Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1894-10-17
The State Coal Mines.

and the result will be a scandal
upon the good name of the state of
Tennessee. 1t will be honey
combed with political jobs and
jobbers from beginning to end.
1t will be destructive of the pros
perity of the wage Garner engaged
in that industry, and it will be de-
structive of the prosperity of the
Legitimate coal mining industry,
of u state /; an industry that has
large amounts of capital invested
in it, and our rich mountains of
coal were inviting capital to invest
further, and give employment to
more men. 1t will be a constant
menace to the security and relia-
bility of the market. 1t will bring
the occupation of the coal miner
into more direct and close compe-
tition than it even it is now under
the present system. | think it the
most dangerous and vicious ass tult
that it could be possible to have
been made upon this great business
coal mining.
81 do not believe in the state en-
gaging in business to the extent of
putting its convict labor into COM
petition with skilled labor, and
meeting in the markets
of the state the products of
Legitimate industry.
Further, the manufacturers and
dealers in coal, in my opinion, will
not buy the coal from the state
mines mined by convict labor un-
less it is sold cheaper in the mar
ket than the coal mined by the
paid miner, and when the demand
for coal is light the product from
the convict mines must have the
market, hence a cut in prices and
to meet this, the paid miners in the
Legitimate coal mines must stand a
cut in their wages or remain in
idleneSs.
TASTY Legislators.
The whole scheme was entered
into and l~egislated upon without
mature consideration, deliberation,
or the exercise of practical business
judgment. l warn you that this
proposition to do this work will
probably cost the taxpayers more
than three times the estimated cost.
Six hundred thousand dollars in
bonds was unnecessary because
the revenues were abundantly suf-
ficient to meet the 100000 due
Oct. /, 1893, and hence we are
paying $4,000 interest for money
lying idle in the bank. The state
comptroller as tar back as last jan
uary announced that the revenues
In sight and the liabilities to meet,
there would IN all probability be
$444,ooo in the treasury as a sur
plus by Jan. I, 1895, more than
enough to meet the expenditures
authorized for the years 1894 and
1895, saving more than two years.
interest, or $6o,75o to Dec. 81,
1895.
No Tennessecan Need Apply.
l hold in my hand a letter from
Messrs. Shea & Strable, a response
BILE firm of boiler makers in Chat
tanooga, Tenn, calling my atten
ton, as others have, to the speci6-
cations inviting bids for the build
ing of the penitentiary as provided
by the act of the Legislature referred
to, which provides for the same to
be let as a whole. l have heard
many complaints about this, and l
think justly so, as it rules out all
the smaller bidders, possibly there
is only one company in the state
that is financially able to carry out
such contract. l think it unwise
to rule out our own people. The
specifications provide for a certain
make Of steam boilers of 1900
horse power, not made in the state,
hence our own workmen and build
ers are ruled out. The firm to
which | refer | know to be skilled
and reliable builders, they will give
a guarantee to build equally as
economical boilers, and in every
way as good as those specified for
$1,000 less. l have had complaints
from other builders and contrac-
tors.
Looks Liz a Trust.
"The whole thing looks to me
like a monopoly, or a trust OF a
combine, and the whole thing will
result in costing the state from
$4,000 to 100000 more than it
would if let in a business like way,
and not rule out legitimate home
competition and Tennessee bid
ders."
The c, ntemptible Frank Smith,