MARNE 52
August 10 , 2011
Pottsville, PA COAL mining country -- Antracite, hard coal
The Molly Maguires
On the MARNE journey back home, came back through PA and stayed a night at Marine Corps buddy Keith & MJs at Deer Lake, PA. Next morning went w/ Keith to get his "240 Z" annual inspection at his mechanic. A small town mechanic -- since 1941-- Father and Son, now Grandson too... garage. I LOVE small towns!!! .... and the small business' that make small towns what they are.
After inspection,... and a 20 year old tire that the steel belts had separated, Keith drove me around Pottsville to see the local sights. I said, driving through on the journey North on rte 61... looking over the valley, Schuylkill river running right through the town, up on the hill I saw the armory, the castle like building .
Keith says, "that's the schuylkill jail. It's still the county jail. That's where they hung the Molly Maguires".
Oh,... I have hit the mother lode. I have to see this. This IS COAL MINING country! The people here are coal miners; have been for 220 years. These are some hearty folk. These are not frat boys! These are rugged guys; the families are rugged!
High upon the hill,... brownstone bldg,... local quarried stone... this is a magnificent building. Concertina wire on the side walls. This was an honor to be here and see this.
The Molly Maguires were the 1st people to attempt forming a union for better working conditions. The Mines were horrible places to work, no standards, no laws, on health care; you lost a hand... no need to hire you if you can't work. There were children 8 and 10 years old working in the mines. In 1877 the Molly Maguires tried through sabotage to deal with "the company" as a last resort. from this wikipedeia link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Molly_Maguires ...you can read more... but the gist was...
when the company men / detectives were after them... they hired an infiltratior... a spy to report their misdeeds and then prosecuted / tried the Molly Maguires on his word.... and they HANGED them. for trying for better working conditions in COAL MINES.(they murdered some of the tyrant mine foreman/ bosses)
At their trial... written by wikipedia...
Four members of the Molly Maguires, Alexander Campbell, John "Yellow Jack" Donahue, Michael Doyle and Edward Kelly, were hanged on June 21, 1877 at a Carbon County prison in Mauch Chunk (renamed Jim Thorpe in 1953), for the murder of mine bosses John P. Jones and Morgan Powell, following a trial that was later described by a Carbon County judge, John P. Lavelle, as follows:
The Molly Maguire trials were a surrender of state sovereignty. A private corporation initiated the investigation through a private detective agency. A private police force arrested the alleged defenders, and private attorneys for the coal companies prosecuted them. The state provided only the courtroom and the gallows.
*** I have stood on both side of the fence. Having run a small business, I understand not having a union dictate your business plan. As a teenager in the '60s working for Lumberjack meats... a direct experience in the sureal world of the meat packing plant/ industry ... "The Jungle"... I can tell you that place was the reason there should be unions to deal w/ and bargain against horrible working conditions.
There is a Tom Joad thread in me that stands anytime there is oppression and injustice... I will be there. And I will stand with them as long as there is injustice.
My regret is that I didn't go inside the bldg to see where the gallows were.
I say a prayer tonight for the Molly Maguires,... and their spirit.
*** No, I don't advocate murder of coal mine bosses.
Dad & his buddies told me about a nearby coal mine during the depression 1932. About 100+ men standing at the gate each morning looking for a days work. Mine boss / mine forman comes to the gate and asks "?Who wants to work for $1 a day?" (That's ONE dollar for the whole days coal mine shift.) ... ALL the hands go up & a cheer / yell of HERE!
Mine boss then says, "ok,... ?Who wants to work for .90 cents?" All the hands go up again.
Again, mine boss says, "ok, ... ?Who wants to work for .80 cents?" Most, but not as many hands go up.
Mine boss again, ... "?Who will work for .70 cents?" A few less hands go up each reduction in days wages.
"? .60 cents?" Some of the men start walking away to the side now.
And it continued down to .20 cents, where the absolute starving men,... most had families w/ kids and had to bring something home ,... rather than nothing.
The 50 or so men still crowding the gate opening.... the mine boss would start pointing out men / guys; You,..... you,..... you..... you,....
....and they'd quickly be let in the gate to work that day.
After picking 15 to 20 men to work that day,... the mine boss would announce "that's all for today"... turn and head back to the work shack, company guard locking the gate w/ the rest of the men standing there disillusioned.
Dad said he's seen men throw up,... or at least dry heave -- 'cause they hadn't eaten in a couple days-- .. from being so sick from seeing grown men have to beg for work... or reduce themselves to be taken advantage of by mine bosses like this.
So when The Molly Maguires fought back rather than just "take it or leave it"... I stand w/ the working guys.
