COLLECTION NAME:
Colorado Coal Project
mediaCollectionId
UCBOULDERCB1~76~76
Colorado Coal Project
Collection
true
Collection Name:
Colorado Coal Project
collection_name
Colorado Coal Project
Collection Name
false
Title:
Interview with John and Caroline Tomsic
title
Interview with John and Caroline Tomsic
Title
false
Creator:
Margolis, Eric, 1947-
creator
Margolis, Eric, 1947-
Creator
false
Creator URI:
creator_uri
http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n00101170
Creator URI
false
Creator:
McMahan, Ronald L.
creator
McMahan, Ronald L.
Creator
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Creator URI:
creator_uri
http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/no94033808
Creator URI
false
Subject:
Children of coal miners
subject
Children of coal miners
Subject
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Subject URI:
subject_uri
http://id.worldcat.org/fast/855330
Subject URI
false
Subject:
Coal mines and mining--Utah
subject
Coal mines and mining--Utah
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Subject URI:
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http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh88003987
Subject URI
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Subject:
Interviews
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Interviews
Subject
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Subject URI:
subject_uri
http://id.worldcat.org/fast/1423832
Subject URI
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Subject:
Labor disputes--Colorado
subject
Labor disputes--Colorado
Subject
false
Subject:
Labor disputes -- Utah
subject
Labor disputes -- Utah
Subject
false
Subject:
Strikes and lockouts--Coal mining--Colorado
subject
Strikes and lockouts--Coal mining--Colorado
Subject
false
Subject URI:
subject_uri
http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh85128770
Subject URI
false
Subject:
Strikes and lockouts--Coal mining--Utah
subject
Strikes and lockouts--Coal mining--Utah
Subject
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Subject:
Coal miners--Personal narratives
subject
Coal miners--Personal narratives
Subject
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Subject:
Coal mines and mining
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Coal mines and mining
Subject
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http://id.worldcat.org/fast/865355
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Subject:
Coal mines and mining--Colorado
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Coal mines and mining--Colorado
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Subject URI:
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http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh97002598
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Description:
John Tomsic's father, a steelworker and coal miner, immigrated from Austrian Italy to Delagua, Colorado where John and Caroline met. John started mining at age 15, after 8th grade. Ethnic groups lived in separate neighborhoods but got along in the same school. As a child, he lived in a tent (among a family of 8) in Ludlow before the massacre. After the massacre, his father was black-balled for 4 years, because he participated in the strike. The 1913 strike eventually led to union recognition by Victor American Fuel Company in 1918. Work conditions were harsh, getting docked for small amounts of rock in the coal car, un-paid non-production work (framing, laying track) -- all handwork with picks. During the 1922 strike in Delagua the militia came in to harass miners, monitor visitors to the town, and break-up the union. Union bands led people to meetings outside the town and union sympathizers ("red necks") who wore red bandanas as a gesture of support. The couple moved to Utah after the 1922 strike and a pay dispute. Coal town life included dances, movies, picnics, fishing trips, visiting each other, and enjoying home-made wine. During the 1933 strike in Spring Canyon, Utah he spent about 10 days in a "bullpen" jail. Miners clashed with company enforcers and KKK sympathizers (Mormon youths and other farm kids). A march in Price, Utah was tear-gassed by the militia. Women were fire-hosed by militia when marching to release the men from jail. U.M.W.A and the National Miners Union were trying to organize in the area; the coal companies contracted with U.M.W.A. In Utah, after unionization, he could shop elsewhere, had more regular pay and safety committees. One son works on the tipple, the other in the coal mine. The Tomsics admit the danger in coal mining but love the camaraderie and lack of ethnic tension in the mines and coal towns (which had little crime despite unlocked doors). He now suffers from black lung, takes medication for it, and receives some compensation. Today's non-union miners benefit from the victories of earlier union miners.
