On May 27, 1913, engineers photographed a massive electric‑plant steam turbine at the Woodward Mine in Edwardsville, Pennsylvania, capturing a moment of profound technological change in the anthracite coal region. These new turbines generated the electrical power needed to run heavy ventilation fans, hoists, and water pumps deep underground, replacing the older patchwork of small steam engines scattered throughout the mine. Although early electrification brought new safety challenges of its own, it marked the beginning of a long transition toward more reliable power systems that would eventually help improve working conditions in America’s mining communities.
