Taken from Our Treasured Heritage-
A History of Coalhurst and District
Pages 136 - 138

Just after the turn of the century, August 15, 1910 to be exact,
a mine shaft was started in Coalhurst. It was complete and
started producing in 1911. Until this time, all the mines were
built in the river banks and close to the City of Lethbridge.

The Imperial Mine at Coalhurst was sunk in 1910, and became
a major producer, shipping a large tonnage yearly until it was
closed late in 1935, after having become a unit of Lethbridge
Collieries that spring. Men at present in the industry in this
district, who served many years with Imperial, are Jim McInnis,
who worked on the sinking of the shaft, and Joe Cash, who came
in 1913. Mr. J. M. Davidson, who had been employed with
companies associated with Imperial Mine for nine years, came
to Coalhurst in 1933 as manager.

This item appeared in the Lethbridge Daily Herald of March
28, 1911. It went on to say:

"We broke ground for the first time on the fifteenth of August last
(1910)," said Charles Fergie, general manager of the Lethbridge
Collieries, situated about two miles east of Kipp, "and we
confidentially expect that we will be in running order and lifting
coal by the first day of August this year (19 II). "

This item appeared in the Lethbridge Daily Herald of March 28,
1911. It went on to say:" Everything so far has gone without
a hitch, which is unusual in mine development," said Mr. Fergie.
"No incidents have occurred to date, and from now on I don't
look for any. The work will proceed at a more rapid rate in
future, as our spur track will be completed and in operation this
week. Then we will commence the work of installing the large
machinery. In this equipment our mine will be very complete,
and will compare favorably with any in the country. We are
putting in the latest kinds of electric appliances throughout, both
for lighting and hoisting. Our air-compressing plant is the very
latest pattern and every facility for rapid and economic operation
that can be thought of will be installed."

"When in working order and running to our full capacity we will
employ from 800 to 1000 men and lift from 1500 to 2000 tons
per day. I am particularly proud of our watering system out
there. We get the water through an up-to-date waterworks
plant, over three miles in length. The water comes from
above Lethbridge and is not contaminated by the city's
sewage. I had a drink of water out there today, and it was
clear and pure, better than the city supply. "

The mine began producing coal in the fall of 1911, although there
was no mention of it in the Lethbridge Daily Herald. A brief item
in August 1912 indicated that the Lethbridge Collieries mine
was producing 1200 tons of coal per day. From 100 to 200
miners were employed.

The Coalhurst mine was opened in 1911 by the North American
Collieries. Later, it was operated by Coal Producers, Ltd., who in
April 1934 entered into a merger with the Galt and Cadillac Coal
Companies. Dan Quigley was mine manager at Coalhurst for
upwards of 15 years. The mine was electrified on top but was
operated by compressed air underground.

The shaft was 580 feet deep and the workings were comparatively
level. The seam was roughly 41/2 feet in thickness. When the
Coalhurst mine was operating at its maximum 400 or more men were
on the pay roll. It had a history curiously free from accidents and
the 1935 explosion occurred in what was the last year of operation
of the colliery.

The mine had its own electric supply, generated in its own power
house, slack coal fed ovens or boilers. Most of the work was
done by Japanese employees. The village was supplied by
electricity at a very nominal rate.

The water was pumped by the company from a water pump house
southwest of Coalhurst, at the riverbottom.

Approximately one hundred company houses were supplied
water from taps located in the back lanes. There were two per
block. The taps were built in a box about five feet by six feet
and four feet high. They were filled with manure and straw to
keep the pipes from freezing. The company also had a contrac
for water hauling held by several different people to deliver water
by the tank load to fill underground barrels to those who were not
near the taps. The same contractor also delivered the coal to
the residents and businesses in the village. Farmers from near
and far hauled their own coal which was weighed and paid for
at the mine office.

A few years before the mine closed a large new coal shute was
built on the north end of the mine. Here you could get lump,
Nutcoal, egg coal or slack from different entrances to the
shute. They also sold what was called bone coal.

The top of this shute could be changed to load the box cars on
the tracks underneath it. Another shute close by was used for all
the waste coal, rock and slack that was hauled up over a trestle
to the large dump. Here it was dumped over the edge and many
town people and farmers picked their own coal from the dump.

Mr. Robert Adams had a contract on the dump for a few years. He
hired people to pick the good coal and resold it to farmers and
townspeople.

The coal company had a large wash house for the miners where
they changed and put on their pit clothes and washed up after their
shift finished. Saturday night the Coalhurst youths also used this
facility, it sure beat the old round tub.

Beside this, and a most modern power house, there was also a
fully modern blacksmith shop, locomotive shop, time-keeper's
office, air shaft, large warehouses, a hoisting house to pull cars
up the dump, a large water tank and a large barn.

The company also had a hospital built and employed well known
Doctors, such as: Dr. Rose, Dr. Inkrote and Dr. Murray. Dr.
Woodcock performed all the tonsil operations, and Dr. Allan
looked after teeth one day a week. The mine doctors would
generally pull teeth themselves.

North of the power house the company stored a very large
supply of slabs which were used to board up the doors on
the box cars while getting filled with coal.

The mine also had its own fire equipment which was used
around the mine and the village. There were two wheeled
carts with hoses and reel. When the alarm was sounded,
three sharp blasts on the mine whistle, which would be repeated,
any volunteer would rush to the mine and with two men on a
cart proceeded to the fire and hook up to the nearest hydrant.
This was not very fast but in those days was quite efficient.

The Coalhurst mine had approximately seven miles of railway
track servicing the mine yards to the C.P.R. main line. They,
like other mines had their own locomotive.

It is said the mine extended under ground for an average of one
mile each way. Down below were the stables for the horses
which only saw day light in the summer months when the mine
was slack. The number of horses kept below when the mine
was working steady would average out to twenty or thirty.
Bill Forbes said the mine had purchased their own stallion
for breeding and raising their own horses. Bill figured they
had as many as forty or fifty horses at one time. Some of the
horses raised did not pan out for mine work and many farmers
bought them for five dollars each.

While working three shifts the mine had around six hundred
men working, producing over 2000 tons per day. As stated
earlier the mine had a history curiously free from accidents,
this is not quite so.

George McLeod was killed in the mine as was John Metcalfe,
Martin Harper, Constyn Patrick and Charles (Botcho) White.
Some of these mentioned died as a result of their injuries.
Several others were injured badly.

Coalhurst mine had the best quality of coal there was. The
mine closed after the explosion, but it was doomed to close in
1936 anyway.

At one time there was talk that a new shaft would be dug,
southwest of the present location, instead it was decided to
open a mine where No. 8 was located.

In the early years the company played a large part in running
the village. They owned and sold all the utilities and the
mine manager was Reeve for many years.

The Coalhurst Shaftdiggers Hat

The leather between the crown and the back protector
was flexible leather. If I remember correctly there was a
metal fixture on the front of the helmet to carry a lamp.
This whole apparatus was quite heavy.

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