Fotomoto

Sunday, March 31, 2019

Echoes of Elvira

Mining at this site may have begun as early as 1865, at the end of the American Civil War. A man by the name of Billy Gould was one of the early prospectors in the area. The coal mine at Elvira was serviced by a spur off the L&N mainline.

I could find very little information on Elvira, aside from the fact that this mine did exist. I set out to find evidence of the mine.

Elvira Map

Foundation

A concrete foundation that once supported rails leading to the tipple just over the hill. I was probably very close to the old mine portal at this point.

Stud

Coal Pile

A mound of coal refuse on the hill just above the concrete foundation. The mound looked like it had been placed there relatively recently. It was too well shaped and free of debris to have been left for over 70 years.

Coal Texture

Elvira Pit

Remains of another structure further to the north, beyond the tipple and rail spur.

Elvira2015-1

Map of Elvira area in 2015.

Elvira 2018

Map of Elvira area in 2018. Today, the Elvira area is being developed into a luxury home community. The homes cost more than I earn in 25 years, and the lower lying land has been flooded by damming Martin Brook. Thankfully, the Elvira Mine itself remains undisturbed, but signage indicates the area is owned by the Riverwoods development company.

Songo Mine

Woodward Iron Company operated the Songo slope mine on Red Mountain. The mine opened sometime after 1880, when the Alice Furnace began operation. In 1917, TCI gained control over the northern railroad on Red Mountain, creating difficulties for Woodward's Songo ore mine. Their solution was to drop a 384 foot deep shaft directly into the existing mine workings below. This working became known as the Redding shaft. This shaft allowed Woodward to extract ore on the south side of Red Mountain, and use rail track on that side of the mountain to deliver their ore.

Today, the Songo mine portal is visible but blocked with a gate. You can visit the portal in Red Mountain Park by hiking up the mountain above the Redding Hoist House.

No Entry

The Mine

Looking into the mine, you can see rails inside.

The Office

Office structure close to the Songo poral.

Doorway

Tuna Can

Ruins of a structure that may have house pumps or other equipment for the Songo mine.

Grate Window

Your Friends

The View

Antenna

Abandoned microwave horn antennas, left at the base of a tower close to the Songo mine.

Inside is Foam

The inside of the antennas were lined with acoustic foam.

Saturday, March 30, 2019

Redding/Wenonah Mine No.10

In 1879, the Alice Furnaces Company opened and work began on the Alice Furnace near downtown Birmingham. in 1880, the Redding mine was opened to feed the new furnace. A few years later, TCI purchased Alice Furnace Company. TCI later renamed the mine to No.10. In 1956, after 76 years of ore production, the mine was finally closed. Eventually, the mine portal was sealed with a concrete plug, then buried.

No. 10

Ishkooda #10 Mine Portal

Do Not Descend

Today, the mine portal has been dug out and opened, but has a gate installed to prevent entry.

Slope Bottom

The view down the slope. The slope is flooded before any side cuts are visible.

The Tynes Machine

There is a Hardie-Tynes compressor near the mine portal, which presumably supplied power for air tools to the miners. Historical aerial photos only show a concrete foundation where this compressor now sits, so I am unsure if it has always been here, or if it was recently placed as a historical exhibit.

Hardie-Tynes

Hardie-Tynes was a Birmingham based company founded in 1895. They finally closed in 2016.

Temperature

The thermometer still works today, some 70+ years later.

Twelve

Lines

Power Up

Rotation Lost

The Output

Red Texture

The Hardie-Tynes Device

The Compressor

Screwed

Lubricator

HT

Spinner No More

The Take-Out

Looking down the slope toward the mine portal.

Railbed

Peak Structure

The Door

The Trail

A trail leading to the northeast, toward Woodward's Songo mine.

Spooled

Long Pipe

This long pipe was laid across the surface of the mountain, leading from the No.10 mine, in the general direction of the Songo mine. Perhaps it was to take water out of the No.10 mine?

Structure

Structure foundations left behind below the No.10 mine.

Behind

Under

Deposit

Benders

Urban Formations Ground Up

Roomy

Grate

Urban Formations

Floral