Black Diamond Coal Co.

The Black Diamond Coal Co. was incorporated in 1902 by James Donaldson, R. R. Stobert, John T. Powell and M. B. McCullum with initial capital of $10,000. The company erected the Black Diamond building at 2229–2231 1st Avenue North for its Birmingham offices, which it maintained until dissolving in 1991.

The company assumed the operation of previously-opened coal mines on 530 leased acres in Walker County, along the St Louis & San Francisco Railway, about three miles northwest of Jasper. In 1908 it was producing about 300 tons of steam coal at a 160-acre site at Dora, with 75 workers. A roof collapse occurred in the Dora mine on February 6, 1909, causing injuries to miner Peter Gold. He sued the company for negligence, but settled for $250.