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Show Sun Advocate Section B Tuesday, May 22, 1990 ' Vj 4- ? -' at early mining A look Mine inspection reports reveal worklife in Carbon County mines By WALT BORLA Company store at Castle Gate revealing look at Carbon Countys early coal mines and early mine safety is recorded in a series of reports by some of the first coal mine inspectors A for the state of Utah. The books, dating from 1897 to 1910, are in a collection owned by Clarence Wall of Cleveland. Wall, a veteran miner in the Carbon area, is now retired. He started his mining career in the Spring Canyon area and retired from a management position with U.S. Fuel Company Hiawatha. The report books were 1897-189- 8; 1905-190- 6; at pub-lishe- d for the years 1901-1902; 1907-190- 8; and July 1, 1918 to June 30, 1920. Each book offers detailed reports on the fatal and non-fataccidents in Utahs coal occurring well as as the names of mines, the mines operating at the time, their employment figures and production. The book reporting on the inspectors activity during the 1909-101- 0; al Company house at Winter Quarters period lists coal production figures for the years 1876 to 1897. A total of 50,400 tons of coal were mined in the state during 1876, and 1897-189- 8 Correspondent by 1897 this figure had risen to 582,092. Last years coal production in the state was the highest in history, reaching into the millions of tons. An interesting aspect are the reports of the fatal' accidents involving the many immigrant miners from foreign countries who had come to Carbon County to work. Their ethnic origin is spelled out in the inspectors report. Two examples from the 1906 report read as follows: June 9th, 1906. On this date M. Imanaka, a Japanese, age 29 years, was fatally injured in Castle Gate mine. Oct. 22nd, 1906. On this date, Aurable Pasquale, age 30, Italian, miner, was instantly killed in No. 2 mine, Sunnyside. Pasquale was single and had been in the employ of the company for five years. Pictures included in the report books are a treasure of Powder magazine at Hiawatha ' Sunnyside, looking north TABLE SHOWING Nam. Philip Plro H. Napajrama Anion . 0lbrt .. . . . Rattlal Milano.. Hbr Orpraon On, Marlanakla.. 00. Don laa . . . . Thomaa Phlpa . Oeorpo Pappaa... Tom Hall . A Rappl.v .. Prank Kaortlrh Kolaaraahla Nlrk Makllorla .. John Cambalon K. i Coke ovens at Castle Gate NAMES OP PERSONS INJURED FATALLY, AliE, OCCUPATION, TIME, PLACE. AND CAUSE OF ACCIDENT. historical lore for the county. 1906 picture of the store and office at Castle Gate where Butch Cassidy and his gang pulled off their famous payroll robbery; the Sunnyside coke ovens and powerhouse; a company house at Castle Gate; the Clear Creek hospital; a picture, of Winter Quarters looking down the canyon; a picture of Standardville, the coal d camp west of Helper that its name as the standard that the modem coal camps were to be judged by. The pictures are primarily in the report books dealing with A der-vie- the years 1918-2- 1905-0- 6 and 0. The books are a storehouse history in Carbon County. Names such as Rolapp, Latu-dWinter Quarters, Spring Canyon, Kenilworth, Castle Gate, Utah Fuel Co., U.S. Fuel Co., Lion Coal Co., Liberty Fuel, Sunnyside, Columbia, all fuel the memories of old time retired coal miners in this area. Anyone interested in perusing these report books may contact Mr. Wall . of a, |