Spitzbergen - Arctic Coal Company

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Title: Spitzbergen - Arctic Coal Company
Photographer: Unknown
Subject Headings: Human Settlements - Cities and Towns - Company Towns, Transportation - Railroads, History, Modern - 20th Century
Condition: Fair
Description: Village from incline Tramway. "1910. Exhibit C" See p.4. 1910. [View of a small settlement surrounded by mountins. A rail line is visible running directly up an adjacent hillside].
Source of Description: Front of photograph [Cataloger]
Institution: Michigan Technological University Archives and Copper Country Historical Collections
Donor: Longyear Family
Date of Photo: 1910-11
Medium: still image
Color: black and white
Size: 8.1 cm x 13.8 cm
Polarity: Positive
Image No: MS031-01-01-21
Collection Name: Longyear Spitsbergen Collection
Terms of Use: Rights to reproduce and distribute this image may be restricted. Contact the Michigan Technological University Archives and Copper Country Historical Collections for further information.
User Comments:
• The manager’s report of 1910 describes several construction works made that year which are visible in the photograph. It reads on page 3 “This tramway was afterwards completed from the camp up to the mine, this part being placed on a trestle about five feet high, to keep it free from snow in the winter, and an electric haulage gear placed at the top for the purpose of hauling materials to the mine and for riding the men to and from work. This should increase the working efficiency about ten per cent as during the winter it requires about forty to forty five minutes to walk from the camp to the mine, while the men can be hauled up in about three minutes.” The improved tramway can be seen in running up the hill, across the photograph.It reads on page 4 “Three double houses were erected, each containing ten rooms, for the purpose of establishing families in the camp.” The houses described are the three buildings in a line closest to the photographer.This source is available in the MTU archives. Reference: Arctic Coal Company General Manager’s Report for the year ending October 27th, 1910. Jno. Gibson, Jr. General Manager, Arctic Coal Company, November 5th, 1910. Michigan Technological University Archives and Copper Country Historical Collections, Longyear Collection, MS-031, Box 4, Folder 23.
3/5/2008 1:50:44 PM by cchartne, Svalbard Researcher