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Huber Coal BreakerThe 134 foot tall Huber Coal Breaker was considered a technological marvel when it was constructed in 1939 as a coal processing plant in the rich anthracite region of northeastern Pennsylvania. Managed by the Glen Alden Coal Company, the Huber was the largest breaker of its kind employing 1,700 workers and processing over 7,000 tons of coal per day. In 1976 the Huber Breaker closed with the decline of the US coal industry. Its excellent use of windows, plus its tar coated sheet metal exterior has helped the Huber withstand the test of time and it remains structurally sound despite years of neglect and vandalism. In 1997 the breaker was purchased for $25,000 by Al Roman, president of No. 1 Contracting Corps who planned to dismantle the Huber and recycle its scrap metal. Luzerne County Commissioners stepped in and halted the proposed dismantling through eminent domain. In 2001 the "Huber Breaker Preservation Society" was formed largely of former workers who wanted to save one of the last relics of the PA coal industry. So far they have obtained $250,000 in their plan to turn the Huber into an anthracite park and museum. See http://www.huberbreaker.org/ for more info. |
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