My grandfather worked at the Pond Creek No. 1 mine at Bartley, WV. He travelled back and forth from Honaker to Bartley on a weekly basis. He was laid off about a week before this disaster occurred: http://www3.gendisasters.com/west-virginia/5379/bartley,-wv-coal-mine-gas-explosion-disaster,-jan-1940 More info here: http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Ridge/4478/weep.htm You'll note there were a few men from the Drill area that died in the explosion. My wife's father was killed in a mining accident 13 days before her 8th birthday at the age of 30. She talks about it occasionally and has a vivid memory of that day when he left for work. Mike ---- John Parrott <[email protected]> wrote: > I loved read about the coal mines, and sitting here in sunny NW Florida, I > too can relate to coal mines because both my father, and grand father were > coal miners, and both worked for Clinchfield Coal Corp, which was > headquartered in Dante, Va until the mid 1970's (I think) then they moved to > Lebanon, Va-which by then was Pittston Corp. > Anyway, I never worked the mines myself, but did work at the Clinchfield > Coal Laboratory in Clinchfield from about 1958-1962 (when I was about to be > drafted into the military). > I highly suggest anyone who has connections to Southwest Virginia coal > mining, get a copy of Kathy Shearers excellent documentary of the life of > coal miners, as told by coal miners and their families. > Her latest book is "Wilder Days", about a now long gone town that once > boomed during the early part of the 20th century. > John Parrott > Crestview, Fl > Original Message ----- > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "Randy Crouse McNew" <[email protected]> > > To: <[email protected]> > > Sent: Saturday, April 19, 2008 2:53 PM > > Subject: [VARUSSEL] Thoughts on SW Va, coal mining and Bluegrass music. > > > > > >> Sitting here on a Saturday afternoon looking at some videos on YouTube, > >> feeling homesick for Southwest Virginia. (Debbie and Hannah are there > >> now.) > >> I was recording bluegrass off of YouTube to put on my IPOD. I was > >> listening > >> to Patty Loveless' "You'll Never Leave Harlan Alive." A song she wrote > >> about > >> her grandparents and the hard times in the Eastern Ky coal mines. I came > >> across a short video about SW Va and coal mining. > >> > >> > >> > >> The story is a glimpse into the life of my father's family and my wife's > >> family. Since coal mining began, as an industry in Southwest Virginia > >> around > >> 1885, men had few choices about employment. You were either a farmer or a > >> coal miner or both; or you worked in a job that supported the coal > >> industry. > >> The video (link below), much to my satisfaction, illustrates the > >> closeness > >> of family and the pervasiveness of the musical heritage of the area that > >> was > >> passed down by the original Scots-Irish, German, and English Settlers of > >> the > >> area from whom I descend. Bluegrass, coal mining, and the Appalachian > >> Mountains and "hollers" of SW Virginia are who I am; different, but no > >> better than anyone else, anywhere. > >> > >> > >> > >> Coal mining is a hard life, and it was much harder 50 years ago. If you > >> ask > >> any miner today, he will tell you that he is proud, very proud, to be a > >> miner. I am very proud that my grandfather and great grandfather, Uncles > >> and > >> many of my cousins worked in the mines. My Dad told me that when he was a > >> boy, his father would leave home before daylight and get home after dark; > >> not seeing the sun shine until Saturday. I remember staying with my > >> Granny > >> and when my Pa (that's my grandfather) would get home, he would be black > >> with coal dust on his hands and face and he always had black edges around > >> his eyes where the coal dust didn't wash off. Like my father, I left SW > >> Va. > >> He came back several times and we settled there in 1972, and he stayed > >> until > >> he died at the age of 52 in 1984. I left to go to college in 1985 and > >> took > >> a > >> job working on missile defense in Alabama in 1989. > >> > >> > >> > >> I will never forget, and will always be proud of, my Appalachian roots. > >> We > >> might talk differently, but we are as smart as anyone anywhere; we know > >> and > >> love God, we work hard, love our country, love our families, pray every > >> day, > >> mind our business, and humbly go about living, and know how to have fun. > >> Here, a man's word is his bond. We can, and will, take care of ourselves > >> anytime we need to. We are the first to step onto the battlefield and > >> have > >> left our dead on the fields of every war the US has ever fought. Most of > >> all, we are Americans. > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> Check this link, hold CTRL key and click on it, or cut and paste it into > >> your browser address bar and click on "Go" > >> > >> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JArYF8axBVY > >> <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JArYF8axBVY&feature=related> > >> &feature=related > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> Randy Crouse McNew > >> > >> Huntsville, AL > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> ------------------------------- > >> To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > >> [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > >> quotes in the subject and the body of the message > >> > >> > >> -- > >> No virus found in this incoming message. > >> Checked by AVG. > >> Version: 7.5.524 / Virus Database: 269.23.2/1387 - Release Date: > >> 4/19/2008 > >> 11:31 AM > >> > >> > > > > > > ------------------------------- > > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > > [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > > quotes in the subject and the body of the message > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message