January 22, 1959

[Omaha Steve]

http://nhlabornews.com/2015/01/january-22-1959/




One of the worst mining disasters in northeastern Pennsylvania history occurs when the Knox Mine Company digs illegally under the Susquehanna River without drilling boreholes to gauge the rock thickness overhead. The insufficient “roof” cover caused 10 billion gallons of water to pour into the mine. Ten people were indicted on a variety of charges, including violations of the Anthracite Mine Act, conspiracy, and involuntary manslaughter in the deaths of twelve miners whose bodies were never been recovered.

About Today In Labor History

The NHLN has joined with multiple other websites to help highlight some of the struggles that workers have faced throughout our history. We want everyone to know what the workers of the past had to endure for the rights we take for granted now. If you do not learn from the past, you are doomed to repeat it.

[mountain grammy]

1. Thanks, Steve.

[rurallib]

2. I would hope each of those ten indicted eventually died in jail

serving their sentences. Yet somehow I doubt they did

[OnlinePoker]

4. Here's a part of the appeal

The Company was fined $10,000. On Count II, Lippi was sentenced to pay a fine of $5,000 and to serve three years in prison. On Count III, imposition of sentence was suspended and he was placed on probation for three years to begin on his release from prison under Count II, "A condition of probation being that all delinquent taxes shall be paid." Sciandra and Fabrizio also received fines and sentences. With the consent of the district court, Counts II and VII were dismissed as to Fabrizio. Only Lippi has appealed.

http://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/F2/347/33/116394/

[rurallib]

6. Jesus weeps

[eggplant]

3. Fuck worker safety. There's money to be made.

(Do I really need a sarcasm tag here?)

[OnlinePoker]

5. One of those convicted was head of the local union

I wonder if he was threatened by management that they would shut the mine down if he didn't go along with their scheme.

[Brother Buzz]

11. Occam's razor

Every man has a price.

[appalachiablue]

7. Appreciate the much needed remembrance of this terrible event and labor history.

[BeanMusical]

8. That's horrible.

[rickford66]

9. I remember this well.

I was 12, living in NEPA and saw this on the news every night. Dozens and dozens of boxcars were thrown into that whirlpool and were crushed like tissue paper. 12 miners dead. The responsible owners were slapped on the wrists. When I've been in discussions here in upstate NY about fracking, I always bring up the history of the mine owners in NEPA. Took the money and left a disaster that took decades to clear up at our expense.

[pacalo]

10. Horrific tragedy.

Your post moved me to google it & I found this video which included a lot of interesting news clips. The huge number of misspellings, however, is a little distracting -- you'd think a person making a video would check his spelling before committing it to the public.

[rickford66]

12. I used to see the miners stop in my Grandfather's bar after work on the way home.

Tough hard working guys. Take the mine tour in Scranton sometime. It's an eye opener.

http://www.lackawannacounty.org/index.php/attractions/coal-mine