Detail View: Colorado Coal Project: 1980 interview with Mike Livoda (part 1 of 3)

Colorado Coal Project

1980 interview with Mike Livoda (part 1 of 3)

Margolis, Eric, 1947-

http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n00101170

McMahan, Ronald L.

http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/no94033808

Coal Strike (Colorado : 1913-1914)

http://id.worldcat.org/fast/1404237

Coal mines and mining--Colorado--Las Animas County

Interviews

http://id.worldcat.org/fast/1423832

Jones, Mother, 1837-1930

http://id.worldcat.org/fast/1730605

Labor disputes--Colorado

Strikes and lockouts--Coal mining--Colorado

http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh85128770

United Mine Workers of America

http://id.worldcat.org/fast/515758

Coal miners--Personal narratives

Coal mines and mining

http://id.worldcat.org/fast/865355

Coal mines and mining--Colorado--Huerfano County

Mike reports that before unionization, coal miners in Huerfano and Las Animas counties were making only $2.95 per10-hour day (though state law specified $3.25 per 8-hour day). Miners had no voice in selecting the check-weighman and could shop only at the company store. (Kate Livoda joins in). The mining company kicked out striking workers from company housing. The union bought land for the tent colony and gave strikers $2/week/man and $1/wife plus 50 cents/week/child. The union also provided medical care. The mothers looked after everybody's kids and tried to stick together. There were baseball games, picnics, bocce ball and cards for entertainment during the strike. During the winter before the massacre, both Lippiatt and Sheriff Belcher were killed, and women marched in support of Mother Jones in Trinidad. Federal troops called for all weapons to be turned in, but Mike buried and kept his. The union rebuilt tents at Ludlow after the massacre. There was a large tent for an office and gathering place. Local farmers provided food, and there were lots of beans to eat. Kate was in Trinidad during '03/04 strike; she recalls Glenn Aultman, a photographer in the area. Cokedale continued to work during the strike. The Sopris mine now lies beneath the water of a man-made lake. Kate thinks coal is a dirty fuel for home use. Mines from Aguilar north produced "domestic coal;" those from Aguilar south had coking coal. There are still lots of empty buildings in Trinidad. (Kate was 84, and ML was 94 at the time of this interview.) About 300 miners (mostly Hispanic) now work the Allen mine. Mike ran CCC camp near Walden and Craig during the Depression. Mike was beaten up in Ravenwood (a Victor American Fuel Co. camp) by a company stooge while company guards watched. He stayed in a shack outside the Polish Hall 4 days to recover. Sheriff Jeff Farr ordered him to get out and stay out, claiming "I'm the king of this county!" After the Ludlow massacre, there were 10 days of war before Federal troops arrived. Mike organized the men to fight: in Aguilar, they attacked the Southwestern mine. There were also confrontations at the Rugby, Jewel, Rouse, and Primrose mines. Mike sings "Union, forever" [~00:38:00] An unidentified speaker describes olden days, as a child in the Trinidad area. Mike and his CCC crew worked on the Monument Lake dam. He sums up his 94 years: despite limited schooling, he "gained an education by associating with the type of people who were educated … struggling to win all the time; and the biggest percentage of the time, we did win." Kate explains that "he always has a goal." She reports that Mike has very regular habits, and feels that "I got a bargain." Mike was never nervous about the future, always had faith in the future. Recalls Joe Zanatele and his wife, Emma (she was in Forbes at the tent colony; her twin infants died; the colony was attacked while everyone else was gone for their funeral). When ML started to organize for U.M.W.A, Aguilar was the only safe place for him to live. END of interviews with ML, Kate. [01:05:00] Ron and Eric talking to each other -- continued; lots of "dead air" -- and recording of phone call regarding picnic (at Aguilar?) 01:25:00 -- Loud hum; recording of phone call regarding camera repair; ENDS ~ 01:29:15.

summary

00:05:00 -- Mike and Kate Livoda on early working conditions and the 1913 strike; 00:10:00 -- Families of strikers band together; violence before and after the Ludlow massacre; 00:15:00 --Life in tent colonies, during the strike; 00:20:00 -- Description of coal mines at Cokedale, Sopris, Aguilar; 00:25:00 -- Allen mine, Mike's work at CCC camps during the Depression; 00:30:00 -- Mike beaten in Ravenwood, "10-day's war" after the Ludlow massacre; 00:35:00 -- Strikers fight back; 00:40:00 -- Mike sings "Union, forever."; 00:45:00 -- childhood in Trinidad, Mike reviews struggles and succcess in his life; 00:50:00 -- Kate describes Mike's habits and feels he's "a bargain." 00:55:00 -- Mike always had faith in the future; 01:00:00 -- Recalling Joe and Emma Zanatele, the loss of their children, the attack on Forbes; 01:05:00 -- Mike, a U.M.W.A organizer, lived in Aguilar; END of interview with Mike and Kate; 01:10:00 -- Ron and Eric talking; 01:15:00 -- Continued, lots of "dead air"; 01:20:00 -- Continued, lots of "dead air," discuss upcoming picnic; 01:25:00 -- Continued, lots of "dead air," discuss camera repair; 01:29:15 -- Ends.

timeline

University of Colorado Boulder Archives

Livoda, Mike, 1886-1984

1980-09-20

Audio

audio/mp3

15-98 Livoda.mp3

https://ark.colorado.edu/ark:/47540/xt4p4v2499sr

English

Title: Interview with Mike Livoda (part 2 of 4), including his wife, Kate

isFormatOf

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Title: 1980 interview with Mike Livoda (part 1 of 3)

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Title: 1980 interview with Mike Livoda (part 2 of 3)

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Las Animas County (Colorado, United States, North America) (civil)

1907/1980

Huerfano County (Colorado, United States, North America) (civil)

Trinidad (Las Animas, Colorado, United States, North America) (populated place)

Ludlow (Las Animas, Colorado, United States, North America) (populated place)

Walsenburg (Huerfano, Colorado, United States, North America) (populated place)