The Appalachian Coal Miner
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- Опубліковано 4 жов 2024
- The true story of the Appalachian coal miner as told by The Appalachian Storyteller. The 1902 Coal Mine Strike of 147,000 workers that changed the entire industry and changed workers rights forever.
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Note: This story represents history and this video is an educational commentary and critique on the subject.
Rips your heart right out. Makes me ashamed that I ever complained about anything in my life.
These were strong men
Right up my alley! I'm from southern WV, My grandpa & dad was in the mines & I followed spending almost 15 years inside & out of them till I wasn't able to do it anymore! I'm only 44 & fighting for my disability from the Gov (but have been disabled by my Dr) Life of a coal miner is a hard one, not as much as it was in the old days but I've never had such thing as a EZ day for sure! But there's nothing like it, a whole different world underground, I've been as far as around 10 miles deep underground & anywhere from 25inches-25 foot+ top!!! Thanks for the video as always!👍
I hope you get your disability soon my friend.
Prayers that you get your disability soon 🙏 ❤️
Right! Plenty of you here in southern WV. A few years in and around the mines and then here comes the disability and the black lung checks. I worked my ass off for 44 years, through colon cancer that I fought for a year, and back to work until Covid tried to kill me in December of 2020 at the age of 62. That's how you get your disability!
@@bradlane3662 U don't know me or my story! Kiss my A $ $
Thay try to starv u out because you w worked and paid it in but they use that against it shows you can work it's b*******it's the big companies of such what can you do just tightin your belt up another notch and wate it out
This should be required listening for young people these days
To show them how easy they have it...and to stop playing the
Eternal victim.... another brilliant and poignant story brother..
Dee 🏴✝️
True, overall. However, since you put it out there, kindly allow me to offer some afterthought to go along with the big gulp. Yes, we should be aware of and glad for every improvement in our lives; just not to the extent of accepting whatever conditions the ruling class seeks to impose. Things would be just as bad today if not worse except for the wisdom and possibility to negotiate en masse. Too many in power think the majority of the great unwashed are overfed as it is.
@@frostyfrances4700 Agreed and a lot of what is said in the video is nearly the same as what many working people have to go through today. Like horrible working conditions where you can fairly easily get hurt or killed, going deep into debt because of getting sick or injured or because you have kids. Even child labor is making a comeback.
@@dee4732 - Would you like to enlighten me then? :)
@@dee4732 - Quite alright. I was reading along and suddenly it ended, right at the most crucial part like a radio or movie serial, and I couldn't figure out if we had a technical glitch or what.
@@frostyfrances4700 I'm doing some more research on it right
Now if I find anything more I will send it to you.if you would like
My grandad was a coal miner in Kentucky. The best thing that ever happened to him was he lost is left leg in a coal mine that got him out of being a life long miner. He could no longer work in the mine so he headed west to California in 1927 with his wife and 6 kids. I am still in the town they settled in so many years ago.
What did he do in California?
@@TheAppalachianStoryteller He worked in a mill a nail mill still hard dirty work but he was above ground. He lost his leg to the knee between to coal cars if I remember the story right. He was a big he had a wooden leg I can still hear him walk. It would be creeeek-thump creeeek-thump that leg never seemed to slow him down any.
@@Carballoca My father n brother only Survivors of a Mine Collapse in Kentucky. He swore he'd never go underground again. He, Ma n 2 babies hitched a ride to N.Michigan, Antrim County. Early 1930s. Became farmers.
My Grandpa Maynard was a coal miner in the hills of Kentucky...he too passed of "miner lung". Coal trains would pass almost every hour by Grandmas home...I would tug my arm to get them to blow their whistles. Grandma called me Tarheel as I would walk the roads barefoot in the heat of the summer, going to the local store to buy candy and get road tar on my feet. She had a willow tree in the backyard that I would have to cut a switch from when "I needed to be put in line".
I love the way you choose your words to paint your story, very lovely
This was one rough way of life to put food on the table and a roof over your head. Teddy did help out these miners. This story does make you appreciate what you have now.
Truth be told, Teddy didnt really stand firmly with the miners. While previous presidents would just send the military in and force workers back in the mines, Teddy was a mediator in this issue, he sought a compromise where both the coal cartels and the workers would be able to walk away saying they won. Teddy succeeded in that because the cartels were happy the coal union wasn't officially recognized by the government and the union was happy because they got better working hours and a 10% raise.
I have a hard time listening to people complain about how hard life is today.
My great granddad was a coal miner ❤
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From Wayne, County West Virginia! My daddy was a coal miner. Loved hearing this. Never want to forget. How hard the miners had it. Proud to be a Coal Miner’s daughter! Thanks for the video!
