Posted on 08/28/2014 11:46:12 AM PDT by Brad from Tennessee
LOGAN, W.Va. — For 51 years he’d lived in the same hollow and for two decades he’d performed the same job, mining coal from the underground seams of southern West Virginia. Then, on June 30, Michael Estep was jobless. His mine shut down, and its operator said “market conditions” made coal production unviable.
What has come since, for Estep, stands as the new Central Appalachian economic experience: a job-hunt in a region whose sustaining industry is in an unprecedented freefall. “I don’t know what to do,” Estep said as unpaid bills piled up, his cable cut to black, and his wife withdrew the last $7 from a checking account they’d held for 20 years.
What’s happening now in America’s coal heartland is not just the typical bust. Those in the industry say it’s more dire, potentially permanent, caused at once by declining reserves, a cheaper influx of competing gas and looming environmental regulations. More than 10,000 miners have lost jobs over the past two-and-a-half years in southern West Virginia and Eastern Kentucky, and their plight illustrates how, even amid an economic recovery, certain segments of the workforce are being shut out. . .
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
‘......even amid an economic recovery,’
OK, Where is this economic recovery I have heard so much about? I have heard FIVE different numbers for first quarter growth from -1% to +4%. What is the real number? Raw numbers have shown a continued contraction in the economy for over five years, REAL numbers show a depression!
Romney won all 55 counties.
Obama was challenged in a primary and lost in 10 counties
that voted for a still-serving Texas convict.
I visited Norton Virginia yesterday. The business I visited is suffering badly from dying customers. When customers die sales disappear. Many companies are just gone.
The friends of coal don’t realize that they are the sworn enemies of the envirowacko moonbats. They are in a war, a real war. The moonbats must be gone, wiped out for the business and life to recover
Logan County, WV voted in 2012
68.83% for Romney
29.04% for 0bama
<1% each for three other candidates
Logan County, WV voted in 2008
54.41% for McPain
43.62% for 0bama
1.33% for Nader
<1% each for two other candidates.
WV election results: http://apps.sos.wv.gov/elections/results/
In the 2012 Democrat Primary, for President, Logan County WV voted:
55.46% for Keith Judd
44.54% for 0bama
Change! Once you had a job, now you don’t. Rejoice! Change!
Just about the only thing Obama didn’t lie about was his promise to destroy the coal and electric power industries.
Alice Texas P&S Hospital.
Nov. 1946
Got’ya by a month. LoL!
Have a good day.
Thanx old timer
They operated many older boilers at 110 percent capacity and needed a high quality coal to keep up with steam demand. East KY had dozens of seams to pick from, some blended, but all low FSI to accommodate the chains which were sensitive to free swell index (coke button.)
We replaced it with a pretty close 13,600 product off the Big Sandy.
Today, eastern coals are being pushed out of the lakes by Colorado coal, railed to Chicago and distributed from there by steamship.
I never thought I'd see that happen.
Driving around southern wv, hwy 10 for example, you can see the layers of coal where the road was cut out of the hillside. When it brains the water comes out of the layers.
A coal mine rep and attorney bought 100 acres for $50 from my illiterate great other.
When you travel between towns most of the land along the road is owned by coal mine companies.
Ps. I lived near Sharon step on Stratton street. This guy has to be related.
Sharon and her husband owned a music store in Logan last time I saw her. Circa 1985.
Thanx for the memories.
I know. That’s what I’m trying to get across to the other guy!
See also #24. I suppose I should have copied him on #25.
I think it really makes the point that Logan was one of the counties that voted for the Texas Felon rather than the Kenyan Usurper.
I think its heartbreaking that the miners got so little for their labor...
The biggest thing is the attack on coal fire plants. That hurts everyone as they take several percentage points of our power supply offline.
Obama EPA War on Coal to Shut 200+ Coal-Fired Plants, Devastate Economy
http://www.thenewamerican.com/tech/energy/item/16250-obama-epa-war-on-coal-to-shut-200-coal-fired-plants-devastate-economy
I’m old-—I remember shoveling in the coal,opening he bottom door,shaking down the ashes and shoveling them out,and turning the dampers until we had plenty of steam heat in our apartment.
Them I turned the dampers back and shut the bottom door.
We lived in the 3rd floor and the furnace and coal bin were in the basement.Lots of stair climbing
I was a 10 year old girl when I started doing this.
I am quite spoiled now.:-)
.
There’s a great chili dog in downtown whytheville va run by two ladies about my age. Not the worlds best chili, but fresh and $1 each. My sister is nearby in max meadow and I get there when I can.
In the 50s in downtown Logan, great chili dog. The place was very narrow and you could just squeeze in while someone else walked out.
Lugs me some chili dogs.
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