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| Adrian (Delancey P.O.), Young Twp., Jefferson
Co., PA [A coal company patch town in Young Twp., Jefferson County, Pennsylvania.] See: Adrian No. 1 Mine, Adrian / Delancy, Young Twp., Jefferson Co., PA Adrian No. 2 Mine, Adrian / Delancy, Young Twp., Jefferson Co., PA Adrian No. 3 Mine, Adrian / Delancy, Young Twp., Jefferson Co., PA Adrian No. 4 Mine, Adrian / Delancy, Young Twp., Jefferson Co., PA
Adrian No. 1 Mine & Coke Works
(ca.1887- ? ),
Adrian No. 2 Mine (ca.1901- ?
),
Adrian No. 3 Mine (ca.1901- ?
),
Adrian No. 4 Mine (ca.1901- ?
),
Adrian No. 5 Mine (ca.1901- ?
), |
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| A portion of the Punxsutawney, PA 15 min.
quad. map ca.1906, showing Adrian and the railroads that served the Adrian
Mines and coke works. (Courtesy of the U.S. Geological Survey, Washington, D.C.) |
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| Sketch map of the Adrian Mines & the
Eleanora Mines ca.1896. (Courtesy of "Rochester & Pittsburgh Coal Company, The First One Hundred Years" by Eileen Mountjoy Cooper, ca.1982.) |
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| Tipple at the Adrian Mines, Adrian, Young Township, Jefferson
Co., Pennsylvania, ca.1912. (Photo courtesy of the "Indiana Gazette," Jan, 8, 2006. From the collections of John Busovicki, Clymer, PA.) |
| HISTORY: Adrian George Iselin purchased the Rochester and Pittsburgh Coal and Iron Compnay in ca.1885. In ca.1886 the Rochester & Pittsburg Coal & Iron Company formulated plans for the opening of another new mine at a location in Young Township, two miles from Punxsutawney. Both the proposed mine and the town planned for the site were named "Adrian," after Adrian George Iselin's grandson Adrian Iselin II. By September, 1886. laborers armed with picks and shovels completed the opening of Adrian No. 1 Mine. In preparation for shipping coal, the wooden mine cars were brought over from the Beechtree Mine on the newly extended line of the Buffalo, Rochester & Pittsburg Railroad. The new mine at Adrian made its initial coal shipment in January, 1887. As the Rochester & Pittsburg Coal & Iron Company developed the mines in and around the site of Adrian, plans for the new town were drawn up and put into action. In October, 1886, crews of carpenters began working on double and single houses in Adrian. By May of the following year, a painter named J. L. Greene went door-to-door in the new town and painted a number on each of the 200 homes. Late in June, workmen laid wooden sidewalks and built fences around the dwellings. A schoolhouse and a visiting doctor added finishing touches to the mining community. An eye witness has left us this visual image of Adrian as it appeared in 1887. |
| Adrian is a very pretty town for a coal town. It stands upon a gentle hill. The houses are all of the same styled architecture, Corinthian, and look so much alike that it is impossible to tell which is the most alike. Now we have frequently heard of people painting a town red, but the Rochester & Pittsburgh Coal & Iron Company is perhaps the first individual or organization to carry this out literally, and actually paint a whole town red. |
| By ca.1888, Lucius Waterman Robinson had
progressed from Tioga County to Jefferson County, where he was superintendent
of the gigantic Rochester Mine near Dubois, owned by Bell, Lewis, & Yates
Mining Company. When the Rochester & Pittsburg Coal & Iron Company
purchased all of the mines of the Bell, Lewis &Yates Company in ca.1896,
Lucius W. Robinson had been a director of the Rochester & Pittsburg Coal
& Iron Company for five years. Therefor, at the time of the purchase,
L. W. Robinson turned all of his attention to the success of the larger
company.
