Estevan Sask Truax traer Coal Mining page

This Company started in Columbus, Burke Co., ND ca 1920
Founder, Elmer Merton Truax, (1873-1936), son of Newton Curly Truax.
His brother Arthur Harlan "Harold" Truax (1889-1963) joined him in the business.
After Elmer's early death, Harold ran the business till his death.

Found an internet article that stated:
"1908-1917 Truax opened underground Lignite mine in Divide Co., ND.
200 employees, 10 railroad cars /day shipped."
so it appears he was working in this area as early as 1908, underground.
They operated under the Truax name alone in the early years

I found a picture online titled "Truax Mine 1912 Noonan ND".
So we know they were underground mining,
in Noonan as early as 1912 for sure.
picture shows small tipple, Great Northern rail cars,
and 3 underground rail, mine coal cars in front,
one numbered 60.
In the picture are around 50 miners.
taken by Nelsons studio, Noonan, ND

found another article online that describes the early Strip Mining procedure.
"The operations which led to the modern lignite stripping industry
began just prior to 1919 when the Whittier Coal Co. and the Truax Brothers
began stripping lignite in Kincaid, Burke Co. ND,
with horse drawn elevating graders,
and horse drawn dump wagons.
The wagons were used to dispose of overburden
and haul lignite to the tipple.
The first power equipment used to strip lignite in ND
was put into service by the Truax Brothers in 1919.
This was a 1 1/2 cu yard steam shovel,
which replaced the elevating graders,
for loading overburden into the dump wagons.
The same shovel was used to load lignite into narrow gauge pit cars,
which were hauled to the tipple by steam locomotives. "

The start of "Strip mining for coal", rather than "Underground mining",
Elevator Graders were used.
Elevating graders were first invented ca1880's
pulled by usually 2 rows, 4 each, by horses, or mules, originally,
later steam traction tractors,
then finally crawler tractors pulled these huge steel units.
1 teamster on the front for the horses,
another man on the back to adjust height and angle of cutting blade.
Machine consisted of a cutting blade, or disk,
set on an angle to the direction of travel.
which directed the overburden, or lignite coal, once overburden was removed,
onto a conveyor belt, raised on outside end,
the conveyor portion was extended out 90 deg, to the direction of travel.
The conveyor dumped the overburden into horse drawn dump wagons,
which followed on the side of the unit.
The conveyors were run by chain or gear drive,
from the running wheels, later gas engines were used.
Russell Grader Manufacturing of Minneapolis MN
was one of the early companies making these, founded in 1903.
They used a gas driven conveyor belt.
Caterpillar bought them out in 1928.
J. D. Adams was another Company at the time, making Elevating graders.

Origins of the Truax-Traer business, and family
were harder to trace than my own family tree.
Here is what I have found so far.

Truax Coal Company was formed as early as 1908
by Elmer Merton Truax in North Dakota
His brother, Arthur Harlan Truax (Known as Harold Truax)
joined him in the business

Between 1920 and 1925 Harold Truax
Harold went into partnership with Glenn Wood Traer
Strip mining took big investment to buy these big stripping machines
Truax brothers had the idea of doing strip mining,
and Traer had the money

In 1930 this American Company, Truax-Traer Coal Co.,
bought out the Big Lump Coal Co.
LSD 4.
Section 27- Township 2- Range 8- West of the 2nd Meridian
Their mine was very close to the first Pioneer Cemetery,
South-East of Estevan SK., near the old Brick Plant.

1930 they bought the mine at Wilton ND, and did the same there
as they did in Estevan, started strip mining,
and putting many underground miners out of work.

Guy L. Scott was a Representative of the Truax Traer Company
in Winnipeg for 19 years
at the time of his Obituary here, Nov 20, 1944,
he was Manager of Coal Sellers Company Ltd.
in Saskatoon SK.
Coal Sellers Company Ltd. head office was in Calgary AB
they also had an office in Edmonton AB
R. B. Bennett, Prime Minister, 1930-35, was a shareholder in this company
John I. McFarlane, Calgary AB. was President of the Co. at least in 1940 and 1941.
John McFarlane was previously with the Canadian Wheat Board ca 1931.
In 1931 he was part of what was called the Northern Syndicate
with R. B. Bennett, and Pat Burns, of Burns Meat fame.

