Posted 5 years ago
Bobdirt
(46 items)
I found this at a yardsale in Mountain Home Arkansas its 17 5/8 long 4 1/2 wide. The print on the nose of the shovel reads ( MAY COAL CO. TEL 1920 Indep Mo. ) I don't know what the TEL means but the the INDEP would be Independence Missouri, I can't find nothing on MAY COAL CO, when Google it it goes to Peabodys coal in Kentucky but says nothing about MAY CO. I never seen a shovel just like this before it weights about 19 oz.
I would assume 1920 is the telephone number. If I'm right, It shouldn't be hard to get an approximate date, knowing that they used a 4 digit phone number and knowing the name of the city.
My family had a 4 digit phone number until the mid or late 1950s. Our number was 9605….funny how some tidbits of useless info sticks in the mind. :^)