The southeastern Kansas coalfield http://www.kansasmemory.org/item/218290 A map showing southeast Kansas coal fields of Cherokee and Crawford Counties, which includes the coal land owned and leased by all coal companies. Specifically, it shows all coal mines and their locations, railroads and switches to mines, streams, towns, mining camps, electric lines of the Pittsburg & Joplin Railway and Pittsburg and Kansas City railroads. The map was copied from the Biennial Report Inspector of Coal-Mines, State of Kansas, 1906-1908 by Frank Gilday. Map shows many Frisco lines of that era. Creator: Gray, Robert A. Date:Between 1906 and 1908 Kansas Memory Web Site
A 344 page book Coal Mining Days in the Weir-Pittsburg Coal Field is very interesting, thousands of coal miners were employed in the late 1880's but the book moves forward and includes the start-up of Big Bertha, the huge shovel used in removing the overburden. The book is available at the Springfield Greene County Library.
Nice picture of Frisco coal gondolas near Arma at 50 Camp mine. http://www.kansasmemory.org/item/448117 Crawford County, KS
A really interesting "photo album" book about early southeastern Kansas is Southeastern Kansas Coal Mining Towns. It's not a railroad book, just a general look at old photos from the area. Most are stores, mines, some homes. There are a few depot photos. Great source material for someone interested in the "early days." John
John, May I ask where you found the book “Southeastern...”? The reason I’m asking is because my ex-wife’s family was from Weir (her grandfather owned a coal mine there) and I’ve fostered an interest in that area for a long time. The book sounds interesting and I would like to get a copy. Thank you. Larry F.
I've had this book for a few years, long enough that I don't now remember where I got it (Somehow I have a faint memory that it might have been at the Big Brutus Museum near West Mineral??). It's 66 pages, up to 6 photographs per page. No publishing date that I found. The contact info. may be dated now: "Books may be purchased from Betty DeVoss or Nanette Krumsick, P.O.Box 914 Frontenac KS 66763 ; nkrumsick@cox.net "
I thank you John. I’ll check them out for a copy. I should have paid more attention when I was down there a couple of years ago. Talk about a shovel on steroids! How does anything that big move?!? Larry
