This story takes place in Kanawha and Logan County, West Virginia
Put away all your thoughts about "Red Necks" that you had in the past. The thoughts of old tobacco chewing,k pot gut, dirty T-shirt, uneducated, bare-foor West Virginian "Red Neck" is very misleading and it's time the story was told. This story comes from a Labor Relations class that I took while attending Concord College, the professor who told the story was a very passionate man that loved West Virginia and the history it had to tell, his name was Jerry Corley. He loved to tell about the labor organizations and the hard work and effort that WEst Virginia Coal Miners put forth in order to have what they have today.
In the early 1920's, after World War I, the United Mine Workers of America made quite a showing in West Virginia, they had successfully unionized a large coal company in Kanawha County at a place called Camp Creek near Charleston, West Virginia and they were setting their sites on Coal Companies in Logan County, WEst Virginia, near Blair Mountain. There has been a lot told of the Matewan Massacre that was a unionization attempt that became a bloody battle. The events that happened during that time were very emotional and a story worth telling; however, as historical as that event was the story of the "Red Neck" is even more a part of West Virginia heritage than our beautiful mountains.
After World War I, the United Mine Workers of America where determined to get the word of their organization to the miners in Logan County, but the Sheriff of Logan Coiunty was not going to make that easy for the union. The Sheriff took money from coal officials to hire extra deputies to guard the train stations and roads and shoever enter Logan County had better have a good excuse or they didn't come in. The Sheriff could have been bought off by the United Mine Workers organization but they refused to pay but the coal officials did pay; therefore, keeping the union organizers at bay.
The United Mine Workers of America and their new followers from Camp Creek were determined to help their fellow miners. Together they had to come up with a plan to break down the sheriff's department and the coal officials. In those days, labor negotiations and grievances were unheard of; it was life or death. Together they came up with a plan, and they knew it had to be good. They called upon Veterans of the World War I to give them advice on how to become one and to fight for what they believed in. Their decision was to form a band of workers that would march from Camp Creek, West Virginia to Logan County, West Virginia to do battle against the coal companies and the sheriff. They realized they had to be orgainzed, each miner would bring a weapon and be prepared to do battle. However, there was one problem, once they got to their destination how would they tell who was on their side? The answer to their question allowed them to determine their allies from their enemy. The miners march to Logan County, West Virginia and they were prepared for battle and coal company officials and the sheriff's men were ready for them. It was the "Red Necks" verses the Coal Officials and their hired hands; the two sides met on top of Blair Mountain in Logan County, West Virginia. West Virginia had its own civil war. This is the first and only time in American history that the United STates Air Force bombed their own citizens to stop a battle.
Blair Mountin to this day is considered a historical monument in West Virginia history, and with the United Mine Workers of America, there was a lot of blood shed and men died for their fellow workers. In conclusion, when the citizens of West Virginia are referred to as "Red Necks", they should take pride in that recognition. The term "Red Neck" represents a moment in history and pride that could never be repeated. It could only be copied.
In the 1940's and 1950's our coal business was just beginning to boom. Most of the labor was done by hand, so employment was plentiful. Small mining town such as Iaeger, Davy, Welch, Kimball, Keystone, and Northfork were very prosperous. Many businesses began to open in each town, they were clothing stores, shoe stores, furniture stores, jewelry and flower shops, and many more. Each town had it's own doctor, dentist, and lawyer. A favorite was the 5 and 10 cent store. They were shoe repair and dry cleaners and several grocery stores in these towns. A loaf of bread could be bought for 8 or 10 cents. Wages were low, so everything was cheap.
Each coal company had its own store where food and clothes could be bought. They also had their own money called script. The men would work all day for 2 or 3 dollars. At the end of the day, you could enjoy a movie in your home town theater for 25 cents.
Giant steam engines played a role in mining. They pulled the coal from many tipples in the area. Which now no longer exist. We still have railroad but as everything else its modernized. At one time in the 1950's there was ten passenger trains that ran through Iaeger everyday. Number 26 train became the first streamline steam engine in the middle 40's. Then number 25 was called the "Pocahontas" and the #26 was called "The Powhaton Arrow." It was a thrill to see them go by blowing their steam whistle, like no other sound. There was a train station at Iaeger where people could get tickets and wait for the arrical of the trains. Not very many people had cars, so the train was one of the major ways of transportaion.
A steam engine called a "local" came everyday from Williamson to Iaeger round trip and one came from Bluefield to Iaeger reound trip. It carried only freight to stock the grocery stores and oil companys in these small towns.
Now the steam engine has given way to the modern diesels that work what few tipples that are left. Big eighteen wheel trucks haul freight to supply stores.
