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 Post subject: Looking for information on old mine I used to haunt...
PostPosted: Sun Mar 14, 2010 12:23 pm 
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Joined: Sun Mar 14, 2010 10:24 am
Posts: 24
Hi everyone,
I joined this forum specifically to ask if any one of you could help me with information on an old slope mine that I used to haunt with my cousin near the Birney Plaza in Greenwood Borough , which is in Moosic Pa. It was about 1977 or so, the last time I remember going down there.

By today's map, it would have been down below Honor Trailer Park, right down below Joyce St, which dead-ended in a field of old culm forests. About 100 yards down below that road, a yawning, concrete-reinforced bulkhead was left standing open

We would run down to the K-Mart in Birney Plaza, raid the foyer for a stack of sales flyers, and run back to the mine opening. We'd light those ersatz "torches" on fire, and start walking down into the cold, stale air. It split into a few dug-out tunnels and then sloped off sharply down, We never got more than maybe a hundred yards in. Scared the crap out of us youngsters, lol. I was around 11-12 years old at the time. There were remnants of rails in it, and there was a ventilation shaft housing on the hill which on which this mine was located.

I went back there a few years ago, and it looks like the whole place had been bulldozed-over at least ten years ago. Medium sized trees and saplings cover the area.

I was wondering if anyone else knew of this mine, and it's name or any history on it? What was it a part of? Doe sit have a name of designation, and when would it have been in operation?


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sun Mar 14, 2010 7:26 pm 
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Joined: Sat Oct 29, 2005 8:32 pm
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That probably was the Greenwood colliery.( Hudson coal company closed prior to 1954) the last remenents were bulldozed just last year ( growing greener project) The opening may have still been there, as i spoke to someone before the project was carried out. And they found an opening like you described. Right down to the underground passages. But yes it was the Greenwood. ( if its behind or very near Birney plaza)


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sun Mar 14, 2010 8:21 pm 
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Joined: Sun Mar 14, 2010 10:24 am
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Cool! That must definitely have been the one that I frequented!

I'm bumming now, to think that the mine was possibly still there! I may have not gone down far enough then! 20 years can make navigation a little fuzzy in the memory!

Thanks for the info--if anyone else has any other info, please do post it. I would love to know a little more about the Greenwood colliery; its location and a photo if anyone has it?

Thanks again, Miner490! :D


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Mar 15, 2010 4:44 am 
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Joined: Sat Oct 29, 2005 8:32 pm
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youwelcome. Ill see what I can dig up. I believe there used to be a site Capt Clints place ? There was a photo of it on there.


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Mar 15, 2010 8:24 am 
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Joined: Sun Mar 14, 2010 10:24 am
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That would be great, Miner490!

DO you know, was that slope the "main mine" in the Greenwood area? Have you guys ever gone in there, or near thee?


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Tue Mar 16, 2010 5:09 pm 
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Joined: Sat Oct 29, 2005 8:32 pm
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By the looks of the maps it appears to be the No 4 slope. And it hit the Clark bed first. prettty much looks like you and my friend described ( inside/underground)


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Tue Mar 16, 2010 6:31 pm 
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Joined: Sun Mar 14, 2010 10:24 am
Posts: 24
Hmmm....I'll have to research "Clark Bed" (newbie here! :oops: ),

That's cool info to know.

I just found out that my grandfather, Adolf used to tend to the mules, and he got the nickname "Dick" because one of the mules named "Dick" stepped into a gopher hole and broke his leg, and my gramps wouldn't let them shoot him.

My great-grandpa sPotoski and Swaboda also worked in the Greenwood mines!

Thanks again for the information! I sincerely appreciate learning a little about my family's history as miners! :D

miner doog


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Tue Mar 16, 2010 6:53 pm 
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Joined: Sat Oct 29, 2005 8:32 pm
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Thats part of the reason were all here. Glad we could help. :D


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Tue Mar 16, 2010 9:04 pm 
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Joined: Fri Jul 15, 2005 2:34 pm
Posts: 6872
Location: Within 60 Miles of the Northern Anthracite Field
clark was the vein name of that bed of coal. same vein as the lackawanna mine tour goes down into. a rather sought after vein in the northern field as it had real good quality coal with low ash and low sulfur, however it is known in the valley to have bad top as well.

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