As superintendent of the Rochester Mine, Lucius W. Robinson's engineering skills were put to use in the maintenance of the remarkable rope haulage system that hauled coal from underground to the surface. The rope haulage, which utilized four drums powered by two large steam engines, was a highly complicated but very efficient means of hauling coal outside and up into the tipple, and returning the empties underground. When necessary, as many as 50 cars could be handled at one time. Mining engineers from all over the United States and Europe traveled to Dubois to see the rope haulage system in operation.
Heath Clark, president of Rochester & Pittsburg Coal Company
from 1933 to 1948, wrote: During his long career in the mining industry, colleagues and adversaries alike often experienced the forcefulness of Lucius W. Robinson's personality. One of the earliest stories about him is recorded in the private papers of S. B. Elliott, general manager of Bell, Lewis & Yates at the time of this incident in 1896: On the 23rd of March, 1896 there was an accident in the Adrian Mine, north of Punxsutawney, whereby two men were overcome by gas, but were finally resuscitated. Among the latter was Edwin Robinson, Lucius W. Robinson's brother. It appears that a fire occurred in the mine on Sunday night, and the fire gave injury to the boss and mining boss who had been endeavoring to put it out. Edwin came there just at the dawn of day, and insisted on going in where it was dangerous. He had been warned against it, but he persisted and was overcome, together with two companions who were with him. Others went in to their rescue, but were unable to get them out, except that Mr. Lucius Waterman Robinson himself went in and got Edwin out, and some other parties went in and carried the mine foreman out, and the other man, who was brought to life after several hours. Edwin Robinson was unconscious a less length of time. Happily, Edwin Robinson recovered and eventually became the chief engineer of the Buffalo, Rochester & Pittsburg Railroad. His brother, Lucius Robinson, went on to lead the Rochester & Pittsburgh Coal & Iron Company into great expansion of both production and coal reserves. In ca.1899, another mine opening, Florence No. 1 Mine, was begun northeast of Adrian. Shortly thereafter Florence No. 2 Mine was begun. Both Florence No. 1 Mine and Florence No. 2 Mine were operated by the Rochester & Pittsburgh Coal & Iron Company until ca.1924, when the mines were closed. The company reopened Florence Mine in ca.1937 and mined coal again at the site until ca.1941, when the operation was permanently shut down. All coal mined at the Florence Mines was transported back to Adrian and processed over Adrian's tipple. Most of the men who mined at Florence No. 1 Mine & Flornece3 No. 2 Mine lived in Adrian, although a few house were eventually built at Florence for the convenience of some of the workers. |
| George Iselin's wife, Eleanora had the St. Adrian's Catholic Church built. A pipe organ was installed in that church in ca.1890. Adrian Iselin had a Protestant church built in Adrian. The name Eleanora was given to another coal town a few miles north of Adrian. The name Iselin was given to a mining town in Indiana County. |
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St. Adrian's Church in Adrian, Jefferson Co., Pennsylvania was built by Eleanora O'Donnell Iselin for the Mining town of Adrian. |
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| A view of the Adrian Mines and the new
town of Adrian on the gentle hills beyond. The large building, on the
right center, looks like the coal company store for the town. (Photo courtesy of the Jefferson County Historical Society, Brookville, PA.) |
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| A view of the Adrian Mines and the new
town of Adrian on the gentle hills beyond. The large building, on the
right center, looks like the coal company store for the town. (Photo courtesy of the Jefferson County Historical Society, Brookville, PA.) |
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| A view of the Adrian Mines and the new
town of Adrian on the gentle hills beyond. (Photo courtesy of the Jefferson County Historical Society, Brookville, PA.) |
| As the town of Adrian neared completion,
the Adrian Coke Works joined the Walston Coke Works in the production of
coke. In October, 1886, laborers began a battery of bee-hive coke ovens
at the Adrian Mine. Outside workmen built track to the doors of the
coke ovens using 22 tons of old rails from an unused section of the Buffalo,
Rochester & Pittsburgh Railroad. More coke ovens were constructed
in March and April, 1887. To complete the entire string of coke ovens,
the Company purchased over $7,000 worth of brick from a firm named Gisssen
and Kilpatrick.
