The Hutchinson Mine and company town of Hutchinson, also spelled Hutchison, were constructed by the Westmoreland Coal Company in ca.1924. Hutchinson Mine and the town were named after S. P. Hutchinson, president of the Westmoreland Coal Company. The town was built on the farms of Sherrick Fulmer and David Kelley. The Hutchinson Mine was known locally as the “Hutchy Mine.” The shaft-entry mine exploited the 75″-thick Pittsburgh coal seam. The mine had many gas explosions during its construction and many times afterwards. The first coal was loaded out on June 22, 1925. The mine shaft entry is 258 feet deep. The mine slope entry is 865 feet long. Materials are were sent into the mine via the slope entry. Men would walk in to work in the mine, by walking down the slope entry; but would ride up the slope entry coming out-of-the-mine on the man trip.
Hutchinson Mine was, at the time it was constructed, the only mine in Sewickley Township not to use steam power. It was an all electric mine from the very beginning, generating its own electric power at its’ powere house.
When Westmoreland Coal Company laid out the town of Hutchinson, it was not a typical “Coal Company Patch town.” Individual houses were erected on large size lots. Shade trees were planted. The “Company Blocks” idea was not apparent. This foresight was beneficial to all residents when the coal company sold the houses to its employees later.
When the town was first established, the Coal Company Store served as the post office. The mail was brought to the store by the store manager. He gave it out as a favor to the people. For a while the mail came thru the Herminie Post Office and the Rillton Post Office.
Hutchinson information printed with permission from Raymond A. Washlaski, editor “The Old Miner”
For more information, visit Raymond’s website: http://patheoldminer.rootsweb.ancestry.com/