Scofield Coal Mines

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This page was last updated on March 5, 2025.

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Overview

There were four active mines immediately east of Scofield, Utah. The largest and best known was the Union Pacific mine. It had direct railroad service.

The other three mines were the Kinney mine, the Monay mine, and the Columbine mine. All were "truck" mines and sold their entire production to local business and schools in Carbon County and other locations in northern Utah (based on ads as far away as Logan).

The Columbine mine was reorganized in 1964 and the improvements included a railroad spur, which apparently was not used often.

Railroad Service To Pleasant Valley Mines

The following mile posts are from the 1892 RGW timetable:

The following mile posts are from the 1926 D&RG timetable:

D&RG's Scofield Branch shipped about 1,400 tons of coal per day in early 1917. (News Advocate, January 18, 1917)

January 17, 1919
Distances from junction with Pleasant Valley Branch, at Colton, to certain mines are as follows:

Scofield Dam

May 19, 1922
Surveyors were at work on the new railroad line in Pleasant Valley to clear the valley for the new Scofield dam and reservoir. (The Sun, May 19, 1922)

June 13, 1924
Construction of the Scofield dam began in June 1924. (The Sun, June 13, 1924)

In 1925 the Denver & Rio Grande Western's Scofield Branch was relocated to allow construction of Horseley dam and associated reservoir, owned by Price River Conservancy District. The Horseley dam was replaced in 1947 by Scofield Dam, which was under construction by the federal Bureau of Reclamation beginning in 1943. The Horseley dam was an earthen design and had always leaked. The owners never filled the Horseley reservoir to its designed capacity for fear that it would fail. When the Scofield dam was completed in 1946, the Army Corps of Engineers stated that the Horseley dam had never properly compacted itself over the preceding twenty-five years. (C. H. Madsen, Carbon County, A History, 1947, pp. 13,14)

(Robert LeMassena states in his book Rio Grande...to the Pacific!, page 145, states that the first reservoir was known as the Scofield Reservoir.)

In addition to the steady stream of coal traffic coming off the branch, in 1938 a small number of sheep was handled at Scofield. The summer grazing of sheep was an important local industry. In 1938 the operating coal mines included the Clear Creek Mine of Utah Fuel (the heaviest producer), and the Glenn Coal Company, both at Clear Creek, the Klean Heat Coal Company, Money Coal Company, and the Scofield Coal Company, all at Scofield. The Winter Quarters mine of Utah Fuel had discontinued operations in 1933. The ton-miles on the branch, including coal, mail, express, and a small amount of miscellaneous traffic, diminished from a ten-year high in 1928 of 2,426 ton-miles to 1,005 ton-miles in 1932, to 888 ton-miles in 1937. (Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad, Report On Branch Lines, 1938)

Union Pacific Mine (1881-1939)

(Also known as the Utah Central mine, and as the Scofield Mine)

Located east of the town of Scofield, served by a spur of D&RGW's original Utah & Pleasant Valley track.

Union Pacific lost its coal monopoly over northern Utah when Rio Grande tracks reached Salt Lake. Union Pacific was supplying coal from its Wyoming mines and from the mines near Coalville. The completion of the Denver & Rio Grande Western allowed that new company to furnish coal from the Pleasant Valley mines. To combat the Rio Grande, the Union Pacific began exploring for its own coal in the Pleasant Valley region. In 1882 the Utah Central Coal Company, controlled by the Utah Central Railway, which itself was controlled by the Union Pacific, began development of what was called the Union Pacific mine, near Winter Quarters. (Watts, A. C. "Opening First Commercial Coal Mine Described", Centennial Echos from Carbon County, Daughters of Utah Pioneers of Carbon County, 1948, page 38)

