ONE MAN’S EXPERIENCE

IN AUGUST 1929, MY FATHER, WALTER ARNETT, FOLLOWED THE EXAMPLE OF SOME OF HIS VIRGINIA RELATIVES AND CAME TO BLACK STAR TO FIND EMPLOYMENT. HE WORKED ON THE “GIN-GANG” (MAINTENANCE) WHICH AT THAT TIME WAS WORKING ON THE OLD HIGH SCHOOL GYM, WHICH LATER BECAME THE SCHOOL CAFETERIA.  HIS WAGES WERE 35 CENTS AN HOUR AND HE PAID ROOM AND BOARD OF ABOUT 75 CENTS A DAY.  HE BOARDED FIRST WITH LISH TIPTON AND THEN OTHERS.

IN LATE FALL THE “GIN-GANG” BEGAN WORKING ON THE BATH HOUSE AND THE CARPENTERS FINISHED IT IN EARLY 1930.   DURING THE TIME PERIOD 1929-1931, SOME THREE ROOM HOUSES WERE BUILT ON THE HILL EAST OF THE SCHOOL.

THE “GIN-GANG” WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR KEEPING THE CAMP AND OUTSIDE MINE FACILITIES MAINTAINED.  THEY WOULD WORK ON THE RAILROAD TRACK THAT WAS ON COMPANY PROPERTY, MAINTAIN AND REPAIR WATER LINES WHICH HAD BEEN BROKEN DURING THE WINTER.  THESE LINES RAN TO HYDRANTS, WHICH SERVED FIVE OR SIX HOUSES.  THEY WOULD ALSO REPAIR ROADS INSIDE THE CAMP, OR WORK AT THE COMMISSARY. THEY WOULD UNLOAD BOXCARS FILLED ENTIRELY WITH BAGS OF FLOUR; OR BOXCARS OF CORN MEAL, ICE AND OTHER NECESSITIES THAT WOULD SUPPLY THE RESIDENTS WITH THEIR DAILY NEEDS.

MY MOTHER AND FATHER MARRIED IN NOVEMBER 1930 AND THEY RENTED ONE ROOM FROM ARLESS WELLS FOR $5 A MONTH.  THEY HAD A STOVE, A TABLE, CHAIRS AND A BED IN ONE ROOM.  “IT SEEMED EASIER TO GET A JOB THAN IT WAS TO FIND A PLACE TO STAY.”  THERE WAS A LONG WAITING LIST TO RENT A HOUSE.

IN THE SPRING OF 1931, MY PARENTS MOVED BACK TO BLACKSNAKE, (LATER NAMED TUGGLE). HERE THEY RENTED TWO ROOMS FROM NELSE TAYLOR.  THAT SUMMER MY FATHER WORKED 10 HOURS A DAY, SIX DAYS A WEEK AND WAS PAID 35 CENTS AN HOUR.  HE WALKED THE SIX MILES TO BLACK STAR, WORKED HIS 10 HOUR SHIFT, AND THEN WALKED BACK HOME.

IN THE FALL OF 1932, MY PARENTS MOVED BACK TO BLACK STAR, WHERE THEY RENTED TWO ROOMS FROM CRIDER DASH.  LATER THEY MOVED INTO A HOUSE RENTED BY LONNIE MONTGOMERY, MY FATHER’S UNCLE.  LONNIE PAID THE RENT WHICH WOULD PAY FOR HIS BOARD.  MY PARENTS TOOK IN OTHER BOARDERS.

MY FATHER WAS IN THE LAYOFF OF MARCH 1932 AND THEY MOVED TO LEE COUNTY, VIRGINIA TO TRY FARMING.  AT THE SAME TIME MY FATHER WOULD WORK IN THE MINE; ALTHOUGH THE WORK WAS UNCERTAIN, SOMETIMES ONE, TWO OR OCCASIONALLY THREE DAYS A WEEK.  HE WOULD WALK THROUGH KELLY O.K. MINE, ACROSS THE CUMBERLAND MOUNTAIN AND ACROSS POOR VALLEY MOUNTAIN, COMPLETING THE TRIP IN ONE HOUR THIRTY MINUTES TO ONE HOUR FORTY FIVE MINUTES, IF HE MAINTAINED A FAST PACE.  HE SOMETIMES MADE THIS TRIP SIX TIMES A WEEK.  AFTER THE LAYOFF, WAGES WERE CUT.  THE “GIN-GANG” PAID 15 CENTS AN HOUR.  THE “INSIDE GANG” WAS PAID 20 CENTS AN HOUR.  THE MOTORMEN, MINERS, AND OTHERS INSIDE MADE MORE.  STILL “IT WAS DIFFICULT FOR EVERYONE, THOSE IN THE CAMP AND THOSE NOT.”

