Oriole Mine Explained

Oriole Mine
Settlement Type:Place
Pushpin Map:USA Kentucky#USA
Pushpin Label:Oriole Mine
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name:United States
Subdivision Type1:State
Subdivision Name1:Kentucky
Subdivision Type2:County
Subdivision Name2:Hopkins
Timezone:Central (CST)
Utc Offset:-6
Timezone Dst:CST
Utc Offset Dst:-5
Elevation Ft:397
Coordinates:37.2978°N -87.5703°W
Postal Code Type:ZIP codes
Blank Name:FIPS code
Blank1 Name:GNIS feature ID
Blank1 Info:508756

Oriole is a place located in Hopkins County, Kentucky, United States. The origin of the name Oriole is unknown, and the place never had a post-office. Oriole is located four miles south-west of Madisonville, on Clear Creek.[1]

Oriole might be mentioned in the Mott the Hoople song "All the Way from Memphis" written by Ian Hunter,[2] as a result of guitarist Mick Ralphs' guitar being sent there by accident.[3] [4]

Oriole mine

Oriole was home to the Oriole mine owned by the Bell and Zoller Coal and Mining Company.[5] The roof of the mine was very weak shale.[6] Roof bolting to secure the slate roof of the mine began in 1950. In 1952 a man was killed at the mine in a slate-fall.[7] In 1954 a loader-operator was badly burned in a methane explosion at the mine.[8] The output of the mine in 1959 was 747,313 tons of coal, making it one of the top ten coal-producing mines in Hopkins county.[9] In April 1966 the mine was the site of an unsanctioned walk-out by workers striking in protest at the failure of the mine-owners to negotiate a new contract.[10] [11] In early August 1966 another strike began at the mine over seniority rights.[12] Talks were held in Madisonville to resolve the strike.[13] In 1967 the mine was the site of a major fire that began when a cable short-circuited in a bore-hole.[14]

The mine was active through the 1950s[15] and 1960s but closed in the early 1970s. In 2012 the Kentucky Division of Abandoned Mine Lands began planning the redevelopment of the former site of the mine.[16]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Oriole, Kentucky . Kyatlas.com . Kentucky Atlas & Gazetteer . 8 November 2020.
  2. Web site: Wawzenek . Bryan . Top 10 Road Songs . Ultimate Classic Rock . 8 November 2020 . 21 December 2013.
  3. Web site: Suwak . Jeff . Oriole, Kentucky All The Way From Memphis by Mott the Hoople . Songfacts . 8 November 2020 . 16 June 2020.
  4. Book: Harris . John . Hail! Hail! Rock'n'roll: The Ultimate Guide to the Music, the Myths and the Madness . 7 Jan 2010 . Hatchette UK . 978-0748114863 . Chapter 3 . 8 November 2020.
  5. Book: Maxwell . William Bruce . Public and Industrial Water Supplies of the Western Coal Region, Kentucky . 1954 . Volume 339 of Geological Survey circular . 29 . 8 November 2020.
  6. Book: Information Circular, Volumes 204-209, Canada Mines Branch . 1968 . Queen's Printer and Controller of Stationery . 50 . 8 November 2020.
  7. News: Slate Fall Fatal . 8 November 2020 . The Courier-Journal . 28 December 1952 . 6.
  8. Book: Annual Report of the Department of Mines and Minerals . 1954 . Kentucky. Department of Mines and Minerals . 17 . 8 November 2020.
  9. Book: Natcher . William H. . Coalfield's output hits record 29,401,573 . 1 June 1960 . Congressional Record: Proceedings and Debates of the US Congress . A4651–A4652 . 8 November 2020.
  10. News: COAL MINERS STRIKE OVER NEW CONTRACT . 8 November 2020 . Adirondack daily enterprise . 11 April 1966 . 1.
  11. News: Soft-Coal Mines Closed By Strike . 8 November 2020 . Manchester Evening Herald . 11 April 1966 . 1–4 . Nb. - the piece say Madisonville W. Va but this is clearly incorrect as there is no Oriole mine there.
  12. News: Coal Strike In Hopkins Continues . 8 November 2020 . The Paducah Sun . 2 August 1966.
  13. News: Peabody Coal Strike Settlement Expected . 8 November 2020 . The Ohio County . 4 August 1966.
  14. Book: Annual Report of the Department of Mines and Minerals, Commonwealth of Kentucky . 1967 . Kentucky. Dept. of Mines and Minerals . 111 . 8 November 2020.
  15. Book: Coal Mine Modernization: Year book . 1953 . American Mining Congress . 27–33 . 8 November 2020.
  16. Web site: ORIOLE MINE . Ky.gov An Official Website of the Commonwealth of Kentucky . Commonwealth of Kentucky Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet . 8 November 2020.

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