The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1950-04-20
KEMPTON mine
CLOSES after SO
YEARS OPERATION
Machinery Being RemOved-21S
or More Thrown Out of Work

Maryland's largest coal mine, the
Kempton mine of the Davis Coal and
Coke company closed permanently
Saturday night, throwing 21S or more
persons out of work.
About 20 Of the men employed by
the mine are helping to remove
about $4,000 worth of equipment
from the mechanical mine, according
to E. j. Hemingway, superintendent.
Kempton's only store, the Buxton
and Landstreet company department
store, also closed Saturday. 1t en-
ployed seven persons.
At one time Kempton was con-
sidered the prettiest and cleanest
mining town through the entire COM
pany's holdings.
The closing of the 1900 ton-a-day
mine followed the shutdown of the
Johnstown Coal and Coke company
mine at Vindex a few weeks ago and
the Wolf Den mine at Shallmar early
in 1919.
The Garrett County Board of Com
missioners this week prepared a reso-
luton asking that the Labor Depart
ment of the federal government place
Garrett county on the list of critical
areas, due to the large unemployment
problem among the mining popula-
ton
Stephen Canonico, Thomas, w. Va,
general manager of the company,
stated that the shutdown has resulted
from the loss of markets in Eastern
cities. The Kempton mine could not
compete in an open market due to
high production costs, he stated. He
added that many customers had
changed to other types of fuel.
The Kempton mine was 80 years old
and the company's largest operation,
including mines at Thomas and
Pierce, W. Va.
Approximately so families live in
Kempton and practically everybody
worked for the coal company. The
town grew up after the mines open
ing in 1912. Lewis w. Duling, oldest
person in point of service, went to
Kempton in July, 1918 and managed
the commissary while the shaft was
being constructed. He later was en-
ployed in the company store as clerk,
meat cutter and manager, resigning
in January, 1919. J. w. Murphy, Elk
Garden, who still works, was the first
store manager, and George Roberts,
general superintendent of Bethlehem
steel company, Johnstown, Pa, was
the mines first superintendent. H.
c. Trenton, LaVale, retired, was the
first office clerk for the mine. The
late George Sturgiss, Miss Elizabeth
Leary, Oakland, and Mrs. Stella Glib
son Leymour, Washington, d. c.,
were among the first school teachers
there. Information on these older per-
sons was furnished by Mrs. Duling,
Kempton correspondent.
Charles L. Briner, manager of the
Oakland office of the Department of
Employment Security, said that al
though many of the affected miners
live in West Virginia the mine is To-
Gated in Maryland and its former en-
ployes are eligible to draw compensa-
ton from this state. About 40 percent
of the mines personnel live in Kemp
ton, the balance are residents of
Thomas, Davis, Parsons, w. Va, and
the Deer Park area in this county.
The superintendent estimated it
would take from four to six weeks to
sal~age mine equipment.
Vol White, As while returning to
his home after having completed his
last work at the Kempton mine at
1890 Saturday night, was seriously
injured when he was run over by a
truck, said to have been operated by
Nick Pernickifer.
White suffered broken ribs, a
cracked vertebrae and several deep
cuts. He is a patient in Davis Me
mortal hospital Elkins,