Show 0 EARLY COAL MINING IN OREGON coal was first noted in the coos bay region oregon about sixty years ago prof J S newberry having reported in 1855 that the coal deposits of coos bay had begun to attract attention the first cargo was shipped from the empire basin but the discovery of coal near the head of coos bay soon transferred the point of production to newport which remained the principal mine until within the last decade since the beaver hill mine has been more successfully managed and become the chief producer the first record of coal production is contained in the census report of 1880 when short tons were mined |