SOMERSET, Pa. ? Comrades of the nine coal miners trapped underground last summer are starting to grumble about all the attention the men are getting and are worried that the survivors’ complaints about mine conditions could hurt the industry and cost people their jobs.

Among those grumbling are some who toiled around the clock to save the men during the three-day ordeal.

“It’s slowly getting out of control,” said Greg Walker, a worker at the Quecreek Mine who manned pumps trying to drain the mine after it flooded July 24, when the miners breached an abandoned mine.

Walker said he wondered why, three months later, the nine continue to be showered with gifts, like getting invited to a NASCAR race and a Pittsburgh Steelers football game.

“They lived through a miracle. But now that they’re alive they should be grateful and go on and not want people to do things for them,” Walker said.

The nine were saluted by President Bush and interviewed by Oprah Winfrey. The New Yorker and People magazines recently ran articles about their ordeal. And Disney’s TV movie about the rescue is to be aired this month. The miners themselves are gearing up for media appearances to promote their book, “Our Story: 77 Hours That Tested Our Friendship and Our Faith.”

Some of the nine have criticized conditions underground before the breach. Some of their comrades fear the criticism could make it harder for Quecreek Mine to reopen and could hurt the coal industry in western Pennsylvania.

Two unsigned letters with local postmarks were sent to the home of Blaine Mayhugh, one of the trapped miners, within a month of the rescue, Mayhugh said.

One warned him to “keep your trap shut,” he said. He would not talk about the other letter.