Price • Sitting in a wheelchair, Rose Robertson ran her wrinkled index finger across the bronze lettering of one of nearly 1,400 names on a memorial unveiled Monday to miners killed in Carbon County mines since 1890.
This one was her boy.
His name was Bret. He was just 38 years old on Nov. 14, 1996, when a violent "bounce" in the Tower Resources mine killed him. Bret left behind a wife and two boys — and a mother who still grieves.
"No matter how much time passes, you still know the pain," she said, sharing an emotion prevalent in a large crowd that gathered at the Price Peace Gardens for the Labor Day dedication of a monument whose creation was a labor of love for many in Utah's coal country.
And on this day, there clearly was a widespread sense of satisfaction in knowing that these miners did not pay the ultimate price for nothing, that this monument said their lives and deaths mattered.
Spearheaded by Dennis Ardohain and Frank Markosek, a retired federal Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA ) inspector severely injured in the 2007 Crandall Canyon disaster next door in Emery County, the memorial came about through grassroots efforts.
Over the past 22 months, a local committee raised funds through motorcycle rides and poker tournaments, sales of hats and sweatshirts, at banquets and in pleadings at every local city hall on up to the State Capitol, where the Legislature kicked in $100,000, almost a third of the project's cost.
Material donations were secured — black granite for the four standing monuments, with the names of the fallen miners on both sides, and electrical systems to light them at night. Linking them together are statues of a miner and a miner's angel, designed by renowned sculptor Gary Prazen and his family's ongoing business, Original Creations.
Big hitters came to town for the celebration.
United Mine Workers of America President Cecil Roberts flew in from back East, regaling the crowd with observations that "working people make the world go round" and that "no group of people has done more for the USA than coal miners."
But it's come at a price, he noted, citing 100,000 miner deaths in U.S. accidents, and another 100,000 lives lost to black lung and related diseases.
Two local men who made it big in the industry — J. Brett Harvey, the former CEO of Consol Mining, and Dave Lauriski, the head of MSHA from 2001 to 2004 —also addressed the crowd assembled on bleachers and extra folding chairs brought in by Boy Scouts.
Lauriski, who directed the unsuccessful effort to rescue the 27 victims of the 1984 Wilberg Mine fire in Emery County, said he knows all too well the pain of a mining accident, whether one life is lost or many.
"The wound is deep and never completely heals," he said. "No one should ever have to feel the devastation of someone not coming home from work."
The monument, Lauriski added, "is more than just a list of names. These are all interesting people with interesting lives that were cut too short."
On Monday, no one knew that better than members of the crowd who surrounded the monuments following the speeches and a touching xylophone performance of "Amazing Grace" by Mario Lopez. His father, Jesus Flores Lopez, died in a 1969 roof fall at the Horse Canyon mine, leaving a widow and 11 children, many of whom attended the ceremony.
"My grandpa would be proud," said Mario's daughter, Carmen Voegeli, appreciative of "a community that continues to care."
John Watson and his wife, Ellen, came from Bakersfield, Calif. He had four family members on the monuments, his grandfather and a great-grandfather plus two his brothers.
"I wanted to honor them and to be here in this wonderful small town where they spent some money to make a monument the way it should be," he said.
The event brought Julie Pritchett home from Granbury, Texas. She was honoring her brother James M. Smith, who died in a 1988 accident at a station where cut coal is loaded onto trains, just minutes after their dad had dropped his son off at work and waved good-bye.
"My heart is so touched," she said. "I'd always dreamed he'd have a small plaque so he wouldn't be forgotten, and now there's this. I can't express my gratitude. The pain never goes away, but this is very comforting."
Same for Lucy Garcia Jefferson, a Helper native who returned from Oregon City, Ore., to pay homage to her dad, Cecilio Garcia, who was 36 and the father of eight when he died in a rock fall at Spring Canyon mine in 1958.
"The whole family came out," she said, including her mother, Sally, who is now 90 and living in Price. "This is very beautiful, just a wonderful place to see and to know he didn't die in vain."
Brenda Holland and her brother, Dana McDonald, were among scores of people who read the names of each deceased miner, as is done in ceremonies commemorating victims of the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York City. All the names appeared to be male.
It was a meaningful experience, Brenda Holland said. Although she and her brother were there to honor their grandfather, John Vernal Winder, who died in 1945, she developed an affinity for the other two dozen men on her list.
"Even though you don't know them, there's a connection. Every one has his own story and I wonder, are his relatives still here? Will we meet any of them?"
Others were drawn to the ceremony by a sense of solidarity.