The men who worked at Adrian's coke ovens and mines brought all their families' needs at the Company-owned store. In the late 1880's, H. P. Brown, one of the first directors of the Coal & Iron Company, operated stores in each of the three original R. & P C & I towns. Large boarding bills at the Beechtree Hotel paid by Brown for the care of his horse indicate that he lived there while supervising his business establishments. Brown's storebooks and voucher records, meticulously kept, help give us an impression of everyday life in mining communities before the turn of the century. Miners and their families shopped daily at Brown's company stores. The stores sold furniture brought in on the Buffalo Rochester & Pittsburg Railroad from a Buffalo manufacture, overalls, suspenders from the Wire Buckle Suspender Company, stoves from the South Erie Iron Works, and even baby carriages from a company named Francis L. Hughes and Sons. September accelerated sales of schoolbooks. The coming of winter was anticipated late in the fall by increased purchases of gloves, mittens and flannel. Miners bought squibs [fuese] and dynamite from the Lafflin and Rand Powder Company, pick handles, and lamp burners. Housewives chose from a selection of stovepipes, mop handles, "chamber furniture", bureaus, writing desks, and for the more affluent, sewing machines from the Domestic Sewing Machne Company. Brown's stores carried a small selection of toys, mirrors, and costume jewelry, but those were luxury items in early mining towns. E. M. Gillett's Magic Yeast, flour, sugar, lard, slat and meats, but a more surprising delicacy was available, too, in the form of fresh fish brought in on the Buffalo, Rochester & Pittsburg Railroad from the Buffalo Fish Company; and one January, Brown recorded the sale of $92.67 worth of oysters. If business was brisk at Brown's company store, this prosperity was mirrored in the bookkeepers' offices at 36 Wall Street. By the close of the 1880's the Rochester & Pittsburg Coal & Iron Company had taken a secure place in the Jefferson County bituminous coal industry. For the year which ended September 30, 1887, net earnings totalled $73,589.92. After the declaration of dividens in January and $19,589.92 remained in the balance, a significant amount of money for that day. A statement of earnings for October, Nevember, and December showed that net profits totalled $27,966.04. The Company's Directors declared that a dividend of 5/8 of one percent should be paid to stockholders of record. Production figures for the Company's three mines, Beechtree Mines, Walston Mines, and Adrian Mines, for the period which ended December 31, 1888 showed how the Corporation had expanded in the seven years since its inception. The production of the Beechtree Mines in ca.1888 totalled 138,743 tons of coal; 254 men and boys worked in and around the mines. Walston Mines No. 1, No. 2 & No. 3 produced 457,964 tons of coal and 153,492 tons of coke and employed 647 men and boys in ca.1888. At Adrian a new slope mine, Adrian No. 3 Mine, was sunk ca.1888 and a connection was made with Adrian No. 2 Mine; this improvement enabled the fan to supply both mines with ample currents of air. Adrian Mines production totalled 278,695 tons of coal and 25,252 tons of coke. The Adrian Hospital was founded by Adrian Iselin of New York who gave $5000 for the purpose. The first hospital building was erected at the Adrian Mines (in Delancey) by the Rochester & Pittsburgh Coal & Iron Company in ca.1889. It's first purpose was to serve the men working in the mines, but soon became a general hospital serving not only the people of Adrian (Delancey) but the people of Punxsutawney as well. The Adrian Hospital was built to take care of the mine workers and their families. The hospital turned out to be so good that the people of nearby Punxsutawney kept comingto it. Due to it's popularity, that building soon became inadequate. It was decided to move the facility into Punxsutawney. In ca.1898, the Adrian Hospital moved to Punxsutawney. |
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| The Adrian Hospital. |
| Thoughout the coal years (1886 to the 1930's) Adrian prospered. 36.5 million tons of coal were removed from the hill under the town of Adrian. In 1941 the operation finally became unprofitable and the mine was shut down. The entire town was sold to Nick and Mike Kovalchick of Sykesville. Some 250 home existed at the time, mostly company houses. In 1973, a deal was struck so that the residents of Adrian could buy their homes. The price was $4500 for a single home and $2500 for 1/2 a house and a non-profit organization was set up to provide mortgages without a down payment. By April 1974, everyone had bought their own house. Although the town has always been called Adrian, even to this day, the post office was called Delancey since there was another Adrian in Armstrong County. Delancey was named for Delancey Kane who was a grandson of Adrian Iselin. The state erected an official roadsign that said Delancey. Some resident, however put up a wooden sign below it that said Adrian. It's the town with two names. |
| from the "Punxsutawney Spirit," Punxsutawney, PA,
Feb. 22, 1893.
