Tag: Charleston WV

Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts & Doings of Mother Jones for July 1919, Part II: Sissonville Prison Road Camp-Burning Hell Hole of West Virginia

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Quote Mother Jones Constabulary n Bread, Ab Chp 23, 1925———-

Hellraisers Journal – Saturday August 16, 1919
Mother Jones News for July 1919, Part II
-Found Protesting Conditions at Sissonville Road Camp

Hell Hole in West Virginia: Sissonville Prison Road Camp
-Described by Mother Jones:

Mother Jones Crpd Women in Industry, Eve Ns Hburg PA p2, Jan 6, 1919

With Mr. [Fred] Mooney and Mr. Snyder, organizers, I went to the prison camp of Kanawha County where prisoners were building a county road. It was a broiling hot day.

About forty men were swinging picks and shovels; some old grey haired men were among them, some extremely young, some diseased, all broken in spirit and body. Some of them, the younger ones, were in chains. They had to drag a heavy iron ball and chain as they walked and worked. A road officer goaded them on if they lagged. He was as pitiless as the Bull on their bent backs.

These were men who had received light sentences in the courts for minor offenses, but the road officer could extend the sentence for the infraction of the tiniest rule. Some men had been in the camp for a year whose sentence had been thirty days for having in their possession a pint of liquor. Another fellow told me he was bringing some whiskey to a sick man. He was arrested, given sixty days and fined $100. Unable to pay he was sentenced to five months in the prison camp, and after suffering hell’s tortures he had attempted to run away. He was caught and given four additional months.

At night the miserable colony were driven to their horrible sleeping quarters. For some, there were iron cages. Iron bunks with only a thin cloth mattress over them. Six prisoners were crowded into these cages. The place was odorous with filth. Vermin crawled about…..

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Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts & Doings of Mother Jones for June 1919, Found in Illinois and West Virginia

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Quote Mother Jones, Kaisers here at home, Peoria IL Apr 6, 1919———-

Hellraisers Journal – Friday July 18, 1919
Mother Jones News for June 1919
-Found Speaking at Memorial for Coal Miners of Herrin, Illinois

From Springfield [Massachusetts] Republican of June 1, 1919:

Mother Jones, Labor Leader, Spgfld Rpb p37, June 1, 1919

Mother Jones has participated in many a successful strike. During the war she is reported to have said to miners: “Let us lick the kaiser first, then we can lick the operators.”

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Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts & Doings of Mother Jones for March 1919-Found in Pennsylvania and West Virginia

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Quote Mother Jones Constabulary n Bread, Ab Chp 23, 1925———-

Hellraisers Journal – Friday April 18, 1919
Mother Jones News for March 1919
-Found Advocating for Workers’ Rights in Pittsburgh and Charleston

From The Pittsburgh Post of March 3, 1919:

SHORTER DAY URGED BY “MOTHER” JONES
—–
Aged Labor Leader Talks At Temple Meeting.
—–

Mother Jones Crpd Women in Industry, Eve Ns Hburg PA p2, Jan 6, 1919

If they stand together the workers can bring peace and happiness to every American home, “Mother” Jones, widely famed labor leader, told a large audience yesterday afternoon at the Labor Temple, Washington street and Webster avenue. The meeting was held under the auspices of the Pittsburgh Federation of Labor. “Mother” Jones, who declared herself “85 years young.” was accorded an enthusiastic reception.

[She said:]

Four hundred thousand soldiers are coming home, and we must prepare for the event by lessening the hours of labor.

Stanley Rokoscz, former president of the Polish National Alliance, addressed the meeting in Polish. P. J. McGrath, secretary of the Street Car Men’s Association, and J. T. Patterson, vice president of that body, urged immediate organization of the Pittsburgh district iron and steel workers.

———-

[Photograph added.]

From The Wheeling Intelligencer of March 11, 1919:

MOTHER JONES AGAIN AT STATE CAPITAL
—–

CHARLESTON, W. Va., March 10.-On the eve of the opening of the special session of the state legislature “Mother Jones,” militant leader of organized labor, came back to Charleston tonight to lead union workers in opposition to the proposed enactment of legislation establishing a state police force, she announces. She headed a demonstration of the steps of the state house at the regular session recently, staged by organized labor as disapproval of the constabulary.

———-

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Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts & Doings of Mother Jones for February 1919-Found in West Virginia

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Quote Mother Jones, Contract w God Almighty, MJ Spks p165, Charleston, Aug 1, 1912———-

Hellraisers Journal – Friday March 14, 1919
Mother Jones News for February 1919
-Found in Speaking to the Miners of District 17 in West Virginia

From The West Virginian of February 4, 1919:

MOTHER JONES COMING BACK
TO THIS COAL FIELD
—–
Will Address a Mass Meeting
at Phillippi Sunday.
—–

[…..]

Mother Jones, Kalamazoo Gz p9 gen, Dec 27, 1918

“Mother” Jones, the miners’ friend, will soon be back in the Fairmont region according to the information received today by C. F. Keeney, president of District 17, United Mine Workers, who is now at the local office in Fairmont. “Mother” Jones will arrive in Charleston on Friday from California, where she interceded for Mooney before Governor Stephens, in the case that has attracted wide attention in labor circles. “Mother” Jones was sent to the Coast by the Illinois Federation of Labor.

