Bulllpush Hollow–An Online Historical Graphic Novel
updating with new strips Mondays & Thursdays
Cannelton West Virginia, 1907
Main Sources for #2: M. Glass, Cavalier, Gillespie Oral History, Interviews
Payday #3A
Soundtrack–The Company Store by Tim Eriksen: Spotify
This comic introduces Homer Gillespie (dark hair and suspenders) who is fifteen at the time and one of CC’s older brothers already out on his own. It also introduces John Cooper, also 15 (lighter hair). John’s history will intersect with CC’s more as the story progresses.
An example of company Scrip
Trapper boy pay at this time ranged from $.75 to $1.25 for a nine to ten hour workday. Ten dollars for two weeks was about average pay. A trapper boy starting out on his own would need at least a lunch bucket, a lantern and carbide*, which would come from the company store on credit. Breaking even like this on a first paycheck for a boy supporting himself would mean nothing extra like clothes, tobacco, or candy was purchased and that he likely started with at least one or two items that he already had–perhaps his lunch pail and cap.
While trapper boys made very little, it was common for even adult miners to end up owing the company come payday. Miners were charged for tool rental, tool sharpening, any explosive charges they used, lumber used to shore up the mine, insurance like fees for access to the company doctor and the hospital, coal they used, a miner’s burial fund, and even for membership in the local YMCA which often had a partnership with mine owners. Base pay was above average for the time, but by the time “check-offs” were deducted and the more expensive prices of the company store were taken into account, this initial wage quote could be all but worthless. This was especially true for immigrants and those migrating from the south or northern cities who were also charged for transportation to the jobsite. (Mooney, Corbin [Life], Green, Everybody’s May 1913, International Socialist 1913, Paint Creek Senate Hearing 1913, Clopper [Child Labor 1908], Day Book Chicago, and a host of others)
The check-off process automatically deducted owner determined debits from a miner’s pay. While miners opposed the check-off system in general, they did request that union dues be deducted automatically, which owners opposed. (Corbin [Life], Everybody’s Magazine 1913, Mooney, others)
*Calcium carbide was used to power lamps during this time period. These lamps dripped water onto calcium carbide which produced acetylene gas that could be burned for light. Incidentally, carbide lamps produce a nice soft glow that is perfect for nighttime crawdad hunting. Earlier coal lamps, some of which were still in use in 1907, used coal oil or fat and a wick. Carbide lamps would later be replaced by battery powered electric headlamps.
Note: The company store used above was one owned by the Cannelton Coke and Coal Company rather than either Kanawah and Hocking Coke and Coal or Semet-Solvay which both owned Longacre at various times. Why did we use that one? Well, because that’s the local company store that we have photos of!
Speaking of company stores, here’s a picture of one, about thirty years later that hasn’t changed all that much in the interim.
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