Newsletter
Spring 2009
Spring 2007
NEWS, FROM THE VALLEY:
President, David Kuchta
This year we are starting off our membership and donation drive a little earlier with a lot of good news, and the best part…there isn’t any bad news. No. 9 Mine Tours are growing each year. While some tourism was down, because of the gas crisis along with the poor economy, No.9 had a good turnout of tourists throughout the season.
Our first Annual, “Heritage Mine Festival,” went over better then expected. We had a whopping 698 mine tours that day. Never did we think we could have a record turnout like that. Sad part is that parking was a big problem. People parked all the way west into the First Street area of Coaldale, but everyone seemed to enjoy the food, entertainment and displays. This year we anticipate an even better turnout then last year. For those who didn’t get a chance to attend, try to make it this year.
Luckily, we had acquired a third man-car from a group called “The Underground Mine Researchers. They donated this car to us free of charge. This was a big help because of the extra car we were able to haul up to 45 tourists into the mine each time we had a new group touring the mine. Also this group helped with the tours and also entertained the tourists with stories about the mines. Most of these volunteers were from Scranton, Wilkes-barre, including one volunteer from Binghamton, and the Harrisburg area. These same guys did volunteer work in the mine all winter long. Many weekend work schedules had ten and eleven volunteers working in the mine at one time. I don’t want to leave out, that we also had some local help with the Festival and Mine work. Volunteerism at No. 9 isn’t dead…that’s for sure. We also had a couple local people-helping park the cars during the Festival. Without them, I don’t know what we would have done? They did a fantastic job!
This year, the “Miner’s Heritage Festival,” will be held on Sunday, July 12. The festivities will get started about 10 A.M. and should close up around 5 P.M. But, this past year’s festival finished up about 7 P.M ,because of all the people wanting to tour the mine and enjoying the food and entertainment. So, come early and ENJOY!
This year, we have added some new mining props to the mine tours. We also have a group of women and young ladies help with cleaning the museum. With an old coal furnace, things do get dusty.
Last but not least, we have acquired (on loan for ten years +) an old “Mine Lokie No 51.” This steam Lokie operated between Nesquehoning Mines…to the No 6 & 8 breakers. It was built in 1923. It does have an interesting history. The sad part is that the last 50 years of its existence it was left to deteriorate. With a couple of local volunteers, we have replaced the wooden bumpers on the front and back of the lokie. Wooden bumpers were the original bumpers at that time. There is a lot of patching to be done on the water tanks that mount on the Lokie. Old paint and rust must be removed before we repaint it. The wooden floor inside the cab of the Lokie had to be replaced. We were very lucky to acquire, (on loan) this Lokie from the “Canal Museum,” down in Easton. There was a comment why we would want to pay for the delivery and fix up this engine, while not owning it. We know were there is another Lokie like the one we got. The owner wants $50,000. He has owned it along with two other lokies, and he hasn’t reduced the price in 50 years. This we can’t afford. Big and small museums around the world, PAY, big money, to get famous artwork on loan, to display in there museums for a year or two. We were very fortunate to bring this steam engine back to the valley were it originated from. This is where it belongs! At this period of time we have received over two thousand dollar donations toward fixing up the Lokie.
Lokie 51, is a great attraction. It has gotten countless number of cars and trucks stopping in front of the Lokie on Dock St. every day. Many get out of their car and take pictures of it. The comments have been great. Some come every week, just to see how the repairs are progressing. One older gentleman that stopped by, reminisced about the lokies during his time that he worked in the mines. Old Lokie 51 is stirring up many fond memories.
We also got the coal tender for the Lokie. It was a complete wreck. Many thought it would never be able to get reassembled. But. I’m proud to say, it is put together like it originally was. It is now on display behind the Lokie Steam Engine.
No.9 Mine and Museum Organization, is something that the Panther Valley should be proud of. It is helping to preserve our “Mining Heritage.” It is an organization that is owned and run by the members and membership is open to the public. We have monthly meetings on the first Wed. of the month at 6:30 P.M. The public is invited. We certainly invite new members and volunteers to our organization.
