| the freedom of the miners cannot be overstated. By the late nineteenth century, ninety-five percent of West Virginia coal miners lived in company towns. By denying to the citizens any legal rights which did not serve the interests of the coal barons, the company towns were able to establish a system of bondage through which they could control the lives of the miners and their families. A 1935 state investigation in Kentucky concluded that "In Harlan County there exists a virtual reign of terror, financed in general by a group of coal mine operators in collusion with certain public officials; the victims of this reign of terror are the coal miners." The result of such a volatile environment was the emergence of a division between owners and laborers which was ripe for the eruption of violent rebellion.
The basis through which the coal company owners were able to exert their control was through the un-incorporated coal town. Within this town there existed one company-owned store from which miners were expected to purchase all of their supplies and personal items. Unfortunately, miners were commonly paid for their work in the mines with coal script which was issued in lieu of actual legal currency. Since the coal script was only accepted at company establishments, the company store was assured the business of the miners. If this was not incentive enough to convince the miner to conduct |