Coal mining has always been a dangerous occupation. Rather than rewarding the men and boys who risked their lives so that others could have heat in abundance, mining companies often regarded the miners as easily replaceable. Injuries and fatalities on the job were common, as were mining-related illnesses like Black Lung and various cancers. In circumstances like these, if a man was dead or ill often another member of the household would immediately replace him so that the family would not be kicked out of their home.
Via/ Flickr
Miners often lived in the company houses. Mining operations would set up camp and create whole towns around the mines, with homes, schools, and stores all owned by the mining company in charge.
Sometimes the workers weren’t even paid in money, instead given paper coupon books or metal “scrip” tokens which could only be used at the company store. Cash for rent was often not needed in these camps since rent was automatically deducted from the earnings before any scrip or currency was given over. This created a host of problems such as inflated costs at the company store, immediate eviction upon inability to work, and a general sense of not being able to organize or unionize since everything was basically company property.
Via/ Library of Conress
