Himlerville: Hungarian Cooperative Mining in Kentucky - The Filson ...

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522 The Filson Club History Quarterly [October bridge. After twenty-two months the bridge was completed at a cost of $300,000. Because the bridge was constructed of steel and concrete rather than wood, it was considered the best bridge built across Tug River. The Norfork and Western Railroad laid tracks across the bridge and on 21 May 1921 the first train crossed into Martin County. The Huntington Herald Dispatch in an eight-column, front-page story described the event in dramatic fashion: "The gates of Martin County, Kentucky, locked for countless ages, were thrown wide today, when a train of two coaches, gaily bedecked and crowded with men, women and children in holiday dress entered.''2e This special train, which had Hewitt as the engineer and Himler as the fireman, made history for eastern Kentucky. It was the first standard- gauge train to travel on Martin County soil. The arrival of the Norfork and Western special touched off a celebration the likes of which Martin County residents had never seen. When the train left Kermit a large crowd gathered on nearby hills to cheer its departure. Himler poured on the coal and Hewitt opened the throttle, and the train sped toward Ken- tucky. As it neared the new bridge the crowd cheered madly, anticipating the railroad's first venture into Martin County. Most realized that the hopes of thousands of Appalachian and Hungarian coal miners depended on this bridge. So far as residents of Himlerville were concerned, this bridge was the only one in the world. After crossing it the train entered Warfield but did not stop to take on the big crowd that had gathered to board it before going on to Himlerville. Upon entering Himler- ville the train, its whistle shrieking, was met by a blast from a siren on the powerhouse at the Himler mine. The big moment had arrived amid cheers and happy smiles. The train halted, its passengers disembarked, and Frank Demjen, a Hungarian 25 Ibid. 26 Ibid. 27 Haworth, "Huntinstonians," I.
Page 1 and 2: THE FILSON CLUB HISTORY QUARTERLY V
Page 3 and 4: 1992] HimlerviUe 515 vine remains a
Page 5 and 6: 1992] HimlerviUe 517 from the land
Page 7 and 8: 1992] HimlerviUe 519 right there. T
Page 9: 1992] HimlerviUe 521 Chuck Perry, L
Page 13 and 14: 524 The Filson Club History Quarter
Page 29 and 30: ] !,': '2 :" '!' ,!, i/lli'i;,ii,)!
Page 31 and 32: 1992] HimlerviUe 541 tucky; Detroit

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