Coal Museum Group 1

GROUP # 1--INFORMATION ON MELCHER-DALLAS COAL MINERS MUSEUM

             THE TALE OF TWO CITY'S

"Dallas Town" was surveyed in September of 1857 by F. M. Frush. Quite a number of early settlers in the vicinity of Dallas came from the Buckeye State of Ohio, so when the town was first laid out it was called "Little Ohio".   Two years before that, however, a post office had been established in the neighborhood under the name of "Dallas". After a short period the name of the town was changed to "Dallas" to conform to the Post Office. In June of 1911 the Town of Dallas was incorporated.

Melcher's early history is closely related to the Rock Island Railroad and the mining industry. A coal mining camp was started near the Consolidated No. 1 Mine. But most of the miners moved to the new town of "Melcher". In 1912 the site was purchased for the new town. In 1913 the town of Melcher was incorporated and a new Post Office was built. In 1914 the Rock Island Railroad Depot was completed.

In 1986 the two towns became one. "Melcher-Dallas". Making it one of the youngest city's in the State.

            WHEN COAL WAS KING

With the coming of the Rock Island Railroad to Southwest Marion County and towns of Melcher and Dallas, coal mining and farming were a way of life. By 1913 the Consolidated No. 1 was one of the deepest mines in the State at 200 feet below ground and was producing 2,000 tons of coal per day. Around 600 Melcher-Dallas Miners were members of the Local 1504 of the United Mine Workers of America. Todays Melcher-Dallas residents celebrate the rich mining heritage annually at "Coal Miners Days". Featured annually are a parade, lots of entertainment and exhibits. Always held on the Fourth Saturday in June.

Mural on North end of Coal Miner's Museum

Bingham Feed and Grain built in 1948

Flanagan's New Funeral Home Opened july 22, 1937

KNOWN MARION COUNTY COAL MINES
Consolidated No. 1 Mine
Consolidated Indiana No. 2 Mine
New Standard No. 1 Mine
W. M. P. Coal Company
Long & Smith Coal Company
Black Diamond Mine
Red Rock Mine
No. One Indiana Mine
Melcher Coal Company
Red Dog Mine
Waller McElree Mine
Anderson-Robinson Coal Company
Twin Cities Coal Company
Standford Mine
McEwee Mine
A. P. & M. Coal Mine
Alton Coal Company
Vernon Brothers Mine
George Richards Mine
Jacob Bingham Mine
Flanagan & Bell Coal Company
              COAL MINE INFORMATION
                1910
Indiana Consolidated Coal Company purchased 2 Miles
of Land and sank #1 Mine. The Mine was sometimes known as the million dollar mine or Electria mine. As it was the first all electric mine in this part of the state.
                1913
At one time before the war only three million tons of
coal was mined in Iowa.
                1930
Marion County was leading producer of coal in the State.   In 1929 Marion County produced 20 percent of all coal
in Iowa.
                1947
By 1947 production was 618 million tons, an average increase of 80 million tons a year. One dozen miners
could get out 75 to 80 tons a day. In our area they were paid$2.00 a ton for digging & hauling. The year before they only got $1.50 per ton. Slack would be separated
and taken to the slack pile and dumped. This pile would
be set on fire and would burn for days. The burned shale would be used for roads.

                 MINE SHACK
The mine shack or cabin provided a place for the trucker to wait for his truck to be loaded for delivery. Sometimes the trucker would stay overnight to be the first in line to be loaded the next morning. Sometimes another member of the family would stay overnight in the shack just to make sure the trucker had a good nights sleep before making his deliveries the next morning. The cabin or shack provided a place for miners to eat their lunch and get warm. Railroad cars would line up on an incline then be released one at a time and stopped under the chute to be filled, then released to coast down hill to wail for train to pick them up for rail delivery. UNITED MINE WORKERS OF AMERICA
Approx 600 Melcher-Dallas Miners were members of the Local 1504 United Mine Workers of America. The Original Miners Meeting hall is currently being restored as a Coal Mining & Heritage Museum. Today's Melcher-Dallas residents celebrate their mining heritage annually at "Coal Miner's Days" held the fourth Saturday of June, featuring a morning parade, auction, window exhibits, and entertainment.
                           EVERYONE WELCOME

MONETARY DONATIONS APPRECIATED AS
WELL AS OLD PICTURES, COAL ERA ITEMS
& MISC   ITEMS OF INTEREST TO MUSEUM

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	Mural on North end of Coal Miner's Museum



Bingham Feed and Grain built in 1948	Flanagan's New Funeral Home Opened july 22, 1937
KNOWN MARION COUNTY COAL MINES Consolidated No. 1 Mine Consolidated Indiana No. 2 Mine New Standard No. 1 Mine W. M. P. Coal Company Long & Smith Coal Company Black Diamond Mine Red Rock Mine No. One Indiana Mine Melcher Coal Company Red Dog Mine Waller McElree Mine Anderson-Robinson Coal Company Twin Cities Coal Company Standford Mine McEwee Mine A. P. & M. Coal Mine Alton Coal Company Vernon Brothers Mine George Richards Mine Jacob Bingham Mine Flanagan & Bell Coal Company	COAL MINE INFORMATION 1910 Indiana Consolidated Coal Company purchased 2 Miles of Land and sank #1 Mine. The Mine was sometimes known as the million dollar mine or Electria mine. As it was the first all electric mine in this part of the state. 1913 At one time before the war only three million tons of coal was mined in Iowa. 1930 Marion County was leading producer of coal in the State. In 1929 Marion County produced 20 percent of all coal in Iowa. 1947 By 1947 production was 618 million tons, an average increase of 80 million tons a year. One dozen miners could get out 75 to 80 tons a day. In our area they were paid$2.00 a ton for digging & hauling. The year before they only got $1.50 per ton. Slack would be separated and taken to the slack pile and dumped. This pile would be set on fire and would burn for days. The burned shale would be used for roads.
MINE SHACK The mine shack or cabin provided a place for the trucker to wait for his truck to be loaded for delivery. Sometimes the trucker would stay overnight to be the first in line to be loaded the next morning. Sometimes another member of the family would stay overnight in the shack just to make sure the trucker had a good nights sleep before making his deliveries the next morning. The cabin or shack provided a place for miners to eat their lunch and get warm. Railroad cars would line up on an incline then be released one at a time and stopped under the chute to be filled, then released to coast down hill to wail for train to pick them up for rail delivery.	UNITED MINE WORKERS OF AMERICA Approx 600 Melcher-Dallas Miners were members of the Local 1504 United Mine Workers of America. The Original Miners Meeting hall is currently being restored as a Coal Mining & Heritage Museum. Today's Melcher-Dallas residents celebrate their mining heritage annually at "Coal Miner's Days" held the fourth Saturday of June, featuring a morning parade, auction, window exhibits, and entertainment. EVERYONE WELCOME MONETARY DONATIONS APPRECIATED AS WELL AS OLD PICTURES, COAL ERA ITEMS & MISC ITEMS OF INTEREST TO MUSEUM