December 6th is National Miners Day. On December 6th, 1907, over 362 coal miners died in an explosion at the No. 6 and No. 8 mines in Monongah, West Virginia. The two mines were connected by a common ventilation system which was destroyed in the explosions. The first explosion may have stirred up coal dust and gasses that made the second more deadly explosion. Only five miners were rescued.
In the book “Mother Jones, The Miners’ Angel” by Dale Fetherling, 1974, he talks a lot of how much time she spent in West Virginia helping to get miners’ rights, and help unionize them in the early 1900’s. I spoke a lot of Mother Jones in my September 2nd blog “Pray for the dead and fight like hell for the living”.
The Monongoh Mining Disaster is considered the largest and worst in America. After reading about it, I began a search for some old specialized books on mining – some professional engineering textbooks.
I found a few. They are: “A Text-book on Coal Mining”, by Herbert W. Hughes, published 1904; “Shaft Sinking in Difficult Cases” by J. Rimer, published in 1907; “Mine Sampling and Valuing” by C.S. Herzig, published 1914; and “Well-boring for Water Brine and Oil” by C. Isler, published in 1902. I talked some about them in the March 10th article “Mining my own business”.
Each book had incredible information about mining, and the science of how to dig underground. The book “Shaft Sinking” is especially rare because of the many tipped-in foldout illustrations. I have printed just a few from this unusual book:
These books were interesting to read because of the difficult situations that engineers had to overcome. They are some of the hard to find, and really unusual books that fill my shelves. However, they don’t really talk about the miners themselves.
I would like to show “Only A Miner” by Archie Green, published, 1972., This book is studies about recorded coal mining songs, and the history of writing and recording them. I also showed this book in the September 2nd story.
This book talks about the Monongah Mine Disaster with a song and poem “Explosion In the Fairmount Mines” (Fairmount was the name of the mine’s company owner). This was one of several songs that came out:
One bright morning, a miner, just about to leave
Heard his dear child screaming in a fright
He went to her bed, then she looked up and said,
“I have had such a dream, turn on the light.”
REFRAIN: “Daddy, please don’t go down in that hole today,
For my dreams do come true, sometime, you know.
Oh, don’t leave me, daddy, please don’t go away,
Something bad sure will happen, do not go.“
“Oh, I dreamed that the mines were burning out with fire.
Every man was fighting for his life.
Then some had companions, and they prayed out loud,
“Oh God, please protect my darling wife.”
REFRAIN:
Then her daddy bent down and kissed her dear sweet face
Turned again to travel on his way
But she threw her small arms around daddy’s neck
She kissed him, again he heard her say
REFRAIN:
Then the miner was touched, and said he would not go,
“Hush, my child, I’m with you, do not cry.”
There came an explosion and two hundred men
Were shut in the mines and left to die
REFRAIN:
This song would be one of the real reasons we remember and celebrate miners – the actual men who go into mines and risk their lives every day. Please keep miners on your thoughts today. Thanks for reading.
Librarytomes 