Dates

• Majority of material found within 1893 - 1970

Extent

5 boxes Linear Feet (The Barnes and Tucker Coal Company laid its roots in 1872 when Thomas Barnes acquired a contract for clearing the way for a drift. Mr. Barnes, along with his brother John, opened up the Cuba Mine. The success of this mine allowed them to open up the Derby Mines and later Lancashire Mines #1 and #2. In 1893, Thomas Barnes acquired land from D. S. McAnulty, L. Plouse, and Joseph Porter, and Lancashire #4 Mine was opened. Shortly thereafter, Lancashire #3 Mine began operations. A new coal company was in business. In 1893, Thomas Barnes became partners with Mr. C.S. D'Invillers and Mr. Alfred Tucker. The three men created the Anneston Coal Company. Three years later, in 1896, Thomas Barnes bought D'Invillers' share of the Anneston Coal Company, creating what is now known as the the Barnes and Tucker Coal Company. In 1898, the first power plant was built. The plant supplied power to the Barnes & Tucker coal mines; it also supplied power to the town named after Thomas Barnes, Barnesboro, PA. Thomas Barnes died in 1911. The company's holdings were inherited by his son, John Barnes. John, along with Richard T. Todhunter, successfully ran the Barnes and Tucker Coal Company from 1900 until John Barnes' death in 1930. Under their leadership, twelve new mines were opened. Upon John Barnes' death, Miss Rachel Barnes took control of the company. She appointed John Barnes Mull, Thomas Barnes' great-grandson, Vice-President of Barnes & Tucker. John Barnes Mull eventually went on to become Chairman of the Board. The Barnes and Tucker Coal Company was the first coal operation to use a stump air flow cleaning plant for coal. They were also one of the first to use conveyor belts. In 1949, Mr. Todhunter, Sr. convinced John Barnes Mull to import the new Samson Stripper from England so that longwall mining could be continuous. In July 1970, ownership of the Barnes and Tucker Coal Company was taken over by Alco Standard Corporation. However, the Barnes family retained ownership of some of the mines. In 1974, the Barnes and Tucker Coal Company sold its Lancashire Mine #25 to Inland Steel Coal Company. At the same time, Barnes and Tucker sold their Lancashire Mines #24B and #24D to the Midvol Coal Company, a sister company to the Jones and Laughlin Steel Company. As of February 15, 1994, the Barnes and Tucker Company still owns Mine #20, and maintains an office in Ebensburg, Pennsylvania. The records of the Barnes and Tucker Coal Company are far from complete. The company began in 1893, but records in this collection date from 1896. A forty-four year gap exists in these materials, which may be filled in by the statistical records in the Annual Report of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania's Department of Mines, Bituminous Division. There are sporadic reports from 1953 through 1970. In 1970, Alco Standard Corporation acquired the Barnes and Tucker Coal Company. No records are available from after this time. The collection consists of a mix of reports, photographs, slides, and payroll ledger books. The entire collection is housed in five boxes, which are broken down into three series. The first series contains the written reports. The second series contains some miscellaneous photographs and slides. The third series contains payroll ledger books. Series List: Series I Mine Reports; Series II Photographs and 35mm Slides of Mines; and Series III Payroll Ledger Books.)

Language of Materials

English