Julius Mellom Coal Mine

** WARNING **
Old Abandoned Underground Coal Mines can be Very Dangerous,
Due to Collapse, and Mine Gases (Noxious and Flammable).
Extreme Care should be taken around them, due to Falls, Sudden Ground Collapse, and Bad Air,
and in NO Circumstances should People enter into ANY Mine Openings, or Associated Caves.

The Material Contained on my Sites, is NOT to Encourage Personal Investigation of these Mines,
But only as a Historical Record of these Long Abandoned Mines.
Please View these Mines from a Far, Safe and Legal Distance.
Always Observe Private Property Rights, and Obey ALL Warning Signs.
************************************************

Julius Mellom Coal Mine

SE & SW Section 5, Township 1, Range 2, W2

Opened by Julius O. Mellom, on SW 1/4
the next year after the Bill Druniak mine closed.
He dug a vertical shaft in a ravine, near Northgate
Struck 2 seams of coal at 17 ft.
3 1/2 ft, and after a clay layer, 18in
Coal was hauled to the surface via horses
hitched to a cable and a bucket
this mine was abandoned
He opened another mine on SE 1/4
found the same 2 seams of coal, 40 ft into the hill
abandoned after water and cave-ins

Julius O. Mellom
   b- Feb 1879 at Brandt Township, Deuel County, SD, USA
   d- 1978, age 98 and 11 months
(His middle name is probably Olson, but could be Oscar)
one of 10 children born to Ole L. and Ronnaug Mellom
who emigrated from Norway to the US in 1872.
(Ronnaug is shown as Ronnu in 1900 US Census)
Julius's father Ole L. Mellom, came to Canada in 1901
to buy land for his children.
Julius and his family immigrated in 1903.
Julius married first, to Soneva Sorenson,
b- Apr 1879 in Minnesota, USA,
d- 1912
They had 7 children.
Julius re-married in 1913
2nd wife- Selma Kopperud
    b- 1892 in SD, USA
    d- Apr 1981, age 88 and 9 months
He had a further 8 children with Selma.
Julius, Soneva his 1st wife, and Selma, his 2nd,
are supposed to be buried in Kopperud Church Cemetery,
located at SW ¼ 18-01-02 W2, near Northgate,
in RM of Enniskillen #3. (see map below)

Selma Kopperud's father Jorgen Kopperud,
shown as Gorgen Hansen Kopperud,
in Canadian Western Land Grant file,
b- Sept 1, 1838 in Norway immigrated to US in 1868
Mother- Syverine Bratelien,
Selma was a twin to Jenny Kopperud.
Kopperud family came to Canada, near Northgate, in 1901,
Jorgen donated land for the Kopperud Lutheran Church
which was 1 1/2 miles from the Mellom farm, on SE 1/4 Section 8.
Church was located on SE Section 18, Tsp 1, Rge 2, W2
School they attended is the Scout Hill School #617
shown 1 mile East and 1 Mile North of the Church

Mellom Headstones in Highland Lutheran Cemetery,
Deuel County, South Dakota, are relatives.
From a quick search this is one huge family

Other miners involved, hired by Julius,
Jack Blondeau and Harry Andruschak,
from the Estevan coalfields