Wolensky, an area native and a sociology professor at the university of wisconsin, said in an interview last april. Wolensky was on hand to support the film and offered moviegoers a chance to buy his book. The knox mine disaster was a mining accident on january 22, 1959 at the river slope mine in jenkins township, pennsylvania. The river slope mine, an anthracite coal mine owned by the knox coal company, flooded when coal company management had the. The knox mine disaster left 12 men dead and an economy in ruins. Hastie has a copy of wolenskys book, the knox mine disaster, january 22, 1959 on his bedside stand in the rehab center, a gift from his longtime friend. This is a featurelength documentary on the knox mine disaster, which was the last disaster here in the area that basically ended coalanthracite mining in northeastern pennsylvania, albert brocca, a graduate of east stroudsburg south high school, said.
Because the book draws on the recollections of miners and their families, industry officials, and individuals involved in the legal aftermath of the disaster, it is an epic drama that is as spellbinding as it is sensational. Furek has always been interested in finding out what really happened during the sheppton mine disaster. In 1896 a massive explosion had caused a cavein that killed 58 miners at the newton coal companys twin shaft colliery. But as with many mines, the knox mine disaster saw an end to its operations. Knox mine disaster documentary to be shown times news online. After a significant rise in temperature over a few days preceding the incident, the susquehanna river began to thaw and climb to a staggering twentytwo feet on january 22nd.
I think they should call it the knox mine murders because i feel as though everyone was paid off, everything was under the table and hushhush, and doubledealings. Report of the joint committee to investigate the knox mine disaster. Coal mining, disaster, historical, luzerne county, unique grave the term coal baron exists for a reason. On january 22, 1959 the river broke into the mines. But for those who know the story of the 81 workers who were trapped underground as the susquehanna river flooded their mine, like filmmaker albert brocca, it is just as significant. River slope mine inundation knox coal company, port. Report of the joint committee to investigate the knox mine. The pennsylvania center for the book knox mine disaster. The hole was an estimated 150 feet in diameter, funneling in 10 million gallons of water and ice like a bathtub drain. It also drove a stake through the heart of what remained of the anthracite industry in northeastern pennsylvania, sending the region into an economic tailspin from which it has yet to fully recover. Sourcewatch is a project of the center for media and democracy cmd.
Stories, remembrances, and reflections on the anthracite coal industrys last major catastrophe, january 22, 1959 wolensky, robert p. The cavein causes a giant, 150ft whirlpool to form in the ice laden. Commission of mine inspectors report on the knox mine disaster. The knox mine disaster pennsylvania center for the book. The knox mine disaster dvd,the knox mine disaster features many firstperson accounts of the tragedy that helped mark the end of deep mining in much of the wyoming valley. Never miss a story choose the plan thats right for you. By the afternoon plans to seal the breach were already in effect. Knox mine disaster pain endures 50 years later sfgate. Stories, remembrances, and reflections on the anthracite coal industrys last major catastrophe.
Jan 19, 2015 thursday marks the 56year anniversary of the knox mine disaster, which is often credited with singlehandedly ending the mining industry in northeastern pennsylvania. Filmmakers to screen knox mine disaster at pocono cinema. A grand jury investigating the cave in found seven men guilty of involuntary manslaughter and three of them also guilt of conspiracy. The mine was called river slope, it was owned by knox coal co. One cold morning on january 22, 1959 the belly of the susquehanna river broke into the knox mine, trapping 81 men underground. This event caused major changes in the mining laws of pennsylvania today. The knox mine disaster was a mining accident that took place in the greater pittston, port griffith, pennsylvania, near pittston, on january 22, 1959. This film showcases survival through adversity the hope, faith, and courage needed to fight your way out of a dreadful situation.
Relive the drama of the knox mine disaster of january 22, 1959, through the voices of survivors, the victims families, contemporary newspaper accounts, and the literature and music generated by the tragedy. Knox mine disaster documentary to be shown timesnews. Jan 10, 2016 the knox disaster monument was dedicated on jan. Read the poignant and often shocking firstperson accounts of those who lived through one of the most devastating disasters in american mining history.
Myron thomas testified at the legislative hearing into the disaster, along with many of the other survivors. As a lifelong resident of northeastern pennsylvania, music journalist and author maxim w. Free enews delivery service to your email twiceweekly. Coal zoom filmmakers to screen knox mine disaster at. John williams testimony, joint legislative committee to investigate the knox mine disaster, march 19, 1995, 893. The knox mine disaster also exposed the corrupt tactics of united mine workers officials, mine management, and mafiaconnected interests in the mid20th century. Check out knox mine disaster documentary film on indiegogo.
