The Jennison Coal Co. was established around 1912 when Warren Jennison recognized the need for soft lignite coal which laid under Fairview hill. Jennison also recognized the high quality of this coal, the heat and ash content making this superior to any lignite coal available within a wide radius. It was because of this high quality coal and service the Jennison Co. provided that it received wide recognition and demanded a premium over surface coal in most places where it was sold.

The first mine was developed on the back side of Fairview hill, and the first coal in Fairview was sent to the tipple in September 1913.

The company men and the miners started out their “day in the mine” when the steam whistle blew. Fairview had its own “timepiece.” The whistle blew at 6:40 a.m. and again at 7 a.m. to make sure everyone made it on time. The whistle blew again at noon and at 5 p.m. for quitting time. When the whistle blew, the men would come out of the bathhouse., a rooming and boarding house owned by the mining company. The miners called it the “Red Onion.” It was a big house that sat stately on the hill, red in color, trimmed in black and was managed by Billy Zober.

courtesy | MonDak Heritage Center The coal mine in Fairview.

When the whistle blew the miners were ready to enter the slope mine. With slope mining, the coal is located very deep and parallel to the ground. It is called a slope mine because the shafts are slanted. The miners would enter the mine shaft where the cage awaited them at ground level. Bill Ottis, operator or hoist man, would take the men down 96 feet to the working level in the deep mine. With individual lamps, they would stride down the tracks to their work. It is a work of main tunnels, cross drives and entries which would completely entangle one who is not familiar with mining operations.

When the miner filled a car with coal (two ton), he would holler for the skinner (Deb Gardner) to “take ‘er away.” The skinner and the mine’s pretty little mare, Betty or Beauty, would pull the cars from the coal room into the main tunnel where Shorty Elletson would hook onto them for the ride along the track, up the grade and to the big drum or endless cable. As the full car was on its way up to the tipple, 120 feet above ground level, an empty car returned and was taken back along to be filled.

The miners worked hard as they were paid by the number of coal cars they filled, not by the hour as were the company men. Otto Shields, also known as the “Flying Dutchman,” usually hollered for two cars while everyone else hollered for one. He would load both at the same time, and pity the poor guy that got in his way for the coal really flew when Otto got busy. Most men considered it downright dangerous to go around where the “Flying Dutchman” was working.

As the coal car approached the tipple, its lip caught an iron finger which tipped or tilted the car for unloading. It was at this point that John Sannon, the tipple man, would take the metal tag from the car which identified the miner for payment. Tilt, tip and dump… the coal went from coal car into a chute and down to a large storage bin.

The skinner usually answered the call for another empty car after he and Betty had set another full car on the main track for Shorty to take up the grade. Sometimes Shorty would have to sand the track before he could make the long pull up the grade.

The men would blast twice each day as they left the shaft and loaded cars on their return. The coal vein averaged 15 feet thick, 9 feet of which is mined. A shell of coal was left on the ceiling and floor to support the clay. Sometimes in blasting, too much coal was loosened and the clay roof exposed. At these points timbering was necessary to support the clay and make it safe for work. Several men were engaged to do nothing else but timbering and track work.

Lee Allstot was the pump man. He would pump water from wherever it was needed. Water seepage was a big problem which kept the pump man busy most of the time.

During the hard winter of 1935 and 1936, the miners worked one and one-half shifts to try to keep up with demand for coal. The men would work their eight hours, go home to eat their evening meal and go back to work for another four hour shift. An average day would see 100 or more tons of coal mined, and the going price was around $3 a ton.

Deb Gardner and Lee Allstot fired the air shaft for eight hours after pulling their own regular shift. They gathered up old rubber tires and anything else that would burn to keep the seepage from freezing and causing many added problems. Being company men, drawing 50 cents an hour and working double shifts, saw them really “raking in the greenbacks.”

EDITOR’S NOTE: Information compiled from the Fairview Times and Fairview News.