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John M. Oates
Trusk Miner
Helena, Alabama
JOHBMIK GAM -TRUCK Han
(Sy Woodrow Band)
gelena, Alabama
Helena, lying 17i miles south of Birmingham en
the main line of the Louisville and Washville Railway,
is the montral point of what ones was a great coal
mining locality.
Main Street, or the business section, has on ons
side two stores and a shoesitop. On the other side
is a store and the Post Office. The Post Off ice
is alone in its assure/Avg of continued formation.
The streets of Helena are rough and dusty; or
muddy, depending upon the whim of the weetner.
They pass rambling houses that sag at the roofs and
on the corners; shot -gun houses that are even worse
than tneir already questitaably name. Helena, with
one exception, fits any of numerous ghost town
descriptions. The exeeption is that people live
there.
They are a varied group living examples of what
Helena has been and hopes uo be again.
On a hill overlooking Helena lives Dr. Lubright,
Dentist.
*Leave aelenaV" die fat Teutonliface first
registers surprise; then indulgence, such as that re-
served for a questioning child. "Iihj should I leave./
its my hteme; I've made a fortune acre. Those people
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down there need me. They still have tae tooth aerie
much oftener than they can afford to pay for relief."
Other illnesses fall upon the Irish shoulders of
Ryan.
"I wouldn't leave this place," he says, "because
taere's plenty of good fishing around here."
Then situ a twinkle in hia eyes, "And you know
aow people will keep aaving babies. say, I've got six
kids myself. Believe you as, people sill have babies
and get sick regardless. Desides, I've oeen doctoring
taese people for twenty years; I know tneir troubles.
"Fay? ?sou: ?nese people can't pay: but taey
used to. The offices of six mines used to cut their
men a buck out of every payday. 1 aaven't spent all
of taat yet."
Lutner Mullins, seemingly tne busiest storekeeper
in Aelena, was next.
*Business is bad," A. says, "but we'll sakciSh. I
let out a lot of credit, but most of the bills are paid
sometime or other."
Suddenly Luther laugned and pointed across tne
railroad tracks.
"There comes Johnnie testes with a case of enuff
from the Faramount commissary. Be brings it in as
fast as I can sell it. You see, tne commissary caarges
so aign taat the miners trade situ me when they draw a
payday; but their paydays don't come very regular.
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The miners nays ty trade °necks. but Johnnie he
trades his cluck for snuff and it isn't above tae
popular price. Then As swaps tao snuff to as for
groceries. Pretty smart that."
Johnnie's face bears as unmistakable mark of years
underground. It is pockmarked and lined with blue scars
wounds tat nealed over coal dust. His nand* are
gnarled, with stubby fingers. Over all are this
tying blue marks. The introductory nandshake was like
rubbing a piece of oak bark.
"Shucks," Johnnie grinned, "I can tell you plenty
'bout minin"round here, and show you plenty, too.
Only I'd bitter go home to do it. Hattie don't like
to keep supper wait in'. I gotta get nome with two
baby's bandy too."
Helena's main street cocoas' an ordinary road a
few hundred feet west At Luther Mullins' store.
Johnnie led the way past nausea in every known state
be disrepair, all facing the road.
'See how the porenes are elap up egin. the road?
I leave for work about five o'clock to walk tad tares
miles to Paramount by work time. In not weather,
lotta folks sleep on them porenes in practically
nothins. Some of twat oversleep. some mornints
I'm late for work. Do you blame me?"
After nearly half -a -mile, tile road suddenly
tops
a small rise. In a little valley below is a cluster of
fairly new, unpainted houses, sligntly weather -worn.
The house* are bungalows of four and five
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rooms. Ono has a cracked -rock front. This is Joannio's nose.
He explains:
"A twister cleaned cult waat we owned three years
ago, and the relief people helped us build bac
bought my place twenty years ago wain things were
hussin.."
'flowers of varied hue dot the front yard. To the side
is a small vegetable garden. A chicken yard ana 4 Wilf
acre of corn take up tile rear of the lot.
From the porch, the front door opens into tne living
room. Left is en open fireplace built of small white
rocks. On each side of tile fireplace are built-in
bookcases bare of books. Tho room is neither painted
nor papered, but the floor is covered with a soft rug
that matches the mohair furniture. In the corner is a
radio of 1925 vintage.
JoAnnie says, "It don't play so good, but I like
to tinker with it."
Through an area from Lao living room is taro dining
room furnished with a second-aana suite of maple. Ali*
in this room is L circulator heater taat is expected
to neat tae entire house.
Moving on toward the rear is the kitchen, which
is as large as any of the other rooms (approximately
14' X 16'). A largo epahastove takes up an entire sides
with space reserved for a,closit in watch groceries
and cooking utensil, are fropt. A table and
kitchen cabinet dominate the rest of the space.
kost of the eating is done in the kitchen.
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nattily sees to that. Two bedrooms and sl4eping
porch compriss the rest of the house.
Aattle nab brown flair and eyes and a healthy,
buxom figure. Her forty years are hidden by lines of
laughter around her eyes.
Aattio's yell, "come to supper," is imasdiatsly
drowned out by a rush of feet, and out of nowhere
appear/ a four -year -old girl and a twenty -year -old
boy.
"John Robert beats me to the table ev'y time,"
the little girl complain. "I wish he'd go back to
college."
"Joan means Howard Callow'," Johnnie explains,
"but I doubt if she gets hor wish. You see, I saved
what I could while I was makins it so's John Robert
could be eaucatod rignt, but you see (Johnnie waves
his nand over the table, the gesture covering a bowl
of lima beans, frean garden lettuce, homemade jelly,
fried white meat, and buttermilk) wnat we nave to eat.
