Malakoff Fuel Co. 1920s Henderson Co., TX

The Birth of the Malakoff Fuel Company

Article by L. S. Orrick
Photos from The Malakoff News and the Collection of Mrs. Joanne Surls

In the early 1920s, the Texas Power & Light Company was expanding across East Texas, buying up the small local light plants and bringing electricity to communities previously unserved.

The need for a base load plant to serve this area was recognized and studies made on its location and design. The lignite deposits in Henderson County attracted the attention of Texas Power & Light, and a location at Trinidad was selected. Lignite beds in the Malakoff area were secured, and work on the generating plant commenced.

Realizing their lack of experience in mining, TP&L contracted with the McAlester Fuel Company of McAlester, Oklahoma to develop and operate the mines. In 1926, this operation was headquartered in a side street office opposite Flagg's Drug Store under the name of "The United States Company."

Under the development plan, W. D. Puterbaugh, an experienced mining executive, was selected as the local Superintendent. He was a brother of Jay G. Puterbaugh, president of the McAlester Fuel Company. The local operation was called the Malakoff Fuel Company.

The first mining operation was a strip pit located north of Malakoff with two Bucyrus Erie shovels. The larger one, with a five cubic yard bucket--the largest built at that time--was used to remove the dirt above the lignite bed. The smaller one was used to load the lignite into the railroad cars. The pit was used to provide lignite until the mines were developed.

A railroad was built to connect the mining operations. It was connected to the Cotton Belt Railroad and operated trains on the main line between Malakoff and Trinidad. This road, known as the MFKX followed standard railroad practice and obeyed the '1Ull Crew Law." Two locomotives, a caboose, and about 100 steel coal cars were purchased. As the mines became operational, a train load of lignite went to Trinidad each working day.

The conductor was Mr. Fountainin, and the engineer was Clyde Mitchell. Brakemen and firemen changed over the years that the line was in operation. The machine shop foreman and supervisor of the railroad mechanical maintenance was Bert Alsopp.

The office manager was Howard Ady. His staff consisted of a secretary, bookkeeper, and posting clerks. Maynard Fowler and Wayne Evans were employed in the office during the 1930s.

The agricultural base of the local economy suffered as a result of the depression after WWI. The coming of the Fuel Company was a real boost to the town as it brought in a steady payroll, which lasted through the depression and until the start of World War II. The increased tax base made it possible to build a new high school and to start the process of accreditation.

Submitted by Britt Thompson

If you have any information on Malakoff history please contact Britt, he is the correspondent for The Malakoff News Looking Back Column.

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