Mining tragedies, yesterday and today

Mom and Dad often talked about the Sunday Creek mine disaster in Millfield, an explosion that caused the worst mine disaster in Ohio. It happened in 1930 when Mom was 17 and Dad just 18. Momma said she remembered everyone running to the mine, fearing the worst. And the worst is just what happened. There were 191 miners working that day, and 82 lost their lives, either in the explosion or from the deadly gases that filled the chamber. Nine hours later, 19 miners were discovered alive nearly three miles from the main mine in an air shaft they constructed by blocking themselves off from the main chamber. Eight officials of the Sunday Creek Coal Company died that day, including the president. Ironically, they were in the mine to inspect new safety equipment.

The governor of Ohio ordered in the National Guard to keep order, and a train carrying two rescue cars traveled 91 miles in 93 minutes, breaking all speed records. But for most, it was too late.

Imagine the size of Millfield and the scale of a tragedy like this. It would be worse than 9/11 was for New Yorkers. All of those families with dead to bury. At 11:00 that morning of November 5, the first body was brought to the surface. Fifty-nine women became widows that day, and 154 children lost their fathers. Nearly every family in Millfield was affected.

Photo of Millfield High Hill, above the mine.
I wonder what it was like for Dad, knowing his father worked the mines. And Dad himself had worked for a while with Grandad, probably not too long before the explosion happened, though he was probably in Michigan at the time.

Miners have always been considered expendable by the mine owners -- and it's not a whole lot better today. Only now, it's the land itself and the communities around the mines that are expendable.

Here in West Virginia and in parts of Kentucky, the coal barons have a new, diabolical way of causing destruction. It's called mountaintop removal mining.


Photo of mourners (the Athens Messenger) at the disaster site

Now they just cut off the top of the mountains and take out seams of the best coal, then dump the waste in to the valleys and streams below.


This mining practice is a travesty perpetrated by greedy companies like Massey Energy, and it doesn't even promise to employ many people, since massive machines do the mining. It goes on 365 days a year, with the stated goal of flattening all of the mountains and many of the people who get in the way. Here's what it looks like down in those peaceful little valleys now. Miles and miles of streams are being choked off by debris left in the valleys, and "black water" runs down through the land of the people who live there. This should give us all something to think about with Earth Day coming soon.

Yes, miners and mining communities have always had it hard. But miners are proud people, and many of them have no other trades to ply.

Kind of makes me want to turn out all of my lights and light a candle for all of those who have died for the sake of a lump of coal.