Coal Miners Sue for $1.9 Million
A landmark series of lawsuits against the Northern Pacific Coal Company regarding safety and ventilation in the Roslyn mines begins in federal court.
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The Roslyn coal mine miners' suits against the Northern Pacific Coal Company for damages aggregating $1,900,000 have been begun in the United States district court before Judge Hanford. The case of Edward Houston, claiming permanent injuries, was taken up first. He sues for $10,000 damages. The burden of the testimony was, on the part of the coal company, to show that the mine was properly ventilated, and that many of the miners did not examine the reports of the inspectors on the bulletin boards outside before going to work. It is expected that the case will be on trial several days.
“The burden of the testimony was, on the part of the coal company, to show that the mine was properly ventilated.”
The struggle for safe working conditions in Washington's coal mines was central to the labor movement in the late 19th century. The litigation highlights the dangerous reality of early resource extraction in the region and the efforts to hold corporations accountable for industrial accidents.
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