Hawk's Nest Tunnel Tragedy

During the 1930s, hundreds of workers, from a tunnel construction project near the town of Gauley Bridge, West Virginia, died from silicosis, a lung disease caused by expsure to silica dust. The employer did not use methods known at the time to control the dealy dust. For the full story, read Martin Cherniack's book, The Hawk's Nest Incident: America's Worst Industrial Disaster. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1986. This clip was taken from the 1979 film, 'Can't Take No More," from Federal OSHA. The entire 27 minute film is available on the Internet Archives.

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[wvworker]

There is no memorial to these men. This is the greatest industrial disaster in United States history and we don't even have as much as a plaque up at the state capital. It is so sad. My family lost 5 men to this tragedy. My grandfather, great uncle (grandmothers brother) my 3 uncles and an adopted uncle.

[jodygirl45]

My Grandpa and 3 uncles worked in the hawks nest tunnel and died of silicosis

[F14ace]

I work at a Dow Corning silica plant and you can see the shiny crap floating around in the air when the sun is shining. That is some nasty stuff.

[tpaigeme]

You should let me post my video here of a song I wrote. I live near Hawks Nest, about 5 miles from it. Went to Gauley Bridge H.S. tpaigeme channel Hawks Nest Tunnel Disaster a song by...I wrote this for the film that is being made about the tragedy by Mari-lynn Evans.

[WVCOALMINER1000]

@vontrop 1OOO DOLLARS

[dsparentsr]

And those shameless sons-of-bitches hired enough men to counter those that they knew would die from silicosis. I remember hearing about this in LiUNA training. Never forget the men of the hawk's nest.

[marmalade4sunrise]

Yes.

[blackwateryan]

we just had to learn about this in class...very sorry for your loss.

[vontrop]

did your family get any compensation for the deaths?

[Straycatz4]

Is this as serious as asbestos inhalation?