To transport the coal from their newly acquired coal mine, on October 10, 1881, Union Pacific interests organized the Utah Central Railway, Pleasant Valley Branch, to build a railroad line from Spanish Fork to the coal lands of the Pleasant Valley Coal and Coke company, with Sidney Dillion, UP's president in New York City, owning more than ten times the shares as the other organizers. Apparently the new railroad never got beyond the planning stages. (Utah corporation, index number 579)

By March 1882, the planning for the Utah Central Pleasant Valley Branch had been suspended indefinitely. (Reeder, page 383, citing Salt Lake Herald, March 26, 1882)

The coal property at the Union Pacific mine was first discovered by a Mr. Hatch of Springville in 1876. The property was almost opposite that of the Winter Quarters mine west of Scofield. By June 1877, a Mr. Pugsley of Salt Lake City had acquired the mine. He worked the mine with about five or six miners and shipped the coal to Utah valley by wagon. The coal mine was purchased by the Utah Central Coal Company in 1881. That company opened a twenty-foot seam of coal. In 1884 Utah's first coal mine related deaths occurred here, on January 1, 1884. The wooden tipple caught fire, setting fire to the coal inside the mine. As a result of this fire the mine opening was closed and permanently sealed. In 1885 a second opening was developed and mining continued. The Utah Central Coal Company was sold to the Union Pacific Coal Company in November 1890, including the townsite of Scofield. Homesteaders had settled in Scofield and Union Pacific went to court, suing the settlers to establish the railroad's ownership of the townsite. The homesteaders won the law suit. The Union Pacific mine was always subject to the freight rates of a competing railroad, the D&RG. Union Pacific Coal Company found it to be more economical to furnish coal from its Wyoming mines rather than from the Scofield mine, subsequently the Union Pacific mine at Scofield was usually operated at a very low rate of production. (Cunningham, Frances., Driving Tour Guide, Selected Abandoned Coal Mine Sites, 1990, page 9)

The coal seam opened by the Utah Central Coal Company at Scofield was twenty-eight feet thick, and called the Pleasant Valley Seam. On January 1, 1884 the tipple caught fire, burned down, and set the coal in the mine on fire. The original No. 1 opening was permanently closed. In the early spring of 1884 additional property was purchased and another, second, Pleasant Valley No. 1 mine was opened nearby to continue working the Pleasant Valley Seam. (Union Pacific Coal Company, pp. 124,125)

February 6, 1884
"The Pugsley mine, about half a mile from the other claim [Utah Central mine], is now being worked, and coal shipping is going on at the rate of 100 tons per day. This mine was purchased from Phillip Pugsley by the Utah Central Company, hence its name. It had not been worked to any extent prior to the burning of the other mine, which has rendered its development necessary." W. G. Sharp was superintendent from 1887 to 1892. (Deseret News, February 6, 1884)

The Union Pacific Coal Company was incorporated in September 1890. (Union Pacific Coal Company, page 123, "...November 1890, the Coal Company had been incorporated but two months.")

The Union Pacific Coal Company was incorporated in Utah on November 23, 1891. The corporation was "withdrawn" on May 4, 1944. (Utah corporation, index number 1011)

The coal from the Scofield mine was used by Union Pacific to supply engine coal for its Utah Division. On October 1, 1891, UP applied to the RGW for a reduced rate, from $1.25 to $1.00 per ton, to ship its coal from Scofield to Salt Lake City. RGW declined and UP began getting its Utah Division engine coal from its Rock Springs, Wyoming mine. With that change, the Scofield mine was only "worked to take care of the commercial trade." The demand for commercial coal went down with the "financial panic of 1897", and the mine was closed and sealed. (Union Pacific Coal Company, pp. 124,125)

The Union Pacific mine remained closed from 1897 to 1907. In 1907 the mine was re-opened and operated until June 1, 1911, when the mine was closed again due to a lack of demand for the coal. (Union Pacific Coal Company, page 125)

Production of the Union Pacific Pleasant Valley mine between 1883 and 1911 was 1,578,778 tons of coal. (Union Pacific Coal Company, page 15)

