Archives: Independent Coal Review

A set of offical Independent Miner’s Association newsletters from 1962-1965. This is the same IMA as the 1930s, though as the industry formalized and legalized it became less of a “bootleggers union” and more strictly an association for an industry of small mine owners.

Story:

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My wonderful Aunt works at a small weekly auction in Upper Dauphin county. She found these, probably in collection of stuff owned by the man they were sent to in Williamstown, PA (and who was probably a miner / IMA miner).

Highlights:

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Photography of the Sheppton mine disaster! The IMA was key in the rescue, and they had a photographer on scene. Clyde L. Machamer (IMA President) was front and center. Clyde wrote most if not all of the newsletter. After Sheppton he gets quite heated talking about the United Mine Workers of America leadership.

In the Bootleg Coal Rebellion, I quote Leon Richter describing Clyde:

“Clyde had the golden voice. Clyde had no more education, he was a high school graduate, but he could speak. He could incite a riot if he wanted to. He had that ability. He was a great man. I loved him…”