Comments on: A Conley Branch Girl

By: Durpster

Durpster — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 16:01:50 +0000

Some of you just don’t get it, and that is why beautiful and special places will continue to disappear. You DO NOT have to destroy nature and beauty to put people to work—it isn’t a one or the other proposition. To Bev Gilman, how can you say “mining does do reclamation” with a straight face? Have you seen this “reclamation”?

By: shadora lovejoy

shadora lovejoy — Fri, 17 Aug 2012 22:09:46 +0000

I understand all of us have childhood memeories that have come and gone. But what you have failed to metion is all of the memories made from the families of these miners. Without Hobet mining a lot of these families would be on welfare like a lot of West Virginin’s are now, because without coal nothing is really here. I live 2 miles from Hobet mining, my husband works there also was his father and granfather, and proable some how they are related to you. This job provides these families with home, clothes, and food for thier children. The memories that they also get from Hobet is coming and riding four-wheelers, hunting, fishing, and I see a lot that just come for family picnics. Also I have seen more wildlife in the past 10 years that was provided from Hobet since I moved here 19 years ago. Also people only want to show what Hobet looks like while the job is in progress and never what it looks like after. It’s like if you were going to buy a home, would you buy one that is only half way finshed, NO it would look like a disater area, but a finished home YES. Just like Hobet after they have reclaimed the land you can see the love that each miner has put into the land to rebuild the mountains, replant the tree,shrubs,grass,ect. along with all the ponds with fish and wildlife. Trees are a renewable source therefore can be replaced, so years from now my child will be able to have some of the same memeories that you had as a child and also gave thousands of families with memeories that their father(THE MINER)has also been able to give them. As I have said I have lived here for 19 years and would not want to live anywhere else in the whole world. Hobet has provided my family money to have a good life and also has giving us some of the most beautiful sences ever!!Hobet is not as bad as people make them out to be. My husband has been lucky enough to have worked for the mines for 15 years. The mines has also provided me and many others with a college education. So lets start talking about how there is so much more great things about mining, instead of only showing a half finshed home.

By: Bev Gilman

Bev Gilman — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 13:12:37 +0000

You talk about the mountains and what they meant to you, well why did you leave them? Where do you live now? Why do you complain about mining when i don’t see you complaining about building malls or building highways. They do the same thing but mining does do reclamation, something that mall building and highway building does not.Have you ever been on a reclaimed mine site?If your answer is no the you are missing out on a beautiful site. I would love to live on a reclaimed mine site, a place where you can see forever, the sun coming up and going down is something to see. Sorry you feel the way you do,but I’m all for strip mining. p.s. I still live here.

By: Rena Hajduk

Rena Hajduk — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 23:24:51 +0000

Marlene,
What a beautiful article. This gives us an insight into your childhood. It is so well written that I could picture all this as I read it. I never saw mountains until I was grown and instantly fell in love with them.

By: Elaine Tanner

Elaine Tanner — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 18:33:45 +0000

Marlene,
You have told the story of many who lived in the Mountains. My family is from Kanawha Valley in WV. The place I remember has also changed. Where there were birds, now the sound is replaced by conveyor belts and vents that drown out the sounds I remember so well. The whip-o-will that used to come in the evening and sit by my bedroom door is long gone.

By: Marlene

Marlene — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 00:45:49 +0000

Wilma,
Thank you for your kind words. I appreciate how you feel about going home again. I think this is a fight we can win. As Daddy used to say, “You don’t have to win all of the battles to win the war…just win the important ones!”
Marlene

By: Wilma Steele

Wilma Steele — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 21:57:35 +0000

Hi Marlene,
I loved your story! It sounded all too familiar, the only way to go back home is through our connections in our own mind. The trees, mountains, and streams are too often gone.
Wilma Steele