Smith Brothers Mining Company

Williamson, Mingo County, West Virginia, 1971

The men are waiting for their shift to begin, sitting on the low lying "mantrip" they will use to ride into the mine. They will ride it lying down, because this is a low coal mine. The height of theceiling of a mine is determined by the thickness of the coal seam. Low coal averages about 36" high but can be as low as 21". The photographer was invited to photograph at this mine by B L Farley, seated in the center of the photo in the light shirt.

Courtesy of the photographer, Builder Levy.