The Jennison Coal Mining Co. was under the management of Warren Jennison and C.H. Sannon. In later years it operated under the name of the Fairview Coal Co.

1928 saw many changes and added equipment to the mine. A new car loader was installed along the track, which handled the output of the mines. This alone weighs about five tons and was set in a solid concrete base along the tracks at the entrance of the coal chute. It will be operated by an electric dynamo. A dynamo generator consists of a coil that rotates between the poles of an electromagnet causing a current to flow. New two-ton cars have been placed in the mine and in use with the new cager system and loader.

The new cager system at the bottom of the main shaft will permit the electric engine, used in transporting the coal cars, to make a switchback with empties without stopping to do the caging as was formerly done. Caging can now be done by one man with gravity power as the tracks have been replaced especially for it. At this time, coal was being taken from the second level, which was 100 to 200 feet below the surface. This vein had been worked for two years and still produced very good coal. There was another level 60 feet below this one, according to Sannon, that had never been worked.

In 1935, the company installed an electric drill, which was used to drill holes for blasting. In 1937, the heating plant was rebuilt, and a new, modern dressing room and shower was constructed for the miners. The building was built of brick and concrete and was considered the best of its kind throughout the northwest mining districts.

In 1942, The Fairview Coal Co. announced, unexpectedly to the town of Fairview, the discontinued operation of its mine. It was known that there was sufficient coal in the present workings for several years but underground complications, mainly consisting of water problems, caused the management to decide the mine could no longer be operated economically or safely.

In the same announcement, the mine owners Warren Jennison and his son Wesley said surface operations of the local plant would continue much the same as usual. Coal would be supplied to Fairview and surrounding territory from the new mine which the Jennisons developed on the south banks of the Missouri near Culbertson.

The Jennisons acquired the mine in 1941 and had been under development. The lignite vein was a large one, and tests showed the coal to be of superior quality. The mine was located west of the old Culbertson ferry landing on the south side of the Missouri river.

The company installed five units to generate 250-horse power. One unit was used especially for the cutting machine, one on the loading machine, one on the hoist, one on the shaker screen and one to generate electricity for charging batteries required to operate the “donkey.” The cutting machine generator was the original one used during the operations in 1913.

The new company prepared three sizes of coal: lump, nut and stoker. A stockpile was maintained at the property in Fairview.

In September 1945, fire of an unknown origin destroyed the tipple and most of the surface installations at the mine, now located in Culbertson. The blaze was presumed to have started in the power room high above the ground and, when discovered, was of such proportions that nothing could be done except save some of the nearby property. No one was near the outbreak of the fire, and it was not discovered until smoke began pouring through the roof. According to Wesley Jennison, manager, it would be at least 60 days before the structure and tipple could be replaced. In the meantime, Jennison arranged with a mine in Wyoming for carloads of coal to come in and be sold on track at Culbertson.

In 1945, the Jennison Coal Co. opened up the mine for production. Warren Jennison returned from a trip to Indiana and Colorado where he bought two carloads of equipment, which would fully modernize the coal, mine and make it the best in the territory. A high line was built into the site and motor generators supplied A.C. and D.C. current.

Westly Jennison stated the mine would once again be able to deliver lignite stoker and lump coal to the Fairview area. Later in the year a new tipple would be built to complete the property into one of the best in the entire area.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Information compiled from Courage Enough and the Fairview Times.