Book excerpt: This book documents the history of the coal mines and coal towns of Thoms Run hollow. Read about the development of coal towns Beechmont, Hickman, Federal, Burdine, and Presto, PA. Get a sense of where the mines and towns were located, and about life in the coal patches. Understand the tough life that miners had in rural Pennsylvania. Learn the rich history of how one little road supported so much coal production and the development of Collier Township, PA