The age-herald., 1898-08-21
MINE FOREMEN'S TRIP.
They Enjoyed Great Trip to Mobile
 and the Gulf

Pratt City, Aug. 2O.-The mine foremen of the Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railroad company returned yesterday morning from a trip to Mobile and the Gulf of Mexico. The members of the party from Pratt City report the trip as being very delightful one. Although the party was large one, consisting of twenty-seven members, noth- ing occurred during the trip to mar the pleasure in any way. They arrived in Mo- bile at o'clock Tuesday morning and af- ter having breakfast called on the mayor of the city who had notice of their arrival through message sent by the mayor of Birmingham The mayor very kindly as- sisted the party in getting the proper sort of a vessel to carry them to Fort Morgan and the gulf. Provisions having been talk en on for the trip in a large ocean tug, the party started down the bay at o'clock Arriving late in the evening at Fort Nor gan, they anchored and most of the party spent several hours fishing Early the next morning the tug pushed out on the wild waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Very soon the points of land were left miles behind and nothing but a vast and unlimited ex- panse of sea presented itself to the gaze. Then several members of the party began to wish that they were in Pratt City or any other place save where they were, but the majority of the members found no incon- venience from the trip and those who did get sick in short time recovered and felt that the effect was rather more beneficial than otherwise. The breezes were fine and the whole party finally became enthused and exhilarated After running out about half way to Cuba, the tug was turned homeward and shortly after large vessel ately claimed that it was a Spanish bark and we couldn't claim ourselves first-class American citizens unless we captured her and put prize crew aboard. About that time the ship signalled that they wanted a tow and to carry the joke out, Pap All sop" grabbed a rife, fired a shot across her bows and ordered her to heave to and followed this by saying, DO you hear my gentle voice?'' The bark heaved to. Just then our tug gave a lurch in coming around to throw them line and "Pap's" stomach being in poor order, heaved too.
 During the trip back large schools of DOT poises played around the vessel and the party amused themselves by shooting at them and the numerous birds that were flying around.
 On arriving in Mobile, the party broke up into tWOS and threeS and visited places of interest in the city and friends and enjoyed themselves as their taste dictatetd; some fishing and some driving, some going on the different trolley cars, visiting the parks about the city, etc.-especially etc. The party left Mobile Friday afternoon at 3:3S and arrived in Birmingham yesterday morning at 1 o'clock.
 The thanks of the party are due to MT. Jim Hillhouse, of Birmingham, the state mine inspector, for the pains that he took and the work that he did to make the trip so complete and delightful.
 They say that MT. Logan is very much afraid of the female sex.
 It is claimed that Tom Duggan hasn't taken the pill that Captain Patterson or dered him to take for the good of his health, the pill being in the shape of 12-pound cannon ball captured in the City of Mexico, caused MT. Duggan to feel afraid that 1t wouldn't agree with his TO- bust constitution.
 An echo from Mobile: "The Lord save