Coal Washer

Coal Washer. Ronald J. Foster Heritage Trail. , Madison Coal Corporation , Coal Washer, Edwardsville Intelligencer, June 3, 1905, The Madison Coal Corporation has decided to build an extensive coal washing plant four miles south of Edwardsville in the Village of Glen Carbon. The plant will be located on the Illinois Central line and it is estimated will cost $85,000. Kankakee was first considered for the location, but because of the number of mines in the Glen Carbon area, it has been decided to erect the plant at the latter site., Detailed planning has been completed and work will begin shortly. A large reservoir will be constructed and the pumping station will draw its water supply rom a nearby creek and wells., The coal washer removed foreign materials and then sorted the coal into five different sizes. This plant was not in operation very long. It added little to the market price and was profitable only when mines were running at full capacity. Seasonal fluctuation of the coal market and low demand cut production to 2 or 3 days a week, causing the coal washer to be abandoned in 1914. The dirt and other impurities washed out of the coal were dumped along the south side of the Illinois Central railroad. In 1988, a project funded under the "Mine Land Reclamation Act" obliterated nearly all traces of these activities.