The
Hammond Colliery mine workings were wholly in the mammoth vein and all on the
first lift. The Girardville Colliery workings were wholly in the buck mountain
vein, all above water level.The Hammond Colliery was formed from the "Conner or Girardville" Colliery which was opened in 1861 by James L. Conner and Joseph D. Patterson and the "McMichael" Colliery which was adjacent to the Hammond Colliery. The Girardville Colliery was the original breaker and the McMichael Breaker was abandoned. The Hammond became the new breaker and was built by Agaro, Moodie & Co. in 1876. The Philadelphia & Reading Coal & Iron Co. came into possession of the collieries on Aug. 12, 1876 and combined all three collieries.
The
Hammond Colliery mine workings were wholly in the mammoth vein and all on the
first lift. The Girardville Colliery workings were wholly in the buck mountain
vein, all above water level.
In 1886, the coal from the Girardville Colliery was prepared at the Hammond Breaker and the old Girardville Breaker was dismantled and abandoned.
In 1888, the mammoth slope was extended 300 ft. to the second level or 730 ft. from the surface with tunnels driven to the primrose, holmes and buck mountain veins.
In 1890, a tender slope was sunk on the buck mountain vein and extended to the second level.
In 1898, the coal was mined from the buck mountain, top split mammoth, holmes, orchard and diamond veins on the second level.
In 1899, the tender slope on the buck mountain vein was extended 300 ft. below the second level.
In 1900, the colliery was flooded for four weeks, Feb. 21 to Mar. 21 due to an extraordinary rainfall of 4 3/4 inches in nine days.
In 1901, the old breaker was removed and a new breaker was built to replace it.
In 1902, a strike took place on May 21, stopping all work for eighteen months. The mine pumps were abandoned by the strikers allowing the mine to fill with water. By Oct. 23, the water had risen to a height of 229 ft. above the second level.
On May 14, 1909, the Philadelphia & Reading Coal & Iron Co., began sinking the shaft. Its inside dimensions were 32 ft. by 12 ft. and its depth was 1211 ft. it was completed to the bottom of the fifth level on nov 10,1911 and finally put into full operation Jan 16, 1913.
In 1910, the buck mountain and the mammoth vein slopes were extended to the fourth level.
The Philadelphia & Reading Coal & Iron Co. operated the Hammond Colliery until Nov. 10, 1938 when it was abandoned.
The total shipments from the Hammond Colliery as of 1928 were 11,741,549 tons.