Ain't no money in truck ainins, and buildin' beak the
house, sending John Robert to Howard one year, and
Joan who we asidn't even figured on just &pout took
all I dad and all I can sake.
JL
'40 boOn tryins to get it fixed so John hobert
can work his way through college. That'll help a lot.
A feller's got to have a good education those days.
"Take me for instance. I know as such about
minin' as anybody and I ain't braggin'. Its all I
ever done.
Alabama Beloit*
°Out awhile baOk there was a fire.bossia' Job
open at Paramount. It pays a salary, &ad all I'd And
to do would be to lOok for gas and anything that night
cause implosions. X could do the' work with my oros
shut and my laap out, but you know what, happooldt And
the boss was pullins for se too.
'I had to go to Birmingham to stand ohaninatien
and I couldn't answer a dans quostion that was on the
papor. Another follow took the toot; said he was sure
glad he know tri4gornomity. What is triggoraonity any.
howl Anyway, that dude gat the Job. And I km as
such about gas as anybody. So I still work by the day
at Paramount, and ain't many days that Paramouat works.
That's Why my two kids need oduOcitlek••
Politioally. Johnnie isn't our. how he stands,'
"I vote straight Republisan,* As said, seoptin0
when it some. to Soosevolt. Then I vete Donoorat. It
he hadn't stood behiad us workini men I don't know %Monk
we'd be now. Too bad we didn't have it. in '$O aid 'SU
That's tits tine us 'liners busted our banes. Cone on out
on the porch where its cool and I'll tell yea about it."
bristly, hors is the story:
Joha Baiss,has,worksd the Oahaba Valley **al soon
since as was old enough to swing a pick. M has soon
seal easing oosnaniiiss grow from a cheek at the pron.
i
pesters hole to thriving oolonios ith up.to.dato
fatalities; then with the fading donaad, sink into
1
obseurity among imponotrablie blaskborry briar entwined
undergrowth.
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"but awhile back there was a fire-bossine „lob
open at Paramount. It pays a salary, and all l'd ilad
to do would be to look for gas and anything that might
cause explosion*. I could do tile work with my eyes
shut and my lamp out, but you know what aappened? And
the boss was pullins for me too.
"I :lad to go to Birmingham to stand examination
and I couldn't answer a ding question that was on tho
paper. Anotner fellow took the test; said he was sure
glad he knew tri6gersomity. what is triggeraomity any-
how? Anyway, that dude got the job. And I know as
much about gas as anybody. o I still work by the day
at Paramount, and ain't many days that karamount works.
That's why my two kids need edueatiak."
Politically, Johnnie isn't sure how he stands.
r<
"1 vote straight Republican," ne said, Iceptins
when it comes to Roosevelt. Then I vote Lemoorat. If
he hadn't stood behind us workin' men 1 don't know vinare
we'd be now. Too bad we didn't have him in '2Q and '22/.
e
That's the time us miners busted our hamos. Come on out
on the porch where its cool and I'll tell you about it."
briefly, hers is the story:
John Oates has worked the Cahaba Valley coal seam
eine* as was old enough to swing a pick. tio aas seen
coal mining eoasunities grow from a shack at tile pros
1
pectors nolo to thriving colonies ita up-to-date
facilities; then with the fading demand, sink into
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obscurity among impenetrable, blackberry briar entwined
undergrowtn.
"Oscar darrison was about ins first to try
truck mining around here. Mesa wade a pile and aela on
to it. A* took his two ooys and climind out Las entrain*
of Number One Roebuck *can to tao first aeadins. ?day
cut pint poles nn a built 4 tipple and coal elliut*. /rem
ths cnute to the first room of Lae neadins thoy 'sit
a track that threateneu to fall apart *ivory time it
was to,cind. instead of tin usual *oiler enine, Logy
rigged up an old auto engine witn a contraption tnat
looked lilt. tail roller on nomemade well pulleys. It
worked, pullin up two cars of coal at tile time. Tin
daily output depended upon tne trouble tatty data gettins
to tile coal. Sometimes, tney'd spend two or tares days
clsanin' out rock falls taut, for tin lack of sorkors,
couldn't us propped right.
"From tnat, truck mini& sprawl all taa way from' the
ailinway at La* 4efferson &no 4aeloy bounty lino down
tn* atiaba River for tnirty miles or more.
"Usually taey alan't and don't last lon4, eitaior
folain' up because all tae available coal is taken ur
the operator gues broke. Tract( mines are more or less
like lightenini bugs. They :Jamul up and tAan 14441 out.
Paramount sins is a truck mina, but sliiintly
different. This operators wer* well financed to begin
wita. The facilities are more modern/ five ‘rusks
usually operate between tn* mins and birainAnam.
The miners as a *nolo nave come to accept tas
laissez fairs pallosophy. damn there is work; Willy
work. waen there is none; %Airy live as bast taey can.
Joann!' aays:
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*Somotimos I go 'rook without hittins a liek; then
get called for *today, ri4ht whsa mein Joan are all
triggored up to go down to the Baptist shureh to bungay
Softest."
So at Solon*, if a group of son sit beside the
railroad trask, it is safe to assume that thoy aro
oithor waiting for someone to go °Ivor the hill into a
hollow and open a truek mins; or waiting for Paramount
to muse work. All aro not is fortuaato as Johanio
Gatos, who managos to keep a fairly oven keel. So
owns his how and is oontent.
Washington Copy
9/18/31
L.A.