Huber Breaker

A disused Huber coal breaker in Ashley, Pennsylvania, September 2003

The Huber Breaker was a coal breaker and landmark located in the borough of Ashley, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania.[1]

The breaker was built in 1939 to replace the Maxwell Breaker after sustaining damage during a strike in 1937. Run-of-mine coal arriving at the breaker was washed and cleaned to remove impurities, principally slate. It was crushed and screened to specific sizes desired by customers. Considered state of the art when constructed, the plant used Menzies cones to separate coal from waste. The breaker was operated by the Blue Coal Corporation, a subsidiary of the Glen Alden Coal Company. The former corporation's name is derived from its unique practice of spraying its processed coal with a blue iridescent chemical to be sold as "Blue Coal."[2] It processed 7,000 tons of anthracite coal per day. Railcars were loaded underneath the breaker and shipped to markets. The long decline of the anthracite industry after World War II caused Blue Coal to declare bankruptcy and cease operations in 1976.[3]

  1. ^ "Huber Coal Breaker, 101 South Main Street, Ashley, Luzerne County, PA Photos from Survey HAER PA-204." Washington, D.C.: Library of Congress, 1968.
  2. ^ "Huber Coal Breaker, 101 South Main Street, Ashley, Luzerne County, PA". Library of Congress. 1991. p. 1. Retrieved December 14, 2021.
  3. ^ "History of Huber Breaker". Huber Breaker Preservation Society. Retrieved December 14, 2021.