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 Frank Wojtylka
title
Interview with Frank Wojtylka
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
false
Creator URI:
creator_uri
http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/no94033808
Creator URI
false
Subject:
Coal miners
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Coal miners
Subject
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Subject URI:
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http://id.worldcat.org/fast/865316
Subject URI
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Subject:
Retirees
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Retirees
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false
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http://id.worldcat.org/fast/1096254
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false
Subject:
Interviewing
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Interviewing
Subject
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Subject URI:
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http://id.worldcat.org/fast/977601
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Subject:
Coal miners--Personal narratives
subject
Coal miners--Personal narratives
Subject
false
Subject:
Labor movement--United States--History--20th century
subject
Labor movement--United States--History--20th century
Subject
false
Subject URI:
subject_uri
http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh2009128353
Subject URI
false
Subject:
Coal Strike (Colorado : 1913-1914)
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Coal Strike (Colorado : 1913-1914)
Subject
false
Subject URI:
subject_uri
http://id.worldcat.org/fast/1404237
Subject URI
false
Description:
Interview with retired miner, Frank Wojtylka from Cokedale, Colorado. The retired coal miner discusses changes in the coal industry: area mines were busy in WWII, but shut down in 1947. As production wound down, the company was finding too much "sulphur" rock per load of coal. His dad died of "miner's consumption" (i.e. black lung). Wojtylka recalls many nationalities in Cokedale, including some Japanese miners when he was young. He also remembers an explosion in the mine. During a strike at Cokedale, scabs were beaten up by union members from out of town. (There had been less union organization at Cokedale, but more at Sopris and other nearby mines.) During the 1927 "Wobblies" strike (which in this area started at Valdez by the IWW), strikers scattered nails on the road. Cokedale coal mines had gotten union organization by 1943. The companies even provided bus transport to the coal mine. Wojtylka details conflicts between old-timers and newcomers to town. He served on the town council for quite a while; they organized town services after the company sold out. Cokedale is one of the few company towns that survived. Buildings sold for about $400 for a 4-room house. Over time, home heating has changed from coal to natural gas. Mining pay changed from script (when he was young) to gold to cash to checks. There were a few thefts of payroll from the company. In the coal camps, people seemed to enjoy life more than neighbors in cities or on farms. Neighbors often got together for parties and seemed able to get by, with less money. Wojtylka feels that today's workers expect more for less effort and are not willing to work. Mining camps were less isolated than ranches and farms, and also had shorter work-days. Working conditions in the mines were much better if it wasn't low coal. During Prohibition, some families made wine at home; there were a few bootleggers of whisky, also. There was even some gambling in Cokedale, many years ago. They used to enjoy streetcar service from Cokedale to Trinidad. Today, Wojtylka decries high prices and wages; he feels that people are unwilling to work for a good life. He compares life and costs today vs. during Roosevelt's presidency. Wojtylka admits that small towns such as Cokedale have governance problems because people are in conflict with each other. There's a surprising amount of conflict in such a small town: witness their difficulties finishing the local sewer service.
description
Interview with retired miner, Frank Wojtylka from Cokedale, Colorado. The retired coal miner discusses changes in the coal industry: area mines were busy in WWII, but shut down in 1947. As production wound down, the company was finding too much "sulphur" rock per load of coal. His dad died of "miner's consumption" (i.e. black lung). Wojtylka recalls many nationalities in Cokedale, including some Japanese miners when he was young. He also remembers an explosion in the mine. During a strike at Cokedale, scabs were beaten up by union members from out of town. (There had been less union organization at Cokedale, but more at Sopris and other nearby mines.) During the 1927 "Wobblies" strike (which in this area started at Valdez by the IWW), strikers scattered nails on the road. Cokedale coal mines had gotten union organization by 1943. The companies even provided bus transport to the coal mine. Wojtylka details conflicts between old-timers and newcomers to town. He served on the town council for quite a while; they organized town services after the company sold out. Cokedale is one of the few company towns that survived. Buildings sold for about $400 for a 4-room house. Over time, home heating has changed from coal to natural gas. Mining pay changed from script (when he was young) to gold to cash to checks. There were a few thefts of payroll from the company. In the coal camps, people seemed to enjoy life more than neighbors in cities or on farms. Neighbors often got together for parties and seemed able to get by, with less money. Wojtylka feels that today's workers expect more for less effort and are not willing to work. Mining camps were less isolated than ranches and farms, and also had shorter work-days. Working conditions in the mines were much better if it wasn't low coal. During Prohibition, some families made wine at home; there were a few bootleggers of whisky, also. There was even some gambling in Cokedale, many years ago. They used to enjoy streetcar service from Cokedale to Trinidad. Today, Wojtylka decries high prices and wages; he feels that people are unwilling to work for a good life. He compares life and costs today vs. during Roosevelt's presidency. Wojtylka admits that small towns such as Cokedale have governance problems because people are in conflict with each other. There's a surprising amount of conflict in such a small town: witness their difficulties finishing the local sewer service.
Description
false
Description Type:
summary
description_type
summary
Description Type
false
Description:
00:00 -- area mines were busy in WWII, but shut down in 1947. As production wound down, the company was finding too much "sulphur" rock per load of coal.10:00 -- discussing strikes by Wobblies and others 20:00 -- Cokedale changes from company town to private ownership 30:00 -- recalls parties in the coal camps 40:00 -- discusses gambling in Cokedale, years ago 50:00 -- compares life and costs today vs. during FDR's presidency ~1:04:00 -- videorecording ends
description
00:00 -- area mines were busy in WWII, but shut down in 1947. As production wound down, the company was finding too much "sulphur" rock per load of coal.10:00 -- discussing strikes by Wobblies and others 20:00 -- Cokedale changes from company town to private ownership 30:00 -- recalls parties in the coal camps 40:00 -- discusses gambling in Cokedale, years ago 50:00 -- compares life and costs today vs. during FDR's presidency ~1:04:00 -- videorecording ends
Description
false
Description Type:
Segment sequence
description_type
Segment sequence
Description Type
false
Publisher:
University of Colorado Boulder Archives
publisher
University of Colorado Boulder Archives
Publisher
false
Contributor:
Wojtylka, Frank 1906-1983
contributor
Wojtylka, Frank 1906-1983
Contributor
false
Date:
1978-05-23
date
1978-05-23
Date
false
Type:
Moving image
type
Moving image
Type
false
Format:
video/mov
format
video/mov
Format
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Identifier:
178-Wojtylka.mov
identifier
178-Wojtylka.mov
Identifier
false
Identifier ARK:
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https://ark.colorado.edu/ark:/47540/ms9q5k05q5mx
Identifier ARK
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Language:
English
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English
Language
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Relation:
Title: Interview with Frank Wojtylka
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Title: Interview with Frank Wojtylka
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Relation Type:
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Relation href:
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https://ark.colorado.edu/ark:/47540/dz8w8k65m6tm
Relation href
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Coverage (Spatial):
Las Animas County (Colorado, United States, North America) (civil)
coverage__spatial_
Las Animas County (Colorado, United States, North America) (civil)
Coverage (Spatial)
false
Coverage (Temporal):
1922/1978
coverage__temporal_
1922/1978
Coverage (Temporal)
false
Coverage (Spatial):
Cokedale (Las Animas, Colorado, United States, North America) (populated place)
coverage__spatial_
Cokedale (Las Animas, Colorado, United States, North America) (populated place)
Coverage (Spatial)
false