Keeling Coal Company
Encyclopedia
The Keeling Coal Company was a nineteenth century mining company in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
. Its mines were part of the Pittsburgh Coalfield
.
, John Harding Page and Captain Phillips. The mine was served by a gravity plane. or incline, built between 1838 and 1844. It was operated by Doctor Oliver Harrison Ormsby, the son of the above named Oliver Ormsby, from 1851 to 1861.
The Keeling Coal Company operated it from 1861 to May 1878, when it was taken over by the Birmingham Coal Company
, which had Joseph Keeling as one of its partners. The mine was extensive, eventually connecting to the nearby Bausman Mine
, which Keeling also operated.
Coal from this mine was used in early steam engine experiments by the U.S. Navy on the Michigan
.
After the coal was removed, it was trans[ported underground from the South Hills to industries along the Monongahela river. The "coal road" passed under three hills, under Mount Oliver, Pennsylvania
, then a trestle
over a ravine at the present location of Parkwood Road, then under the hill topped by Fort Jones
, later St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Church and St. Clair Village
, then over another ravine at the present-day Wagner Street, to re-enter an underground mine section in Carrick
near where Bruner Street is today. This mine connected with the Bausman Mine
in Spiketown, now Carrick, and was still operational in 1899. Coal was transferred from Spiketown to the mine entrance on St. Patrick Street by a tail rope system, which was later replaced by a steam locomotive
that ran undeground. The coal from the mine was transferred to the Birmingham Coal Railroad
, a narrow gauge
railroad that ran down the middle of South 21st Street from an inclined plane railroad. Although the incline is no longer in existence, its site is occupied by South Side Park
, which was also a location of a Sankey brick
works. When the enginehouse of the coal road burned shortly before the expiration of Keeling's lease on the mine, the lease was not renewed; At about the same time, the Pittsburgh and Whitehall Railroad obtained an easement adjacent to the track in the center of South 21st St.
Later the Knoxville Incline
was built parallel to it.
Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
Allegheny County is a county in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the population was 1,223,348; making it the second most populous county in Pennsylvania, following Philadelphia County. The county seat is Pittsburgh...
. Its mines were part of the Pittsburgh Coalfield
Pittsburgh Coalfield
The Pittsburgh Coalfield is the largest of the Western Pennsylvania coalfields. It includes all or part of Allegheny, Fayette, Greene, Washington, and Westmoreland Counties in Pennsylvania. Coal has been mined in Pittsburgh since the 18th century. U.S. Steel and Bethlehem Steel owned Karen, Maple...
.
Ormsby Mine and Gravity Plane
The Ormsby mine was an underground coal mine, originally opened in 1838 by the son-in law of Oliver OrmsbyOliver Ormsby
Oliver Ormsby was the son of John Ormsby. Mount Oliver, Pennsylvania is named for him. His son Oliver's residence, Ormsby Manor, included a private racetrack, and overlooked the Monongahela River.-References:...
, John Harding Page and Captain Phillips. The mine was served by a gravity plane. or incline, built between 1838 and 1844. It was operated by Doctor Oliver Harrison Ormsby, the son of the above named Oliver Ormsby, from 1851 to 1861.
The Keeling Coal Company operated it from 1861 to May 1878, when it was taken over by the Birmingham Coal Company
Birmingham Coal Company
The Birmingham Coal Company was a coal mining company in the Pittsburgh Coalfield area. It operated mines along Becks Run, as well as other mines south of the Monongahela River, such as the Bausman Mine and the American Mine. It is named for Birmingham, Pennsylvania, a town which was later...
, which had Joseph Keeling as one of its partners. The mine was extensive, eventually connecting to the nearby Bausman Mine
Bausman Mine
The Bausman mine was a nineteenth century coal mine in the Pittsburgh area. The mine was started in 1844 by Frederick Bausman, and ran underground from 12th Street in Birmingham, Pennsylvania to Spiketown...
, which Keeling also operated.
Coal from this mine was used in early steam engine experiments by the U.S. Navy on the Michigan
USS Michigan (1843)
|USS Michigan was the United States Navy's first iron-hulled warship and served during the American Civil War. She was renamed USS Wolverine in 1905.-Early career:...
.
