I have seen references to 'Company Stores' in various publications about coal mining in Lackawanna County. I have also tried to identify a specific store as being a 'company store', with no luck. Can anyone on the list point towards a store and identify it as a 'company store'? Or better yet stores attached to different companies. Jim Dolan

I believe that you are missing the point made in the publications as you think these stores were the same as today's retail outlets. They did perform a similiar function, but they were not independandtly owned or operated. Considered it as a closed shop concept. The mines companies owned the land and the coal. They provided the housing for which they charged rent (usually in patch towns) and usually paid in company script - not real money, but still legal tender. They also provided food and clothing to their employees in the company store where the "script" could be spent, often at inflated prices. Eventually these stores were forced to accept currency as the mines were forced to pay real money instead of script, and as the communities grew, company stores went out of business. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jim Dolan" <jimdolan@stny.rr.com> To: "Lackawanna Mail List" <PALACKAW-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Thursday, June 07, 2007 6:02 AM Subject: [PALACKAW] Company Stores : : I have seen references to 'Company Stores' in various publications about : coal mining in Lackawanna County. I have also tried to identify a specific : store as being a 'company store', with no luck. Can anyone on the list point : towards a store and identify it as a 'company store'? : : Or better yet stores attached to different companies. : : Jim Dolan : : : ------------------------------- : To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to PALACKAW-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message :

Look at some of the information on Eckley.  The company store is still there - part of the exhibit in the village.  I don't remember which of the mining companies owned the store, but there may be something on the Eckley site.  When I was there several years ago, it didn't seem to have a name on it (not like Smith's Store or anything like that); I suspect the companies just ran them there.  They had a ledger that showed what each miner had taken; somehow it got deducted from the pay they received. s -----Original Message----- From: Jim Dolan <jimdolan@stny.rr.com> To: Lackawanna Mail List <PALACKAW-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Thu, 7 Jun 2007 6:02 am Subject: [PALACKAW] Company Stores have seen references to 'Company Stores' in various publications about oal mining in Lackawanna County. I have also tried to identify a specific tore as being a 'company store', with no luck. Can anyone on the list point owards a store and identify it as a 'company store'? Or better yet stores attached to different companies. Jim Dolan ------------------------------ o unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to PALACKAW-request@rootsweb.com ith the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of he message ________________________________________________________________________ AOL now offers free email to everyone. Find out more about what's free from AOL at AOL.com.

Thanks for the input. I did a search of Murphy's 'History of Lackawanna County and found three references to a company store. 1. LI&C Company had a store on upper Lackawanna Ave., near the DL&W Railroad Station. The 1877 riot seemed centered around it. 2. A.B. Stephens had a company store at he corner of West Lackawanna and Seventh Ave. 3. The Pancoast Colliery Company had a company store in Throop. Jim Dolan -----Original Message----- From: palackaw-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:palackaw-bounces@rootsweb.com]On Behalf Of sgowen4089@aol.com Sent: Thursday, June 07, 2007 9:30 AM To: palackaw@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [PALACKAW] Company Stores Look at some of the information on Eckley. The company store is still there - part of the exhibit in the village. I don't remember which of the mining companies owned the store, but there may be something on the Eckley site. When I was there several years ago, it didn't seem to have a name on it (not like Smith's Store or anything like that); I suspect the companies just ran them there. They had a ledger that showed what each miner had taken; somehow it got deducted from the pay they received. s -----Original Message----- From: Jim Dolan <jimdolan@stny.rr.com> To: Lackawanna Mail List <PALACKAW-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Thu, 7 Jun 2007 6:02 am Subject: [PALACKAW] Company Stores have seen references to 'Company Stores' in various publications about oal mining in Lackawanna County. I have also tried to identify a specific tore as being a 'company store', with no luck. Can anyone on the list point owards a store and identify it as a 'company store'? Or better yet stores attached to different companies. Jim Dolan ------------------------------ o unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to PALACKAW-request@rootsweb.com ith the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of he message ________________________________________________________________________ AOL now offers free email to everyone. Find out more about what's free from AOL at AOL.com. ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to PALACKAW-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message