- My Forums
- Tiger Rant
- LSU Recruiting
- SEC Rant
- Saints Talk
- Pelicans Talk
- More Sports Board
- Fantasy Sports
- Golf Board
- Soccer Board
- O-T Lounge
- Tech Board
- Home/Garden Board
- Outdoor Board
- Health/Fitness Board
- Movie/TV Board
- Book Board
- Music Board
- Political Talk
- Money Talk
- Fark Board
- Gaming Board
- Travel Board
- Food/Drink Board
- Ticket Exchange
- TD Help Board
Customize My Forums- View All Forums
- Show Left Links
- Topic Sort Options
- Trending Topics
- Recent Topics
- Active Topics
Started By
Message
re: Hardest job in 19th and early 20th centuries America?
Posted on 9/1/26 at 3:31 am to Pax Regis
Posted on 9/1/26 at 3:31 am to Pax Regis
quote:
Coal miner for sure. Pretty deadly back then. Paid in scrip. Living in shitty company towns. Buying stuff at the company store. Basically why West Virginia is the third world country it is today.
Coal is softer than other rocks, so not as bad physically. The coal dust and Black Lung are the killers for that work. Folks forget the "capitalism" of that era created the Robber Barrons at the expense of the people in company towns and their families. Wage slavery in real form and why unions and work laws became part of the United States to protect the working class. Coal mining employed millions at its peak, now that is just in the thousands today with equipment taking the jobs.
Not sure as much about West Virginia but I do know Kentucky (especially Eastern Kentucky) is a 3rd world country because after the War of Northern Aggression (where Kentucky was a neutral state) the land was taken from the locals and concentrated to a handful of families in New York City and Philadelphia where they still own it today. If you think the Indians got the shaft in America, spend some time in Eastern Kentucky, and find out how some of the oldest European Americans got treated.
2
Posted on 9/1/26 at 3:59 am to BuckI
My dad's job...oil field roughneck working with giant pipe wrenches all day with no mechanical power...just your muscles. But it did keep him from being drafted during WWII. It was a job they couldn't transfer to women. And oil production was kinda important for our military efforts.
This post was edited on 9/1/26 at 4:01 am
Posted on 9/1/26 at 8:39 am to Cheese Grits
quote:
If you think the Indians got the shaft in America, spend some time in Eastern Kentucky, and find out how some of the oldest European Americans got treated.
Posted on 9/1/26 at 9:06 am to BuckI
Gynecologist
Posted on 9/1/26 at 9:09 am to wookalar1013
quote:
Being part of Headly Lamarr’s crew
Posted on 9/1/26 at 9:12 am to BuckI
How about those guys that used to manually couple train cars together.
Posted on 9/1/26 at 9:16 am to BuckI
Coal miner.
My grandfather died in a coal mining accident when a coal bin ran over him. He was only 28 years old.
Even slave owners refused to let their slaves work in a coal mine because it was too dangerous.
My grandfather died in a coal mining accident when a coal bin ran over him. He was only 28 years old.
Even slave owners refused to let their slaves work in a coal mine because it was too dangerous.
Posted on 9/1/26 at 9:18 am to BuckI
U.S. President
2 out of half dozen or so in your timeframe got murdered on the job.
Nothing else has a 33% death rate.
2 out of half dozen or so in your timeframe got murdered on the job.
Nothing else has a 33% death rate.
Posted on 9/1/26 at 9:21 am to BuckI
I worked in a plant that made sausage casings for awhile. The guys that were in the extrusion department that handled the chemincals going into the pulp were some of the most miserable looking people ive ever seen. Not only was it always hot but the whole room always had a very strong chemical smell, so much so that they would still smell like it on their days off. Not something i would ever want to do.
Posted on 9/1/26 at 11:10 am to BuckI
Forestry, fishing and farming usually have the highest fatality rates.
Posted on 9/1/26 at 11:16 am to BuckI
quote:
My dad and uncle were railroad engineers, and both said the gangs replacing track were some of the toughest.
My father in law was one of those. BNSF from 1970-1996. He was the strongest man I had ever known, like pick up a riding mower or ATV and put it in the bed of a truck strong.