The knox mine disaster was a mining accident on january 22, 1959 at the river slope mine in jenkins township, pennsylvania the disaster occurred when workers were ordered to dig illegally under the susquehanna river without proper safety precautions, creating a hole in the riverbed which caused the river to flood into the many interconnected mine galleries in the wyoming valley between the. Williams exited while three rockmen filled one last car. Because the book draws on the recollections of miners and their families, industry officials, and individuals involved in the legal aftermath of the disaster, it. Corruption that caused mine disaster is still with us. The disaster spurred new safety laws, and the mine was unable to keep pace with the. Robert wolensky, a professor and historian who wrote two books on the disaster, said the incident never should have happened. Josephs church, port griffith, near the site of the 1959 disaster, when 12 miners were entombed when the susquehanna river broke into the mine. Thursday marks the 56year anniversary of the knox mine disaster, which is often credited with singlehandedly ending the mining industry in northeastern pennsylvania. Knox mine disaster news newspapers books scholar jstor october 2018 learn how and when to remove this template.
Knox mine disaster comes to life in new documentary. In 1959, the owners of knox mine got greedy and had workers dig within 56 feet of the susquehannas river bed. The knox mine disaster was a mining accident that took place in the port griffith village of jenkins township, pennsylvania, near pittston, on january 22, 1959. This fascinating book tells the story of the 1959 knox mine disaster through the voices of the survivors, the victims families, newspaper accounts, and through the literature and music generated by the tragedy. The river slope mine, under the ownership of the knox coal company, was one of many to be found in the northern anthracite coal field during the flourishing mining era.
New book digs up dark secrets of sheppton mine disaster. This page was last edited on 15 january 2020, at 14. Wolensky, coauthor of voices of the knox mine disaster, saw his book come to life on screen. Knox mine disaster victims remembered news citizens voice. Content is available under creative commons attributionnoncommercialsharealike. Stories, remembrances, and reflections on the anthracite coal industrys last major.
Jan 29, 2016 one cold morning on january 22, 1959 the belly of the susquehanna river broke into the knox mine, trapping 81 men underground. Anthracite mines employed more than 11,000 people in the wyoming valley in 1959, providing jobs with good wages, if not pleasant working. Because the book draws on the recollections of miners and their families, industry officials, and individuals involved in the legal aftermath of the disaster, it is an epic drama that is. After coal mining, he was a state highway superintendent. Eleven coal mines were closed, eliminating 1,700 jobs, and marked changes in the rules and regulations for deep mining. According to section 302 in the pennsylvania anthracite coal act, just one of 1,405 sections. The 1959 knox mine disaster may not have the same name recognition of the centralia mine fire. February 9, 2020 a pair of filmmakers will return to their hometown region in pennsylvania to present a fresh take on their distinctive documentary that tells the tragic tell of the knox mine disaster this wednesday. My coauthors and i used the term culture of corruption in the knox mine disaster, published in 1999.
This film showcases survival through adversity the hope, faith, and courage needed to fight your way out of. The calamity known as the knox mine disaster exposed breathtaking corruption among company and union officials. Hastie heard that someone is making a movie about all this and he hopes he will get to see it sometime to find out if they the moviemakers get it right. Because the book draws on the recollections of miners and. This companion volume to the bestselling book the knox mine disaster, published in 1999 by the pennsylvania historical and museum commission, also. The wolenskys have authored several books together, including fighting for the union label penn state, 2002, and voices of the knox mine disaster. This companion volume to the bestselling book the knox mine disaster, published in 1999 by the pennsylvania historical and museum commission, also offers a detailed study on how the citizens of northeastern pennsylvania have memorialized and remembered the last major catastrophe to strike pennsylvanias anthracite industry. And since he didnt see anyone else delving into the mystery of the august 1963 disaster, he decided to take on the subject himself. Knox mine disaster map of knox mine disaster showing inundated area and shafts used for escape and dewatering.
The knox mine disaster marked the end of underground mining in wyoming valley. Assistant foreman, jack williams, found the stone roof had cracked and water shot into the chamber. Bill hastie is last survivor of knox mine disaster the. He was also called to testify at the trial of the knox mine company owners, the following year. The knox mine disaster may have been the pittston areas most unusual mining disaster, but it wasnt the worst by quite some way. Maps of all mines should accurately show the boundary lines of the lands of the said coal mine or colliery and the proximity of the workings thereto, all pipelines, streams or other bodies of water, buildings and structures. Others interviewed for the book voices of the knox mine disaster looked at the event as an act of god. The knox mine disaster left 12 men dead and an economy in. Knox mine disaster examines this coal mining tragedy that occurred in the anthracite region of northeastern pennsylvania and sheds light into the life of the hard coal miner. The knox mine disaster was a mining accident on january 22, 1959 at the river slope mine in. New book digs up dark secrets of sheppton mine disaster, nepas greatest urban legend decrease font size increase font size text size print this page send by email mocanaqua author signing books in berwick, wilkesbarre, and pottsville. Kenneth wolensky, a historian who cowrote a book on the knox mine disaster, said northeastern pennsylvania was an area whose entire economy was dependent on a single industry, and that was coal mining. New documentary spotlights knox mine disaster news citizens.
Knox mine disaster is the story of anthracite, the men who mined it, a community that depended on it, and the disaster that ended it. New book digs up dark secrets of sheppton mine disaster, nepa. Near the entrance of the river slope mine this stone commemorates the twelve miners who died in 1959. He had black lung as an older man, from his years as a coal miner. The knox mine disaster is much more than a history of an accidentor an industry, for that matter.
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