mining history
The Valley coal and iron ore mining industry opened up when the first railroad spur built from the NC&StL railroad main line in Bridgeport, Al was built in 1867 to Jasper, TN to transport the growing output. By 1944, the Chattanooga News-Free Press reported that 75% of Sequatchie Valley income was derived from the mining industry. The Valley’s railroad was built as coal and iron ore mining developed in earnest in the second half of the 1800’s. In the early 1800’s small independent mining operators were supplying coal for local blacksmithing needs as well as blacksmithing markets in Chattanooga. It was not long before mining operations began to grow as the extent of the Sewanee Coal Seam became known and mining companies became established and expanded operations up the Valley. The Valleys coal mining industry included men with mining experience from England and Ireland.
Near today’s South Pittsburg, Battle Creek mines were in operation and in 1854 a total of 440 tons of coal were mined. Two inclines were built as well as coke ovens that produced coke for the smelting operations that later developed for the South Pittsburg blast furnaces. Tennessee Coal and Iron Company of Nashville became a big player in the early Valley mining opening coal and iron ore mines in Victoria, Inman, and McWilliams (now Whitwell). Victoria had 70 coke ovens at one time. The Whitwell mines were operated by Tennessee Coal and Iron Company from 1877 until 1954; however, Black Diamond Mines were operational several years during that time. After profitable iron ore played out at the Inman Mines, the United States Steel Corporation moved the South Pittsburg operations to Birmingham, AL. The Cartright community, just north of Whitwell, had coal mines, an incline, and a coal tipple, In the 1920’s, Whitwell became known as “Coal City of Sequatchie Valley”. TCI & RR had a steam powered electrical generation plant operating before 1903 that powered the mining operation equipment and provided electricity for the Whitwell residents. In 1922, Whitwell mines employed 272 men. The Whitwell miners said they could descend the incline riding on a single seat that straddled one rail on what they called an “Incline Horse”. Some miners could cover a mile in 59 seconds. By the mid 1880’s, TC&I leased 177 state convicts to work at the Inman Mines which grew to 298 convicts by 1888.
In July 1902, the (R. O.) Campbell Coal & Coke Company began operations of very profitable Orme mines that they purchased from the Needmore Coal Company. By 1902, the NC&StL Railroad had a branch line from the Sequatchie Valley Railroad to the mine. In 1903, coal was hauled by mules to the outside of the mine, from there by a small locomotive to the tipple at the top of the incline, a distance of 3,000 feet, and then the coal was lowered by incline 2,957 feet to the railroad. The Orme mines employment was 125 men at that time. The railroad reached Dunlap in 1888, and by 1899 the Douglass Coal Company of Delaware opened mines in Dunlap. The railroad continued building track toward Pikeville. Then the Atpontley Mines at today’s Lusk Community were opened, followed by mines opened in Pikeville. Coke ovens were operated at the Battle Creek, Whitwell, Orme, Needmore, Dunlap, and Pikeville mines. The Atpontley mines were sold to W. G. Lusk in 1921 and then became known as College Coal & Mining Co. After equipment improvements the mines were employing 125 men. 250 tons of coal was the daily output. By 1930 the mine was taken over by J. W. Merriman and renamed the “Pikeville Fuel Co.” It continued operation until the death of Mr. Merriman in 1948. The U. S. Bureau of Mines data for the 1940’s and 1950’s lists 438 mines in Marion County, 84 mines in Sequatchie County, and 76 mines in Bledsoe County. These were the Valleys heavy mining days which required a busy schedule for the Sequatchie Valley Railroad’s Pikeville Branch shipping coal, coke, and ore. Saw mill production also required railroad transport. Iron ore mining largely played out in the 1940’s and by the late 1970’s so did most of the coal mining. Randy Howser of Pikeville is credited with making the last shipment of coal from Pikeville in June 1984 consisting of 18 train car loads.
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