In early 1907 the Union Pacific mine at Scofield was to be reopened to supply coal to the Oregon Short Line. (Eastern Utah Advocate, February 28, 1907)

Union Pacific mine was to be reopened in February 1907 after being idle for ten years. (Eastern Utah Advocate, March 7, 1907)

In early 1908, the Union Pacific mine was working four to five days per week. (Eastern Utah Advocate, January 30, 1908)

In February 1908, Union Pacific hired the former mine clerk of the No. 2 mine, Bernard Newren, back from the Utah Fuel Company, and assigned him the task of extinguishing the fire in the original No. 1 mine that started in 1884. Newren later became the superintendent of the Scofield mine, and in 1932 he became the vice president and general manager of the Scofield Coal Company. (Union Pacific Coal Company, page 125)

By March 1908, the Union Pacific mine was producing 400 tons per day. (Eastern Utah Advocate, March 26, 1908)

By mid 1908, the Union Pacific mine was shipping 1,200 tons per day. (Eastern Utah Advocate, June 11, 1908)

Production by spring 1909 was reduced to 1,000 tons per day. (Eastern Utah Advocate, April 15, 1909)

Work was progressing in late October 1908 on reopening of the Union Pacific mine after the fire. Mine opening had been cleared and the opening re-timbered. (Eastern Utah Advocate, October 22, 1908)

The Union Pacific mine was referred to as the Pleasant Valley mine of the Union Pacific Coal Company in 1910. The mine produced about 278,400 tons in 1909, about half of Sunnyside's 550,600 tons during the same period. The coal veins at the Union Pacific mine varied from fifteen to thirty-six feet, and was badly cut in various directions by faults. The coal mined was not screened, but was shipped as "mine run" for locomotive use on the Harriman system of railroads -- the Union Pacific, the Southern Pacific, the Oregon Short Line, and the Oregon Railway & Navigation Company. Scofield was the only incorporated town of all of the Carbon County coal camps. (Harrington, Daniel. "Utah as a Coal-Producing State", The Salt Lake Mining Review, Volume 11, number 23 (March 15, 1910), pp. 20,21)

April 20, 1911
"Representative Anthon Madsen was in Price last Monday between trains. 'The closing down of the Union Pacific mines, is scarcely noticeable among the business men of the camp, because of the fact that the Mud Creek mine of the Utah Fuel company practically fills the gap.' At Mud Creek about two hundred men are working and most of these go back and forth from Scofield." (Eastern Utah Advocate, April 20, 1911)

Demand for coal increased during 1917 due to World War One, but the Union Pacific Coal Company was out of the commercial coal business, concentrating all its facilities on the production of railroad fuel. The result was that the Union Pacific mine was leased to the Scofield Coal Company on May 1, 1917. The Scofield Coal Company was organized by George E. Pexton, O. E. Bradbury, and J. H. Martin, all of Evanston, Wyoming. (Union Pacific Coal Company, page 125)

In 1917 the Union Pacific mine was leased to the Scofield Coal Company, and by 1936 the mine had been abandoned. (Cunningham, Frances., Driving Tour Guide, Selected Abandoned Coal Mine Sites, 1990, page 9)

Sometime after 1932, because of "excessive taxation", the Scofield mine was abandoned by the Union Pacific Coal Company. The taxes levied on the mine "far exceeding any rental and royalty return." (Union Pacific Coal Company, page 125)

During the 1930s the Union Pacific mine was not being operated and was taken by the county for non-payment of taxes. In 1939 the mine was to be opened soon. (Sun Advocate, September 14, 1939)

1938
The Union Pacific Mine at Scofield was served by a switchback spur from the Scofield yard. (D&RGW Branch Line Report, 1938)

November 3, 1939
The Union Pacific mine was sold to the Standard Coal company on November 3rd. A long-burning fire in the old workings had flared up since that time as a result of work being done to renovate the mine with new openings. (Salt Lake Tribune, December 24, 1939)

