The Industrial Romance Of Harrisburg Coal

Harold Brighouse's 'The Price of Coal' is a poignant and thought-provoking exploration of the harsh realities faced by miners in early 20th-century England. Written in a realistic and detailed style, the novel vividly portrays the challenging lives of coal miners and their families, highlighting the toll that their dangerous and demanding work takes on their health and relationships. Brighouse's attention to detail and meticulous research offer readers a compelling insight into the working conditions and social issues of the time, making the novel a valuable historical document. Set against the backdrop of the industrial revolution, 'The Price of Coal' stands as a powerful commentary on the human cost of progress and the sacrifices made by the working class. As a playwright and social critic, Harold Brighouse was deeply invested in representing the struggles of the working class in his works. His own background as the son of a cotton manufacturer likely informed his empathy and understanding of the challenges faced by industrial workers, making 'The Price of Coal' a poignant and authentic portrayal of their experiences. I highly recommend 'The Price of Coal' to readers interested in historical fiction, social issues, and compelling character-driven narratives. Brighouse's insightful storytelling and engaging writing style make this novel a must-read for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of the human cost of industrialization.

The southwestern Pennsylvania town of Connellsville lay in the middle of a massive reserve of high quality coal. Connellsville coal was so soft and easily worked that one man and a boy could cut and load ten tons of it in ten hours. This region became a major source of coke, a vital material in industrial processes, above all in steel manufacture, producing forty-seven percent of America`s supply in 1913. But by the 1920s, what had seemed to be a gold mine was turning into a devastating economic, environmental and social loss. In Wealth, Waste and Alienation, Kenneth Warren draws from primary source material, including the minutes and letters of the Carnegie Steel Company, the United States Steel Corporation, and the archives of Henry Clay Frick, to explain the birth, phenomenal growth, decline and death of the Connellsville coke industry. Its rich natural resources produced wealth for individuals, companies, and some communities, but as Warren shows, there was also social alienation, waste, and devastation of the natural environment. The complicated structure of enterprise, capital, and labor which made this region flourish unwound almost as quickly as it arose, creating repercussions that are still reverberating in what’s left of Connellsville today, a kind of postindustrial rural shell of its former productive glory.

Told with great intimacy and compassion, The Bootleg Coal Rebellion uncovers a long-buried history of resistance and resilience among depression-era miners in Pennsylvania, who sunk their own mines on company grounds and fought police, bankers, coal companies and courts to form a union that would safeguard not just their livelihoods, but protect their collective autonomy as citizens and workers for decades. Community and Labor organizer Mitch Troutman brings this explosive and accessible American tale to life through the bootleggers' own words. Scholars, historians, organizers and activists will celebrate this story of the people who literally seized mountains and stood their ground to create the Equalization movement, the miners' union democracy movement, and the Communist-led Unemployed Councils of the anthracite region. This epic story of work, love and community stands as a testament to the power of collective action; a story that is sorely needed as communities today rise to confront neoliberal policies ravaging our planet.