Dirty Mines

The Last Generation of Anthracite Coal Miners

De: John Fitzgerald

Narrado por: Randy Hames

Duración: 7 h y 53 m

Resumen del Editor

Dirty Mines is a story about coal mining in Pennsylvania. For the first time, many of the jobs performed by boys, as young as 8 years old, are described in detail.

Cesar D’Angelo was 10 when his father was killed in the mines. Cesar, the oldest boy in his family, had to take his father’s place working for the coal company. His first job was working high up in the dangerous coal breakers. At the age of 12, he went down into the blackish, coal dusted mines to begin his long mining career. His first job was sitting in the dark alone for 10 to 12 hours a day as a door keeper. Later he became a spragger, mule driver, and had various other jobs until becoming a lifetime coal miner.

Dirty Mines also addresses the rich history of this era, including the miscarriage of justice towards the Molly Maguires in their fight for union rights and the environmental disaster at the Knox Coal company that ended coal mining in North Eastern Pennsylvania.

This is a family story about the last generation of Scranton coal miners. It is a fascinating and warm narrative of sacrifice, humor, and love. A revealing story about a forgotten way of life in difficult times, with very little pay in horrible working conditions. It’s an anecdotal story of courage and tenacity of poor deprived coal miners that struggled to make a better life for their children. Their historic sacrifices are being passed on to a new generation, so their unique heritage will never be forgotten.

©2016 John Fitzgerld (P)2020 John Fitzgerald

Wonderfully researched

This was a wonderful book. However I wish that the author had gone into more detail to make me feel like I was in the mines with protagonists father. The book was very fact heavy which was great, but it felt more like a history book than a novel. Still a fantastic book!

great insight into the life of a coal miner

I always heard that my family was from the Coal Region of Pennsylvania but I never really thought to learn more about that way of living. This story wasn't what I thought it was going to be, but the stories that the main character learns is really insightful into the life and lives of my ancestors.

My Family History

This book does an excellent job of stitching together the history of the anthracite coal industry in NEPA. My grandfather worked in the mines for his whole life after coming here from Poland and I never knew the stories that were revealed in this book. Anyone who had relatives who were miners should read this one , I am glad I did. It opened my eyes to my family history in a very welcome way that makes me appreciate my family even more than I did.