The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-07-02
How Miners Live in West Virginia

Years ago the soft coal miners in West Virginia
were reasonably we'll organized But in the struggles
of the last fifteen years against coal companies ana
deputy sherifs at the beck and call of the employers
the union organization has been broken The results
on the lives of the workers thus described by Tom
Tppett highly capable and reliable student OF labor
conditions
1.-THE miners live in isolated company villages lar
uc in the mountains A small, implanted shack on
stills unceiled with broken steps and eaky roof, is
common type of home. These houses are damned
like boxes next to each other, separated by narrow
bare wards and untidy fences PrvieS stand close to
the houses and often above the outdoor wells from
which all water must be carried
"The miners must trade at the company store
where prices usually range from 20 to &c per cent
higher than in the outside towns, The wages OF
nanv run about 50 and So day-and work is lar
from steady. On pay day many workers receive
literally no money whatever their payments Tor rent
food doctor, explosives for mining etc. having used
I'D all their earnings and being subtracted from their
nav very large proportion of the men are in debt
s n the company month after month. They hardly
4 aver see real money, what they usually get being
vcr;r or company money, which must be discounted
erbans one-fourth if they wish to buy outside the
company domain.
"when the union was strong the men worked
only eight hours day. Now they often are forced
n stav in the mine for ten, eleven, Twelve hours
r,+,o+ extra nav After work they go back to their
little homes literally "coal-black from heao 10 1901
with the dust
4 "since the men are in debt to the company IL Is
.,o- 1i45cut for them to leave. Boys inherit their
s ta+bers, debts Some villages be approached only
~, the railroad track owned by the company. The
miners their wives and children are practically locked
- a. these isolated bleak, bare villages. Company
,,.rds are ALWAYS on hand to keep the miners IN
the camps. and strangers out, and the miners re-
4 rosn,ber how hundreds of their fellows have been
+ortred and shot down in the past by these private
,,roan But they are determined to fight nonethe-
lees for better lives for themselves and their
families
A desperate effort is now being mace 10 reorganiSe
49,. xryast virginia coal fields and regain for the
workers some part Of their former oecen' Us
Tq,ose who Join the union are ruthessly discharged
- t,o cool companies and are compelled to live under
conditions such as the following:
.rrbere is the home of S0-year-old striker, whom
: .,,1 call Walter Robinson. He went inside. Some
Goals were burning in CRATE, and around 1t hudoleo
Nnx~s Robinson and three small children AL OF them
- ,,+l,out shoes all only half clothed. On the bed
!. the same room was a tiny baby, months old
ct,1 another child died this year. From where 1
rtood could easily through the house whose
walls were single planks separated by wide cracks.
# was Just easy 10 see SKY V1oue 'ae Aoo NOOA'
ing that is called furniture was IN the place nor any
Dther thing commonly associated in our minds with
~. word home. All the Robinsons were hungry and
nave been underfed for months.
.r7obinson is not a shiftless fellow. He gathered
-, his nav envelopes which he proudly has kept for
) long period Ten years ago. when there was a
,,r,on here. he could $40 $50 for two weeks
work But that is all gone now. His home is per-
feet mirror Of his wages. Time was when he had
FURNITURE and clothes and food and feeling of
security with a strong organization back of him.
The union was destroyed and with 1t his home and
his sef-respect. Now he lives on much lower stan
dards than the mine mules.
~The Robinson home is typical Of all the stranded