Birmingham state herald., 1897-01-26

steam fans, which draw the Impure air out, and the forces of nature compel the 41nre air to enter andatake It's place.szzsf
 Your committee gave this matter of ventilation much attention and serious thought. and the bill which 1t presents herewith conveys It's recommendations in the matter.
 Your committee construed that it was part of its prerogative to ascertain the condition of the mine operatives with reference to their comfort and happiness at home; their opportunities for acquiring knowledge and religious training; their capacity to earn money; the extent Of their thriftiness, as shown by their ac- quiring title to their dwellings. etc. ;
 It has been found that the average white miner Is man of information and intelligence; that he Is not disposed to rove about, but feels a patriotic interest in Ihs success of the mine at which he works, and takes an honest pride in con- ,trasting its strong points with the short comings of another.--sVery- many white miners own their own homes and have made them comfortable and attractive Their good housewives are intelligent and thrifty; their children are neat, clean and polite; in season their gardens are cultivated, and seldom does thrifty min CT, although removed from the adxant- ages of 8 market, want for fresh vegeta- bles and fruits. The average stowname- chanic, though his wages may be higher anu HIS opportunities SOIit ESSEttlS better does net lives in the comfor 5ssnd contentment that the average thrifty white miner does. = ~
 The school facilities at the mines, as rule, are excellent, vastly superior to those of the farming communities of the state Even the smallest mines have their schools, which are sustained by a tax upon all working miners, married or single, and in some instances by 1oontri- buttons from the companies.
 While a large numberz-perhaps, half of the white miners4are. foreign-bern. very large percentage are native Ala bam- ians, who have left the farms in the ad- jacent counties and have engaged In what they consider to be the more prof. itable occupation of mining.
 Your committee has personally inspect ed some twenty mines, and detailed re- ports of what they saw and heard at each are esteemed sto be. appropriate in this report, On their inspection they were accompanied by a committee Of four intelligent miners,F Messrs. Lloyd, of Blocton; O'Harre. of Pratt; Bruce, or Brazil and Fairley, of Pratt. These gen. tlenren were appointed by the Associa- tion of Mine Workmen as a committee to make the inspection with the Legislative committee, and were instructed to call the attention of theeinspec ting body to such defects and shortcomings as existed In the different mines. To this commit tee of miners is your committee tndebted for very many valuable hints and sug- gestions. a%@ ~N
 The great Pratt mines, producing, as they do, some 2.350,000 tons annually, al- most half of the coal mined in Alabama, and employing about 5000 men, almost third of those engaged in the coal mining industry in this state, naturally come first in order for cohsidesatien.seItsiss sim- practical to give the details of this very extensive property in any reasonable
 
 coal yet unworked, all thoroughly tested and proved to be sufficient, at daily out put of 5000 tons, to Last 175 years, With out touching anythinGebutg the sPratt seam.s When it is understood@ that the Pratt seam Is only the uppefmost seam in the Warrior field, and that down below it, further into the earth. half a dozen enormously rich veins of coal exist, among them the Newcastle, the Blue Creek and the Double, the whole deposit being estimated to be sufficient to meet the, demands of the civilized world for centuries, some idea. of the value of this property may bs,formed.s s
 r This company's coal possessions.s now developed, include1he Blue Creek mines, In addition to the Pratt mines proper, but it is of the latter that this para graph is intended to treat. These mines are located at Pratt City, about six miles from Birmingham. There are six slopes, one shaft and number Of dr1ft- mines opened on the property. These mines furnish a quality of coal that is unsur- passed for steam and coke making. AL most LOGO coke ovenszare operated here, while four or five large Ramsay-RoDln- son washers are in use Improved Shak- ing sore ene5 or SifterS are operated at most of these mines. All of the mines ars provided with heavy rope haulage appliances and the most perfect system of ventilation known to mining is said to exist at Pratt - "a ei a4I s.,st.s.sls.. ,--
 The drainage of the Pratt company's mine is also exceptionally good Shaft No. 1 and Slope No. 2 are operated by state convicts, there being about $50 at each place. The report of another conn mittee appointed by your honorable body will, however, treat fully-of this feature of the Pratt mines. r
 Many of the mineseat Pratt are con nected Some idea of the extent of the operations can be had from the knowl- edge that one can start@into one of the company's slopes and. without retracing his steps, can go mere than nine miles under ground without reaching day light again. There are more than twen- ty-five miles of track in these mines.
 Pratt is a favoiite mine with the free miners. The satisfactory and systematic conditions existing there, the agreeable society--for a large percentage or the higher class of miners live there-and easily the rich vein, whichsis fonr and a half rect Ill InlckUeSS.aIlu cdSily iiiiiiNu' contribute to make places. in Pratt de sirable. About sixtysa percent of the waite miners here own their own homes and enjoy perhaps niore comforts and hlxuries than any other miners in the land. Their schools will rival those of the average city, and churches of every denomination can be found here. Pratt City is perhaps the ideal mining town of America, being a thriving community of some 6,000 people.
 While 1t may not be entirely in &C., cordance with all of the customs of par lamentary practice to inject into re- port like this direct compliment to any individual, it Is but simple justice and your committee considers that itssreport would be incomplete were notfsome spec ial mention made of the man who has contributed so much to the mining in terests of this section and particularly of this company. MT. Erskine9 Ramsay, is the chief mining engineer and assist ant to the general manager of the Ten. nessee Coal, Iron and Railway company. He is not capitalist, and owns no con- siderable interest in the company, but he elas, and for some time has had the direct management Aof all of the scom- pany's mining propertiesS He is only 90 years of age, but toShis Ingenuity, tact,
 o+fo dpa ic in