Tag: Aracoma

November 15, 2010: Aracoma Hotel in Logan Badly Damaged by Fire

On November 15, 2010, the Aracoma Hotel in Logan was badly damaged by fire, leading to its demolition several months later.

Named for the Indian princess Aracoma, the daughter of Chief Cornstalk, the landmark hotel experienced many brushes with history. Built in 1917 for $50,000 by Syrian immigrant Harvey Ghiz, the hotel was the largest downtown building erected after Logan’s great fire of 1912. During construction, workers unearthed roughly a square-block field of bones and relics that had once been an Indian burial site.

The original four-story building fronted on Coal Street with an elaborate arched facade. It contained 94 rooms, most with private shower baths. It also boasted electric elevators and fine woodwork.

In 1921, during the West Virginia Mine Wars, local women set up an emergency food station in the Aracoma’s lobby to supply meals and supplies to the troops, police, and other antiunion forces quartered in Logan. Over the years, the hotel hosted such notables as evangelist Billy Sunday and First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt. And in 1960, John F. Kennedy used the Aracoma as his headquarters while campaigning for president in the region.

November 15, 2010: Aracoma Hotel in Logan Badly Damaged by Fire

On November 15, 2010, the Aracoma Hotel in Logan was badly damaged by fire, leading to its demolition several months later.

Named for the Indian princess Aracoma, the daughter of Chief Cornstalk, the landmark hotel experienced many brushes with history. Built in 1917 for $50,000 by Syrian immigrant Harvey Ghiz, the hotel was the largest downtown building erected after Logan’s great fire of 1912. During construction, workers unearthed roughly a square-block field of bones and relics that had once been an Indian burial site.

The original four-story building fronted on Coal Street with an elaborate arched facade. It contained 94 rooms, most with private shower baths. It also boasted electric elevators and fine woodwork.

In 1921, during the West Virginia Mine Wars, local women set up an emergency food station in the Aracoma’s lobby to supply meals and supplies to the troops, police, and other antiunion forces quartered in Logan. Over the years, the hotel hosted such notables as evangelist Billy Sunday and First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt. And in 1960, John F. Kennedy used the Aracoma as his headquarters while campaigning for president in the region.

November 15, 2010: Aracoma Hotel in Logan Badly Damaged by Fire

On November 15, 2010, the Aracoma Hotel in Logan was badly damaged by fire, leading to its demolition several months later.

Named for the Indian princess Aracoma, the daughter of Chief Cornstalk, the landmark hotel experienced many brushes with history. Built in 1917 for $50,000 by Syrian immigrant Harvey Ghiz, the hotel was the largest downtown building erected after Logan’s great fire of 1912. During construction, workers unearthed roughly a square-block field of bones and relics that had once been an Indian burial site.

The original four-story building fronted on Coal Street with an elaborate arched facade. It contained 94 rooms, most with private shower baths. It also boasted electric elevators and fine woodwork.

In 1921, during the West Virginia Mine Wars, local women set up an emergency food station in the Aracoma’s lobby to supply meals and supplies to the troops, police, and other antiunion forces quartered in Logan. Over the years, the hotel hosted such notables as evangelist Billy Sunday and First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt. And in 1960, John F. Kennedy used the Aracoma as his headquarters while campaigning for president in the region.

MSHA Dedicates Mine Fire Prevention Course to Aracoma Victims

It’s been more than eight years since two men died at the Aracoma Mine. A dedication ceremony was held Monday morning at the National Mining Academy in Beaver, to honor the victims.

The event was meant to honor the victims of Aracoma, miners Don Bragg and Ellery “Elvis” Hatfield. The widows sued MSHA for not citing violations that could have prevented these deaths. The event also marked the beginning of a training course.  Federal regulators agreed to create a mine fire prevention training course after investigations found lax enforcement from MSHA at the then Massey Energy operation. 

The family of Ellery “Elvis” Hatfield, overcome with emotion, bow their heads to pray as the ceremony opens.

A bronze plaque baring Bragg and Hatfield’s names will hang at the entrance of the fire training facility. Assistant Secretary of Labor, and head of MSHA Joe Main unveiled the plaque and had this to say after the dedication.

Emotions swept over Hatfield’s two children and widow throughout the ceremony. MSHA officials instructed them to walk up front and stand with the plaque. The family gathered at the plaque … wearing sorrowful looks on their faces. 

The two men died of carbon monoxide poisoning after being separated from ten other miners.

"The reason they are here," the families of Bragg and Hatfield's Attorney Bruce Stanley said, "and the reason they have fought this fight for so long is to try to ensure that the grief and the pain that they feel every day that we’re talking about doesn’t beset other families in Southern West Virginia or the coalfields anywhere. They’re here to keep another Aracoma from happening."

Congress also passed the 2006 Miner Act as a result of the Aracoma tragedy as well as Sago, and Darby, Kentucky. The Miner Act required operators to provide improved training on the use of breathing devices, provide improve emergency evacuations and training and more.

MSHA has worked to implement several provisions to improve mine safety. Listen to West Virginia Public Radio for a closer look at the results of those provisions.

MSHA, Widows Agree to Settle Mine Fire Lawsuit

The U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration has agreed to pay $1 million to settle a lawsuit over the deaths of two miners in a 2006 fire at an underground coal mine in West Virginia.

Under the proposed settlement, MSHA also agreed to develop a training course at the National Mine Safety and Health Academy near Beckley on preventing fires at underground coal and non-metal mines.

The widows of Don Bragg and Ellery Hatfield sued MSHA in April 2010. The lawsuit accused MSHA of negligence in its regulation of the Aracoma Alma No. 1 mine before the fire occurred on Jan. 19, 2006.

The widows’ lawyer, Bruce Stanley, said Tuesday that they hope the proposed training course will prevent another Aracoma.

An MSHA spokeswoman didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

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