You should be proud, thanks for sharing your story
I'm also from Wayne, county WV. A small place called Crumbs. My daddy George Prince ran a sawmill to cut mining timbers for the mines in Williamson, Welch , Belfrey . Small world.
Way to stick up for the miners Teddy Roosevelt!
Enjoyed, JD. God bless coal miners and families past and present
Amen, God bless the coal miners
My auntie Barbara married a coal miner of Tennessee. They were impoverished. My uncle Chet never learned to read or write but was hard-working. The coal dust was what put him 6' ft under. Thank you for the story of coal mining.
God bless the American Coal Miner
@@TheAppalachianStoryteller indeed, thank you!!!
Such a shame. God bless the coaliners & their families. Thank you for a fine video.
Thank you sir and God bless
Some of the most hard-working and amazing people I knew were family that worked in the coal mines and sawmills of West Virginia. For a long time those two professions is all they knew in that area.
good people for sure
Great story! Makes you really appreciate what you have!!
It really does, I had a hard time finishing this video... It broke my heart
God bless our coal miners, the strikers of 1902, John Mitchell the miner's advocate and Teddy Roosevelt.
Indeed my friend
Memories ❤. My uncle married my aunt who had two children from previous marriage. He moved them back to KY. On top of a mntn. He then went back into the mines to support them. Eventually my uncle got permission to teach the boys in high school how to fix the equipment so they never had to work mining. When he passed away. All the boys he helped along my the way came. Even though it was far away from the lil coal mining community. Really warmed my heart to see those boys growing up ❤
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My grandfather, father, brother and countless other family members were coal miners. When I saw the coin with Carter Coal Company, Coalwood WV, I realized this story took place in my old stomping grounds. Still have family in that area. Thank you for this story.
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My genes are rooted in the West Virginia coal mines. These stories really help me understand how my ancestors lived and how precious they are to us now
Thank you for watching, appreciate you my friend
Another great story told. Thank you, JD.
Oh my my! What hard times back then! I’m from Southern Illinois coalmining was a very hard life. I wish more young people would hear these stories and many more so they all understand how easy they have it
Amen
Jesus Christ 1891 I was born 100 years later! And we’re still hearing about the generations of families affected by the mines 💔💔
Your voice lends itself so beautifully to these stories. I see these hardworking men and boys with the utmost respect and can't imagine their hardships without my heart breaking. Thanks again, JD. 🤗
I did my best to represent their story with honor and respect, they certainly deserved it
@@TheAppalachianStoryteller You accomplished that masterfully! :)
Them miners and their families lived hard rough lives for sure.
yes sir
Power to the People....
UNIONS FIRST UNIONS FOREVER ✊
Great story, Thank you so much for sharing all these true stories. ❤
Thanks for binge watching Judy 😊
My grandfather and his brother were coal miners in southwest Va. My grandpas daddy was a moonshiner
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Such a hard life... I always did like Teddy Roosevelt 👍 Great account of the life of coal miners and I really liked that he took care of his brother... thanks JD 🤗❤️
When I read his words, I could tell he was a good man, he saved money to prepare for marriage even though he was poor, he worked as hard as he could every day for his family, and even though he was poor, he was the safety net for his family when illness came to his wife and his brother. I could feel the worry in his words as he was concerned about the future of his children, wanting them to get an education better than he had. He risked it all to join the strike. He was a good man, indeed, I had to share his story with the world.
@@TheAppalachianStoryteller Yes...and the integrity he had seems to be disappearing these days, sadly. ❤️
Teddy Roosevelt is one of the most underrated President...
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I was just up in Coal Creek (Rocky Top) Tennessee. This week doing research on the Fraterville Mine Disaster and the Cross Mountain Mine explosion. I can't imagine working in those conditions. Great video 📹 👍 another history lesson..
Thanks Jim. The Fraterville and Cross Mountain explosions are so sad. I filmed the whole area and the Miners Circle in the graveyard, I think in Briceville, along with the Coal Creek Museum a couple years ago for a story... but Ive never put it out there yet. The "One Last Breath" letter literally crushed me, I couldn't bring myself to finishing the project. Such important history and a tragic chapter in East TN History.
@The Appalachian Storyteller it certainly is heartbreaking. I'm really enjoying your videos, even the sad ones. It's good to be reminded of how things were in our past Appalachian history...
Born and raised in Harlan, Kentucky. This is my familys' story.
God bless the Coal Miner
Yay for T.R. And thank God for unions!
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Thank you my brother. I like you have been ar and done at. We had hard times and enjoyed it at the same time. Brotherhood!!!!!
Stay strong Brother
Coal miners are hero's. There's 3 facts that made this country great. 1. All branches of our military 2. The distribution system getting goods to market, and 3. Coal miners who gave everything including their lives so that industry had fuel their operations...
