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Cameron Mine Washery
1 2016-04-22T20:14:33-07:00 Todd Antonson f2c5382518f1bdddfdaa97d66553fd32d6161735 7433 1 A Photograph of The Cameron Mine Washery from the CF&I Archives plain 2016-04-22T20:14:33-07:00 Todd Antonson f2c5382518f1bdddfdaa97d66553fd32d6161735This page is referenced by:
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Cameron Coal Mine (Robinson No. 4)
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OverviewLocation: Huerfano County, ColoradoYears of Operation: 1892 ? -1946Total Production (tons): 6,376,120
Also known as : Robinson #4 after April 1st, 1931.
History
The Cameron Mine was opened prior to the Incorporation of the Colorado Fuel and Iron Company under the Colorado Coal and Iron Company, but a specific date when the mine was first opened has so far not been able to be corroborated. However in the first annual report of the first eight months after the incorporation of CF&I Cameron is listed as a producing coal mine.
The Cameron mine was named after James Cameron, who was a manager for the CC&I company who died in 1881. The Cameron Mine was located along the main line of the C&S railroad just south of Walsenburg and adjacent to the Old Walsen Mine. The Cameron was situated at an elevation of six thousand and three hundred and fifty feet above sea level.
The Colorado Fuel and Iron Company established the Company Town of Farr in 1907 which operated as the base location for employees of the Cameron Mine. The Company town of Farr at its height consisted of one hundred and seventeen homes for employees, a bathhouse, water supply, schools and YMCA clubhouse. Of course there was Also a CSCo store opened in Farr September 7th of 1907.
The Cameron mine originally operated upon the Cameron Coal seam which was three and a half feet thick with a pitch angle of six degrees south , southwest. Over time however the Cameron Mine began to mine from the Walsen Seam which was forty feet higher with an average thickness of seven and a half feet of good quality Bituminous coal.
In 1917, CF&I opened up Cameron #2 which was also known as Globe slope which they leased through the National Fuel company. Cameron #2's coal was processed through Cameron's washery and tipple. Both Cameron #1&2 produced commercial grade coal and steam coal, of which sixty six percent was sold, and the remainder was used at company plants. The Cameron #1 mine on average produced one thousand two hundred tons of coal per day.
Long-wall mining methods were employed initially however were eventually replaced by the room and pillar method. Around 1927 nearly three fourths of all mining at the Cameron was mechanical using Sullivan machines for under cutting while paired with permissible explosives. The remainder was mined by hand and hauled out by Mules.
The Cameron mine was considered a gassy mine and to avoid the hazards of explosion or poison air a Jeffery exhaust fan was employed which circulated sixty eight thousand cubic feet of air per minute. The Mine at that time employed two hundred and ten people, however earlier the number had been as high as three hundred. The Mine and company store both closed in 1946.
