In 1905, Pawama Coal & Coke Company operated a coal mine at Matoaka WV and shortly thereafter they laid the track of its railroad through the town. The track separated the mining cap of the coal company from its offices and store and from the town proper. The mining camp was south of Matoaka and separated from the town by the railroad tracks. The coal company built steps down the steep mountainside so that employees and their families could cross the Virginian Railway tracks to get to the mine office, company store, and into the town of Matoaka, a much shorter route than the winding road off of Old Matoaka Road near current Rt 10. Mining stopped and the houses were sold in 1929. The stairs fell into disuse and were torn down. People continued to live in this area in the camp houses for several years afterwards. (https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/1490801/cacey-v-virginian-ry-co/)
Roy T. Wright came into the area in 1902 as a member of the First Engineering Corps for the Pocahontas Coal and Coke Company. He advanced as through the company as General Manager of Pawama and Algonquin Coal Mines, became a vice-president of the Bank of Matoaka, and president of the Wright Drug Company in Matoaka. He was also connected with the Wenonah, Hiawatha and Smokeless and Springton Colliery Company. He also served as manager of the Matoaka Electric & Power Company, president of the Mercer Hardware & Furniture Company, and president of the Matoaka Insurance Company. (http://www.wileygenealogy.com/biographies/2016/09/06/rtwright-txt/)
Pawama No. 1 and No. 2 in the Norfolk & Western district were drift mines at Matoaka on the Norfolk & Western Railway and near the Virginian Railway. The average thickness was 4 ft 4 inches. There are no faults, rolls, or horsebacks. The roof consisted of 12 inches of "draw slate" with a floor of soft smooth underclay. The Pawama mines were opened by a drift about 2,000 feet above sea level and are worked by the room-and-pillar system. Coal was undercut by hand and broken down with FFF black blasting powder. About 80% of the coal was shipped as run-of-mine. There were two loading tracks with a capacity of 18 empty cars and 14 loaded cars. Daily output averaged 450 tons.(https://books.google.com/books?id=7xvSAAAAMAAJ&pg=RA1-PA371&lpg=RA1-PA3…"Pawama"+WV&source=bl&ots=7pPcR35A_Q&sig=ACfU3U3--PHtED0sMbKsLHYH19nvSw1fyw&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiU0LKPlqDtAhWhtTEKHUxKDbI4KBDoATAFegQIBhAC#v=onepage&q="Pawama"%20WV&f=false) pg. 371-372