Sept 1930 newspaper article describes the mine
as 1 1/2 miles east of Estevan.
All along the south edge of the mine is a deep ravine.
South of the mine was the Dominion Electric Company plant.
They had an artesian well, tipple, and the railway.
From the valley the mine lies to the north.
The hills rise about 40 feet, and that is where the big shovel
was set to do it's work. working north to another ravine
on the extreme north of the property.
Covering of the coal was on average 32 feet.
Under this a seam of 10-12 feet deep.
Top covering contained lots of gravel
and this was to be sold for use on local roads.
Mine property was level and contained 1600 acres.
Where the tipple was, they dug up remains of prehistoric animals.

In 1943 I thought Truax Traer sold their Estevan mine to Coal Sellers Company Ltd.
But Elmer's grandson Bill tells me the Government Nationalized
the Coal Mine and they were forced to sell out.
I think they were used to manage and sell the coal.
So now we know the end of the Truax Traer connection to Estevan

In the Mar 24, 1939 Leader-Post
they reported the sale to or merger of the Truax-Traer Coal Co
with Great West Coal Co.
They were going to use the big shovel from the Truax Mine
to the Taylorton field, where they were going to start strip mining.
Sale of the Truax-Traer mine was going to result
in a loss of Office Staff jobs in Regina.

In 1950 Truax-Traer Coal Company, a corporation engaged in production,
distribution and sale of coal, desiring to acquire Binkley and Pyramid mines in IL,
offered to take over the stock of the two companies

In 1955 this company was #491 on the Fortune 500 list
Company head at one time was Harold Truax,
Home Office was In Illinois, USA.

in 1956 they applied to SEC to offer a stock option plan to employees
of 19,200 shares, at $1 per share, to it's own employees
and it's subsidiary, Little Sister Coal Corp. employees

1961- Truax-Traer Coal files Stock Plan.
Truax-Traer Coal Company, 111 North Wabash Avenue, Chicago.
filed a registration statement (File 2-18647) with the SEC on August 7th
seeking registration of $800,000 of participations
in the Employees Stock purchase Incentive plan
and 20,000 shares of common stock which may be acquired pursuant thereto.

Listed as one of top 10 depression stocks
+30,500% return from 1932-1954
not a bad profit!

Truax-Traer are still big time owners and operators
in the Coal Industry,
holding the 16 leases in North Dakota..
They were in West Virginian, Georgia,
and Minnesota, etc etc. as well.

They owned mines in Kincaid, Hazen, Garrison, and Velva, ND,
in Jackson Co., IL, in Kanawha Co,
1942, 1953, Fiatt IL
found a Pyramid Mine, Red Fox Mine,
Truax-Traer no1 in Jackson Co IL
#1 Drift and #1 Strip in Elkville Il,
Cabin Creek mine, WV,
Little Sister Mine Company,
all owned by Truax-Traer

From a ND school book-
Harold and Elmer Truax led the way in surface mining,
and by 1930 were operating 4 surface mines at Kincaid, Velva, and Wilton.

Over decades of Coal Company acquisitions by Truax-Traer Coal Co.
They themselves were taken over by a bigger boy on the block,
the Consolidation Coal Company,
and became a Division of Consolidation Coal Company.
Jan 23, 1962 the announcement was made
to consolidate the 2 companies

Based on all accounts, it was this company
moving into the area, that really lit the fuse
for the Black Tuesday Riot.
Can't stop progress, but in this case,
it couldn't have come at a worst time,
and again was possibly a plan behind it,
to break the formation of a Union in the area.
Can just imagine how many jobs were lost to
this shovel below, compared to loading by hand.

TRUAX-TRAER Photo ca-1925 per caption
First Open Pit Mine in the Souris coal Fields
Supplied Coal to the Estevan Generating Station
I think 1930 is the correct date for this mine,
at least under the Truax-Traer name.

Picture above shows the loading shovel in action,
a small brother of the big Stripping shovel, which is in the picture below.
To further insure only good clean coal being loaded,
a gang of men would sweep the surface clean
with steel brooms immediately in front of the loading shovel.
This shovel above is a 42-B Bucyrus-Erie Electric shovel
with a bucket capacity of 1 1/2 cubic yards.
Three dumps fill one four-ton pit car,
the entire train of ten cars being loaded in less than 10 minutes.

Their advertising claimed this procedure, was an important factor
in insuring prompt service on "Monogram" Coal.
Truax-Traer Coal Company Ltd.- Estevan Sask.

