Himlerville: Hungarian Cooperative Mining in Kentucky - The Filson ...

1992] HimlerviUe 523
immigrant, serenaded them with a rendition of "My Old Kentucky
Home" on his cornet.2a
Portions of the crowd then took a guided tour into the mine
shafts. Following the visit to the mine, the crowd assembled in
front of the powerhouse for speeches from dignitaries gathered
for the occasion. Judge Henry Stephen Howes of Johnson County
delivered the main speech. He was joined by other dignitaries
such as Carl Berger who represented the Berger estate of Cincinnati
which had leased land to the immigrants. Judge Howes
praised the courage and foresight of both Hewitt and Himler.
His words held hope for the future. Himler then pledged that
although the Hungarian cooperative controlled the bridge, it
would not be used for selfish purposes. Instead, Himler promised
that the bridge would be used to develop the economy of Martin
County. The celebration ended when Eugene Lang distributed
$1,000 insurance policies purchased by the Himler Coal Company
to its employees. 29
Shortly after the bridge was completed, the Himler Coal Com-
pany leased an additional 7,000 acres of land containing the Warfield
Seam from the Berger estate and 5,000 acres from smaller
landowners. When added to the company's original holdings,
the leased land gave the Hungarian cooperative control of 15,000
acres of coal property.30
When mining operations began in 1919 the immigrants found
a seam. of high-quality coal. It was the fabled Warfield Seam
which, according to local lore, provided coal for steamships on
their way up the Big Sandy River. The seam's average height
at the mine face was five feet, and the rock above it was exceptionally
firm which eliminated the need for expensive timbering.
After mining had been underway for several years, however, the
quality of the coal declined. In some areas, which miners called
"tops," the shale above the coal was loose and immigrants could
28 Ibid.
29 Ibid.
30 Ibid.; Bagger, "Himler," 150.