296                 HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY

and John Weaver, of Brazil, planted mines on the Ernhart place, two
miles northeast of Brazil, now owned by the Weaver Coal and Clay Corn -
pany, from which the product was hauled by tram-road to the railroad
and loaded on a side-track, at the point now known as Donaldsonville.
A shaft was also put down at this point by the same company, which,
however, proved to be a failure. Then the Ashley place was leased, imme-
diately east of Brazil, and a shaft put down on the north side of the
National road, the products of which, because of its superior quality,
made famous the Brazil block coal for manufacturing and domestic uses,
the output of this mine having never been equaled for such purposes. In
company with Ackelmire and Wingate, Mr. Andrew platted the town of
Hoosierville, in 1870, and opened the Hoosier mine at that place. In
1871, in company with John Weaver, he planted the Eureka mines, on the
Weaver lands, north of Brazil. This company held stock, also, in the
Brazil furnace.
    Individually, he was a stockholder in the Clay Trotting Park Associa-
tion, and was an active participant in the movement to relocate the county
seat from Bowling Green to Brazil, devoting much time and labor to its
accomplishment.
    In 1879, when William Tuell extended the Terre Haute & South-
eastern Railroad from Clay City southward, he appealed to Mr. Andrew,
because of his interest, experience and success in opening and operating
coal mines, to engage in the industry along the line of his railroad. In
the month of September he started the drill on the Coan place and con-
tinued the tests as far south as Johnstown. Not finding this field as
promising as desired, he came back and tested the Burger place, on the
county line, three miles east of Clay City, where he found a fine vein
of semi-block coal, then proceeded to organize the Lancaster Coal Com-
pany, purchasing the Burger farm, sinking the first shaft there in May,
1880. On this farm, during the twenty years of operations by the Lan-
caster Company, superintended by Mr. Andrew, four shafts were put
down and worked successfully.
    In the year 1898 he returned to Brazil and put down a shaft on the
D. W. Weaver place, north of Donaldsonville, which he was operating
at the time of his death, which was brought on and hastened by accident.
While engaged in building a porch he fell from the roof, sustaining
injuries from the effects of which he died May 26, 1900, aged seventy-
three years and one month.
    In the year 1870 he was placed on the Republican or opposition
ticket for county treasurer, against Alexander Brighton, on the Demo-
cratic ticket, but was not elected. In the campaign of 1892 he was nomi-
nated by the Republican convention held at Clay City on the 27th day of
August, for state senator, for the district composed of Owen and Clay
counties. In 1896, the delegation from Clay county placed his name
before the Republican state convention for the cifice of state geologist,
for which position, however, he was not nominated.
    Mr. Andrew is given credit for having put down more coal shafts
and for having a wider range of experience in coal mining than, any
other man in the state of Indiana. As Andrew was the last survivor of
the party who put down the first shaft and hoisted the first block-coal
in the history of the county and of the state, it has been suggested that
a “black diamond” monument be erected and dedicated in commemora-
tion of the event and in perpetuation of their memories.