December 21, 1939
The fire in the Union Pacific mine had been burning for the last fifty years. (Sun Advocate, December 21, 1939)

January 11, 1940
The fire in the old Union Pacific mine had been put out. It had been actively burning for the last five years (and apparently smoldering for the fifty years before that). (Sun Advocate, January 11, 1940)

May 27, 1942
D&RGW approved the retirement of the spur track that served the "U. P. Mine." (D&RGW AFE T-9412, dated May 27, 1942, courtesy of Jerry Day)

August 29, 1946
Bernard Newman, who had operated the mine for thirty years, wanted to reopen the Union Pacific mine through a new opening. (Sun Advocate, August 29, 1946)

Kinney Mine (1919-1935)

June 14, 1919
The Kinney Coal company was incorporated in Utah. William Monay was shown as secratary of the company. "The corporation is to operate at Scofield, having leased a big acreage of ground from the Union Pacific Coal company, lying north of and adjoining that ow being worked under lease by the Scofield Coal company." (Salt Lake Herald, June 14, 1919; The Sun, June 20, 1919)

"The Kinney mine is located between the Blue Seal and Colombine mines; it operated between 1920 to 1926 producing 687,000 tons of coal probably on the Castlegate "A" bed. The mine was probably reopened as the Monay mine in 1946 and produced an additional 63,000 tons." (H. H. Doelling, "Central Utah Coal Fields")

(During 1924, William Monay was general manager of the Kinney Coal company. - The Sun, May 2, 1924)

August 13, 1926
William Monay "Moaney", previously general manager of Kinney Coal company, took the position of general manager of Carbon Fuel at Rains in Spring Canyon. (The Sun, August 13, 1926)

December 3, 1926
The last ad for Kinney Coal in available online newspapers. (The Sun, December 3, 1926)

January 26, 1927
"All assets of the Kinney Coal company, operating at Scofield until a few months ago for a couple or three years, were sold at sheriff's sale at Price on Wednesday last to satisfy a debt of close around a thousand dollars owing the United States Fidelity and Guaranty company." (The Sun, January 28, 1927, "Wednesday" was January 26th; no bids were received)

July 19, 1927
Central Trust Company, as receiver in the bankruptcy of the Kinney Coal company, was given permission by the Third District Court in Salt Lake City, "to dismantle the mine at Scofield, Utah, for sale of all the property of said Kinney Coal company." (Salt Lake Tribune, July 19, 1927)

February 24, 1928
The machinery at the Kinney coal mine was sold to Sweet Coal company and was moved to its mine in Gordon Creek canyon. (The Sun, February 24, 1928)

May 24, 1935
"The Kinney Coal Co. property is located in Scofield, Carbon county. This is the only virgin coal property in that area which could be worked profitably. The property is controlled by William Monay, who has applied to the RFC for a $50,000 loan." (Utah Labor News, May 24, 1935)

(There is no further reference whether or not Monay received the loan.)

June 7, 1935
The Kinney mine was closed due to water in the lowest parts of the working areas of the mine. "The mine workings of the Kinney Coal company were driven with the dip and are 4500 feet from the portal of the mine to the bottom workings, on approximately three and one-half per cent down grade." (Utah Labor News, June 7, 1935) (This meant that the loaded coal cars were hoisted up the 3-1/2 percent grade to the mine portal.)

