In 1936, rumors began circulating in the southern anthracite coal fields that the tunnel at the Short Mountain Colliery, located at Bear Gap, north of Lykens and Wiconisco, would be re-opened, sparking a rebirth of economic opportunity at that location. A brief article appeared on the front page of the Lykens Standard on May 22, 1936, which reported the rumor and gave some of the history of the closure:
OLD TUNNEL MAY BE REOPENED
The possibility of reopening the “old tunnel” on Short Mountain has struck again a spark in local enthusiasm. Though there is no definite information obtainable as to who will open the tunnel, nor when, still rumor persists that it will open.
The tunnel was the first operation of the Susquehanna Coal Company’s in Lykens to close. On that memorable day of February 7, 1931, operation at the tunnel ceased. It was followed by the closing of the mines, the dissolution of the colliery, and the total abandonment of the operations here.
The tunnel is the one white ash vein in the Lykens section of Short Mountain. It would be the cheapest operation to reopen. There is high hopes held that the persistent rumors are true. The operation would hire approximately a hundred and seventy five men.
This happened during the height of the Great Depression. Coal had already begun to “slide” as an economic force. Alternatives were being promoted, such as oil and gas, both of which burned cleaner than coal, and both of which were cheaper to produce. The collieries began feeling the effects of the costs of deep mining, and with the labor movement gaining strength, government regulations provided some added safety for the miners, but the mine owners grumbled about the added costs. As the collieries closed, there was increased interest in “bootleg” mining.
But the rumors of the reopening of the Bear Gap operation were unfounded. The colliery was never reopened.
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News article from Newspapers.com.
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