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These precious people were used and abused by the greed of the corrupted government. Makes my blood boil to hear the struggles these folks had to endure just to survive.
yes Sue, it was a hard story for me to tell, but it was an important moment in American history. This mans story needed to be told, even today, his story echos truth. I had to give a voice to his story.
Loved this story! I just got back from Copperhill Tn last week. My parents live in Blue Ridge Ga, I love it up there!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Really makes you so thankful for what you have. And to be so thankful for all the luxuries that we have compared to what they had. How very little they had to get by on not having a choice on where you work you just did what had to be done
well said Bella
My family didn't work in the coal mines but they did work on the old austinville lead mines of wythe county until they closed it down. So I can understand what makes miners that work underground so special. Love your videos and appreciate your keeping the history of Appalachian people alive.
preciate you brother
The Co & the Gov always squashing the little man, all the while pocketing every extra $ they can take from the miners.
I was bought up on the West Coast of the South Island in New Zealand which is our primary coal mining area..,thanks for posting.....
I didn’t know they mined in New Zealand, thanks for educating me
@@TheAppalachianStoryteller Yes sir some of the highest grade coal in the world...We had an explosion at River Pike that killed 29 miners in 2010....
JD ANOTHER CLASSIC MY MAN JUST SUCH A TOUCHING STORY BRILLIANT JD LOVE FROM NYC
Thank you !
Much respect.
Yes indeed
Absolutely love your stories, true glimpse into hard times which we have no concept of. Ty 💛
You are so welcome 🙏 thank you so much for your kind words
Great story JD as always
Thank you brother!
Excellent video! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for watching!
This is my Father's story per se. Early 1930s he n his brother only Survivors of a Mine Collapse. Eastern Kentucky. His said "I'll never go underground again!" Thus he, Ma n my 2 oldest siblings hitched a ride to N.Michigan. To Antrim County becoming farmers. (Oh ,,Ma was expecting my 3rd sibling. Me? I'm the last born son . )
Glad he escaped with his life, thanks for sharing your story
Amen!!!
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One rough way of life Thank you for sharing this. Kids today just don't understand this
yes ma'am, and sadly the public education system doesn't teach these stories at all.
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Sad that corporations would be doing the same thing today if not for the union’s! They have no idea how the working poor live and don’t care either.
They still do it all over the world, American corporations are the worse.. they just hide it from the public by shipping these terrible working conditions over seas, away from the eyes of the American consumer.
@@TheAppalachianStoryteller
I totally agree with you. Here in Western Australia they’re forced to pay the employees a great wage! In the mining industry that is, but they don’t pay taxes either.
Hi JD! A great story of the struggles the coal miners faced just to live day to day.
I remember my grandfather telling us stories when I was young about coal miners in Kentucky. My grandfather was a dynamite man, very dangerous job back in those days, just not many safety precautions in place. My grandparents lived in Tennessee and my grandfather would stay in Kentucky most of the time for work while my grandmother worked at a country store she walked to since they only had one vehicle and my grandfather drove it.
They definitely had a hard life, but never heard them complain.
Have a blessed day!
People were tough as nails back then. Hard times produce hard men.
Wow, this is so interesting!
Thank you my friend
Excellent account of life as a miner.
Thank you so much
Well Put.
Yes sir
Perfect tone to wake up to. Great story, I love the first-person narrative. Good morning, JD
Thank you Christy!
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What book or books would you recommend that accurately depicts the lives and challenges that Appalachian Coal Miners faced?
you'd be surprised what your local library has... even in my small town, there are nearly 100 books on the topic.
" night comes to the cumberland " .
@@searcymasonryAbsolutely! I bought a used copy at a Half Price Book Store and it blew my mind. The pictures of the one room school house as recent as 1964 show how the coal companies never invested anything back into the communities they basically raped.
No sir. We don't send our brothers and sisters away. It's just not done. Then or now.
Thank you.
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Wyoming & Raleigh County family history goes back 1700s for my ancestors..
Awesome
Do have anymore information on my family in that area..would be greatly appreciated
Have you heard about the ballad of Brunson Canaday??
@The Appalachian Storyteller
ua-cam.com/video/3lhgXk69gCM/v-deo.html
My pap paws brother.. and my dad was named after Carl's and (Thomas) my dad's (father) and named Silas
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Hey Storyteller my brother and friend
How are ya Randle
Also that newspaper article ablout the mine explosion is about 30 minutes from where I live... I worked that same seam of coal on this side of the mountain about 20 years ago(different mine same coal seam) it was very gas & lots of bad top! AST I should still do a video on what was calles the (coal wars) like your video you had about a similar one in Tenn...I emailed you info on it long while back, where after the 'war' with the Gov. & Pinkertons the sheriff was shot dead on the courthouse steps(it was all during same time frame/situation)Interesting story!
