this post was submitted on 26 Dec 2024
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Why were they living in the coal mines?
Companies in the late 1800s to early/mid 1900s would build towns and housing around the mines and pay workers in "credit" only redeemable at the company store for necessary goods, food, etc. Due to the high prices and single company monopoly over all aspects of life there, people would go into debt and be essentially locked in with fences like prisoners and forced to work off the debt.
I think they were just making a joke about the wording of the OOP.
That being said, the background info is probably good for other people seeing this
"I owe my soul to the company store"
Just West Virginia things
I'm gonna tell you in the form of a song!
Here is some background on what a company store is:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Company_store