1/9/2004
James Kinney Farmstead main house longwall mining damage pictures.

Diary Entry:

Kurt is taking the pressure down on the cables, a little at a time as per the specifications in the mitigation plan. Mr. Hughes called me (mistakenly thought he was calling Dave Bartsch) said he understood that the damage to the house was "minimal". I corrected him on that assessment due to the extensive material damage to the inside of the historic structures. The Hughes Company will take the cables down and fill in the trenches on Tuesday. No visits by ODNR or coal people today. Bartsch is the only one to be here all week. Phone calls today to and from the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation in Columbus about a meeting later in January concerning Farm Bureau policies. They have been following the news of the mining under a sensitive historic site and are concerned that legislation has not been in place to protect it and other property rights of farmers. They stated that there is state wide concern in our issue here. They are also interested in the Dysart Woods issue which is getting press in Columbus too. Steve Gordon of the SHPO office left word for me on the phone recorder that he saw the papers and TV in Columbus and wanted to send me information by mail on restoration that will need to be done to the property. He also left the comment that "They never should have been allowed to mine under the historic property" Got a letter from a Mr. Crawford who is a historic interpreter for the Virginia Explore Park. A partial quote from him was "...Tragic, I only hope we, as a society will learn...Hell..I hope we're shocked! I am....Guinea Pig...I shudder!"

Floyd Simpson