Fatigue and bitterness creep in

HUNTINGTON — Amid continuing support for the nine families whose loved ones are missing in the Crandall Canyon Mine or dead, the mood here among some townspeople appears to be changing from cautiously hopeful to exhausted and bitter.

Several residents here and in nearby Price started speaking out Saturday against mine co-owner Robert Murray, alleging that the mountain was mined out before Murray's operation started digging.

Others refused to talk to any media, saying only that they simply wanted to grieve the six miners still missing and the three would-be rescuers killed Thursday and be left alone.

A former miner from Price, David Doporto, said Murray has only caused residents here grief. He said he believes every project that Murray has been involved in, including the nearby Westridge and Tower Resources mines, has caused pain and torn families apart by laying off of hundreds of people.

In Price, a woman who identified herself only as the daughter of one of the rescuers said she thinks Murray truly cares about his employees and that Murray's mines are no more dangerous than any other.

"Mining is one of the most dangerous jobs," she said. "To be a miner, they take that risk. They know what they're getting into."

Emery resident Charla Prettyman said her 28-year-old son drove off the road and nearly crashed after he fell asleep at the wheel early Saturday after working two nine-hour mining shifts with only a few hours' rest in between.

The accident caused only a blown tire, but it was the final straw for Prettyman. She searched out the media that afternoon to give her opinion on mining.

"I'm fed up, I'm mad," Prettyman said. "Putting our men in jeopardy, making stupid shifts, where's the safety in that?"

Prettyman said she was concerned on Saturday about the safety of all Utah miners — both those in mines owned by Murray and those in other mines.

"All of this for a little glob of coal," Prettyman said of the Crandall Canyon Mine.

But this part of the country won't stop mining until all the coal is gone, said Dan Nelson, a 12-year resident of Huntington.

Nelson, who owns a trailer park in town, said people go from discussing the back-to-back tragedies to criticizing mine work and mine owners.

"They need that coal," he said. "If they have one mine go down, they'll start up another one."

One pervasive theme throughout Utah's mining country continues to be the support folks here are showing for the families of the missing miners and those killed Thursday.