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Show PAGE 6 SUN ADVOCATE & HELPER JOURNAL Thursday, January 2, LOOKING over mining plans at the original entrance to the Gordon Creek mine adjacent to Sweets and Consumers is Jack Dempsey (left) and George A. Storrs. n- 1975 Coal City-192- 3 - World heavyweight fighter shows interest in area coal 6Tb : it H. William (Jack) Dempsey, the world's heavyweight champion boxer in the 1920's, was among those responsible for mine coal opening properties at Coal City, now abandonded, about 10 miles southwest of Helper. In April 27, 1923 Dempsey wrote to the Sun publisher (today the paper is The R.W. Crockett announcing his intent to enter the coal mining business in Utah. (See letter). In addition to starting a coal business, Dempsey came to Coal City to train. First settlers of Coal City, first known as Oak Springs Bench, was Alfred Grames in 1885. Grames came solely for agricultural pruposes. Later Wesley Gentry, William Warren, Victor Rambeau, Joe Nounuier and Joe Vacher, all sheepmen and farmers arrived. Soon Noe and Edwarde Aubert and Shekra Shey and Nedje Sheya, prospectors and real estate men, arrived. The name of the settlement had now changed from Oak Springs Bench to Cedar Mesa Farm. "On August 6, 1921 a petition was presented to the County Commissioners to approve and establish Cedar Mesa Farm as "The Great Western." The petition was granted, the townsite laid off and the name "Coal City" given in honor of the coal industry, according to "Centennial Echos" published in 1948 by the Daughters of Utah Pioneers of Carbon County. In 1922 Eugene Andreini's store was built and accomodated to house the Great Western (The Great Western Coal Mines Co. was supervised by Dempsey, president and George A. Storrs, vice president and General Manager, who was grandfather to Mrs. Luke Pappas of Price.) In 1925 Andreini started a mercantile business in the building. Coal from the Gordon Creek District in and around Coal City was hauled by the Utah Railroad which was constructed during 1923 and 1924. According to CP. Heiner, owner of CP. Heiner and Company, Inc., Salt Lake coal consultant, the five various Gordon Creek mines, the first of which opened in 1925 have produced 6,416,000 tons through 1973. Today coal property in Gordon Creek is mined by Swisher Coal Co. SALT ClTy AIril a'i:., 27 4 14 ls about and 1 rill 8ra- - I a iV v . J. f mmj ppJrt Very NEAR the entrance of Gordon Creek Mine near Coal City about 1923 are (left to right) George A. Storrs, Jack Dempsey and L.V. Storrs, son of George A. Storrs. The second man from the left is unidentified. (Picutres courtesy of K.L. 'Bus' Storrs of Salt Lake). Solutioq I JftALt Gpg win with UtQh" lax i rrv I utahV 45fh tote raztah Corp bon Fue Co. SUBSIDIARIES OF McCULLOCH OIL CORP. PO Box 506 Helper, Utah Phone 472-557- ? |