The owner of the land and mine is Attorney James Curran from Pottsville. He has been a big help and contributor. Now that the breaker is operating and they are mining coal, he has donated this past winter’s supply of coal for the museum. This was a huge savings to our organization. We can’t stop thanking Mr. Curran for his generous donation.
We have two picnics each year that are open to the public. Memorial Day Picnic on Sunday May 24th and a Labor Day Picnic on Sunday, Aug. 30, 2009. They start at 11 A.M. and run until the food runs out. There is all kind of ethnic foods and entertainment. Please come to show your support.
Remember, we operate the mine and museum through all the generous donations of money, artifacts, books, pictures etc. If you have any old tools, books, pictures pertaining to the mines, please donate them to No.9 Mine Museum so they will be preserved forever, and enjoyed or utilized by everyone. Too many of these things are left in homes that are sold and the new owners discard them. It is a terrible loss to the area.
NEWS FROM THE VALLEY
Dear Friends of the Panther Creek Valley Foundation
No.9 Mine & Museum
No.9 Mine and Museum had a great
year during 2006. Our membership has grown along
with new attendance records for the mine as well
as the museum. This was great but the down side
was that everything from insurances, to fuel
prices escalated and took away any additional
profits. But, between membership dues, donations
or grants, we are holding our own.
There were a lot of improvements done inside the
mine as well as in the museum and grounds. The
museum gift shop was enlarged with one third more
floor space. Our kitchenette was relocated and
updated. All this work was all done by volunteers.
Late winter and early spring, two sections of the
mine timbers in the gangways were replaced. This
is hard , heavy, intensive work. Mine timbers
usually have to be replaced every eight years.
It is a part of our mine foreman and mine
superintendents job to oversee the safety in the
mine, but, Safety, is everyone's main concern.
First, Last and Always!
In the latter part of the year, quite a bit of
refurbishing of the mine's escape way needed
extensive timber work. Being short handed with
qualified mine workers, we had to employ two
professional miners to replace close to 30
timbers. This is hard, dirty work. We were so
glad to have these two men available to do this work
for us. It was a Godsend!
Work inside the mine isn't seen or
noticed by the
general public. It takes a lot of hard work,
keeping up with the Safety in the Mine. Buying
pressure treated lumber also takes a big bite out
of our income, but it is stuff that has to be
done. Being fortunate that our president, Dave
Kuchta, owns a few acres of land with oak trees
on his property, he donated all the oak timbers
(30 plus) that were used in the mine this past
year. This was a big savings for our organization.
When the State Mine Inspectors come
in to inspect the mine, we must comply with their
wishes and or suggestions. There concerns are our
concerns and that is Safety in the Mine.
No. 9 Mine is very fortunate also to have had the
Old Lehigh Coal and Navigational Company replace
large areas of wooden timbers with steel and
concrete, during the years from 1931 to 1938.
This was done during slow time, or as they call
it in the profession, down time. This steel and
concrete work will (hopefully) last another 50 years.
Outside on the No9 property, various other work
was done to dress up the area along with
revamping displays of mine cars and equipment.
The grounds look great and we are going into the
year 2007 in great shape.
Through a $10,000 grant obtained by one of our
past staff member, Marie Ondrus, we had the main
parking lot paved. The original gravel parking
lot took a lot of extra work filling in the
potholes. During rainy days, mud and large
puddles of water weren't appreciated by tourists
coming to tour our mine and museum. Without the
grant, we couldn't have afforded to get the lot
paved. This is why it is imperative for our
officers, directors and members to work as a team
to get certain work done, being by hard work,
donations or grants.
