remaining interest being owned by the Daly company, controlled by Mr Lambourne." (Deseret News, December 15, 1923)

May 1, 1939
Weber Coal Company leased its property to Grass Creek Fuel Company. (Summit County Miscellaneous Records, Book W, p.47)

June 24, 1939
The following comes from the June 24, 1939 issue of the Salt Lake Tribune.

The Weber Coal mine, the largest in Summit county, is on an active 24 hour shift in preparation for production, which is scheduled for next Monday. The work consists of a new opening being made to the mine, and the coal from this entrance will be hauled directly to the tipple without the aid of any hoisting equipment. Fifty-two pound steel rails are now being laid on this new tramway, and it is contemplated that as soon as developments will warrant, storage battery locomotives will be used to run the cars to and from working places.

The tipple is being arranged with two separate dumping places, one for screening coal, and the other equipped with a crusher for grinding the cola to the proper size, equipped for the Union-Portland Cement company kiln contract requirements.

Additional men, besides the 20 now employed, will be put to work as soon as conditions warrant. All of the territory now being developed is above the old Weber mine workings, consequently water has been drained from the area, resulting in little or no pumping, and producing a coal with less moisture than has been possible in the past.

The mine is working four full six hour shifts each day, seven days a week, and officials expected by next winter, 60 or more men will be steadily employed, with a monthly payroll of around $10,000.

August 13, 1948
Union Pacific received Utah Public Service Commission approval to abandon its Weber Mine Spur at Coalville, Utah. The spur had been built in 1917-1918, and was 2.57 miles in length, in a general northeasterly direction from Coalville. Trains had been operating at irregular intervals, and there had been no regularly scheduled trains. The Weber mine was operated by the Park Utah Consolidated Mines Company, and active mining had stopped on May 16, 1944 due to a fire in the underground working areas. The working areas in the mine where the fire had occurred had been sealed off by concrete bulkheads. There was "considerable" amounts of old "slack" coal located on the surface at the mine, and during 1946 a total of 21 car loads of this slack coal had been shipped. But during 1947, only 12 car loads of slack coal had been shipped. Continued operation over the spur track, and projected traffic on the spur, did not justify the cost to maintain the spur. Any future shipments can be handled by motor truck to a loading site in Coalville, adjacent to the Union Pacific Park City Branch. Revenue from the spur during 1947 had been $1,764.00, and expenses to provide the service had been $2,540.00, for a net loss of $766.00. The application had been submitted on July 10, 1948. (Utah Public Service Commission Case 3292)

August 18, 1948
"Notice - Case No. 3292 - Before The Public Service Commission Of Utah - In the Matter of the Application of the Union Pacific Railroad Company for permission to abandon the Weber Mine Spur Track, consisting of 2.5 miles of trackage extending from Coalville, Utah, to the Weber Mine in Summit County, Utah. Notice is hereby given that the Public Service Commission of Utah on August 13, 1948, issued its report and tentative order in the above entitled matter authorizing and permitting the applicant Union Pacific Railroad Company to abandon 2.5 miles of trackage extending from Coalville, Utah, to the Weber Mine in Summit County, Utah, and to take up and remove said track." (Deseret News, August 18, 1948)

More Information

Union Pacific's Park City Branch

Summit County Railroad, 1871-1881

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