Taylor Borough Mining History

    

Mining was one of the most common occupations in the Northeast.  Being a popular profession it also was a dangerous one.

     The following is a list of reported fatalities for 1888 as recorded by the Mining Inspectors.

 
 
DATE NAME AGE POSITION OCCURRED NOTES
01/23 William Brezee 45 laborer Taylor Colliery 3 children
01/26 John Harvilick 26 laborer Archbald Mine 1 child
05/25 Thomas P. Jones 14 doorboy Taylor Colliery  
08/17 John Morris 17 driver Taylor Breaker  
08/22 John Jones 17 driver Taylor Breaker  
09/10 Patrick Connelly 17 driver Taylor Breaker  
09/26 Reese Davis 15 driver Holden Breaker  
11/06 Edward Connelly 20 laborer Taylor Drift Mine  
 
     The Taylor Breaker was part of the Taylor Colliery which once faced North Main Street (it later became the Moffat Breaker).  The Archbald Mine was in the area of the now  Maple Manor Trailer Park, and the Holden Breaker was located near lower Oak Street.
 

The Holden Mine Disaster

     The Holden Mine Disaster occurred on March 2, 1907.  The cause of the disaster, as reported by the Department of Mines, was an explosion of fire and gas.  The accident claimed the lives of the following miners while working in the No. 4 Counter and New F gangway, Clark Vein.
NAME AGE OCCUPATION
William Z. Williams 58 miner
Thomas Williams 32 miner
Frank Cososki 42 miner
John Washnock 48 miner
Chemas Cosfoski 23 laborer
Gustave Orocoski 31 laborer
John Zerzava 34 laborer
 
     Several coal breakers were located throughout the Lackawanna Valley.  The following pictures include some of the breakers that were located right in Taylor Borough.

The Pyne Breaker

located on South Keyser Avenue, now the site of the 286 Corporation.

The Holden Breaker

once located in the area of lower Oak Street

The Moffat Coal Co. Breaker

once located in the 300 block of North Main Avenue