minewar.org documenting the 1930's Illinois Mine War
Christmas Eve, 1932 ~ Tragedy in Moweaqua
Detail from sheet music, "The Moweaqua Mine Disaster" written by Z.A. Traxler to commemorate the loss of 54 miners.
Beyond the battles of labor, government and industry, coal mining has always been an extremely hazardous enterprise. And in 1932 the Christmas holiday marked a dark day for Illinois mining. On the morning of Christmas Eve, an underground methane gas explosion took the lives of 54 miners.
“Families of miners, sober faced and dry eyed, waited Saturday,
not for Christmas and the coming of Santa Claus, but for
mine rescue workers to reach their fathers and older brothers.”
Moweaqua News photo courtesy of Moweaqua Public Library.
Here’s an article from the January 11, 1933 edition of The Moweaqua News which speaks to the tragic loss:
Moweaqua Santa Claus In Mine Trap
Through a cruel quirk of fate, the only major mine accident Tom Jackson, 54, had experienced in 40 years of mining Saturday deprived him of a long-anticipated joy by less then twelve hours.
For weeks he had looked forward to Christmas Eve. He had been selected to impersonate Santa Claus at the annual Moweaqua Christmas party for all children in town. He was to have passed out the candy treats. Last week he joyfully aide in the party preparations and helped decorate a giant tree which was to go on a street corner in the business district.
Saturday morning he went to work with a light heart, his wife, Frances related Saturday evening. He told her he would work only until noon, then come home to prepare for the party.
But Jackson, one of the first groups of men to enter the mine Saturday morning was trapped with the rest.
His son Cecil, formerly worked alongside his father in Moweaqua mine, but had lived during the last 10 years in California. Mr. Jackson himself has been mining since he was 13 years old.
Shocked by the mine tragedy Moweaqua merchants and miners sponsoring the party hastily called it off. Three hundred pounds of candy and several boxes of fruit had been ready for distribution. It was distributed later.
The Moweaqua Mine was among those newly organized by the Progressive Miners of America. The mine was operated by the Moweaqua Coal Company which was quickly created several months earlier when the Pana Coal Company indicated it would soon close the mine. The Moweaqua Coal Company was locally owned. It’s shareholders were local miners, merchants and businessmen.
Following the mine explosion, donations poured in from across the state. But as Mark Sorenson notes: “John L. Lewis, head of the United Mine Workers, sent a check for $4000 (some reported $1000) that was refused by the Moweaqua Progressive Miner Union. They thought it was hypocritical to send money while the UMW was instigating beatings and killings of PMWA members just a few miles away where the PMWA were striking.” Although the union rejected the donation, it was later accepted by a local relief committee.
Miners pose at the newly organized Moweaqua Mine.
photo courtesy of Moweaqua Public Library.
To learn more check out the Moweaqua Public Library District’s site on the history of coal mining in the town – Mining More In Moweaqua
Finally here’s a two-minute trailer from a documentary produced on the disaster.
