Athens, Hocking & Perry County Coal Child Labor

Child Labor The younger boys who worked at the mine were called breaker boys. They did not actually work in the mine itself. They sat on long benches while coal flowed along beneath their feet and picked out the bits of rock from the coal. These places were poorly lit, and the boys had constant coughs because of the dust. The moving coal would often cut their fingers, and they could hardly stand up staight because of leaning over the coal for so many hours each day. Also, boys would sometimes fall and get smothered or crushed in the huge piles of coal. Worse yet, when the boys turned twelve they would be sent down into the mines where there was a constant threat of cave-ins and explosions.   (Department of Commerce and Labor. Children's Bureau. (1912 - 1913) )

Photo 1 - January, 1911, A view of Ewen Breaker of the Pa. Coal Co. The dust was so dense at times as to obscure the view. This dust penetrates the utmost recesses of the boy's lungs.  A kind of slave driver sometimes stands over the boys, prodding or kicking them into obedience. Location: South Pittston, Pennsylvania.

Photo 2 - Young Driver, 1909 - A young driver in the Brown mine. Has been driving one year. Works 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily. Brown W. Va

Photo 3 - 1908 - Drivers and Trappers Going Home: Barnesville Mine. Location: Fairmont, West Virginia

Photo 4 - Oct., 1906 -Frank, a Miner Boy, going home. About 14 years old: has worked in the mine helping  father pick and load for three years: was in hospital one year, when leg had been crushed by coal car.

Photo 5 - 1908 October - Trapper Boy, Turkey Knob Mine, Macdonald, W. Va. Boy had to stoop on account of low roof, photo taken more than a mile inside the mine.

Photo 6 - January, 1911 - Group of Breaker Boys in #9 Breaker, Hughestown Borough, Pennsylvania Coal Co. Smallest boy is Angelo Ross.  Location: Pittston, Pennsylvania.

Photo 7- 1908 - Harry and Sallie. Driver in Maryland Coal Co. Mine, near Sand Lick, Grafton, W. Va. Was afraid to be photo'd because we might make him go to school. Probably 12 years old. Location: Grafton, West Virginia.

Photo 8 - December, 1910 or January, 1911 - At the close of the day. Just up from the shaft. All work below ground in a Pennsylvania Coal Mine. Smallest boy, next to right hand end is a nipper. On his right is Arthur, a driver, Jo on Arthur's right is a nipper. Frank, boy on left end of photo, is a nipper, works a mile underground from the shaft, which is 5000 Ft. down. Location: [South Pittston?], Pennsylvania.

Photo 9 - August, 1908 - Tipple Boy, Turkey Knob Mine, Macdonald, W. Va.,

Photo 10 - Oct. 1908 - Tipple Crew, (same small boy in photo # 9) Turkey Knob Mine, Macdonald, W. Va. Oct. 1908  MacDonald, West Virginia

Photo 11 - January, 1911 - Noon hour in the Ewen Breaker, Pennsylvania Coal Co. Location: South Pittston, Pennsylvania

Photo 12 - December1910 - Dave, a young "pusher" at Bessie Mine, Alabama.  Location: Bessie Mine, Alabama

Photo 13 - December1910 - Shorpy Higginbotham, a "greaser" on the tipple at Bessie Mine, of the Sloss-Sheffield Steel and Iron Co. Said he was 14 years old, but it is doubtful. Carries two heavy pails of grease, and is often in danger of being run over by the coal cars. Location: Bessie Mine, Alabama

Photo 14 -  December, 1910 - Shorpy Higginbotham  Location: Bessie Mine, Alabama

Photo 15 - October, 1908 - Drivers going home, 5:30 P.M. from mine Macdonald, W. Va.

Photo 16 - December, 1910 - Hard work and dangerous for such a young boy. James O'Dell, a greaser and coupler on the tipple of the Cross Mountain Mine, Knoxville Iron Co. in the vicinity of Coal Creek, Tenn. James has been there four months. Helps push these heavily loaded cars. Appears to be about 12 or 13 years old. Location: Coal Creek, Tennessee

Photo 17 - January, 1911 - Group of Breaker boys. Smallest is Sam Belloma, Pine Street. Location: Pittston, Pennsylvania

Photographs by photographer Lewis Hine, from the records of the National Child Labor Committee (U.S.), Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA Do you have coal mine photos to share?