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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple style='word-wrap:break-word'><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>I assume that company owned miners’ houses were heated by coal, like most houses in the US were until the rise of oil heat began in the 1930s. Did miners have to buy the coal to heat their homes from their employers or did they get it for free? <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Rob Doorack<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Plantsville, CT<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #E1E1E1 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'> NW-Mailing-List <nw-mailing-list-bounces@nwhs.org> <b>On Behalf Of </b>NW Mailing List via NW-Mailing-List<br><b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, December 3, 2025 10:11 AM<br><b>To:</b> NW Mailing List <nw-mailing-list@nwhs.org><br><b>Cc:</b> NW Mailing List <nw-mailing-list@nwhs.org><br><b>Subject:</b> Re: North Fork Hollow Mine Run<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'>Most company stores had railroad sidings and warehouses. They were fully stocked dept stores that sold clothing shoes, furniture, animal feed, etc. Mules were e also delivered to company stables as well as feed. Mining equipment, mine timbers, building supplies, and sand were also delivered to company yards, and possible farm animals such as pigs, cows and chickens, long before they were advertised on WCKY Cincinnati (1929-1994.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'>Attached is a photo of the company store at Filbert on Sand Lick Branch. The store was served by a small stub end siding across the creek from the store. On the left side of the 1925 photo note the freight house, a bridge across the creek with a small railroad leading to the larger store warehouse. It appears the small railroad track had been paved over in 1925 when the road was originally paved. The store used a small cart on the rails to transfer freight from the boxcars.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'>The other photo shows a different store view along with the railroad siding.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div></div></body></html>