Forrest Addison was part of the rescue effort at Wilberg and just ended his mining career when Deer Creek mine closed late last year. He pointed to the names on the wall and remarked, "they were like me — working to provide for their families. Whenever a miner dies, back East or around the world, it hurts me because it shouldn't happen. This monument is a fitting tribute to that [closeness]. We're all family."
Added Maria Jeffs of East Carbon: "Carbon County is a small community and we're always united like a family. I'm so proud to be born here and to be raised a coal miner's daughter. They put their lives on the line every day — and I respect that."
But sometimes they don't come home from work alive.
For Nana Beth Davis, of Price, Monday's ceremony was a chance to reconnect with her dad, Ray Angus, who never made it home on Jan. 18, 1961, the day he was killed by a roof fall at the end of his shift.
Patting her heart, she said tenderly, "I was with him here all day."
mikeg@sltrib.com
Al Hartmann | The Salt Lake Tribune The Carbon County Coal Miners' Memorial was unveiled and dedicated Monday September 7 to coal miners that died in accidents since the inception of mining in the 1880's. Two statues and several large plaques with 1,400 names of fallen miners now resides in the Price Peace Park along Main Street.
Al Hartmann | The Salt Lake Tribune Members in the crowd raised their hands if they or any of their relatives have worked in coal mines during the Carbon County Coal Miners' Memorial that was unveiled and dedicated Monday September 7 to coal miners that died in accidents since the inception of mining in the 1880's. Two statues and several large stone plaques with 1,400 names of fallen miners now resides in the Price Peace Park along Main Street.
Al Hartmann | The Salt Lake Tribune Assembled crowd observes the American flag ceremony at The Carbon County Coal Miners' Memorial that was unveiled and dedicated Monday September 7 to coal miners that died in accidents since the inception of mining in the 1880's. Two statues and several large plaques with 1,400 names of miners now resides in the Price Peace Park along Main Street.
Al Hartmann | The Salt Lake Tribune Crowds hold hands and pray at the Carbon County Coal Miners' Memorial that was unveiled and dedicated Monday September 7 to coal miners that died in accidents since the inception of mining in the 1880's. Two statues and several large stone plaques with 1,400 names of fallen miners now resides in the Price Peace Park along Main Street.
Al Hartmann | The Salt Lake Tribune Miner leadership stand during the Carbon County Coal Miners' Memorial that was unveiled and dedicated Monday September 7 to coal miners that died in accidents since the inception of mining in the 1880's. Two statues and several large stone plaques with 1,400 names of fallen miners now resides in the Price Peace Park along Main Street.
Al Hartmann | The Salt Lake Tribune Crowds pray at the Carbon County Coal Miners' Memorial that was unveiled and dedicated Monday September 7 to coal miners that died in accidents since the inception of mining in the 1880's. Two statues and several large stone plaques with 1,400 names of fallen miners now resides in the Price Peace Park along Main Street.
Al Hartmann | The Salt Lake Tribune Miner leadership stand during the Carbon County Coal Miners' Memorial that was unveiled and dedicated Monday September 7 to coal miners that died in accidents since the inception of mining in the 1880's. Two statues and several large stone plaques with 1,400 names of fallen miners now resides in the Price Peace Park along Main Street.
Al Hartmann | The Salt Lake Tribune Michelle Goon makes a pencil etching of her little brother's name, James Smith who died in a mining accident on 1/25/1988. He was only 20. His name is on the Carbon County Coal Miners' Memorial that was unveiled and dedicated Monday September 7 to coal miners that died in accidents since the inception of mining in the 1880's. Two statues and several large stone plaques with 1,400 names of fallen miners now resides in the Price Peace Park along Main Street.
Al Hartmann | The Salt Lake Tribune UMWA President Cecil Roberts voice booms over the crowd speaking at the Carbon County Coal Miners' Memorial that was unveiled and dedicated Monday September 7 to coal miners that died in accidents since the inception of mining in the 1880's. Two statues and several large stone plaques with 1,400 names of fallen miners now resides in the Price Peace Park along Main Street.
Al Hartmann | The Salt Lake Tribune The United Mine Workers were well represented at the Carbon County Coal Miners' Memorial that was unveiled and dedicated Monday September 7 to coal miners that died in accidents since the inception of mining in the 1880's. Two statues and several large stone plaques with 1,400 names of fallen miners now resides in the Price Peace Park along Main Street.
