There is a duality in mining and with miners. Mining is a dirty, ugly, dangerous profession full of darkness and tragedy. However ask many old timers and they will tell without batting an eye, they loved the job.
The Atlas is exploring some of the tragic history of mining in relation to some of the machinery used. There will be two new additions to its machinery exhibit, including a bucket similar to the one pictured above, and Big Bertha, a mine locomotive.
The Atlas is exploring this juxtaposing relationship with mining and the machinery they used. Again, miners will wax lyrically about their truck or cutters, or locomotives. These are the same tools they saw claim brothers and friends in tragic accidents.
“We have a better understanding than we did a couple years ago about how these machines that miners loved so much had a dark side and were implicated in a number of miner fatalities and lots of accidents that weren’t fatal,” said Linda Digby, executive director for the Atlas Coal Mine. “Through our research we learned that we have some machines that are really linked to some of those stories.
Digby explains the seed for this display came last year when the museum received a small quarter-ton bucket used to hoist men, coal and tools in and out of the mine. It was donated by Ed Cheney. They were questioning whether this was the same bucket that played a role in a well-known mining fatality, and explored what other equipment may have had a darker history.
She said much of this equipment stands on its own as artifacts, however the stories add another element. One she is excited about is Big Bertha.
“She is a mine locomotive who has been in the mine boneyard ever since the mine closed in 1956. She is much beloved by many coal miners. Many miners we have spoken to, love her and cannot say enough about what a great machine it was, but she was implicated in one fatality at the Atlas Coal Mine. So that is one linkage to that story,” said Digby.
This idea became the central theme to the revamped machinery exhibit. The Atlas has been selected to receive $3,000 from the World Largest Dinosaur legacy to put together the new exhibit. This includes adding new equipment to its displays, interpretive panels, and conservation efforts to protect the artifacts.
Digby hopes the revamped displays will be ready for next July.
