nkin, 19) Many outraged employees went on strike. Then in July, 1935, Congress passed the National Labor Relations Act, guaranteeing for all time the right of industry to collective bargaining and forbidding employers to interfere with labors exercise of these rights or to discriminate against union members. (Rankin, 20)Another serious problem with mining was the maintenance of law and order. The organization of the West Virginia Coal Police during the 1920s was prompted by the need for protection of the property of the coal operators as well as the rights of the innocent citizen. (Rankin, 20) One example of this is the Glen Alum payroll robbery of 1914, in which eleven people were killed.Also, there was always the danger of sudden death. Mine explosions were very common in the industry. The death of one hundred fifty miners in the explosion of the East Mine owned by the Southwest Improvement Company in March, 1886, is the first on record. The death of fifty men at the Pocahontas Colliery Company in 1906 and of 67 persons three months laterpoint to thesafety in coal fields of the Bluefield area. (Rankin, 21)During this time, Bluefields economy was soaring. As a physical symbol of the citys position of leadership, the West Virginia Hotel was constructed downtown in 1923. At twelve stories high, it is still the tallest building in southern West Virginia. The magnificent hotel, a showpiece of the region, boasted superb service, a barbershop, newsstand, huge ballroom for civic functions and dances (West Virginias Historic Downtown Bluefield) The inside resembled the Titanicand it had a shoeshine stand called You Are Nex. (Not next, but nex.) It held a whole row of seats where black employees not only shined shoes, but also cleaned and blocked felt hats. They played music and drummed out the beat with their rags. (Nelson, Interview)In 1929, when the Depression hit, suicide was rampant in Bluefield. The homeless came door to d...
