St. Clair County
Remnants Of The Past

PIONEER COAL COMPANY

Appleton City Quasquicentennial Book 1870-1995

Wilbur Zink, “It All Started With a Tornado”

On June 16, 1949, the front page headlines of the Appleton City Journal read “Big Shovels On Their Way”. Pioneer Coal Company had leased and purchased 1600 acres southeast of Appleton City and were moving their company from Walker, Missouri to St. Clair County. The economy of the community was enhanced by the increase in residents and employment.

A large coal tipple was erected containing three washing units and three crushers. A reservoir was built southwest of the plant which would hold 25 million gallons of water for washing the coal.

The rail yard accommodated 120 rail cars to be loaded and shipped to electrical plants. Pioneer was the only coal company in the area to produce oil-treated stoker coal.

The vein of coal in the area was known as the Tebo Seam.

In April of 1952, Carl J. Kaumans of Montrose, MO was killed at the mine when he apparently fell into a drive wheel of a coal loader where he worked as an oiler on the loader.

The Pioneer Coal Company ceased operation on June 25, 1964 after fifteen years of coal production in the Appleton City area.

Submitted ny Mary Zeiler