A THIEF CAPTURED The Stolen Property Found Upon His Person and Identified A few days ago a man giving his name as Thomas Harrison applied to the coal company officials at Adrian for employment and was put to work loading coal. He was anything but a steady hand, and was finally discharged. On Friday he was notified to leave his boarding house and went upstairs to pack his clothes. Some time after his departure it was discovered that he had stolen two silver watches and a pocketbook containing a small amount of money. Andy Nichol, the policeman of Adrian mines, was notified of the occurrence, and a short time afterwards captured the man, the stolen property being found upon his person. The accused was brought to this place on Friday evening and appearing before Thomas J. Cooper, Esq., was committed to jail to await trial. |
| From the Pennsylvania Mine Inspectors Report
for 1906: Adrian Mine was visited at proper intervals and the condition as to ventilation and drainage was good on each visit. This mine is connected on one side with Florence Mine, which was found in good condition on each visit. On the other side it is connected with Elk Run Shaft Mine, and the shaft workings were found in good condition as a whole. Since the strike the shaft has been abandoned and is now used as a pumping station, as the drainage from Walston No. 3 Mine, Adrian Mine and Florence Mine all come to this point. They have large Jeansville pumps. In time of heavy rains it taxes the capscity of the pumps to the utmost, as the area of the different mines is very large as they have been working over twenty years. Adrian Mines and Elk Run Shaft Mine produced 764,861 tons of coal and 124, 068 tons of coke in ca.1906, and employed 820 men and boys and 25 horses and mules at Adrian Mines. Elk Run Shaft Mine Employed 285 men and boys and 7 horses and mules in ca.1906. |
| Between January, 1887 and the abandonment of the Adrian Mines on November 1, 1941, Rochester & Pittsburg Coal & Iron Compamy mined a total of 36,409,904 tons of coal. |
| Adrian Mine Disaster, Nov. 9,
1911
SIX FOREIGNERS DEAD IN ADRIAN MINE DISASTER Rescue Work Is Hindered By Large Amount of Debris Two Slavs Are Yet In Mine. NO TRACE OF FIRE IN THE SHAFT On account of the large mass of debris in the interior of the Adrian mine of the Rochester & Pittsburgh Coal Co., near Punxsutawney, in which an explosion took place on Thursday morning, the efforts of the rescue party to reach the bodies of two Slavs, who are known to be in the shaft, has been seriously interfered with. Shortly after the explosion, four miners were gotten out and resuscitated after a half-hour's work. Six dead bodies were recovered during the day.
THE DEAD
MISSING It is believed that the six dead miners, realizing that there had been an explosion, dropped their dinner buckets and ran further into the mine to rescue their fellow workmen. The dinner buckets were found about a mile and a half from the innermost workings of the mine, which is five miles from the entrance. It is probable that a pocket of gas was opened by the early workers and that the open lamps, which are used exclusively in the workings, ignited the flames. There is said to be no trace of fire in the mine.
(from "Indiana Evening Gazette," Indiana, PA, Friday, Nov.
