Cadogan - A Coal Mining Town

Cadogan - A Coal Mining Town. . , The Cadogan mines were started in 1914 by the Allegheny River Mining Company, owned by the Pittsburgh and Shawmut Railroad. The town got its name from Sir Walter Cadogan, the nephew of Henry Morgan, the first Chairman of the Board of the Pittsburgh and Shawmut Railroad. Dwight Cadogan Morgan was President of the Board of Directors of Allegheny River Mining Company., Cadogan survived the Great Depression of the 20's and 30's by working at least 3 days per week sending most of its coal to the Canadian Pacific Railway. The coal was a "hard", bituminous, easier to dig than much harder anthracite coal, but nearly as high in heating capability. It was preferred by railways due to its lower production cost., In 1955 about 3,000 tons of coal were produced daily, or more than one million tons per year. The mines were officially closed in 1975. All structures were removed in 1983 and the slag piles surrounding the town which burned for years were covered in dirt., (Photo Captions):, Main mining buildings in 1975; screen house, tipple, and rail yard. The wood tanks held the town water supply., To the left, a view inside the tipple. Coal from the mines was dumped from the trip cars and then screened, sorted and washed before loading onto gondola cars for shipment to market., A Mikado locomotive used by the Pittsburgh and Shawmut Railroad. Mikado steam engines were used for years to pull the trains of cars until replaced by diesel engines., Early cutting machines could only manage about 50 tons per 8-hour shift. Technology improvements would raise production to 1,000 tons per shift., A typical gondola car used to haul the processed coal. Each train hauled up to 100 cars per trip., A mountain of mine tailings above Number 1 Mine entrance. This huge pile and a few smaller piles around town spontaneously burned for years, spreading a sulphur smell all over the town. Number 1 mine entrance is just beyond the old bridge., Early town water supply tanks. Water was pumped from the river to these tanks, then up to a concrete reservoir on the hill above town., The United Mine Workers Union brought improved pay and work conditions. The miner's Union Hall was donated to Cadogan and now serves as its Township Hall., Coal being screened for size and quality., A "trip" of loaded cars heading to the tipple for processing., Number 1 mine entrance in 1959. There were 4 entrances to the mines over time, with numbers 1 and 4 producing the most amount of coal., 1915 building the screen house