Coal Road
An underground transportation system connecting the Ormsby mine with other local coal mines was begun in 1867. Like many mine railroads in the Pittsburgh area, this was a 40 inch gauge line.After the coal was removed, it was trans[ported underground from the South Hills to industries along the Monongahela river. The "coal road" passed under three hills, under Mount Oliver, Pennsylvania
Mount Oliver, Pennsylvania
Mount Oliver is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is a largely residential area situated atop a crest about west of the Monongahela River. The borough is surrounded entirely by the city of Pittsburgh....
, then a trestle
Trestle
A trestle is a rigid frame used as a support, especially referring to a bridge composed of a number of short spans supported by such frames. In the context of trestle bridges, each supporting frame is generally referred to as a bent...
over a ravine at the present location of Parkwood Road, then under the hill topped by Fort Jones
Fort Jones (Mount Oliver)
Fort Jones, with its companion, Fort Laughlin were Civil War redoubts, built by the employees of Jones and Laughlin Steel in June and July of 1863 for the defense of Pittsburgh from a suspected invasion by Confederate troops. It is named for Benjamin Franklin Jones, a local businessman. Fort Jones...
, later St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Church and St. Clair Village
St. Clair Village
St. Clair Village is a public housing project of the Pittsburgh Housing Authority. Originally built in the 1950's, with 680 apartments, it fell into disrepair and financial difficulty along with much public housing in the city and was completely demolished in September 2010 It occupied the...
, then over another ravine at the present-day Wagner Street, to re-enter an underground mine section in Carrick
Carrick (Pittsburgh)
Carrick is a south neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in the United States. It is served by two zip codes, 15210 and 15227, and has representation on Pittsburgh City Council by the council member for District 4 with a part in District 3.Located between the suburbs of the South Hills and...
near where Bruner Street is today. This mine connected with the Bausman Mine
Bausman Mine
The Bausman mine was a nineteenth century coal mine in the Pittsburgh area. The mine was started in 1844 by Frederick Bausman, and ran underground from 12th Street in Birmingham, Pennsylvania to Spiketown...
in Spiketown, now Carrick, and was still operational in 1899. Coal was transferred from Spiketown to the mine entrance on St. Patrick Street by a tail rope system, which was later replaced by a steam locomotive
Locomotive
A locomotive is a railway vehicle that provides the motive power for a train. The word originates from the Latin loco – "from a place", ablative of locus, "place" + Medieval Latin motivus, "causing motion", and is a shortened form of the term locomotive engine, first used in the early 19th...
that ran undeground. The coal from the mine was transferred to the Birmingham Coal Railroad
Birmingham Coal Company
The Birmingham Coal Company was a coal mining company in the Pittsburgh Coalfield area. It operated mines along Becks Run, as well as other mines south of the Monongahela River, such as the Bausman Mine and the American Mine. It is named for Birmingham, Pennsylvania, a town which was later...
, a narrow gauge
Narrow gauge
A narrow gauge railway is a railway that has a track gauge narrower than the of standard gauge railways. Most existing narrow gauge railways have gauges of between and .- Overview :...
railroad that ran down the middle of South 21st Street from an inclined plane railroad. Although the incline is no longer in existence, its site is occupied by South Side Park
South Side Park (Pittsburgh)
South Side Park is an urban park in Pittsburgh. It is situated in a ravine that divides the South Side Slopes neighborhood, and extends to the location of the former Oliver Ormsby estate in Mount Oliver, Pennsylvania, Ormsby Manor.-History:...
, which was also a location of a Sankey brick
Sankey brick
The Sankey brick is the preferred construction material of the South Side Flats in Pittsburgh. It was the original product of the Sankey Brick Company, founded in 1861 by William, John, and Thomas Sankey...
works. When the enginehouse of the coal road burned shortly before the expiration of Keeling's lease on the mine, the lease was not renewed; At about the same time, the Pittsburgh and Whitehall Railroad obtained an easement adjacent to the track in the center of South 21st St.
Knoxville Incline
In addition to the incline from the Ormsby mine, the Keeling company ran a separate incline for coal, this one with a curve, that in part ran parallel to the lower end of the Mt. Oliver Incline.Later the Knoxville Incline
Knoxville Incline
The Knoxville Incline was an inclined railway that ran between Pittsburgh's South Side and Knoxville neighborhoods. The incline was constructed in 1890, and was demolished in 1960. It was designed by John H. McRoberts, with a length of 2644 feet. The Knoxville Incline was operated by the...
was built parallel to it.