On Johnny Mitchell's Train

DESCRIPTION: "I'm an honest union laboring man, And I'll have you understand.... It was Baer and Morgan done it." Having nothing else to do, the singer will ride on "Johnny Mitchell's train." He mentions his troubles with (J. P.) Morgan and Schwab. He bids farewell
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1938 (Korson-PennsylvaniaSongsAndLegends)
KEYWORDS: mining strike labor-movement railroading travel money
HISTORICAL REFERENCES:
1899 - John Mitchell becomes President of the United Mine Workers of America. He devoted much of his energy to soothing tensions between Slavs and longer-settled workers so that the UMW could effectively strike against the mine owners
FOUND IN: US(MA)
REFERENCES (3 citations):
Korson-MinstrelsOfTheMinePatch, pp. 237-239, "On Johnny Mitchell's Train" (1 text, tune referenced)
Korson-PennsylvaniaSongsAndLegends, pp. 396-398, "On Johnny Mitchell's Train" (1 text, 1 tune)
Foner-AmericanLaborSongsOfTheNineteenthCentury, p. 211, "On Johnny Mitchel's Train" (1 text)
Roud #7725
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "Good bye Mursheen Durkin" (tune)
cf. "Me Johnny Mitchell Man" (character of John Mitchell)
NOTES [28 words]: According to Korson-MinstrelsOfTheMinePatch, p. 217, miners who had no money and hence rode freight trains called them "Johnny Mitchell Specials." Hence this song. - RBW
Last updated in version 6.2
File: KPL396

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