Times sure have changed. The price of bread now is $1.59 and to see a movie, it costs $6.00. It is very sad to drive through these small towns and see mines out of business, the stores with boards over the windows, and now some are being torn down. No doctors, dentists, or lawyers, and very few people. The employment has dropped and unemployment is on the rise. Everything that used to be in our home town we have to drive for a distance to recieve services. Times sure have changed.
When my Great Grandma Joan was growing up, her main transportation was walking or by horseback. She said after school or on the weekends all the local kids would gang up and start off walking to Iaeger to catch a movie for 25 cents. You got a pop, ships, and in the movie theater for 25 cents. One Saturday afternoon they were on their way to see a movie when they heard something strange coming their way. So they jumped over in the weeds to hide and when it got close, they couldn't believe their eyes. I was an old timey roadster that you had to crank start. It was amazing to them and scary all at the same time. Can you imagine seeing an automobile for the first time. Now they look back and laugh at themselves for hiding from a car. Modern machinery has come a long way. Now we can go anywhere by just turning a key. And we can stand on the bridge and wait for our school bus to pick us up instead of having to walk. We are a blessed people.
On March 8, 1960 near Holden, West Virginia. Men were entering a mine they would never exit. The name of the mine was Island Creek Coal #22.
After about one hour into the shift a man driving a mantrip, which caused a spark that ignited some very fine coal dust. The fire ignited some dynamite and caused a cave-in. The fire and cave-in caused a build up of deadly gases. Willis Carter, a worker, and the section manager were the only people who knew the mine well enough to escape and guide rescue workers to the men.
Willis Carter and the section manager were the only two people to escape the disaster. All the other men were killed by the poisonous gases. Including my great uncle Bub Carter a worker there.
While my grandfatehr William J. Hensley was transferred to #24 about a week earlier. My grandfather continued to work there, and later retired there with s37 years. He later died in 1994 at the age of 81. Bub was sincerely missed. This story is dedicated to him and the other workers that died.
Sid Hatfield was the sheriff of Matewan, West Virginia when the United Mine Workers Association was being organized. During this time Matewan was according called "Bloody Mingo" because of the clashes that resulted in so much bloodshed between the UMWA organizers and the "Coal Company Men."
Sheriff Sid Hatfield protected his coal mining town from threats and reported harassment from the rich coal company ang their men.
Sid Hatfield helped the union to form and become established in the coal fields of southern West Virginia, by not bowing down to the threats and harrassment from the wealthy coal operators.
Sid Hatfield was falsely summoned to the McDowell County courthouse in Welch, West Virginia where he was shot reportedly 17 times. He died as a result. His murderer was never prosecuted.
My name is Charles. I am 14 years old and I live in Holden, West Virginia. My father works in the mines all day and my mom works around the house. My older brother is 16 and is getting ready to drop out of school to work in the mines.
That is about the only job you can get around here. When you go in the mines, you get black lung, and hope you get out alive. Everyone that has mined for a decent period of time has black lung. Coal is what makes up southern West Virginia. If mining stops, southern West Virginia stops. I will probably work in the mines too. I don't want to, but I have to. Day after day, you go in clean and come out as black as what you're mining. Week after week, year after year, you keep doing it because you have to. The majority of the kids, like myself, are almost sure to be miners. Most of us only go to school because we have to. I walk to school, two miles a day. After I get home I do chores. Well, it's time for me to go to bed, I have to get up early to walk to school. I can only wish we had a car.
This story originated back in 1979.He was 19 year old when he started in the coal mines.Back in 1979 coal mining was a lot different then it is today, because back then you had a cutting machine to cut the coal with.Then you had a drill hooked on the cutting machine you drilled five holes in the top the coal seam then you tamped it with dynomite,and you blasted the coal down.Then you had scoops that came in and loaded the coal out then you had a single head roof bolter that come in,and supported the roof.If you didn't have the roof bolter to supported the roof.If you didn't have the roof bolter to suppport the top it would cave in.Since 1979 coal mining has come a long way it has became more moderent then the 70's. In the early 80's they have change to continous miners. The continous miners they got in the 80's they have changeto contcontinous miners. The continous miners they they got in the 80's was operated while sitting in the deck of the miner to cut the coal. He loaded the coal into shuttle cars,Then the shuttle cars hauled the coal down to the feeder, then the feeder dumped the coal down to the coal on the belt line which took the coal out side.
In 1990 they designed a new continous miner,it was a remote control miner. He run this minerwith a remote control box you could stand back away from the miner 50 feet and operate it. It dumps on the brige that hooks direct to the miner, and it dumps on the belt line, it is called continous haulage.
Scince 1990 they have designed a new roof bolter. It is a double head roof bolter.
The double head bolter can bolt twice as much top then the single head bolter. Whith all the new designs of the equipment it is alot safer and different than the early 70's.