Mechanized Mining Made a Difference for TN Coal Co.

By Dale Welch

The Tennessee Coal Co., Mine No. 3 (Meadow Creek) was started in the 1940s by W.T. Ray, Sr. They soon discovered that the bottom was so soft that the underground roadways that the shuttle cars used to bring out coal had to be planked.

Two 15-men crews, working two shifts, were averaging 850 tons of coal per shift after everything became mechanized in September 1948. Before the switch, the mines were producing 1,300 tons and had a payroll of 169 men. Afterward produced an average 1.026 per shift with a payroll of around 50 men in two shifts in 60 to 84 in. coal.

Mining was big in the area until it played out in 1937. Someone drilling a water well discovered a tick vein of coal. After core drilling, they discovered 1,200 acres. In opening the mines, a 6x16x345 ft. slope at a 19-deegree angle on July 5, 1943, by the Meadow Creek Coal Co. the first coal ran by Dec. 1. Since that time, the Tennessee Coal Co. was organized to operate it. By mid-1950, there was no methane gas detected.

During the hand loading days, the mines operated with three cable-reel locomotives; 30 Sanford-Day 3½-ton drop bottom mine cars; three Jeffery undercutters with 6-in. bars; and twp Sullivan compressors with drills and jack hammers. 525 ft. of 36 ft. wide slope conveyor belt.

New equipment purchased from the Joy Co. includes 2 loaders, four 3½ shuttle cars, two elevators to transfer from shuttle to coal cars, four Type T crawlers trucks – two to haul the cutting machine and the others to haul the drills, compressors drills and jackhammers.  

Twenty percent is for trucks to sell to local markets; 20 percent was sold to fuel the railroad; 60 percent goes to Watts Bar Steam Plant.

W.T. Ray is owner pf the coal companies and president of the Meadow Creek Coal Co; W. Morgan is secretay/treasurer. J.A. Allred is president and J.s. Woodford is vice president; WB Brown, secretary/treasurer, James E. Randolph superintendent, Arles Key, tipple foreman, Manue; E. Powell maintenance superintendent, W.G. Irvine, store operator, assistants Robbie Irvine, Laura McDaniel and Clifton Grant, of the Tennessee Coal Co.