description
John Tomsic's father, a steelworker and coal miner, immigrated from Austrian Italy to Delagua, Colorado where John and Caroline met. John started mining at age 15, after 8th grade. Ethnic groups lived in separate neighborhoods but got along in the same school. As a child, he lived in a tent (among a family of 8) in Ludlow before the massacre. After the massacre, his father was black-balled for 4 years, because he participated in the strike. The 1913 strike eventually led to union recognition by Victor American Fuel Company in 1918. Work conditions were harsh, getting docked for small amounts of rock in the coal car, un-paid non-production work (framing, laying track) -- all handwork with picks. During the 1922 strike in Delagua the militia came in to harass miners, monitor visitors to the town, and break-up the union. Union bands led people to meetings outside the town and union sympathizers ("red necks") who wore red bandanas as a gesture of support. The couple moved to Utah after the 1922 strike and a pay dispute. Coal town life included dances, movies, picnics, fishing trips, visiting each other, and enjoying home-made wine. During the 1933 strike in Spring Canyon, Utah he spent about 10 days in a "bullpen" jail. Miners clashed with company enforcers and KKK sympathizers (Mormon youths and other farm kids). A march in Price, Utah was tear-gassed by the militia. Women were fire-hosed by militia when marching to release the men from jail. U.M.W.A and the National Miners Union were trying to organize in the area; the coal companies contracted with U.M.W.A. In Utah, after unionization, he could shop elsewhere, had more regular pay and safety committees. One son works on the tipple, the other in the coal mine. The Tomsics admit the danger in coal mining but love the camaraderie and lack of ethnic tension in the mines and coal towns (which had little crime despite unlocked doors). He now suffers from black lung, takes medication for it, and receives some compensation. Today's non-union miners benefit from the victories of earlier union miners.
Description
false
Description Type:
summary
description_type
summary
Description Type
false
Publisher:
University of Colorado Boulder Archives
publisher
University of Colorado Boulder Archives
Publisher
false
Contributor:
Tomsic, Caroline
contributor
Tomsic, Caroline
Contributor
false
Contributor:
Tomsic, John
contributor
Tomsic, John
Contributor
false
Date:
1978-04-28
date
1978-04-28
Date
false
Type:
Text
type
Text
Type
false
Format:
application/pdf
format
application/pdf
Format
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Identifier:
narv_coloradoCoal_transTomsic.pdf
identifier
narv_coloradoCoal_transTomsic.pdf
Identifier
false
Identifier ARK:
identifier_ark
https://ark.colorado.edu/ark:/47540/kj922k96p20v
Identifier ARK
false
Language:
English
language
English
Language
false
Relation:
Title: Interview with John and Caroline Tomsic (part 1 of 2)
relation
Title: Interview with John and Caroline Tomsic (part 1 of 2)
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Relation href:
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https://ark.colorado.edu/ark:/47540/9t4p7s0890p1
Relation href
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Relation:
Title: Interview with John and Caroline Tomsic (part 2 of 2)
relation
Title: Interview with John and Caroline Tomsic (part 2 of 2)
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Relation Type:
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relation_type
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Relation href:
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https://ark.colorado.edu/ark:/47540/k7879w46b3ss
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Coverage (Spatial):
Ludlow (Las Animas, Colorado, United States, North America) (populated place)
coverage__spatial_
Ludlow (Las Animas, Colorado, United States, North America) (populated place)
Coverage (Spatial)
false
Coverage (Temporal):
1904/1978
coverage__temporal_
1904/1978
Coverage (Temporal)
false
Coverage (Spatial):
Delagua (historical) (Las Animas, Colorado, United States, North America) (populated place)
coverage__spatial_
Delagua (historical) (Las Animas, Colorado, United States, North America) (populated place)
Coverage (Spatial)
false
Coverage (Spatial):
Storrs (Carbon, Utah, United States, North America) (populated place)
coverage__spatial_
Storrs (Carbon, Utah, United States, North America) (populated place)
Coverage (Spatial)
false