Centralia

Discussion 1

"The Centralia Disaster." Please respond to the following:

Propose who you believe was responsible for the violent deaths of 111 miners in Centralia, Illinois, justify your choice, and suggest ways by which the disaster could have been prevented.

In researching this matter, it is my stand that the Government, the Union and the employer bore some responsibility in this tragedy. However, it is the Union that elected to continue to man the job in spite of its dangers. Here are the sequences of events that support my stance. In the beginning, Governor Green appointed a watchman, Driscoll Scanlan. Mr. Scanlan inspected the mine several times and always reported that the mine was “was highly explosive – due to coal buildup.” After growing concern, Mr. Scanlan sent his inspection reports to Assistant Director of the Illinois Department of Mines and Mineral, Robert Weir. Mr. Weir would then forward the inspection report to the Centralia Coal Mine officials. Centralia Coal Mine belonged to the United Mine Workers of America Union (UMWA). In November, the UMWA Secretary sent a letter to Robert Medill, noting the conditions in the mine were dangerous for the employees. Centralia Coal Mine employees and union representatives (UMWA) grew tired of waiting for assistance and wrote a letter to Governor Green requesting assistance. The letter became known as the “Please Save Our lives” letter. Four of the UMWA committee members signed the letter; only one would live to tell federal investigators his story, William Rowekamp. In response, Governor Green stated the complaints “sound a good deal worse than they really are.” At this point, Mr. Scanlan continued to write his reports which sited bad roof conditions, bad rock, poor grad slate, slips and boulders. Dangerous roof conditions neglected by management. Repeated comments about dry and dusty conditions. Scanlan received repeated chastisement by Medill for his negative inspections even after he...