Photo Essays, Spot News and Stock Photography

Archive for ‘October, 2022’

KING COAL vs. THE GREEN REVOLUTION

With all of the attention given to the Green Revolution these days it may be easy for some to forget that we have a 200-year supply of coal available in the United States. For folks in communities in Appalachia, in particular, coal is a vital topic of conversation. Our collection of photos concerning coal operations has grown recently as we present five of our latest additions in this blog. The “Elk Horn Coal Corporation – Mine 328”- Prestonburg, Kentucky,  shows the mine in operation about one year after the first coal car was loaded from the coal tipple in 1915. The two “Coal Tower” photos are classic as they incorporate the surrounding steam locomotives and railroad tracks. We believe the location to be somewhere in Appalachia. “Mining Town” was photographed around 1920 somewhere in the U. S. A typical mining town it depicts living conditions of miners married to their work in the mine and undoubtedly paid in script. “Coal Mine Shaft” was shot in New Mexico c.1949 by Jack Kew. A miner is shown working in the belly of the beast.

Appalachia, c.1908

HARDSCRABBLE KIDS

Time to play detective once again. We know about the when. The when is about 1908. Now for the where. That’s coal dust. It is all over the children, the umbrella, the house, and just about everywhere you look. That means Appalachia. My thinking is southern Appalachia, maybe northern Alabama just from the look of things. Note the toy gun in the hands of the little girl in the center of the first row. Also note what appears to be a scar on her left leg. A boot cleaner is at the lower left so that is probably mud all over the bottom step which shows white in the photo. You can tell a lot from a photo if you take the time to see things.

 

Hardscrabble Kids“; Appalachia c.1908

Vienna Woods, Austria (1950)

YOU ARE NOW ENTERING THE RUSSIAN ZONE

Today is the 4th anniversary of my triple bypass heart surgery. Had it not been successful you would not now be reading this blog. Life is good. “The Russian Zone“; Vienna Woods, Austria (1950). If the West had not stood firm Austrians would be speaking Russian today. But we did. A lesson here for the brave citizens of Ukraine. If Putin is successful with the annexation of the occupied territories (Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Lukansk and Donestsk) you might see similar Russian zone signs this time in Ukraine. Glory to Ukraine!