Another Old Christmas Story by Jack From the Coal Regions

December 1950
I was 6 years old, we lived in a company house rented from LC&N Coal Company. I woke up to fire engines and looked out the window. There I saw my neighbors house in flames. Mrs Dolinski, our neighbor, had 3 small kids & her husband Joe had been killed at the #5 mine 3 years ago. She was all alone. I watched as the Church Pastor took them away. Next morning I heard my Mom & Pop talking about such a tragedy happening so close to Christmas. We must do something, she said. Pop said he would look into it. When my Pop got to work that morning everyone was talking about the fire. My pop said we should all do something to help the poor widow. The few decided that they should help. Well, word got around and before you knew it the miners started volunteering. Everyone got together & put a plan in motion.
Next morning my Pop called the Hall Lumber Company & ordered some lumber to be delivered the next day. That morning 15 coal miners joined my Pop & it was decided that all the burnt wood would first be removed from the house, along with the burnt furniture & beds. First they tore off the heat damaged rolled roofing, others removed the inside lumber that was burned along with the contents of the house. Not much was salvageable, they took down plasterboard so they could check the wiring. Each man had a specific skill & they all went about it, never bitchin or cussin, just doing it. Some guys were carpenters, some were plumbers, some finished sheetrock & so they came up with a schedule so that they could work at the Coal mine during their AM or PM shift & then work at the house. By 6pm the next night the inside was gutted, wiring checked & it was ready for new sheetrock. A miracle, A miracle!
Another load came from the lumber company courtesy of an unidentified donor & the next morning 9 guys showed up, some redid the Cedar siding, others started the sheetrock, Angelo Pulcini and Carmen Rego, 2 Italians started the brown coat on the walls. By that Saturday, 8 days total, the interior was ready for paint. It was a week till Christmas. The other good news was that LC&N delivered 6 ton of coal free.
That Sunday my Pop had Mrs. Dolinski take a look at the house, she walked thru the few rooms and cried. You men are wonderful, how can I possibly pay you, Mrs. Dolinski we no wanna money for work, your husband Joe was a gooda man and a gooda friend to us all & always helped us when we needed it. My Pop then took Mrs. Dolinski outside to look at the new siding, nice she said. He noticed her picking up a burnt doll & throwing it to the ground. Bang! it hit Pops mind, there were no toys, furniture or food for the family.
Monday morning, Pop went to work At #8 and put a sign on the Wash House Bulletin Board. "money needed for furniture, clothes, toys & food for 34 W Water Street, the site of the fire. Well, by Friday $700 had been donated along with toys for the kids.
Did you ever try and put a roof on in December, or frame walls inside with no heat? Well, these 15 plus miners after putting in a shift loading coal came to this Widows aid. I'd say that's the real meaning and miracle of Christmas.
Merry Christmas & Happy Healthy New Year to ALL, Jack from Coaldale.

That was a great Christmas story, Jack. Thanks for sharing.

Outstanding Jack. Thanx for sharing. Crap, I musta got some dust in my eye.

Thank you........I love working folks.
Merry Christmas
Gian4

Christ's Sake,Jack........ No One tells a True Coal Town/Life Story like You do,My Friend !!

In a World teaming with Pukes and Let-Down Artists,You shine with Old School Technology that sure never fades ! Matters of the Heart,quietly attended to by the Common,Bust-ass Quietly Folks brought to You with the Quiet Courtesy of a Christmas Man simply known as Jack !! The Truth of what a Silent Night truly meant......

And while Your All thinkin' about that,try to remember the Boys shiverin' in their foxholes,tryin' to stay clear of the tree-bursts from them lousy 88's,72 years ago in the Ardenne and the Bois Jauques Woods. Little Towns like Foy and Bastogne,Ambleve,Amel and Malmedy.......All Calm today in a Christmas Sleep........... Thanx Again,Jack,for waking up the Memories of Good Folks from Days Gone By !

Very nice Jack, It brings me back to the Tamaqua Diner and listing to you tell another coal mine story while having breakfast .

Awesome story Jack, and it can be found in every little town across this country. Many times people whom have the least can and will give the most.

Merry Christmas to everyone.

Kevin

Thanks Jack.

The presidents wife said that this is what no hope feels like. Well, I guess she never gets to hear stories like that, because they show that there is always hope and that's because this country still has plenty of good people. Many of them right here on this forum.

A warm and Merry Christmas to all.

Paul

I got the info from my older sister .The broken English was from an old Italian painter.Tuff times an Tuff people these immigrant miners .Jack

Tuff people back in the day, for sure. Thanks Jack.

ditto what fred said !!!!!! merry christmas to u all and god bless !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jack, your stories always warm the heart and bring tears to the eyes. Thanks for sharing that.

This is way better than any of the hallmark movies they have been watching at the house the last couple weeks. you should submit the outline to somebody that writes those things.

Thanks for sharing that. I don't think the story is so much about Christmas, as it is about what good people do when a friend, neighbor, or a co-worker's family has a real need.

It's sad to say, but I think that America is long dead and gone....I hope I am wrong.

It's not dead RR, ya just don't hear much about it. That kinda news DON't make the media outlets$$$$$$$$$$$