- East Mine -
Opened in 1860 and operated by Barton, Wagner & West in Stillfell, Wales. East Mine was from day one a problem child for it's operators, thanks to subpar yields, continuously failing equipment and a high accident rate. The facility soon changed hands in 1865 to Bedlam Mining Co., a private equipment manufacturer who offered to overhaul the facility and address safety issues, as well as keep the original crews working.
Reports of yields after Bedlam's acquisition did not emerge, nor did the miners.
Bedlam had reportedly instructed crews to sleep on site, running the facility as if it were an archeological dig, employing rotating shifts to keep the men working around the clock, whilst not giving the men any clear indication of what exactly they were supposed to extract.
In 1871, Bedlam Mining Co. abruptly commenced a complete evacuation of the site and ordered the facility to be closed off for good.
- Media -