While in the Fairmont region she will address three or four meetings in the interest of the miners in the Belington section, including a meeting at Junior mine. She will address a mass meeting of miners at Philippi on Sunday.

[…..]

Three Mass Meetings.

Three mass meetings are scheduled by the United Mine Workers for Sunday. In the afternoon “Mother” Jones will speak at Philippi.

At 1 o’clock in the afternoon President C. F. Keeney will address a mass meeting at Roaring Creek Junction.

A mass meeting at Junior mine will be addressed by Sam Ballantyne, an international organizer……

———-

[Photograph added.]

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Hellraisers Journal: From the Charleston Labor Argus: Trade Unions Are Toilers Only Hope for Protection and Safety

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Don’t Mourn, Organize!
-Joe Hill

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal – Saturday December 26, 1908
National Elections Pass into History; Hardships Continue for Toilers

From the Charleston Labor Argus of December 24, 1908:

Trade Union Are Toilers Only Hope
—–

Only Protection and Safety for the Working
Masses is Organized Labor
-Politicians Are But Tools of the Trusts.
—–

Labor Argus p4, Frank W Snyder, Charleston WV, Dec 24, 1908

Now that another national contest has, passed into history and the working people can take a sober view of the economic situation, the Cleveland Citizen calls attention to the fact that the labor problem was not solved on Nov. 3, 1908.

While the unsuccessful politicians are now in the dumps and the victors are celebrating their acquaintance of the spoils of office, the workingmen are confronted by exactly the the same conditions that they were to face the day before election.

The problem of unemployment for some and overwork for others, the evils for cheap women and child labor, the introduction of labor-displacing machinery, the threats of wage reductions, the attacks of union smashing open shoppers and similiar questions are here today just as they were here last week, and they must and considered for the reason that they cannot lie dodged.

Since there is no likelihood that the victorious politicians will establish the millennium week after next or next year or the year following, what are the working people going to do for their own betterment? Sit on their haunches and suck their thumbs. Go into a trance and give up the few advantages that they still possess?

We believe not. Down in their hearts the workingmen and women know that their only protection and safety lies in organizing-in combining the toilers into trade unions for offensive and defensive purposes.

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Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts & Doings of Mother Jones for December 1917: Found in Indiana and West Virginia

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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The devil might possibly scare [Mother Jones],
but a machine gun can’t.
-Claude G. Bowers

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Friday January 18, 1918
Mother Jones News for December 1917: Visits with Claude G. Bowers in Fort Wayne

Mother Jones, NY Sun, Dec 2, 1917

During the month of December of last year, Mother was found in Fort Wayne, Indiana, visiting with Claude G. Bowers who is writing a biography on the late Senator John W. Kern. Mother Jones has often praised Senator Kern for the role he played in freeing her from the Military Bastile of West Virginia during the Coal Mine strike there in 1912 and ’13. (See story below at Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette.)

We also found her praised for her patriotism due to her call to “lick the kaiser,” and, at the end of the month, we found her in Charleston, West Virginia, “taking part in the street car strike.”

An article by Peggy Dwyer in the United Mine Workers Journal reminds us that the gunthug who recently murdered a union miner is still at large. This is the same thug who pointed a gun at Mother Jones and threatened to blow her head off. Such is the life of a union organizer brave enough to work in the state of West Virginia.

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Hellraisers Journal: Death in the Mines, “The Disgrace of West Virginia,” where “Catastrophe Follows Catastrophe.”

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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“Dagos are cheaper than props.”
-Mother Jone Quoting a Mine Manager

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Thursday February 21, 1907
West Virginia Coal Mines: “Catastrophe Follows Catastrophe”

From Indiana’s Evansville Press:

Amazing Death List in West Virginia Coal
Mines Forces Sensational Inquiry
—–

West Virginia Miner, Evansville IN Press, Feb 20, 1907

Astounding revelations of the cheapness with which human life is held in the coal mining regions of the little state of West Virginia are here given to the world for the first time.

Catastrophe follows catastrophe, lives by the hundreds are snuffed out from year to year, man’s greed overshadows his sense of the value of his brother’s life and the frightful, pitiful conditions continue to exist unchanged. Here is the situation in West Virginia:

One hundred and twenty four dead in three accidents in the last seven weeks. Thirty more killed in single accidents.

In 1906 more than 250 men killed in mine accidents.

In the last six years 2563 killed or injured. In the last 10 years 1275 killed.

WHY WEST VIRGINIA IS A
STATE OF HORROR.

Unenforced laws, corporation disregard of the sacredness of human life, official indifference, inspection which does not inspect, inefficient laws.

There are 740 mines, and only one third of them are inspected every year. There are 55,000 miners. To safeguard them only $15,000 is spent every year by the state.

GRINDING EXISTENCE OF A
WEST VIRGINIA MINER.

Low wages, long hours and prohibition against even discussing unionism and better conditions.

Children compelled to work at an early age.

Compelled to live in company houses, rent company furniture and buy groceries from the mine company.

Then death-sudden, terrible-a prospect.

Shabby, forgotten-maybe unknown graves-on the hillside.

Hundreds of widows and orphans mourning in the midst of privation.

_____________________________________________

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