Dec. 6 memorial 107 years later for Monongah mines’ dead

There will be a memorial ceremony Dec. 6 for those who lost their lives in the 1907 Monongah mines explosion.

Chris Martin wrote:

“Saturday, December 6 at 10:30 AM

"We Remember 1907" memorial ceremony will take place at the Heroine Statue and Bell location in Monongah. PACE -- Program Advancing Community Employment -- Monongah is finalizing plans for the event. Everyone is welcome to attend as we honor the miners who lost their lives and their families who chose to call Monongah their home.”

Dec. 6, 1907 two adjoining Monongah mines – No. 6 and No. 8 -- exploded, officially killing 362 but more likely more than 500 miners.

It still is the worse coal mining toll in America’s history.

Monongah is not alone in the staggering deaths caused by mine explosions.

The 1942 Benxhiu, Liaoning mine explosion in what today is China, but then was under Japanese control, killed 1,549, nearly all Chinese labor forced by the Japanese.

In 1906 Courrieres, France 1,009 miners died.

In 1907 13 days after the Monongah mines exploded, 239 died in the Darr mine in Rostraver Township, Pennsylvania. The toll would have been higher but all the Greek miners stayed home because it was a religious holiday.

In 1909 in Cherry, Illinois 259 died.

In 1913 in Senghenydid mine in the United Kingdom 439 died.

In 1913 in Dawson, New Mexico 236 workers died.

In 1956 in Marcinelle, Belgium 262 died.

In 1960 in Coalbrook, Africa 437 died.

The Daton, China explosion in 1960 killed 682.

In 1963 in Omuta, Fukuoka, Japan 458 died.

In 1963 in Jharkhand, India more than 300 died.

In 2014 in Soma, Turkey 301 died.

That’s 3,874 miners killed in just TWELVE explosions!

Our fathers – including mine, John W. Olesky, Sr., who was covered up completely in two cave-ins but survived – put themselves in horrendous danger to put food on the table and clothes on our back.

Never ever forget what we owe them.