The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1902-11-16
CONFERENCE AT CAPITOL
Operators Discuss Situation
and Accept New Methods
Board Of Inspectors and Governor
felix's Were obdurate and Bids
Under New Terms Will Be
Received from Mining
Companies Tuesday.


The State convicts leased to the mining
companies in the Alabama mineral dis
trict will not be withdrawn from the
mines, but they will be put upon the same
basis as regards their labor. as the free
miners.
This was the status Of the convict ques-
ton at the close Of prolonged conference
between Governor Jelks. the Board OF
Convict inspectors and the leading mine
officials of the different companies In Ala
bama, held yesterday at the capitol.
The operators who came down to con-
fer with the State officials in regard 10
their proposed reform Of the mining lease
system formed. perhaps. the largest ana
most important mining delegation tnat
ever came to Montgomery. They came
here to ascertain direct from the State
officials the details of the proposed change
in the letting out of convicts. under winch
the State should receive pay for the coal
mined by the convicts according 10 the
ton as the free miners are PAID.
Operators Were Shocked.
The proposed change when exclusively
announced in last Sundays Advertiser
ave the oficials of the mining companies
which lease convicts decided shock. ~
was an altogether novel proposiuon IN
Alabama. The mining officials, II was
admitted yesterday. had found the leas-
ing of convicts for work in their mines
very profitable. The change proposes
nv the administration was, they declared
nothing short of radical.
The proposition OF the administrator
TO put the convicts, as regards their iaool
in the mines, on the same plane win Tree
miners involved the control of tbs, MINES
-, tbe state. the companys interest DE
ins looked after by mining superln'
tendent paid by the company. The room
bosses and foremen were, under the plan
TO be furnished by the State. Inc S'at'
under its proposition was TO receive al
agreed amount for the mining OF eacn LOT
of coal. 20,
The administration announced that un-
less fair and just bids for the service IN
che mines by the convicts under this plan
were submitted that all State -conyic's
ND he Withdrawn from the mines
Governor Jelks had declared emphat
,osIIv that the State would care for 1t:
prisoners elsewhere.
Mine Owners are Willing.
rbere was in yesterdays conference nc
discussion OF the Governors alternative
The operators evidently had no intehtlol
~ permitting the convicts to be WIN
drawn from the mines and they SAID yes
terdav in the conference that they Woulo
submit bids for the. convicts under the
new plan.
The plan of the Governor and the Con-
Wet Inspector will fail Of consummation
univ n the bids for the convlcts on the
basis of free labor are too low. The
bids for the convicts will be submitted
n the Governor and the Board OF Con-
vict Inspectors shortly after noon Tues
day.
mated in Yesterdays conference were
Governor Jelks. Judge j. M. Carmichael
president of the Convict Board, ano
Judge Thomas Bradford, Associate Con-
Wet Inspector. Physician Inspector, DR.
Shirley Bragg, was not present
Those Who Were Here.
The following mine officials were at the
conference for the Sloss Sheffield Com
many: Col ]. C. Maben. President; John
p Tillman. Attorney, and ]. c. Culver
house. Mining Superintendent; for the
tennessee Coal. Iron and Railroad Com
many. Walker Percy, James G. Moore
snd DR.. r. NJ. Cunningham: for the
pratt Coal Company, G.. B. Mccormack
land and Improvement Company. Henry
Badham and w. S. Lowell; for the Ala
hama and Mississippi Coal Company, w
N SPENCER and r. II. Spencer; for the
ciIreath Coal Company, Bolton Gilreath
/ tor the Alabama Consolidated Coal Com
aanv. r. q. Bush. w. w. Thompson OF
birmingham, and F. B. Coleman, who
are also interested in mining operations
were present.
satk n a
i ingham District.
DR. Russell NJ Cunningham. Lieuten
ant-Covernor- elect. participated in the
conference DR.. Cunningham Is Convict
Physician of the Tennessee Coal. Iron ano
railroad Company, and is an ardent sup
norter Of the administrators reform ir
the method of leasing convicts. He has
advocated such a reform several years
Two Conferences Held.
Two sessions of the Conference were
had. one beginning at noon and one be-
Ginning at $50 o'clock in the afternoon
eftsr a recess for luncheon
The conferences were held In the large
or+c-roun, OF the Governors Office and
:. ans comfortably filled with represen.
.atives Of the coal companies. The meet
49,, yas Informal and there was gen.
.s, discussion OF the proposed reform
narticlpated in by nearly all present.
The conference began with Inc olsul'
,1tion nv Private Secretary jackson OF
a number OF copies of a prepared memo
ndmr which contained the conditions
i'raer which the administration proposed
"a ,,aso the new lease of convicts. The
most ~ important paragraph was that set
NJ ,orth the decision of the state ofti-
III. IL TINT the convicts to remain In the
.1,,os should be upon ths same basis as
r n',,I, their labor as the members OF
req reg If,ror's Union. The contracts are &c
rum r"T three years with an additional one OF
wv Stats in the conditions contained ir
~ nosmorandum was to have complete
ohsrcs OF the convicts feeding maintain,
chs's "a clothing them and the State wa:
to have it's own mine I or pit t, boss .Ss sub
tect to the general direction OF the COM
Pm The memorandum further provided that