1

Tragedy - at Home and at Work

Needless to say the life of a miner is dangerous one with many perils to watch out for while working. Perhaps a wall is leaning a little or the cable for the elevator breaks or the coal cars, heavy with coal, jump the track and hit someone. There could be a fire or explosion or other less frightening things like cuts and bruises. Yet, the safety record for the mines in the East Coulee area was quite good with few explosions or other fatal accidents. When the he left for work, the father and husband did not know for sure that he would return that day. His wife and children learned to live with this tension. They knew it was necessary for him to go into the mines to earn enough money to feed and house the family yet they also felt a slight sense of dread each time he left for work. Such was the life of people in a mining town.

When someone was killed in the mine the whole town mourned for they knew is could just have easily been thier father or husband or son. Many People would gather to honour the passing of one of their neighbours and quite someone that was also one of their friends. Though people worked very hard to have a good life, on occasions like this, it was not always possible to find the good part of life in the Badlands.

2

Dan Szakacs Funeral
1 October 1940
East Coulee, Alberta, Canada


Credits:
Unknown

3

Solitary Goodbye

At other times it was someone in the family that died from sickness or tragedy. One man, after having worked for 4 years to save enough money to bring his wife over from Europe, was deeply affected when she for sick. She had what appeared to be a recovery and then once again she fell ill. He watched her fade away and did all he could with his very limited means. In the end she had to go to the hospital in Edmonton where she finally died of cancer. About a week after they buried her, he recieved a bill from the hospital for over $1,000 and he found this to be a very bitter blow after losing his life partner.

One woman was driving her son and his friend across the bridge from West Monarch. The car stalled partway across the bridge - there was a train coming. She told the boys to get out and stand on the walking part of the bridge. She was worried that the car would get damaged and tried to start the car and waited until it was too late. The car was rammed by the train and carried for over a mile before the train could stop.A needless ans sad loss of life,,,

When this happened it was important to say goodbye to that special person. This can sometimes be best accomplished alone - the man overlooking the grave of his wife says it all. Lonliness, sadness, separation - something that can only be experienced by the individual - alone.

4

Solitary Goodbye
1 October 1935
East Coulee, Alberta, Canada


Credits:
Unknown