West Frankfort Quadrangle

Mining in the West Frankfort Quadrangle

The coal in Franklin County contained a lot of gas and explosions killed many people. Zeigler No. 1 (mine index 0053) had one of the worst mine disasters in the state, an explosion that killed 48, with 3 more dying from asphyxiation during rescue attempts. Old Ben Mine No. 11 had a bad explosion, killing 17, in November of 1917. Ventilation was good at the working faces, but gas would accumulate behind stoppings. Factors that contributed to the mines’ problems were open flames in miners lamps and coal dust that would promulgate the explosion throughout the mine. The open flames in the miners lamps were a known hazard, but the introduction of closed lamps caused serious labor antagonism, since the lamps only provided about 2 candlepower of illumination. The gradual development of 100-candlepower lamps eased acceptance of the battery-powered lights. Rock dusting required development also, although the process was known in 1917. Lime dust was often too coarse to apply effectively, highway dust was tried, but it became wet in the mine. Old Ben Coal Company worked aggressively to develop a shale dust and this was used from 1918 until 1928, when lime rock dust became available in paper bags. (John E. Jones, 1954 Coal Report, pages 143-145). Gas explosions killed 375 miners in Franklin County. The worst explosion was in 1951 in the Orient No. 2 Mine, mine index 1951, killing 119. Natural hazards also took down mines, a 1912 tornado destroyed the top works of the Possum Ridge Mine (mine index 0421).

The Herrin Coal was very thick in Franklin County, over 12 feet in some locations. Orient No. 2 Mine (mine index 0366) established a world record of 15,174 tons in 8 hours in 1943.

Old Ben No. 14 (mine index 0665) and Old Ben No. 24 (mine index 0866) had several large faults passing through the workings. These faults are part of the Rend Lake Fault Zone, and had offsets up to 55 feet. For details on the Rend Lake Fault System, see ISGS Circular 513, noted in the Reference section on page 8 of this report.

Map and Directory PDF Download

Coal Mines In Illinois West Frankfort Quadrangle

Mines that Appear on the West Frankfort Quadrangle

	Combined	County
0051	Dering Coal Company, Dering No. 11 Mine Brazil Block Coal Company, Brazil Block No. 11 Mine By-Products Coal Corporation, By-Products No. 19 Mine Industrial Coal Company, Industrial No. 19 Mine Peabody Coal Company, Peabody No. 19 Mine Producers Coal Company, Producers No. 19 Mine	Franklin
0052	Hart-Williams Coal Company, Hart-Williams No. 1 Mine Taylor Collieries Company, Taylor No. 6 Mine Benton Coal Mining Company, Benton No. 2 Mine Chicago, Wilmington and Franklin Coal Company, Hart-Williams Mine Chicago, Wilmington and Franklin Coal Company, Benton No. 2 Mine	Franklin
0139	Middle Fork Mining Company, Middle Fork Mine United States Fuel Company, Middle Fork Mine	Franklin
0143	Wilmington Star Mining Company, Wilmington Star No. 8 Mine Ohio Valley Mining Company, Ohio Valley Mine Old Ben Coal Corporation, Old Ben No. 8 Mine	Franklin Williamson
0256	Dering Coal Company, Dering No. 18 Mine Brazil Block Coal Company, Brazil Block No. 18 Mine By-Products Coke Corporation, By-Products No. 18 Mine Peabody Coal Company, Peabody No. 18 Mine Industrial Coal Company, Industrial No. 18 Mine Producers Coal Company, Producers No. 18 Mine	Franklin
0366	Orient Number Two Coal Company, Orient No. 2 Mine Chicago, Wilmington and Franklin Coal Company, New Orient Mine	Franklin
0421	Taylor Mining Company, Possum Ridge Mine Taylor Coal Corporation, Taylor No. 5 Mine Franklin County Coal Corporation, Energy No. 5 Mine Southern Illinois Coal and Coke Company, Possum Ridge Mine	Franklin Williamson
0428	Old Ben Coal Corporation, Old Ben No. 15 Mine	Franklin Williamson
0432	Benton Coal Company, Benton No. 1 Mine Chicago, Wilmington and Franklin Coal Company, Benton No. 1 Mine	Franklin
0433	West Frankfort Coal Company, West, West Frankfort No. 1 Mine Southern Gem Coal Corporation, Southern Gem No. 1 Mine Brewerton Coal Company, Brewerton No. 21 Mine West Frankfort Coal Company, West Frankfort No. 21 Mine West Mine Coal Corporation, West No. 21 Mine Frankfort Coal Company, Frankfort No. 21 Mine Southern Illinois Coal Company, Southern Illinois No. 21 Mine	Franklin
0448	Old Ben Coal Corporation, Old Ben No. 9 Mine	Williamson Franklin
0505	Chicago, Wilmington and Vermilion Coal Company, Chicago, Wilmington and Vermilion Mine Chicago, Wilmington and Franklin Coal Company, Orient No. 1 Mine	Franklin
0665	United Coal Mining Company, United No. 2 Mine United Coal Corporation, United No. 2 Mine Old Ben Coal Corporation, Old Ben No. 14 Mine	Franklin
0847	Freeman Coal Mining Corporation, Orient No. 5 Mine	Franklin
0866	Old Ben Coal Corporation, Old Ben No. 24 Mine	Franklin
0962	Old Ben Coal Corporation, Old Ben No. 25 Mine	Franklin Williamson

Unlocated Mines

Franklin County

	Combined	City

Pages in category "West Frankfort Quadrangle"

The following 34 pages are in this category, out of 34 total.