10, 1911.);
Eight Victims Buried Remains of Unfortunate Men Who Lost Their Lives in the Adrian Mine Disaster, Laid to Rest. Although the morning was ushered in by a drizzling rain and a severe blizzard raged in the afternoon Adrian paid a tribute to its dead on Sabbath that will not soon be forgotten. The bodies of the eight victims: six Italian, one Polish and one Slavish of Thursday's mine disaster were buried Sabbath, the bodies of the Italians being buried at one time, side by side, in the Catholic cemetery. In the morning, at 9 o'clock, a brass band of 30 pieces, accompanied by the members of four Italian lodges, visited the houses where the bodies lay. At 11 o'clock six hearses, containing the bodies, lined up in the rear of the band and the four fraternal orders on the road between Crawfordstown and Adrian. Following the hearses came carriages to the number of 100 or more and after them hundreds on foot. The procession to the church was very impressive. At the church Father Cantellmi conducted services and at 1:30 the funeral procession reached the Anita Catholic Cemetery, where the bodies were interred. The funeral of the Slav was held in the evening and burial was made in the Greek Catholic cemetery. The attendance at the services was large. The body of the Pole was also buried in the evening and several fraternal lodges attended. (from the "Indiana Weekly Messenger," Indiana, PA, Wednesday, Nov. 15, 1911) |
| In ca.1924 the Rochester & Pittsburg
Coal & Iron Company closes its mines and towns at Adrian, Eleanora, and
Helvetia. Over 2,000 miners are thrown out of work.
In ca.1925 the Adrian Mine is the first of a number of the former Rochester & Pittsburg Coal & Iron Company mines to be reopened by another company called the Jefferson & Indiana Coal Company. The UMWA protests these actions by holding demonstrations. Operators throughout the region step up their efforts to break the union. The mines which were formerly unionized now are reopened on a nonunion basis. In ca.1927 miners march on the Adrian Mines and are arrested for violating a court injunction that was issued in 1925. In 1941 the operation finally became unprofitable and the mine was shut down. The entire town of Adrian was sold to Nick and Mike Kovalchick of Sykesville, PA. Some 250 home existed at the time, mostly company houses. In 1973, a deal was struck so that the residents of Adrian could buy their homes. The price was $4500 for a single home and $2500 for 1/2 a house and a non-profit organization was set up to provide mortgages without a down payment. By April 1974, everyone had bought their own house. Although the town has always been called Adrian, even to this day, the post office was called Delancey since there was another Adrian in Armstrong County. Delancey was named for Delancey Kane who was a grandson of Adrian Iselin. The state erected an official roadsign that said Delancey. Some resident, however put up a wooden sign below it that said Adrian. It's the town with two names. (Historical text adapted from "Rochester & Pittsburgh Coal Company, The First One Hundred Years" by Eileen Mountjoy Cooper, ca.1982. used with permission of Eileen Mountjoy.) |
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| A mine motor and miners inside the Adrian Mine,
ca.1940. (Photo courtesy of the Jefferson County Historical Society, Brookville, PA.) |
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| A Man trip coming out of one of the Adrian Mines, with
the miners riding in the mine wagons. (Photo courtesy of the Pam Moras.) |
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| Miners outside one the Adrian Mines. (Photo courtesy of the Pam Moras.) |
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| An Adrian miner on his way home after working his
shift. (Photo courtesy of the Pam Moras.) |
| Coal Miners
Memorial Adrian Mines & Coke Works, Adrian, Delancey, Young Twp., Jefferson Co., PA |
| Support the Coal & Coke Heritage
Center, a non-profit research center and museum. Want to know more about the women who lived in the coal patch towns? You need this book. One of the few studies done on the women of the coal & coke era. Common lives of Uncommon Strength: The Women of the Coal & Coke Era of Southwestern Pennsylvania 1880-1970 Complied, written and edited by: Evelyn A. Hovanec, PhD 227 pages. Voices of the women tell unique stores of the coal and coke era, plus vintage photographs, documents, maps, and newspaper articles. Hardcover $35.00 Soft cover $25.00 Add $5.00 shipping / handling. Send Check or money order to: Coal & Coke Heritage Center, Penn State University Fayette Campus P.O. Box 519, Uniontown, PA 15401 |
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