I have your story on my list, it will be out there, stay tuned
@@TheAppalachianStoryteller Awesome cant wait! I'm sure you have your hands full with lota if good content! I enjoy all the videos you put out Ive seen! I got a few your other recent ones I haven't had tine to yet but I will send more 👍 likes your way soon! Take care
Always join an Union if possible.
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JD great history lesson as always. Todays kids have it so easy compared to the real heros that built this nation. Like the coal miners, farmers etc. I wasn't raised in coal mining but I was raised farming. But moved to Southern Illinois around those coal mines and learned a lot of the history of those mines. I knew a few of the old timer miners that lived through that and I could just sit at their feet and listen to them tell the stories of their lives and what they went through. History like this brother needs to continue to be told so that it is remembered. The snow flakes of today are mad when they don't get their ipads or new games when these kids were just glad to be able to get a meal or even a glass of milk, when they could afford it. Thanks for sharing this sir.
Thank you Thomas, its history that isn't taught in public education, last thing they want is an educated workforce that carries on the legacy that these miners fought for. They want workers just smart enough to keep showing up for work.
Some kids will as high school aged kids are starting be put to work on the night shift at meat packing plants and putting teens who should be in school to work at dangerous jobs making cars or at meat packing plants is coming back.
My father and his grew up in the logging and timber towns of east Texas. Different industries, same poverty, danger, debt and despair.
Timber barons like John Kirby stole timber from thousands of people then held many thousands more in near slavery conditions while becoming very wealthy and having towns named after him and building fine churches and mansions.
No matter how hard you worked, by the end of the month you were always slightly more in debt than the month before.
Payment was never made in US currency but instead workers were given company scrit that could only be traded to businesses owned by the company in the town that was built by the company that was full of houses owned by the company.
The workers were cheated at every turn and no businesses that would charge a fair price were allowed space within the town limits.
Those tried to set up close by were run off because the company had bought all the land within easy walking or riding distance.
The company ran and charged for the electricity, charged a ransom for it and it was only enough to power a couple of light bulbs and possibly a radio for those fortune enough to have been given one by a relative.
Even that was turned off every night at 9:30. The mill needed for its workers to be well rested enough to work the next day.
No land was allowed to be farmed. That kept the workers totally dependent upon the company store to meet all of their needs. They could have gone hunting but who had the time or a way to store the meat assuming that the hunt was successful?
No hunting on company land and they owned most of it.
It was govt endorsed slavery.
Unions were a Godsend for workers when they first started. But, like every thing else, they grew corrupt and greedy. They wanted ever more $ for ever decreasing labor.
They forced all the workers to pay dues whether or not they wanted to belong to the union. The union bosses lived fat on the dues of the workers while pocketing fortunes and raiding retirement funds.
Ever has been and always will be that the powerful will subject the weak. It's a pathetic indictment of mankind that so very few good men weild power and genuinely care for those over whom they hold sway.
indeed, check out the video I made on logging, it talks about what you mentioned
What bad condones !! God Bless The coal miner ❤
amen
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Coal trains come through WSS back and forth 24/7 so I guess coal is still king in West Virginia
Yup I believe it is
16 tons of number 9 coal....
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The bosses were criminal
Yes they were
1:19 about the saddest thing I've seen in a while...a man in his prime, gone in an instant. 😥
Yeah that was a real photo, heartbreaking
The only time I’ve been pro union was with the UMW
That's messed up...
But that's corporate Amerikkka....GREEDY!
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My daddy hoped a train at 13 he did not wanna work in the mines
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Gm TAS😁
Morning Lana
@@TheAppalachianStoryteller Ty❤️
This is why the Natives were kicked off the land, so the rich could exploit the land and exploit the labor. The American Dream.
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The people of appalachia has had their land stolen and forced to work for pennies on the dollar talk about an injustice
Agreed
Get a moonpie and an RC cola. Thanks coal miners
1902 coal strike had nothing to do with West Virginia it was a Pennsylvania Anthracite miner strike
Thank you!
I often wonder, what if a man was claustrophobic?
Probably didn’t live very long
Just like most of us today you get over it figure out another way to make a living or starve there wasn't a whole lot of time or room for fear . I ain't trying to be rude I just grew up around a lot of old timers with no sympathy for sickness or fear at all.
Were american citizens we dont go to no hospital
that's a true statement... even my father in 1996 died at home instead of in a hospital. They didn't believe in leaving tons of medical bills designed to take away all assets of a deceased persons life work. You die at home, you owe nothing and your family keeps everything. Die in a hospital and you loose it all.
@@TheAppalachianStoryteller beholden to no man, especially the damn bank
Yeah guess not much has changed in 120 years
in a lot of ways, it hasnt
Dang that was a hard life!!! Much respect to the coal miner's and their families!!!! And to hell with all the people that want something for free!!!! Especially when you have the ability to work!!!!
Well said