THE LAND ANNEXATIONS 1898-1925 PIONEERS Søren Zachariassen COMPANIES Norwegian German Swedish British American The Arctic Coal Company Russian/Norwegian Others THE CLAIM SIGNS The claim signs ADOLF HOEL SOURCES The Arctic Coal Company Kulkompagniet Trondhjem-Spitsbergen was established after encouraging coal test-results from the pioneer Zachariassen. An expedition set off to Adventfjorden during the summer of 1900 to occupy an area. Based on this occupation, a company was founded and the parties financed another expedition the following year. The company was sold in 1906 and made the Norwegians part owners by 1/7 in The Arctic Coal Company. Ayer and Longyear held the rest of the stocks. John M. Longyear visited Svalbard in 1901, and bought Kulkompagniet Trondhjem-Spitsbergens properties a few years later. The Arctic Coal Company lasted for 9 years, and the mine was sold to Store Norske Spitsbergen Kulkompani in 1916.