The inscription below the block of coal reads, "New River Sewell Seam -- Weather and Age Test -- Erected Oct. 1932."


One important fact to keep in mind -- the term "New River Sewell Coal" referred to coal of Sewell seam from the New River Coal Field and/or coal of the New River (coal) "series", not just to coal mined by The New River Company. Circa 1906, there were over 100 coal mines shipping coal via the C&O Railway from the Sewell seam.

The photo was a publicity photo from the New River Coal Operators Association, which was made up of coal operators throughout the New River Coal Fields.