Carbonite Ladies Club

April 11, 2015

There has been a long dry spell between this post and the last post.  It isn't because there hasn't been lots of things to Rant about but there has just been a shortage of Ranting time.  I'll try to do better but I can't promise anything.

Today, I had the opportunity to speak to the Carbonite Ladies Club of Salt Lake City.  The Carbonites meet twice a year at the Little America Hotel, they visit, have lunch and listen to a speaker.  I was the speaker of the day.  My topic of conversation was the Miner's Memorial Monument.  It was wonderful to be there and share information about this monument.  It has been a wonderful opportunity to be involved with the documenting of the miners names and working with the other committee members.  Thank you Terry & Jack, Cliff, Robert, Carl and Van for coming and supporting me.  Thank you Dennis and Frank for coming and being a part of the day.

The monument will be placed on the corner of 100 East and Main Street in the area called the Peace Gardens.  The Prehistoric Museum is in the background.  The statue and the angel on the monument are Gary Prazen creations and are being built by Danny Blanton.  There will five instead of four sections around the statue that will contain the names of the 1353 miners that have lost their lives in Carbon County Coal Mine accidents.

We as members of the committee have had the opportunity to go to the Original Creations shop in Carbonville and help with the creation of the monument.  In this photo Danny Blanton is pouring the hot wax mixture into the pieces that will be the dove on the angel statue and part of the angel.

This is what it looked like after the wax had cooled.

After a year of searching for miners, stories and information when I found this following story is when the whole thing became very personal for me.  The story reads: Arnold William Snow, age 40, a mine fire boss, in the Utah Fuel Company’s No. 2 mine at Castle Gate, was killed early today in a coal cave-in.  Mine officials said the accident occurred when Snow and his partner Jack Hreinson, were “shooting” coal.  Hreinson said the cave-in came without warning.  Snow’s skull was fractured and he died a few minutes after a rescue crew reached him.  He is survived by his widow, a son and two daughters.  

This story is very close to me because Jack Hreinson, the partner of Arnold Snow, is my grandfather.   My grandfather could have been one of these names we have been researching and documenting.  I'm so thankful that he didn't become "one"of them.  I'm thankful he lived so I would have the opportunity to know and meet him.

I have so much more to say but it is impossible to put a years experiences into one night.  I'll try to do do better.  Have a wonderful Sunday.