("William Monay, 60, owner and manager of the Monay Coal company with offices in Salt Lake City and a mine at Scofield, Utah, died June 24, 1937 in a Salt Lake City hospital after an operation for peritonitis." -- Coal Age magazine, August 1937, page 388)

Monay Mine (1954-1956)

Carbon Coal Company

Operated as the Monay Mine from 1946-1956. (H. H. Doelling, "Central Utah Coal Fields")

June 26, 1948
"Carbon Coal company's Monay mine near Scofield." (Deseret News, June 26, 1948)

February 24, 1949
"Carbon Coal company's 80-ton-a- day Monay mine, one-half mile northeast of Scofield," (Sun Advocate, February 24, 1949)

In 1951, the former Union Pacific mine at Scofield was known as the Monay mine of the Carbon Coal Company. (Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad Company. General Traffic Department Circular No. 36-E, January 1, 1951. Reprinted by Tramway Press, 1983, page 86)

Carbon Coal Company as a corporation was dissolved on April 13, 1953. (Helper Journal, February 5, 1953)

(This Carbon Coal Company, with its mine near Scofield, should not be confused with the Carbon Fuel Company, which operated the former Rains mine in Spring Canyon. The name Carbon Fuel Company was later used for the Hardscrabble mine, in Hardscrabble Canyon.)

September 17, 1953
"the Monay Rankin Coal Company's Monay mine ... When this Carbon county mine at Scofield recently reopened under new management ... it employed three men and produced 45 tons of coal daily." (Sun Advocate, September 17, 1953)

April 22, 1954
"Heavier rock-dusting throughout the mine was the major safety precaution proposed for the Monay mine of the Murray-Monks Coal Company in a coal-mine inspection report released today by the Bureau of Mines. When this Carbon county mine a Scofield was re-examined early in March by Federal Inspector Albert C. Husted, it employed three men and produced 50 tons of coal daily." (Sun Advocate, April 22, 1954)

December 16, 1954
"Heavier rock-dusting and an insulating mat at the power control switch in the mine are the only recommendations proposed by Federal Inspector A. C. Husted for the 45-ton-a-day Monay mine, operated by the Murray-Monks Coal Company, in a formal reinspection report made public today by the Bureau of Mines. The mine at Scofield employed three men when re-examined last month." (Sun Advocate, December 16, 1954)

(This 1954 reference was the last reference to the Monay mine.)

The railroad spur had remained in place, with parts of the track structure removed by D&RGW at various times after the last trains were operated in the late 1950s.

Colombine Mine (1959-1973)

(Although not a regular railroad customer, the Colombine mine is covered extensively due to photos showing the mine's large surface facilties into the early 1970s. The mine had a rail spour, but it was seldom used.)

October 15, 1959
The first mention of the Colombine mine, refering to an employee who died due to a non-mining related accident. (Sun-Advocate, October 15, 1959)

"The Colombine mine began operations in 1960 and is presently active (1970); it may be the same as the older McAlpine mine or Olsen mine. The McAlpine operated from 1946 to 1960. Sixty-nine thousand tons of production are assigned to the Colombine mine." (H. H. Doelling, "Central Utah Coal Fields")

By December 1960, there was a Colombine Coal company operating a coal mine near Scofield. (Helper Journal, December 15, 1960)

Frank V. Colombo was president of the Colombine Coal Company. He was also a well-known physician in Price, Utah. (Sun Advocate, May 25, 1961)

January 5, 1961
"The tipple, storage bins, preparation plant and four conveyor systems at the Colombine Coal Company properties at Scofield were destroyed by fire early this morning, about 4:30 a.m." (Sun Advocate, January 5, 1961)

(The Colombine Coal ladies bowling team was very active throughout 1961 and 1962, winning and losing a wide variety of local and regional bowling competitions.)

April 8, 1963
The Colombine Coal company received a $325,000 federal area development loan to reopen its coal mine, thereby saving the jobs of 14 men. (Logan Herald-Journal, April 8, 1963)

The following comes from the April 11, 1963 issue of the Helper Journal newspaper.

Colombine Coal Gets ARA Loan - The Area Redevelopment Administration has approved a $325,000 industrial loan to help Coloimbine Coal Co. to reopen, improve, and expand its bituminous coal mining operations at Scofield, according to Senator Wallace F. Bennett (R-Utah) and Rep. Laurence J. Burton (R-Utah).

