Material Type

Recording

Date Range

1978

Fonds

Pioneer Researchers Association Oral History Project

Creator

Pioneer Researchers Association

Physical Description

1 cassette tape; digital copy

Physical Condition

Excellent

Acquisition Source

Pioneer Researchers

Scope and Content

1 Side A (approx 30 min) - Biographical information: His father migrated from Czechoslovaka to the US at the age of 9 with his father. He never attended school. He worked in the shipyards as a waterboy for -50/day. When he was 12, his father (the grandfather) returned to Czechoslavakia and he went to live with his uncle, Andy Hasilak(?) in Pennsylvania. There he worked in the mines. In 1896, at the age of 16, he was one of those in the 3rd group of Pennsylvania coal miners that came to Lethbridge. They stayed in a boarding house on 9th Ave North at a rate of 7.00/mon. The starting pay in the mines was .75 per 12 hour day. He worked in the Lethbridge mines until 1903, when he returned to the states. He was married in Philadelphia in 1904, his son John was born in 1905 and Joe (interviewee) was born in 1908 there. In 1908 the family moved to Lethbridge. His father worked in the No. 3 mine (Staffordville) until he was transferred to No. 6 at Hardieville. - Most of Joe's schooling was taken in Hardieville. In 1924 at the age of 16 he went to work in the mines. He started as a trapper at 2.75 per 8 hour day. He was promoted to pony driver and he pay was increased to 3.15 per day. Talks about the mine ponies, gasses in the mines. - His father passed away in 1928. He moved out to the family farm in the Readymade District to help his mother. - Joe bought the family farm and raised his family there. They sold it in 1969 and moved to Lethbridge. He worked for the SMRID and the City of Lethbridge before retiring. - The only coal mining strike he was involved in was in 1926-27. The miners were out for 6 months, and returned to work at reduced wages. Joe did not mind working in the mines. The underground temperature did not vary much from season to season. - Information about mine superintendent Livingstone. - His brother, John?, worked in the mines for 26 or 27 years, and did not receive a pension when he retired (no pension plan then). Pensions are around $100 per month now.

- The family farm was 182 acres of dry and irrigated land. Information about the farm. Times were tough, but they always had a lot to eat. They sold the farm because his children were not interested in farming. Employment after moving to Lethbridge. Enjoyed working for the City of Lethbridge Electrical apt. His hobby is collecting. He has coin, shell, gun, spoon collections. Information about them. Side B. (approx 30 min) Continue with his collections: coins and guns - Hunting. Other collections: 250 spoons, bottles, gas masks (one from each war) Continue with mining employment: He also worked for the Social Credit Mine, the Bill Statton and Bob Tennant mine, and Chester Mine, north of Hardieville. Stories about rattle snakes. Readymade farm district. Origin of name. Information about the farm and his brothers. His daughter, Mrs Bernice Rolfson(?), talks about her school days in Readymade and community dances held at the school.

Access Restrictions

Public Access

Accession No.

19921008032

Collection

Archive

Less detail