We did have two members pass away, this past year
or so, that were very active in getting work done
at the No.9 Mine & Museum. They will surely be
missed. In fact, going through our records, close
to 12 active members, or people who helped start
and put together Panther Creek Valley Foundation
have died since that grand opening of the museum
back in 1992. Most of these members were very
dedicated to seeing that the P.C.V.F. succeed. It
is very important to get new members and
volunteers to join our organization to help
promote and keep the organization moving forward.
This winter (2006-2007) we have replaced and
installed three new 30' rails and some railroad
ties. Gauging the rails from beginning of the
mine to the staging area inside the mine is very
important. This all takes time and effort. The
bad part of replacing one of the 30 foot rail was
that the joint of the rail was under what we call
a small water fall. When it comes to mine work,
it seems nothing is easy.
In time, most of the rails and railroad ties will
have to be replaced in the mine. This will be a
humungous job and very expensive. It is important
to build up our funds so that in the future we
will have enough money for a matching grant,
if it ever becomes available.
We are still getting donations of mining
artifacts, books, photos, or tools etc. Every so
often we get something completely new or
different then anything we have or for that
matter have ever seen. We do need extra cases to
display some of the mining stuff we get. If you
have or know someone who wants to donate old
cases to the museum, please call us and let us know.
Last but not least, we are always looking for
certified miners, certified mine foreman, mine
electricians or just plain labors to work in the
mine. You must be 18 years of age to work in a
mine. Other wise, age is no problem! This past
year we had three members work in the mine
that were in there 70s.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Our annual Memorial Day Picnic will
be held Sunday, May 27, 11A.M .to ? Food
favorites such as halupky, halusky, bean soup BBQ
and hot dogs along with all kind of cakes,
cookies and pies will be available. Mine tours
will be scheduled throughout the day.
We appreciate any help behind the stand, or
donations of cookies, cakes and pies etc.
Our Annual Labor Day Picnic will be
held Sunday, Sept. 30 from 11 A.M. to ?
Panther Creek Valley Foundation (No.9 Mine &
Museum) is owned and operated by its membership.
It is a non-profit, charitable organization,
which has its goals to preserve the Mining
Heritage of the Panther Valley. Through our
organization, mining artifacts, mementoes and
tools are saved and preserved for posterity. If
anyone has any mining artifacts or mementoes,
that you might not want, please donate them to
our organization. Too much of this stuff, is
eventually discarded, scraped or sold on Ebay
which eventually leaves the area, no less the state,
never to be seen again.
It was our fathers and grandfathers that helped
the coal industry fuel the industrial revolution
in our country. Be proud of the fact that we are
a part of that generation of "Coal Crackers."
It is our heritage!
God Bless,
David Kuchta, President and Mine Manager
Officer and Directors:
Michael
Knies
Connie Johnson
Dale Freudenberger Steve Brunda
Joe
Greco
Alex Makita
Ann
Williams
Brian Timony
Alex Sherba
Bob Matalavage Director, Mine Foreman & Mine
Superintendent
Greg Yurchak
(Mine Foreman & Director)
John Fauzio
(Mine Electrician)
Jim
Stone
(Mine Electrician)
Mike Aukstakalnis (Mine Electrician)
2007 Mine Tour Season Begins on Fri. May 4th
This May, the No.9 Mine will be celebrating our
6th anniversary for Mine Tours. The days and
times of operation will be Friday through Sunday.
tickets start selling at 10 A.M. until 3:15,
which is our last tour of the day. Starting June,
we are anticipating giving tours on Thursday also.
These hours will be straight though until Labor
Day. Beginning September 1st through the end of
October, tours will run only on Saturday and
Sunday. Throughout the season, special tours are
available during the week for groups of 20 or more.
The Gift Shop is open during Mine and Museum
tours. The museum is open Wednesday through
Sunday, all year long. When the mine tours are
closed, the museum opens at 12:00 noon to 4 P.M.
Arrange Group Tours For Your School, Organization,
Employees, ETC. By Calling
(570) 645 7074
http;//no9mine.tripod.com
Come! Join Us! For an
experience you will never forget!
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