Originally published in the Voice of the Valley, April 30, 1975
By Laura Lorenz
Rogers Number 3, the last of the state’s underground coal mines, will stop mining within the next few weeks. A retirement party of eats and dancing last Saturday marked a reduction of almost half of the twenty-man crew.
Carl Falk, office manager for Palmer Coking Coal Company Inc., claims the Ravensdale mine closure is due to economics. Too few contracts and the expense of complying with present day health and safety regulations for such a small operation tipped the scales. The mine puts out only about 20,000 tons of coal annually.
Falk said the retirement of mining operations was determined some years ago as contracts to state institutions declined. One after another have converted to natural gas, using oil as a standby fuel instead of coal. Only three state institutions contract for coal: Monroe State Reformatory, Shelton Correction Center, and the Orting Old Soldiers Home.
“There will be enough coal mined,” said Falk, “to complete contract commitments. The company will continue to market coal for another heating year.” Coal retails at $30.00 a ton on a U-haul basis.
Last year’s energy crisis only increased sales slightly, to about 6 to 7 percent of the total mined tonnage. Due to the high cost of firewood this year a few people are using coal in their fireplaces, but there has been no big rush to return to the coal scuttle.
The Palmer Coking Coal Company Inc. is managed by the Morris family. George Morris, of coal mining heritage, came from Wales, opening his first mine in 1884 at Wilkeson. The mining industry was expanded by son Jack and continued by grandson Evan.
Now the company will no doubt switch their interests to above ground since it owns large tracts of land throughout southeast King County.
The Rogers Number 3 mine, a vein 800 feet deep a mile long, will close like many others, leaving a rich deposit of coal behind. Falk foresees future reopening of these mines when depletion of other energy sources occurs. Then the now quiet towns of Wilkeson, Cumberland, Ravensdale, and Black Diamond will awaken like Rip Van Winkle and surge as before.
Falk estimated a new mine’s operations would have to yield at least 200,000 tons annually to encourage development. That is if its promoters could obtain government environmental approval and if there are several million in the initial capital improvement funds to meet health and safety standards. But first there must be a market for coal!
Salaries are another big expenditure. Salaries have changed drastically over the years, too: from $2.50 for a ten-hour working day in 1907 to about $50 for a seven and a half hour working day plus increments as bargained by the Miners’ Union.
For more on the closing of Rogers No. 3, go to HistoryLink.
[…] were not promising. There were sharp disagreements between three uncles, Jack, Evan Morris, and Charlie Falk, who collectively led the firm. I was thankfully unaware of building tensions and unresolved […]
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