U. S. Coal & Coke Company, Gary No. 6 : By Buddy French :
In 1902, U. S. Steel Corporations newly formed subsidiary company, U. S. Coal & Coke Company, began an ambitious project in McDowell County West Virginia in what would famously become known as the Heart of the Nation's Coalbin. One of the new coal company's twelve major mining complexes was in an area that was soon to become known as Gary Hollow and was 8.5 miles south of Welch, the county seat. The new mine was designated as the Gary No.6 mine and was located on Mont Murphy Branch which was on the west side of Sand Lick Creek and its supporting community was given the name Ream.
The Gary No.6 west side mine's original coal lease consisted of 2,915 acres in the Pocahontas No.4 coal seam and averaged six feet four inches in height. The mine complex had a large coking operation with 308 coke ovens, but those coke ovens were shut down in 1921 when the steel miles began coking the coal. The No.6 mine was a big operation, requiring a large number of employees. In 1936, your author's grandfather was killed there in a slate fall and your authors own father went to work there as an outside laborer in 1939 when the workforce had reached 873 employees. The No.6 west side mine reached its peak employment level in 1942 with 1,047 employees. By the mid 1950's, the No.6 west side mine had robbed all the coal from its lease and a new No.6 east side mine was opened on the left side of Sand Lick Creek.
Many thanks to Alex Schust and his book "Gary Hollow" where this and much more historical information can be found on the Gary No. 6 mine.
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