Conditions Governing Reproduction and Use

The copyright status of this collection is unknown. Copyright restrictions may apply. Contact Special Collections and University Archives for assistance in determining the use of these materials.

Reproduction or digitization of materials for personal or research use can be requested using our reproduction/digitization form: http://bit.ly/scuareproduction . Reproduction or digitization of materials for publication or exhibit use can be requested using our publication/exhibition form: http://bit.ly/scuapublication . Please contact Special Collections and University Archives (specref@vt.edu or 540-231-6308) if you need assistance with forms or to submit a completed form.

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open to research.

Preferred Citation

Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information: [identification of item], [box], [folder], Big Vein Anthracite Collieries Records, Ms1990-014, Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Va.

Source of Acquisition

The Big Vein Anthracite Collieries Records were donated to Special Collections in 1990.

Processing Information

The processing, arrangement and description of the Big Vein Collieries Records commenced and was completed in October 2009.

Administrative History

Superior Anthracite Coal Company, headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland, began developing the Big Vein Mine near McCoy (Montgomery County), Virginia, around 1919. One of the largest mine operations in Montgomery County, the Big Vein employed more than 300 miners at its peak in the 1930s. The mine continued to operate until 1954, but complete shutdown did not occur until 1958.

Scope and Content

This collection contains two bound volumes of daily fire boss reports for Big Vein Anthracite Collieries--owned by Superior Anthracite Coal Company--in McCoy (Montgomery County), Virginia. Each report records the date and time of mine inspection and notes conditions found by the fire boss. The reports are signed by fire bosses J. M. Albert (1926-1927) and C. D. McCoy (1929-1931) and countersigned by mine foreman D. E. Stanton. Most of the reports simply record the favorable condition of the mines in a single sentence, though a number record the presence of gas and action taken to clear it.

Arrangement

The collection is arranged chronologically.

Related Material

Subsequent fire boss reports for Big Vein Anthracite Collieries may be found in Superior Anthracite Mines Fire Boss Reports, Ms2009-131 .

Subjects and Indexing Terms

• Big Vein Anthracite Colleries
• Local/Regional History and Appalachian South
• Montgomery County (Va.)

Rights Statement for Archival Description

The guide to the Big Vein Anthracite Collieries Records by Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech, is licensed under a CC0 ( https://creativecommons.org/share-your-work/public-domain/cc0/ ).