166
MARNE 52
August 10 , 2011
Pottsville, PA COAL mining country -- Antracite, hard coal
The Molly Maguires
On the MARNE journey back home, came back through PA and stayed a night at Marine Corps buddy Keith & MJs at Deer Lake, PA. Next morning went w/ Keith to get his "240 Z" annual inspection at his mechanic. A small town mechanic -- since 1941-- Father and Son, now Grandson too... garage. I LOVE small towns!!! .... and the small business' that make small towns what they are.
After inspection,... and a 20 year old tire that the steel belts had separated, Keith drove me around Pottsville to see the local sights. I said, driving through on the journey North on rte 61... looking over the valley, Schuylkill river running right through the town, up on the hill I saw the armory, the castle like building .
Keith says, "that's the schuylkill jail. It's still the county jail. That's where they hung the Molly Maguires".
Oh,... I have hit the mother lode. I have to see this. This IS COAL MINING country! The people here are coal miners; have been for 220 years. These are some hearty folk. These are not frat boys! These are rugged guys; the families are rugged!
High upon the hill,... brownstone bldg,... local quarried stone... this is a magnificent building. Concertina wire on the side walls. This was an honor to be here and see this.
The Molly Maguires were the 1st people to attempt forming a union for better working conditions. The Mines were horrible places to work, no standards, no laws, on health care; you lost a hand... no need to hire you if you can't work. There were children 8 and 10 years old working in the mines. In 1877 the Molly Maguires tried through sabotage to deal with "the company" as a last resort. from this wikipedeia link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Molly_Maguires ...you can read more... but the gist was...
when the company men / detectives were after them... they hired an infiltratior... a spy to report their misdeeds and then prosecuted / tried the Molly Maguires on his word.... and they HANGED them. for trying for better working conditions in COAL MINES.(they murdered some of the tyrant mine foreman/ bosses)
At their trial... written by wikipedia...
Four members of the Molly Maguires, Alexander Campbell, John "Yellow Jack" Donahue, Michael Doyle and Edward Kelly, were hanged on June 21, 1877 at a Carbon County prison in Mauch Chunk (renamed Jim Thorpe in 1953), for the murder of mine bosses John P. Jones and Morgan Powell, following a trial that was later described by a Carbon County judge, John P. Lavelle, as follows:
The Molly Maguire trials were a surrender of state sovereignty. A private corporation initiated the investigation through a private detective agency. A private police force arrested the alleged defenders, and private attorneys for the coal companies prosecuted them. The state provided only the courtroom and the gallows.
*** I have stood on both side of the fence. Having run a small business, I understand not having a union dictate your business plan. As a teenager in the '60s working for Lumberjack meats... a direct experience in the sureal world of the meat packing plant/ industry ... "The Jungle"... I can tell you that place was the reason there should be unions to deal w/ and bargain against horrible working conditions.
There is a Tom Joad thread in me that stands anytime there is oppression and injustice... I will be there. And I will stand with them as long as there is injustice.
My regret is that I didn't go inside the bldg to see where the gallows were.
I say a prayer tonight for the Molly Maguires,... and their spirit.
*** No, I don't advocate murder of coal mine bosses.
Dad & his buddies told me about a nearby coal mine during the depression 1932. About 100+ men standing at the gate each morning looking for a days work. Mine boss / mine forman comes to the gate and asks "?Who wants to work for $1 a day?" That's ONE dollar for the whole days coal mine shift. ... ALL the hands go up & a cheer / yell of HERE!
Mine boss then says, "ok,... ?Who wants to work for .90 cents?" All the hands go up again.
Again, mine boss says, "ok, ... ?Who wants to work for .80 cents?" Most, but not as many hands go up.
Mine boss again, ... "?Who will work for .70 cents?" A few less hands go up each reduction in days wages.
"? .60 cents?" Some of the men start walking away to the side now.
And it continued down to .20 cents, where the absolute starving men,... most had families w/ kids and had to bring something home ,... rather than nothing.
The 50 or so men still crowding the gate opening.... the mine boss would start pointing out men / guys; You,..... you,..... you..... you,....
....and they'd quickly be let in the gate to work that day.
After picking 15 to 20 men to work that day,... the mine boss would announce "that's all for today"... turn and head back to the work shack, company guard locking the gate w/ the rest of the men standing there disillusioned.
Dad said he's seen men throw up,... or at least dry heave -- 'cause they hadn't eaten in a couple days-- .. from being so sick from seeing grown men have to beg for work... or reduce themselves to be taken advantage of by mine bosses like this.
So when The Molly Maguires fought back rather than just "take it or leave it"... I stand w/ the working guys.