But late in life his job caught up to him. The tendons and ligaments in his ankles were shot and he could barely walk. Due to standing on that 3" rock ballast for years.
Best hunter, fisher, mechanic (especially tractors and heavy equipment) I knew. I miss him everyday.
Posted on 9/1/26 at 12:50 pm to deltaland
"Dock that ch--k a day's pay for sleeping on the job." 
Posted on 9/1/26 at 1:45 pm to Cheese Grits
3rd world is a good description of E. Ky. Nice people, but life is hard. My grandpa moved his family to Ohio so his sons would not be miners or loggers like he was.
He told me of the violence in the mines mostly before his time.
He told me of the violence in the mines mostly before his time.
Posted on 9/1/26 at 2:56 pm to Bass Tiger
eeee Bass, ya gave me cold chills.
Worked hammering S irons in the ends of railroad ties. Switch tie line, some 9 feet some 10, some 10.5 etc. so they came off the line this guy on a stack track would clamp it and slide up and down this rail swing it behind or in front and place in the right stack.
The friggin most dangerous was hammering the ties on the inside of the stacks, straddling his rail and looking to duck as he swung a tie over me at chest level.
Rain or shine in the weather, sometimes bringing back fresh tarred rails to cut them down and S iron them to fill an order with that vapor burning your skin.
And every morning about 9 am I smell something, look up and the stack track fella is grinning with a joint hanging off his mouth.....as if it was not dangerous enough.
Got in best shape of my life, kept working, used to help the fellas do their time cards cause many could not figure out quarter hour fractions or add. Making less than 5 bucks an hour.
They used to call me college boy cause I was on summer break from Auburn.
That was 45 years ago and all the jobs, all the reviews, I still remember the last conversation I had with that old grizzled foreman. He said college boy I never thought you would make it past the first day. You got some real grit. Hope you learned something as well. When you get back to that school, ya thinkin you are tired of them studies, dont want to finish........think of us out here, you too smart for work like this, world's got other plans for you.
Worked hammering S irons in the ends of railroad ties. Switch tie line, some 9 feet some 10, some 10.5 etc. so they came off the line this guy on a stack track would clamp it and slide up and down this rail swing it behind or in front and place in the right stack.
The friggin most dangerous was hammering the ties on the inside of the stacks, straddling his rail and looking to duck as he swung a tie over me at chest level.
Rain or shine in the weather, sometimes bringing back fresh tarred rails to cut them down and S iron them to fill an order with that vapor burning your skin.
And every morning about 9 am I smell something, look up and the stack track fella is grinning with a joint hanging off his mouth.....as if it was not dangerous enough.
Got in best shape of my life, kept working, used to help the fellas do their time cards cause many could not figure out quarter hour fractions or add. Making less than 5 bucks an hour.
They used to call me college boy cause I was on summer break from Auburn.
That was 45 years ago and all the jobs, all the reviews, I still remember the last conversation I had with that old grizzled foreman. He said college boy I never thought you would make it past the first day. You got some real grit. Hope you learned something as well. When you get back to that school, ya thinkin you are tired of them studies, dont want to finish........think of us out here, you too smart for work like this, world's got other plans for you.
Posted on 9/1/26 at 3:04 pm to TechBullDawg
quote:
Gynecologist
When’s the next season of Deadliest Snatch being released?
Posted on 9/1/26 at 4:10 pm to BuckI
quote:
3rd world is a good description of E. Ky. Nice people, but life is hard. My grandpa moved his family to Ohio so his sons would not be miners or loggers like he was.
They learned readin', writin', Route 23...
Posted on 9/1/26 at 4:11 pm to BuckI
quote:
What is the one job you would not want?
Coal miner
Posted on 9/1/26 at 8:45 pm to BestBanker
Now you men will only be risking your lives, whilst I will be risking an almost certain academy award nomination for best supporting actor
Best movie ever
Best movie ever
Posted on 9/1/26 at 9:12 pm to BuckI
1) Police Officer
2) Anyone trying to actually improve the Public School system.
3) Obgyn at a free clinic in the inner city
2) Anyone trying to actually improve the Public School system.
3) Obgyn at a free clinic in the inner city
Page 3 of 4
Popular
Back to top
Follow TigerDroppings for LSU Football News