The major mining operations that employed large numbers of men were on the other side of Short Mountain from Gratz and Lykens Township. But getting there was quite a feat. There were no roads over Short Mountain, so the men had to go around the long way – over to the Crossroads, turning east at Loyalton, and then head toward Lykens and Wiconisco where the “official” mine entrances were located. This was time consuming and involved coordinating wagons and teams of horses before dawn to get the men to work on time, and, as well on the return trip at night.
It is not known when the Gratz area miners began using a mine air shaft on the north side of Short Mountain. To get to the air shaft, miners had to walk south across the Cold Stream and through the woods and up the north face of the mountain to the air shaft. From there, they climbed down a long ladder to the level where they were expected to work. In the evening, the process was reversed. The men who did this claimed that to took about an hour each way, but it was easier and less expensive than going around the mountain.
The photograph of the “Air Shaft” opening on the Gratz side of Short Mountain shows that the opening was narrow, and the descent was dangerous.
Corrections and additional information should be added as comments to this post.
I’m curious if this shaft is still open, and where it is located. I had heard stories about this when I was young but never knew its whereabouts.