The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1901-12-01

all connection with the Knights Of Labor.
From that day to this h 81. Bernard
Coal Company's mines have been con,
Quoted absolutely independent Of any sor,
unionism. For twenty-five years there
has been not a strike or a sembiance OF
OF a strike.
With every year Of their increasing pros.
perity and security the tie between thf
miners and the coal company has grown
stronger, A for Mr.. Atkinson, the atti,
tude OF the men toward him Is one OF devoted
personal affection. 49,.
II is not a theory with them. this matter
Of Mr.. Atkinson's sincere interest IN theif
welfare. y Ia a demonstrated factydemGn
strated through thirty years OF unin-
terrupted experience with his iberallty
and fairness. They come to him with all
their personal troubles, knowing thai at all
times they will have free access to him and
n kindly hearing and that II there Is justice
In their request or " thor troubles are genu-
inc he will act.
The offices OF the ST. Bernard company
here in Earlin gton probably are unlike those
Of any other company IN the coun-
| try in the democratic simplicity and open
\ door frankness with which all employees,
no matter how humble. are received and
nave access TO the President or any OF his
subordinate officers.
EMPLOYEES TAKEN CARE OF.
Mr.. Atkinson's interest in his mining
employees does not stop there by any
means. When he came here thirty years
ago he found squalor and semi wilderness
Through his intelligence and energy in
building up the coal company to a o-per,,
cent. -dividend-paying property. n
| through his generous efforts 10 make OF
Darlington as attractive q place OF residence
as ~ a nm, mining town G Ksnt Ds; tne bills sas 3 f ToaIig
beautiful village OF something more han
5000 inhabitants.
The town is lighted with electricity:
II has a fine quality Of water,
through Its streets and within reach OF
every miners home for a nominal sum,
The Darlington water works and the great
IOO-acre artificial lake which Ii a part Of
them are one OF the interesting features Of
the place.
ing n dam across a mountain stream in
the valley. The water IL pumped TO a
reservoir on a Hill hack Of the town and
comes dow with a tremendous pressure
through the pipes. q,
The lake itself he stocked with fish and
it Is a resort for sailing. rowing or fishing
and is free Of access TO all the residents
of the town.
The state Of Kentucky furnishes free
schooling for five months In the year. In
Darlington the children have free schooling
for nine months in the year, the expense
Of maintaining the schools for the addi-
tional four months being paid through
Mr., Atkinson's personal Influence by the
coal company Of which he Is President.
There are two excellent schools in the
town, one for white and one for colored
children. The expense Of building at least
six Of the eight churches in the town, and
they are very beautiful church buildings,
was borne in the first instance by the coal,
the congregations paying on
the Indebtedness from time TO time at their
convenience.
Mr. Atkinson himself gave tho ground
on which the neat little theatre Of the village
stands and the coal company erected the
building, Mr.. Atkinson contributing a con-
siderable proportion OF the cost out Of his
own pocket.
The only thing Of which the village Of
Darlington is deprived is the gin mill. There
has not becn a drinking saloon in Earl-
ington for nineteen years, and this Is by
vote Of the uiners themselves. who on
every occasion when the question has come
up for settlement at the ballot box have
turned in an overwhelming vote in favor
of the n~on-admission Of his particular
curse TO all mining communities. The
consequence OF this Is that a drunken man
IL the rarest OF all sights in and about Earl
ington, and when seen you may be very
sure that he Is All importation.
THESE MINERS VEIL. oFr.
These, in outline. are u few CT thu sttra..
tons OF darlington as Dla'e OF :, siienoe FOR
a community OF ~workingmen. When YOU
come to the homes OF tho miners themselves
you find n condition ofaHairs which. il Is safe
to say, IL without parallel In IN mining
community In the country.
Something more than 500 miners. a ry
large percentage OF them married men,
live with their families In Darlington or
these over 70 own their own homes, rang
ing IN value from SEQ and 500 TO ~ 200
and 81 so A good many miners with some
gift for business and speculation own sew
aRal LA.ta.Rz uhfah hiring t.saf in flhV lift a
sums III tho way OF rent
There Ia n lumber OF men her. mixers
and lay laborers every one OF them, who
by thrift and industry and god conmor
sense have accumulated little fort nes
OF from 10000 10 SIC, ono and sl2. oO0. Mul-
tiply 81 by three and you will have son.r-
thing like the relative value Of money as
between Darlington and New York. These
little Earlington capitalists. therefore.
would range up alongside Of men in New
York with property % a value OF from
els 600 TO sas 90.
The men who live In rented houses paw
from s. to 81 n month for tidy little homes
with gardens attached II they choose
10 60 out and pick II up themselves IN the
nsighhorhood Of the mines they may have
all the fuel they require free Of cost. IL
they want IL delivered To them AT their
homes. coal Gusts them ~ cents a ton
They may have running water IN their
HOUSES az q cost of 81 Is a year IL " amaz-
ing TO step inside 81 these little boults
many 81 them tle hOmes Of negroes who of
all working people have the reputation 81
Icing the least thrifty. ami there sao the
comforts aud even lururier With which
the famillrs are surrounded
F~.HLISOroS's coAfoBTABI-h tOPlE
4 very large proportion ~ them have
pianos. aud upright pianos ~ a god MAXI
a. that. u thH %spOrert -Ou ~ hour' tia
h NOT =uplll-d at leAst Nth aA organ, while
ing ma 'hinrs are practically uniNrf-aI
4 tz.ttsr oai, mon comfortable and IN
til gent issdy II m-u. women aud Children
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