Discovery of Coal

Few people living today are aware that this was one of the leading coal producing areas in the state. Discovery of the coal was claimed by Henry Collins, another early settler, while out walking, on Thanksgiving Day in the wooded area of his farm where the Oak Park Trailer Court is located. This property today is known as Oak Park Estates and the address is: 24260 Nelson Ave. in Coalville. Three seams of coal were found here, the lowest being what was known as cannel coat. The largest and thickest was called the "Big Coal". This deposit was said to have formed in an ancient river bed from 200 to 300 feet wide at which point it reached a maximum thickness of nine feet.

To learn more about Coalmining in Webster County click on these wordsCoal Mining in Webster County.

The two best producing mines were operated by the Gleason Coal Company and the Fort Dodge Coal Company at Coalville. This mine was situated on our home place, #16 and a Quit Claim Deed was dated June 20, 1872. Also operating at that time was the Pleasant Valley Coal Company and the Cannel Coal Company and the McEwen Mines.

In the newspaper dated Aug. 5. 1870 an article was written about the Holiday Creek Coal Mine. Quoting from the article it read: This company, which was the first to begin the mining of coal in this vicinity on a large scale have gradually increased their facilities and force until they are now shipping about 300 tons per month. They are giving employment to about sixty -five hands, who with their families are living in the vicinity of the mines. The company have invested up to this time about $60,000.00 in the various fixtures used as lands, cars, railroad, side tracks, coal house, and expense of opening the mines. In addition to the mile and one half of railroad built to connect with the main line of the Ill. Central, they have put down 1350 feet of side track at Carbon to afford them the necessary facilities for shipping. Thus far most of their coal has been taken out of the immense veins on the north side of the ravine down which their road runs. These veins range in thickness from six to eleven feet and are probably superior to any round in the lower Des Moines Valley. All have been astonished at their magnitude and the excellent quality of the coal in the vicinity of Fort Dodge surpassing any that have been found in the south part of the state. A second vein has been found below the fist, of excellent quality, but has not yet been worked to any extent. This company has recently opened another vein on the south side of the road and ravine, which proves to be of excellent quality. The vein first opened is yielding at the rate of about 12,000 tons per acre while the lower vein, which is of less thickness, but harder coal, is estimated to yield 5,000 tons per acre. Coal is delivered on the cars on the Ill. Central Track at $3.00 per ton, and the supply is not nearly equal to the demand at this season of the year.

It will be seen from the above estimate that the coal lands of this company will yield $54,000.00 worth of coal per acre, when the upper and lower veins are both worked out. The coal business is only in its infancy now, the facilities for getting it to the lines of railroad is very limited, but projects are now on foot that will another year begin to develop our coal resources largely. The extensive working of our miners will brings to our town and county, hundreds of miners with their families increasing our population and making more purchases for our products, goods, wares, benefiting our farmers, merchants and mechanics, besides bringing into our county hundreds of thousands of dollars in exchange for our mineral wealth now lying buried in the earth,

But then 1877 rolled around the Daily Chronicle printed this article: BIG SUIT AGAINST GLEASON COAL CO. Henry Collins asks $5,000.00 Damages from Fort Dodge Concern. Ruined His Residence and Fifteen Acres of Farm Land-He Alleges Carelessness! Quoting from the article is reads: Suit was entered today in the local district court by Henry J. Collins against the Gleason Coal Company of this city for $5,000.00 This amount is asked by the plaintiff as damages to his land as they result of mining the coal out from under it and leaving the mines in such shape that the land caved in, ruining both land, the improvements located on it. According to the allegations of the plaintiff fifteen acres of his farm on which are located all of this farm buildings, a fine meadow of tame hay, have both been ruined, owing to the fact that the land has caved in at a number of places around the farm. The ground under the residence he alleges has settled until the foundation gapes in great cracks and the house itself is falling to pieces at the joints. He states that in his yard the premises have settled taking trees and shrubbery down with it, and making it entirely unsafe as a residence and impracticable for the putting in of crops. He also alleges that after mining out the coal under the part of the farm affected, the coal company took no pains to leave the mine in a condition so that it would not cave in, but removed the supports in a most negligent manner. For these reasons, as the plaintiff alleged he is entitled to damages in the extent asked and the court is prayed to render judgement to this amount. The plaintiff resides near Coalville and Kalo where the mine is located.

Accidents happened in the mines. One story tells of 15 miners who survived a cave-in. The water rushed through the mine and they nearly drowned as it was up under their chins. They had to feel their way along the passage for nearly a mile to get out. It was more than a month before enough of the water could be pumped out to enable the miners to get their tools out.

Peak production was reached in 1902. After that production gradually declined due to the best seams being worked out. The last small mine, operated by William McEwen along Holiday Creek, was closed in 1936 when Mr. McEwen was killed by falling rock.

After the decline of coal production and the closing of the coal mine operations, the railroad spur was not longer profitable, so the railroad eventually abandoned the line. Many of the miners left the area after the big mines gave out, and many of the businesses buildings were torn down. In the 1920's many area men of the community would sit around and count pennies to see if they had enough to buy a sack of Bull Durum. Fort Dodge was the closest and jobs needed to be replaced. Farmers needed better roads to travel on and cars were more prevalent, so the construction of the BIG ROAD into Coalville began. Because of Coalville's proximity to Fort Dodge better roads were necessary.

Coalville has prospered by having the road built and the community has increasingly been a steady site for people to relocate. Very few houses sit empty and there is plenty of room to grow and build. Down the hill by the river it is usually crowded with fishermen, ice skaters or snowmobiles depending on the time of the year. Many people come to our area to hunt mushrooms or pick gooseberries or the wild raspberries that grow in the woods. But mainly people come just to enjoy the peace and quiet and beauty of the surroundings and for that reason people stay.