In a telephone conversation from Sen. Bennett's office in the Nation's Capitol last Friday the Helper Journal was informed of the loan, which will run for 15 years at an annual interest rate of 4 percent; will help save 14 jobs and create an additional 25 direct new jobs. The project also will benefit local trucking and railroad opsratlons. Total cost of the project is $500,000.

In addition to the ARA loan, the Carbon-Emery Industrial Bureau will invest $125,000, and the applicant will put up $50,000 as equity. Funds will be used to provide site improvements, buildings, and new machinery and equipment.

ARA pointed out that the Colombine operation will not be in direct competition with coal mines in the area which have made recent worker layoffs. Many of the layoffs have occurred in so-called "captive" mines, ARA said, while Colombine Coal is a commercial operation.

The Bureau of Mines assisted in the feasibility investigation, and developed information upon whch the ARA decision was based.

Carbon County is classified under the Area Redevelopment Act as an area of "substantial and persistent" unemployment.

October 27, 1963
The following comes from the October 27, 1963 issue of the Salt Lake Tribune newspaper (includes a photo).

Scofield, Carbon County - Standard Metals Corp, president Wm. E. McCormick, Moab, Saturday announced start of production at the Columbine coal mine near here.

Mr. McCormick said that "we anticipate an output of 500 tons a day with a 10-man crew." The mine was formerly operated by V. F. Columbo (sic) of the Price area as the Columbine Coal Co. (sic) Property covers 1,600 acres, with reserves estimated at more than 20 million tons of coal.

Contributing to the new venture are a new coal preparation plant, new underground automatic mining equipment and an injection of capital by Standard Banks and the Small Business Administration.

Added improvements include new storage bins, electrical substation, stockpile facilities, railroad spur and a switch in the mine from DC to AC current.

[photo caption] Standard Metals Corp., Moab uranium firm is diversifying into coal mining in Carbon County. The firm has reopened, re-equipped the Columbine mine now producing 500 tom daily.

(Colombo misspelled as Columbo, and Colombine misspelled as Columbine.)

January 1964
The Colombine mine was reopened by Standard Metals Corporation, with an anticipated production of 500 tons per day. A new coal preparation plant was to be built. The new company name was Standard-Colombine Coal Company. (Coal Age magazine, January 1964, page 44)

(From 1964 onward, the name is regualrly shown as both the Colombine mine, and the Columbine mine, including in ads placed by the company itself.)

August 6, 1964
"The Columbine Coal Company (sic) of Scofield, received a $325,000 loan which created 39 new jobs. The Columbine Coal Co. continues to strengthen its positon as improvements are made at the mine. The railroad spur which was planned and included in the ARA proposal is currently under construction. This will assist in marketing coal, however trucking will continue to be a major means of moving the coal to the buyers." (Helper Journal, August 6, 1964)

December 24, 1964
A large oil storage tank the the Colombine coal mine caught fire and was destroyed. (Sun Advocate, December 24, 1964)

June 2, 1965
"Another coal firm, Columbine Coal (sic) at Scofield, with a loan Of $325,000, is not operating. The mine has been sold to an eastern concern and officials are waiting to see what future plans there are for the operation." (Deseret News, June 2, 1965)

June 30, 1965
"Standard Metals, Colombine Coal End Partnership - The obligations of Standard Metals Corporation as the managing partner of Standard-Colombine Coal Company, Scofield, terminated on June 30 at which time the venture between Colombine Coal Company and Standard was dissolved, it has been announced by A. C. Melting, vice president of mining operations for Standard Metals Corporation. The announcement went on to say that Colombine Coal Company is now in charge of the operations of the business as the party having the right of winding up the venture affairs. Henceforth, all billings and all business matters shall be to and for the account of Colombine Coal Company." (Sun Advocate, July 8, 1965)

