Evening star., 1946-04-29
Continued From First Page,

llllll W lIfC
2. Coal mining is rough, hare
work. The miner is knocked about
breathes impure air and works un-
der artificial light. Consequently
he Is burned out at SO to go years
of age, and more often than not. has
no means of support until his Fed
eral old-age pension comes in at 65
3. There are mum erous disease
cases where help is needed. Some
are borderline cases where the State
compensation board ruled that the
mans troubles did not result from
an occupational injury. Many o1
these, it appeared, could be de-
cided either way. In any event. the
miner is incapacitated and finds the
going tough.
Cecil Davis. As, of Naueatuck, w
Va, has been a miner for Is years
His wife is his only dependent
Last June 10, the wheels of a Goa
cutting machine almost severed his
hand. 1t has healed, but is twisted
and distorted and he is unable tt
close it, Bones protrude under the
skin nearly an inch above the nor
NAL level of the back of his hand
There's a large knot on his wrist
He said the arm is of little use tC
him.
Drew SIG Weekly.
Mr.. Davis said he drew SIG week
compensation until November 18
nothing since then. He was first
awarded s343 compensation. The
union fought the case They got il
up to ST 1872 for IS per cent disability
to five fingers. nothing for the hand
He drew about third of the tota
in the early installments, has s795 tC
come.
The coal company. he said. was
reluctant to re-employ him because
his handicap might lead to another
accident. He said he was uncertain
lust how much work about the
mines he could do. They cut off his
credit at the company store. he re-
lated, and offered him 81 900 fol
his home that cost 81 800 to build q
year ago.
I'm having a tough time sale
MI Davis. I've drawn nothing since
November. l don't think I got
enough for my hand
Evans Juke of War, w. Va. who
said he was so and looked much
older, illustrates another type o1
case. About four years ago he had &
forefinger chopped off and the 9TH
ers badly smashed in mine acci-
dent. He received SIG week COM
pensation for year.
About the time of the accident
Mr.. Juke said he began having
trouble with the arm and shoulder
1t grew steadily worse until at the
present time, he says my arm anC
shoulder are paralyzed and it pain.
me all the time
The compensation board rulee
the additional ailments were not
results of the mine injury and re.
fused to make awards for them. Tht
union took the case all the way t(
the State Supreme Court and lost.
Mr. Juke carried a letter dateo
last February from DR.. D. H. Hat.
field of Huntington. former Cover.
nor and Senator from West Virginia
diagnosing his ailments as neuriti!
anG extending from the tips of the
fingers to the shoulder inclusive,
plus arthritis.
Now Totally Disabled.
This manls. 100 per cent perma
nently and totally disabled for doing
any kind of work" wrote DR.. Hat
field Not only is this true but he
suffers excruciating pein all the
time and is entitled to the care anc
consideration of the compensati tior
Department.
William M. Lester. assistant UNIV
field director at WEIGH, said ther,
was virtually no chance of gettins
further compensation. The mineI
said he lived on crumbs and what
ever I can find" and slept wherevel
he could get spot.
A slate fall in August. 1943, lef
William Sexton, "a, paralyzed from
his waist down, so we went by hi
home to interview him. He was op.
Grating coal cutting machine il
a mine 20 miles from Welch wher
the accident occurred. His back wa
broken in several places and foul
ribs were smashed from the back
bone
Mr.. Sexton said he spent NOR,
than year in and about hospital!
at Huntington. They saved his life
but told him he would never walk
again. His father lives in Hunting.
ton. He also injured his back in the
mines and is unable to work
The younger Sexton is married
and has four children. three boys
and a girl He is bedridden and GOV.
cred with sores. His wife nurses hin
and cares for the house and chill
dren. He lives in tumble -doWl
i house miles from Welch, one of E
group of 81 at an abandoned mine
A real estate firm bought the house:
from the mining company. he said
and sold them to miners. He pur.
chased his not long ago for sl,37;
because he had to have a place te
live.
Debts Grow Larger.
/ Mr.. Sexton receives the maximum
in compensation, 500 50 a month fol
, life He pays $25 month interes
and principal on the house, and hi!
bill for sterilized bandages and med
icines averages SIG a month. Tht
electricity bill runs 81 to IS month
The heating and cooking stoves burr
20 tons of coal year at $658 a ton
Employed miners in company houses
get their coal for about $3.50.
Il owe everybody" said Mr.. Sex.
ton worriedly. Il can't pay my bills
They just get bigger and bigger"
/ He apparently was pretty wei
fixed at the time his back wa
smashed The Sections had an elec
trio refrigerator, washing machine
an expensive cabinet radio and SINH
lar gadgets. He said a store tool
the refrigerator for a bill he owed