U.M.W.A. (United Mine Workers of America) official, Herrin, Illinois. General caption: Williamson County, Illinois once produced 11,000,000 tons of coal a year, and led the state in output. Since 1923 output has steadily declined until now it falls short of 2,000,000 tons. At one time, sixteen mine whistles blowing to work could be heard from the center of Herrin. Now only two mines are working and these two will probably be abandoned within the next year. The Herrin office of the U.M.W.A. was once the most active in the state. Today it is no longer self sustaining. These pictures were taken in the Herrin U.M.W.A office on a day when the mines were not working. Sourced from the Library of Congress.