#63 & ill-fated #8 are the same Monongah mine

I got this email from Mike Shamrock:

“Hi John,

“You probably don't really know me but I'm one of the Shamrocks. I have been trying to find out just where the No. 8 mine was. I looked it up on Google map and I am still not sure just where it was at. It shows it as if it was by Booths Creek where it comes into the West Fork.

“Can't seem to find anyone that knows. We lived by the old 63 mine; people seem to think that it was around there. Some say that it was down from the old streetcar station.

“Any info would help.

“Thanks, Mike”

As a newspaper editor for 43 years, retired since 1996, I learned that if I didn’t know the answer to find someone who did.

So I called Bill Meredith, Class of 1957, who lives in Sarasota, Florida and Buckeye Lake, Ohio and has been inside mines and his Meredith Brothers company in Ohio has thrived by dealing with coal and utility companies.

Mine #63, Bill says, and #8, which along with #6 exploded in 1907 and killed 362 workers, are the same mine.

 

#63 & #8 are up the streetcar tracks on the west side of the West Fork River in Monongah, and a mile or so south of the streetcar station where Ted McDaniel was the stationmaster.

By the way, Bill says #6 mine was near the Central Shop on Camden Avenue, near where Mascara’s had the store. #5 was by the Prahl family’s house.

As for Booth’s Creek, it might be #2 mine, but I’m not sure about that.

Hope that helps, Mike.

I’m don't know where Mike is on the Shamrock family tree, but the Shamrocks of my childhood in Monongah were Christina Shamrock Hennig, Class of 1967, who lives in Abilene, Texas with her husband, Charlie Hennig, a retired college professor, the youngest of the seven siblings.

The others were John Shamrock, Class of 1947; Joe Shamrock, who attended Monongah High; Cecilia (Cil) Shamrock Eller, Class of 1955; Jim Shamrock, who attended Monongah High; Paul Shamrock, Class of 1962; and Mike Shamrock, Class of 1966.