Truax-Traer's Bucyrus Erie 320B Stripper Shovel
Picture taken by Rose Gesell
Sign on side below

Picture taken ca1930
This Shovel was brought into the area
in 1930, and was equipped with a 8 yard bucket
It was the start of Strip Mining in the area,
and the end of underground coal mining up to that date.
It was also the catalyst that activated the strike
and eventual riot in 1931
The Estevan Museum has obtained what I believe
is this shovel for display beside the museum.

Founded in Bucyrus, Ohio,
the Bucyrus Foundry and Manufacturing Company,
Started Production June 3, 1882
In 1893 they moved their operation to South Milwaukee, Wisconsin
In 1927 Bucyrus merged with the Erie Steam Shovel company
becoming Bucyrus-Erie Co. the name on this Shovel
In 1997 Bucyrus International bought Marion Power Shovel company
to become the worlds largest producer, of draglines etc.

Thumbnail Photo above, with description above on the back,
sent to me Jan 24, 2012, by Mr. Roger Phillippe, with Thanks.
His grandfather ran a Coal and Wood Depot in Regina in the 1920's.
He probably sold this Monogram Coal from the Truax-Traer mine.

This is a great photo, showing the size of the machine,
in a great working view.

Then Feb 13, 2012, Roger found another gem below.
A Nice clear photo of the cleaning of the coal face.

Sept 13, 1930
Grand opening ceremony planned at their mine
1 1/2 miles east of Estevan.
New Tipple valued at $123,000
will automatically sort 5 different sizes of coal,
and load it in rail cars.
Takes 700 HP to operate the tipple alone.
Dominion Electric Company will supply the power
which is situated nearby,
from it's new plant , which opened on Aug 1, 1934.
Tipple picture on page 2.
Mr. E. C. Dyer was the Engineer in charge of this plant.
Overburden is 32 feet above the seam of coal.
The coal is a 10-12 ft seam at this point.
Estimate is 25,000,000 tons of coal on the property.

Sept 13, 1930
Truax-Traer had this big shovel in operation
as described in the article above.
It was a Bucyrus-Erie 320-B
It weighed 600 tons
with a 8 Cubic Yard Bucket.
Which could swing every 45 seconds.
The Machine was mounted on 4 Caterpillar treads.
Boom 90 feet long. (article above says 80?)
Size of the cabin, an ordinary 8 room house.
Cable size- 2 1/8 inches in diameter

July 3, 1934
Here we see Henry Eugene Sellers was vice-President
of Truax Traer Trail Coal Company (Canada)
so looks like they operated in BC as well.

Dec 5, 1934
Article from the Saskatchewan Lignite Inquiry in Estevan
General Manager for Truax-Traer,
Eleazer William Garner
b- April 28, 1887 in Walkerton, Bruce County, ON
d- Oct 27, 1937, probably in Estevan

He was Mayor of Estevan 1921-1923
and a Liberal member of the Legislative Assembly in 1929.
He owned a law practice in Estevan.
He was General Manager of the Big Lump Coal Mine in 1928,
and it was the first coal mine to be completely Electrified.
It became this mine when bought out by Truax-Traer.
Came to Saskatchewan in 1908 from ON.
He came to Estevan in 1915 from Regina.
He donated the Garner Shield to ECI, for Public Speaking.
He was heavily involved in the Strike in 1931,
and the riot that resulted from it.
Member of the Order of Oddfellows, Rotary Club.
and the Estevan Board of Trade.
Manager of the Estevan Agricultural Society from 1917-1923.
Also mentioned:
Associate Counsel for the Deep Seam Group-
William Wallace Lynd QC
b- Aug 14, 1891, county Derry Ireland.
Father- Thomas Lynd, living in Moosomin Oct 17, 1916
when William enlisted in WWI, Rank- Lieutenant, Reg # 276070

Small Mines Counsel- W. J. Perkins

Trivia- Truax-Traer Company donated a trophy
used at the Woodlawn Golf Club in Estevan.

found an Allan Lincoln Truax and wife Evelyn who came to Divide Co in 1908
as a Great Northern Railroad mail clerk.
they lived in Crosby ND ca1917
related? don't know yet

found a picture of a Truax barn hit by a cyclone
dated Aug 15, 1911, near Noonan ND

Note- Link below is NOT my site or video
A great 3min+ silent film on underground and strip mining
in Estevan area from Sask Archives site

Disclaimer
My family research above is a quick study
it is not intended to be 100% correct, only as a guide
Please do your own final research

Continue on to page 2, Duane Bill's photos,
click right arrow below