Tipple at Galt Mine No. 8 in Lethbridge

Scope and Content: Tipple at Galt Mine No. 8 in Lethbridge. Most of the exterior siding material has been removed.

History Biographical: The first bucket of coal was taken out of Galt Mine No. 8 on 22 Deceber 1934. The tipple, originally constructed by the Link Belt Company of Chicago, was moved from Galt Mine No. 6 after that mine ceased production on 14 March 1935. Galt Mine No. 8 was owned by the Canadian Pacific Railway from 1934 to 1935, and then by Lethbridge Colleries Limited from 1935 until it was closed on 12 February 1957. During its existence, Galt Mine No. 8 produced a total of 3,187,403 metric tonnes of coal. The geology of the mine was generally unstable, and bad roof conditions, sqeeze and bottom heaving are often mentioned in reports from the mine. Two men were killed by rockfalls early in the mine's operation; Robert Bowman on 23 September 1938 and John Filchak on 19 November 1940. Galt Mine No. 8 had the distinction of being the most heavily timbered mine in Alberta. In addition, since parts of the mine were dug under the Oldman River, flooding was a constant concern. The last shift in Galt Mine No. 8 came out at 3:00 p.m. on 12 February 1957. Among the last to make the trip to the surface were Alex Veres, Louis Slotta, George Latvat, Joseph Rapach, Tony Norgusta and Mike Zizich, miners who were members of the original 1935 crew. Five hundred empty coal cars were lined up on the prairie aftet Galt Mine No. 8 closed.

Scope and Content: Tipple at Galt Mine No. 8 in Lethbridge. Most of the exterior siding material has been removed.