FROM 1932 TO 1934, MY FATHER WORKED IN THE MINE FOR MEN WHO HAD CONTRACTS WITH THE COMPANY.  HE WAS HIRED BY ESTES BARTON TO WORK WITH THE “MUCKING GANG” THEY WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR KEEPING THE MINE TRACK CLEAN.  HE LATER WORKED FOR MARION RAMSEY.  HE LOADED A 3200 POUND CAR FOR 17 ½ CENTS, WITH RAMSEY GETTING 17 ½ CENTS FOR A TON OF COAL.  THIS WAS CALLED “CHALK-EYEING”.  LATER, DURING THE SUMMER OF 1934, MY FATHER AND GEORGE PAYNE LOADED COAL, “BY THE TON” FOR THE COMPANY.

SINCE COAL WAS LOADED AND PAID BY THE TON MANY MEN WOULD ENTER THE MINE ON NON-WORKING DAYS TO CLEAN UP THEIR WORK PLACE; REMOVING SLATE, ROCK AND DIRT SO THEY COULD EARN AS MUCH MONEY AS POSSIBLE WHEN THEY WERE WORKING.  IF THERE WAS TOO MUCH DIRT IN A COAL CAR, THE COMPANY WOULD SET IT ASIDE AND THE MINER WOULD NOT GET PAID.

AS AN EXAMPLE OF HOW DIFFICULT IT WAS EARNING A LIVING AWAY FROM THE MINE MY FATHER WORKED FOR A FARMER IN VIRGINIA FOR 50 CENTS A DAY, WORKING FOR TEN HOURS.  ON BLACKSNAKE CREEK HE WORKED AT A SAWMILL FOR $2.28 A DAY IN THE SUMMER OF 1935.  HE ALSO WORKED TWO YEARS AT THE BALKAN MINE, WHICH PAID WELL BUT IT WAS A DANGEROUS JOB FOR THEY WERE “ROBBING THE MINE”—REMOVING THE COAL THAT HAD ORIGINALLY BEEN LEFT TO SUPPORT THE ROOF OF THE MINE.

DURING THE PERIOD THAT MY PARENTS WERE IN VIRGINIA, MARCH 1932-1934, HIGHWAY 72 WAS PAVED.

IN APRIL 1938 MY FATHER RETURNED TO BLACK STAR, WORKING ON THE “GIN-GANG” FOR SEVEN DOLLARS A DAY.  BUT WORKING ONLY TWO OR THREE DAYS A WEEK.  THEY WERE WORKING ON THE TRACK AROUND THE MINE, REPAIRING TRAM ROADS FROM THE DRIFT MOUTH TO THE HEAD HOUSE, UNLOADING SAND AND ROCK DUST TO BE USED IN THE MINE.  WITHIN THREE YEARS HE WAS A TRUCK DRIVER, HAULING SUPPLIES OR HAULING SLATE AWAY FROM THE TIPPLE.

DURING WORLD WAR II THE MINE WAS OPERATING SIX AND SOMETIMES SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.  DURING THE PEAK YEARS, THERE WERE NEARLY 1100 MEN WORKING AT BLACK STAR.  MY FATHER WAS PRIMARILY A TRUCK DRIVER, MAINLY KEEPING THE MINE SUPPLIED WITH MINING TIMBERS.  HOWEVER AT VARIOUS TIMES HE AND OTHER TRUCK DRIVERS FORMED A CONVOY OF TRUCKS AND TRAVELED TO WESTERN KENTUCKY OR TO PARKERSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA BRINGING BACK MUCH NEEDED MINING EQUIPMENT SUCH AS CONVEYERS, MINING CABLE AND COAL CUTTING MACHINES.  AFTER THE WAR HE WENT TO WORK IN THE SUPPLY HOUSE WITH MR. SILER AND LATER MR. BAKER.

DURING THE 1950’S THE WORK FORCE WAS GRADUALLY REDUCED.  IN MAY 1960 IT WAS LEARNED THAT THE MINE WOULD OFFICIALLY CLOSE JUNE 23, 1960.  EVEN THOUGH THERE HAD BEEN RUMORS, IT WAS A SHOCK TO EVERYONE.  ALL THE PROPERTIES AT BLACK STAR WERE SOLD TO THE PEABODY COAL COMPANY.

MY FATHER WORKED ON FOR PEABODY FOR ANOTHER NINE MONTHS: TAKING INVENTORY OF EQUIPMENT, SELLING SOME OF IT.  HE COLLECTED RENT AND UTILITY PAYMENTS FROM THOSE WHO REMAINED IN THE CAMP.  HOUSES WERE SOLD TO THOSE WHO WANTED TO SALVAGE THE LUMBER.  IT WAS EVIDENT THE CLOSING WAS PERMANENT.

ROBERT ARNETT