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Collection Name:
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Colorado Coal Project
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Title:
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Interview with Tom and Susie Somsky in Erie, Colorado
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Creator:
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Margolis, Eric, 1947-
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Creator:
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McMahan, Ronald L.
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Subject:
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Coal miners--Personal narratives
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Subject:
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Coal mines and mining
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Subject:
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Coal mines and mining--Colorado
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Subject:
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Lungs--Dust diseases--Colorado
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Subject:
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Interviews
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Description:
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The couple discusses company housing at the Turner Mine in Walsenburg about 1928 when they first married. As a child, she witnessed bullying of strikers by the militia. In the coal camps, they enjoyed simple pleasures such as going to Walsenburg for ice cream, to a dance, and to visit others. In the Pryor camp they had a movie theatre, dances, and an occasional carnival. Susie quit school after the 5th grade when her mother died of the flu in 1918 -- leaving 8 children. They baked their own bread and washed clothes by hand. Tom started mining at age 15 and worked for 54 years at the Morrison and Eagle mines. He witnessed the use of canaries, to detect "black damp." He also noticed that mice would flee the mine just before a cave-in. He has black lung disease, which may have resulted from increased coal-dust levels after the mechanization of coal mining. In 1932, he was injured in a mine explosion in Carbondale in Walsenburg and couldn't work for 8 months. After recovery, he avoided mining and instead did construction work in Longmont. They were shunned by others in Longmont, where coal miners were not appreciated. Coal mining was seasonal, with usually no work in summer and at its peak during the coldest part of winter. He saw the introduction of coal-mining machines, which eventually reduced the need for labor. He feels the union made excessive demands, which eventually led to some mine closures. However, the demand for coal was high during World War II. Now they receive his pension, social security benefits, and black lung compensation.
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Description Type:
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summary
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Publisher:
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University of Colorado Boulder Archives
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Contributor:
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Somsky, Susie
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Contributor:
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Somsky, Tom
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Date:
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1984-02-02
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Type:
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Text
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Format:
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application/pdf
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Identifier:
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narv_coloradoCoal_transSomsky.pdf
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Identifier ARK:
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https://ark.colorado.edu/ark:/47540/s88d7q08f7c9
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Language:
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English
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Coverage (Spatial):
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Colorado (United States, North America) (first order administrative divisions)
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Coverage (Temporal):
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1918/1972
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Coverage (Spatial):
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Walsenburg (Huerfano, Colorado, United States, North America) (populated place)
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Rights:
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This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s). URI http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
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