December 12, 1968
The Colombine Coal company was acquired by Bartep Inductries, Inc., a Florida based company. Dr. Frank Colombo remained as president and was added to the Bartep board of directors at the same time. (Sun Advocate, December 12, 1968, "today")

February 15, 1969
Dr. Frank V. Colombo, age 54, was killed in an private airplane crash while taking off from Grand Bahama Island in the Bahamas. The president of Bartep Industries was also killed in the same crash. (Sun Advocate, February 20, 1969)

March 19, 1970
The federal Small Business Administration filed suit against the Colombine Coal company to foreclose on two unpaid mortgages; one for $217,296.42 and a secomd for $64,994.50. (Sun Advocate, March 19, 1970)

October 19, 1970
The federal Department of Commerce announced that it had written off the ADA loan made to Colombine Coal Company. The original loan had been for $325,000, with the amount in default being $205,000, and the amount written off. The Area Redevelopment Act had been passed in 1962 to help small businesses "get on their feet and create new jobs." (Deseret News, October 19, 1970)

December 17, 1970
The Colombine Coal company was in default for $11,050.69 in unpaid federal taxes. (The Daily Record, December 17, 1970)

April 27, 1971
The assets and property of the Colombine Coal company were sold at a sheriff's sale on the steps of the Carbon County courthouse, on a court order from the Didtrict Court. (Sun Advocate, April 1, 8, 15, 22, 1971)

(The foreclosure sale was delayed, and postponed, and the judgement appealed to the Utah Supreme Court. The foreclosure was canceled upon payment of the loan balance and interest. - The Daily Record, February 15, 1972)

The last reference in available online newspapers for the Colombine Coal company was in April 1971, which explains the photo in H. H. Doelling's USGS monograph (published in 1970) showing the mine as the Colombine Mine.

December 20, 1973
The Seventh District Court of Cabron County granted Walker Bank as the administrator of the estate of Frank V. Colombo, permission to vote the stock of the Colombine Coal company held by the estate in favor of the liquidation of the company and to dissolve the corporation. (Sun Advocate, December 20, 1973)

(With this court decision, the property and assets of the Colombine Coal company, including the coal preparation plant, were liquidated. The land itself passed to Carbon County for unpaid property taxes. The federal coal lease included land that was not owned by Carbon County. These lands not owned by Carbon County, and adjacent to the Colombine lands, were part of the lease that at the time was held by the Valley Camp company. As late as 1982, the former Colombine lands remained dormant, with the sticking point being the royalty and rental payments being asked by Carbon County. It's all in the newspapers of the era.)

(After this December 1973 court decision, Carbon County was in control of a coal lands of the former Colombine Coal property. Throughout 1974 and 1976 there were proposals by companies and investor groups, including Western Coal Reserves, Inc, and Valley Camp, Inc., and by ITEL Resources Corporation to lease the coal lands, but negotiations between the county and the companies each fell through in every case. In November 1976, the county signed a 10-year lease with the Western Reserve Coal Company. -- Sun Advocate, November 27, 1976)

Kinney Project (2005-2015)

(jump to activity in 2005 to 2015)

(Read more about the adjacent Kinney Project, which encompasses parts of the old Union Pacific and Colombine mines.)

Railroads

The first railroad into Pleasant Valley was the Utah & Pleasant Valley Railway, completed in November 1879, replacing a wagon road completed in 1876. D&RGW bought the Utah & Pleasant Valley line in 1881, and in 1882, completed a new route that entered the valley from the east, rather than over the ridge, the route completed by the U&PV. This new route, completed in November 1882, the new line became D&RGW's Pleasant Valley Branch, and remains in service today (2013) as Union Pacific's Pleasant Valley Branch.

Utah & Pleasant Valley Railway 1875-1881 -- Information about the narrow gauge line built between Springville and the coal mines at Winter Quarters, by way of Spanish Fork Canyon; sold to D&RGW in 1882.

More Information

Doeling, "Central Utah Coal Fields"

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