Media in category "West Frankfort Quadrangle"

The following 62 files are in this category, out of 62 total.

M-825 Coop 17 fig 26 broken sidewalk tilted pole Old Ben 8 - 8ft coal at 450ft.jpg 2,544 × 4,340; 1.07 MB
M-992 Coop 17 Fig 40 trestle 1.5ft submine.jpg 2,500 × 1,460; 366 KB
M-993 Old Ben 8 mine W Frankfort rt end 4ft lower.jpg 2,500 × 1,440; 509 KB
M-994 Old Ben 8 mine W Frankfort Coop 17 Fig 47 rt end 4ft lower.jpg 2,500 × 1,397; 379 KB
M0051 coalreport 1908.pdf 629 × 970; 86 KB
M0051 minenotes.pdf 733 × 1,202, 15 pages; 3.55 MB
M0052 coalreport 1908.pdf 629 × 970; 70 KB
M0052 minenotes.pdf 727 × 1,200, 21 pages; 5.15 MB
M0139 coalreport 1914.pdf 825 × 1,264; 568 KB
M0139 minenotes.pdf 739 × 1,193, 19 pages; 5.3 MB
M0143 coalreport 1910.pdf 583 × 943, 2 pages; 194 KB
M0143 coalreport 1921.pdf 847 × 1,310; 1.65 MB
M0143 coalreport 1924.pdf 635 × 997; 69 KB
M0143 coalreport 1947.pdf 1,270 × 902, 2 pages; 415 KB
M0143 coalreport1929 p190.pdf 639 × 1,000; 985 KB
M0143 minenotes.pdf 733 × 1,202, 22 pages; 5.95 MB
M0256 coalreport 1907p329.pdf 587 × 966; 90 KB
M0256 coalreport 1908p347.pdf 629 × 970; 85 KB
M0256 coalreport 1909p374.pdf 1,606 × 1,241; 413 KB
M0256 coalreport 1917p252.pdf 602 × 991; 81 KB
M0256 coalreport 1928.pdf 656 × 979, 2 pages; 113 KB
M0256 minenotes.pdf 733 × 1,202, 6 pages; 1.6 MB
M0366 coalreport 1923p270.pdf 625 × 997; 56 KB
M0366 coalreport 1926p205.pdf 639 × 1,016; 65 KB
M0366 coalreport 1943p152.pdf 625 × 1,016; 72 KB
M0366 coalreport 1947p175.pdf 902 × 1,270; 1.15 MB
M0366 minenotes.pdf 733 × 1,202, 28 pages; 7.03 MB
M0421 coalreport 1908p348.pdf 629 × 970; 70 KB
M0421 coalreport 1909p370.pdf 1,591 × 1,229; 394 KB
M0421 fieldnotes.pdf 752 × 1,200, 8 pages; 745 KB
M0421 minenotes.pdf 733 × 1,202, 27 pages; 7.03 MB
M0428 minenotes.pdf 733 × 1,202, 16 pages; 3.91 MB
M0432 coalreport 1917.pdf 602 × 991; 79 KB
M0432 minenotes.pdf 739 × 1,193, 14 pages; 3.81 MB
M0433 coalreport 1910.pdf 583 × 943; 80 KB
M0433 minenotes.pdf 733 × 1,202, 5 pages; 1.19 MB
M0505 coalreport 1913p246.pdf 793 × 1,187; 1.46 MB
M0505 minenotes.pdf 733 × 1,202, 18 pages; 4.67 MB
M0665 coalreport 1912.pdf 795 × 1,241, 4 pages; 13.25 MB
M0665 minenotes.pdf 739 × 1,193, 15 pages; 4.12 MB
M0847 minenotes.pdf 733 × 1,202, 46 pages; 12.6 MB
M0866 minenotes.pdf 739 × 1,193, 26 pages; 6.65 MB
M0962 minenotes.pdf 731 × 1,202, 39 pages; 10.26 MB
M2070 coalreport 1917p249.pdf 602 × 991; 92 KB
M2070 minenotes.pdf 739 × 1,193, 15 pages; 3.76 MB
Orient No 2 0001.jpg 3,996 × 2,737; 1.34 MB
Orient No 2 0002.jpg 3,980 × 2,782; 1.07 MB
Orient No 2 0003.jpg 2,650 × 1,832; 662 KB
Orient No 2 0004.jpg 2,619 × 1,867; 478 KB
Orient No 2 0005.jpg 2,607 × 1,861; 513 KB
Orient No 2 0006.jpg 2,613 × 1,843; 511 KB
Orient No 2 0007.jpg 2,613 × 1,837; 484 KB
Orient No 2 0008.jpg 2,631 × 1,819; 497 KB
Orient No 2 0009.jpg 2,199 × 1,756; 554 KB
Orient No 2 0010.jpg 2,400 × 1,977; 521 KB
Orient No 2 0011.jpg 2,220 × 1,784; 515 KB
Orient No 2 0012.jpg 2,231 × 1,802; 423 KB
Orient No 2 0013.jpg 1,700 × 2,187; 448 KB
Orient No 2 0014.jpg 2,152 × 1,591; 369 KB
Orient No 2 0015.jpg 2,225 × 1,814; 419 KB
Orient No 2 0016.jpg 2,213 × 1,831; 343 KB
Orient No 2 0017.jpg 1,995 × 1,364; 257 KB