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SLICKPORT, PA (RICH HILL MINES)
A coal mine was opened at the edge of Hastings, Pa. by the Rich Hill Coal Co. before 1910. Some sources list the date as early as 1891, but I don't think that
is true. That may have been the date that Rich Hill was organized and took out the lease. A small village of coal company houses was constructed
around the mine known as Slickport. Apparently the coal company built 30 houses. Later, the company went by the name Rich Hill Coal Mining Corp. Rich Hill No. 1 mine was in the Upper Freeport
seam, known locally as "E" seam. Rich Hill No. 2 mined the Lower Freeport, or "D", seam. Both mines were in less than 5' of coal. I have seen correspondence from Rich Hill Coal Mining Corp. confirming
that the mines were still open as late as 1958.
Looking up into Slickport.
Many of the houses are of masonry construction.
The coal company mixed different shapes of houses to break up the monotony usually
found in coal company towns.
Coal company towns often have a bad reputation for poor quality housing, but
that was not always true. The houses in Slickport have held up well.
Lintel of the covered over drift portal from Rich Hill No. 1 mine.
The tipple is long gone, but some of the coal mine buildings are
extant. They are on private property, and are still being utilized.
I believe that this building was the motor barn. Mine locomotives entered
through large doors on the other side.
Another one of the mine shop buildings. Note the vintage door.
Sources:
http://patheoldminer.rootsweb.ancestry.com (now defunct) by Ray Washlaski. Accessed here through the Wayback Machine.
Pennsylvania Mine Map Atlas, 10 Apr. 2021, www.minemaps.psu.edu/.
Coal Mines 1910. B.H. Rose, 1910.
Burrows, John Shober. “The Barnesboro-Patton Coalfield of Central Pennsylvania.” U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 225, 3 Feb. 1904.
Sisler, James D. Bituminous Coal Fields of Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania Geological Survey, 1926.
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