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Roswell S. Burrow Era

Timeline: 1870 to 1923
From Oswald J. Heinrich biography in "The Story of the Richmond, Virginia Coal Field and its Development 1700—1934," by F. R. Wadleigh. Washington, D.C: 1934, and "The Richmond Coal Basin, a Compilation in Three Parts," by Ira F. Davis and L. S. Evans. Library of Congress, Virginia State Library: 1938.

Compiled in "Historically Significant Sites on the Mid-Lothian Coal Mining Co. Tract In Chesterfield County, Virginia," a collection of articles and excerpts compiled by Thomas F. Garner, Jr. and located in the Midlothian Branch Library, and libraries of the Virginia Historical Society and Chesterfield Historical Society.
Roswell S. Burrow Era

1870
Oswald J. Heinrich supervised cleaning out and mining the old rise shafts, contending with troubled ground, fire and water. (The Midlothian Colliery, Virginia, by Oswald J. Heinrich, Transactions of the American Institute of Mining Engineers, Volume 1, 1871-1873.)

1873
James MacFarlane, A. M., cynically depicts Richmond coal field mining efforts. (The Coal Regions of America: Their Topography, Geology and Development, by James MacFarlane, A. M. New York: 1873.)

4/1873 - 1/1876
Grove Shaft operation begins; Southern Railway spur line completed. (The Midlothian Colliery, Virginia in 1876, by Oswald J. Heinrich, Transactions of the American Institute of Mining Engineers, Volume 4, 1875-1876.)

5/20/1876
Explosion in Grove Shaft kills 8; Heinrich leaves. (An Account of an Explosion of Fire-Damp at the Midlothian Colliery, Chesterfield County, Virginia, by Oswald J. Heinrich, Transactions of the American Institute of Mining Engineers, Volume 5, 1876-1877.)

1877 - 1884?
Dodds becomes superintendent. Riding accident leaves absentee owner, R. S. Burrows bedridden. His administrator, A. S. Warner, at once commences to rob his estate, stealing about $8 million of personal property. Mr. Dodds required to make out monthly payrolls as if mines were working, but men allowed pay for every other month. (Report on Richmond Coal Basin. 1916, by Meriwether Jones, from The Richmond Coal Basin, a Compilation in Three Parts, by Ira F. Davis and L. S. Evans. Library of Congress, Virginia State Library: 1938.)

1880
Product 13,122 tons, thickness of coal, 4 2/3 feet. (Report on Richmond Coal Basin, by Frank R. Wadleigh, 1935)

2/03/1882
Explosion of gas and dust in Grove Shaft in which 32 men are killed. (The Mines of Midlothian, by Bettie Woodson Weaver, in Virginia Cavalcade, pp. 40 – 47. Virginia State Library: Winter, 1961 – 1962.)

1887
William Clifford, N. E. describes state and history of mining efforts in Richmond Coal-Field, Virginia, Proceeds of Manchester Geological Society, volume XIX, 1887

1894
Professor M. S. Munroe of Columbia College visits and reports on Grove Shaft. (Geological Report on the Midlothian Coal Property, by E. V. d'Invilliers, Geologist and Mining Engineer, January, 1904)

?
Pennsylvania syndicate takes over property in a highly leveraged operation, prospects for coal east of Grove Shaft. They become bankrupt just as they give up prospecting and focus on cleaning out the old Grove Shaft. (Report on Richmond Coal Basin. 1916, by Meriwether Jones, from The Richmond Coal Basin, a Compilation in Three Parts, by Ira F. Davis and L. S. Evans, page 5. Library of Congress, Virginia State Library: 1938.)

1905
James River coal Corporation, headed by Meriwether Jones, constructs new incline shaft with double track railroad 900 feet south of Grove Shaft. (Report on Richmond Coal Basin. 1916, by Meriwether Jones, from The Richmond Coal Basin, a Compilation in Three Parts, by Ira F. Davis and L. S. Evans, page 5. Library of Congress, Virginia State Library: 1938.)

10/1920
Murphy Coal Corporation begins operations.

7/30/1923
Murphy Coal Corporation discloses investment (Appendix 'C' The Southern Railway Information furnished Regarding the Midlothian Mines of the Murphy Coal Corporation):

Capital expenditures:
Plant, 11/1920 $70,000
Material, machinery, buildings 65,000
Unwatering, cleaning up and driving main slope to date 115,000
Total $250,000

Plant:
1900 acres land in fee at Midlothian
3 acres in the City of Richmond on deep water
33 houses and miners' dwelling, five of which are new
1 store building and 2 acres of ground on Midlothian Pike

Power plant at Slope:
2 125 HP boilers
1 Flory double engine hoist
1 40 HP generator and engine
1 direct connected 200 kW (1 small fan) generator on foundation, ready to run
1 blacksmith shop and contents
1 office and Howe 200 ton scale
1 tipple with three tracks under same holding 30 cars
1 Sullivan air compressor
3 boiler water tanks and air receivers
40 tons mine rail and other material

Power plant at Grove Shaft (1000 feet away)
1 hoist engine, large, with ropes
3 boilers in use, but old
3 feed pumps
1 air compressor in good order and receiver
1 small hoisting engine
1 large fan installed
2,000 feet 3" pipe
2 boiler water tanks
15,000 feet dressed lumber for buildings
2 punchers and quantities of other materials

Material in mine:
2 power pumps, new, costing $3,000
1 electric hoist and rope
1 compressed air hoist
4 pumps
30 mine cars
1 large pump, costing $1,200
2,000 feet 4" pipe
1,000 feet 3" pipe
2,500 feet 40 lb. track laid
3,000 feet 20 lb. track laid with sheaves, etc.

10/17/1923
Murphy Coal Corporation buys property after court decrees sale to settle suit versus James River Coal Corporation. (Chesterfield County, Virginia Deed Book 172, page 237)

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