On 9 May 1889, Pennsylvania passed a law requiring miners to obtain “mining papers.” Collieries were required to hire only men with these papers which were officially referred to a Anthracite Miners’ Certificates. For experienced miners, obtaining the papers was not a problem – with the exception that only men who understood English could obtain them. Thus, any men who didn’t know English lost their mining jobs. While many local school districts provided evening classes so these non-English speaker could learn the language, many immigrants and other who didn’t know English close to take lower paying jobs in other fields.
Shown above is a copy of an Anthracite Miners’ Certificate which was issued in 1889 to a miner who was from outside the Lykens Valley area.
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Photo and information from Pottsville Republican and Herald, “Glimpses Into Yesteryear,” 20 February1980.
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