Fifty Years ago in Bibai City !

 by Kazu

This photo was taken in 1960's.
It is Mitsubishi Bibai Coal Mine flourished fifty years ago. Some buildings are still existing and shown on the photo with orange color.

B: Selecting the coal depending on the size and quality.
C: The entrance of the coalmine shaft
D: The residences of coalmine workers and management
E: The railway station to carry out the coal

The history of the coalmine was described on the board. The coal cutter was imported from Germany and some engineers visited this area from Germany with the instruments.

This graph shows the fluctuation of the coal amount carried out from the coalmine. It peaked during the World War Ⅱ.

The process of  producing coal is shown on the board. According to the drawing, it was so systematic and effective but even so, the main part of the process was the works of the people under the ground.

① The hospital built with ferro-concrete in 1955.
② Community theater called "Shinwa Kaikan" where movie films and performances were played.

③ The management office of the coalmine.
④ Numahigashi Elementary School

⑤ Numahigashi Junior High School Gymnasium that is used as the rest house of Bibai Sky Gelende
⑥ Mitsubishi Bibai Memorial Hall where the papers and photos made in 1960's are exhibited.

⑦ Monument of Coalmine designed by the artist Mr.Kan Yasuda and built by the municipality of Bibai in 1980. It expresses the life in coalmine community.
⑧ Iron bridge for the railway made of materials produced in foreign countries.

The orange shaft towers were left in the memorial park and they are sometimes lighted up in the night.
They had been the landmark of the community and in the residents' mind.

These towers are maintained by the municipality as the part of the memorial park and making a strange harmony with the green around them.

They just exist in the park showing their original body as they were.