Al Hartmann | The Salt Lake Tribune Large statue of a single miner with pick axe stands over the Carbon County Coal Miners' Memorial that was unveiled and dedicated Monday September 7 to coal miners that died in accidents since the inception of mining in the 1880's. Two statues and several large stone plaques with 1,400 names of fallen miners now resides in the Price Peace Park along Main Street.
Al Hartmann | The Salt Lake Tribune Miners in the crowd stand to be recognized at the Carbon County Coal Miners' Memorial that was unveiled and dedicated Monday September 7 to coal miners that died in accidents since the inception of mining in the 1880's. Two statues and several large plaques with 1,400 names of fallen miners now resides in the Price Peace Park along Main Street.
Al Hartmann | The Salt Lake Tribune Assembled crowd observes the American flag ceremony at The Carbon County Coal Miners' Memorial that was unveiled and dedicated Monday September 7 to coal miners that died in accidents since the inception of mining in the 1880's. Two statues and several large plaques with 1,400 names of fallen miners now resides in the Price Peace Park along Main Street.
Al Hartmann | The Salt Lake Tribune Folks take a close look for names of friends and relatives on the Carbon County Coal Miners' Memorial that was unveiled and dedicated Monday September 7 to coal miners that died in accidents since the inception of mining in the 1880's. Two statues and several large plaques with 1,400 names of fallen miners now resides in the Price Peace Park along Main Street.
Al Hartmann | The Salt Lake Tribune The Carbon County Coal Miners' Memorial was unveiled and dedicated Monday September 7 to coal miners that died in accidents since the inception of mining in the 1880's. Two statues and several large plaques with 1,400 names of miners now resides in the Price Peace Park along Main Street.
Al Hartmann | The Salt Lake Tribune Folks take a close look for names of friends and relatives on the Carbon County Coal Miners' Memorial that was unveiled and dedicated Monday September 7 to coal miners that died in accidents since the inception of mining in the 1880's. Two statues and several large plaques with 1,400 names of fallen miners now resides in the Price Peace Park along Main Street.
Al Hartmann | The Salt Lake Tribune United Mine Workers family watches from the bed of their pickup truck the Carbon County Coal Miners' Memorial that was unveiled and dedicated Monday September 7 to coal miners that died in accidents since the inception of mining in the 1880's. Two statues and several large plaques with 1,400 names of miners now resides in the Price Peace Park along Main Street.
Al Hartmann | The Salt Lake Tribune UMWA President Cecil Roberts voice booms over the crowd speaking at the Carbon County Coal Miners' Memorial that was unveiled and dedicated Monday September 7 to coal miners that died in accidents since the inception of mining in the 1880's. Two statues and several large stone plaques with 1,400 names of fallen miners now resides in the Price Peace Park along Main Street.
Al Hartmann | The Salt Lake Tribune Folks take a close look for names of friends and relatives on the Carbon County Coal Miners' Memorial that was unveiled and dedicated Monday September 7 to coal miners that died in accidents since the inception of mining in the 1880's. Two statues and several large plaques with 1,400 names of fallen miners now resides in the Price Peace Park along Main Street.
Al Hartmann | The Salt Lake Tribune Michelle Goon makes a pencil etching of her little brother's name, James Smith who died in a mining accident on 1/25/1988. He was only 20. His name is on the Carbon County Coal Miners' Memorial that was unveiled and dedicated Monday September 7 to coal miners that died in accidents since the inception of mining in the 1880's. Two statues and several large stone plaques with 1,400 names of fallen miners now resides in the Price Peace Park along Main Street.
Al Hartmann | The Salt Lake Tribune Assembled crowd cheers UMWA President Cecil Roberts at the Carbon County Coal Miners' Memorial that was unveiled and dedicated Monday September 7 to coal miners that died in accidents since the inception of mining in the 1880's. Two statues and several large plaques with 1,400 names of fallen miners now resides in the Price Peace Park along Main Street.
Al Hartmann | The Salt Lake Tribune Folks take a close look for names of friends and relatives on the Carbon County Coal Miners' Memorial that was unveiled and dedicated Monday September 7 to coal miners that died in accidents since the inception of mining in the 1880's. Two statues and several large plaques with 1,400 names of fallen miners now resides in the Price Peace Park along Main Street.
Al Hartmann | The Salt Lake Tribune Folks take a close look for names of friends and relatives on the Carbon County Coal Miners' Memorial that was unveiled and dedicated Monday September 7 to coal miners that died in accidents since the inception of mining in the 1880's. Two statues and several large plaques with 1,400 names of fallen miners now resides in the Price Peace Park along Main Street.