Perhaps you remember the classic song “Sixteen Tons” about the challenge to the men who go down into the bowels of the Earth to mine coal.
It’s dirty, dark, hard — and sometimes tragic — work. But we still depend very heavily upon coal for much of our energy.
Now a recent coal mine accident in Communist China has seemed closer to home for us with news that a methane gas explosion in a coal mine in West Virginia has caused the worst U.S. mining tragedy in a couple of decades.
At least 25 American miners have died, with some others missing, as rescuers drilled about 1.5 miles into a mine with the hope of saving some lives.
Coal mining is a dangerous business for many of our people as they meet our coal demands.