The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-08-12

1 the drivers work from 715 to 4;SO, and are paid by the day. It is generally o'clock before they get to the surface. Where they have an eight-hour day understand that time of drivers is com puted from the time when they hitch onto the car until they unhitch, and with miners from the time they reach the face of the coal until they leave. The time Is figured on actual work in all cases where the eight-hour day prevails. They hoist coal until 4:3o. In Pratt mine, where l work it is two miles from the opening to the room where 1 work. The gangway is very bad Much of 1t Is only from four to five feet high. At Blue Creek the seam is higher.
 Mir. Farley asks-Is that why white men are not allowed to work there?
 Answer-I think the negroes are work ed there because they draw more store checks from the commisssary.
 Patrick Barrett.
 Patrick Barrett, the next witness for the miners-I live at Wylam. am a miner I trade in commissary. l pay in checks that I buy Never bought any personally from Tennessee company. When l paid my bill in cash I received 20 per cent discount. That is only In some instances. Discount varied. L times and paid bills with them l get checks at a discount of 15 to 30 per cent When I paid company In cash it was my understanding that they gave me the benefit of such discount as they could obtain checks for. am doing pillar work. l made about $60 in June and about $50 in May l generally work every day the mines are working. Pillar work is considered good work, better than the average.
 MT. Flynn gives notice that in the morning that he will introduce evidence to show that the Republic Iron and Steel company is pursuing the same practices in the Warrior Mines as the Tennessee company at Pratt; that they have agents buying checks at S5 cents; that counsel for operators admit this.
 MT Flynn here introduced official proceedings of last joint convention held in June and July, 1903, in evidence.
 Then and Now.
 MT. Percy-Then we were trying to compromise. Now we are fairly and squarely out for arbitration.
 MT. Flynn-We introduce this for the purpose of showing selling prices only.
 He also introduces printed report of the Alabama Consolidated Coal and Iron company.
 Commission adjourns to 1:30 D. m.
 During recess the board held an execu- tive session. but there was nothing to give out.
 Afternoon Session.
 The commission reconvened for the aft ernoon session. The first witness was L.. B. Eyans-I live in North Birmingham and work for the Lacey-Buerk Iron company at the Graves mines. They give checks for todays work tomorrow evening. If a man wants money the company will cash the checks at 20 per cent discount. They are worth dollar for dollar on pay day, tut in the meanwhile he can only get them cashed at 20 per cent discount. About 200 men work there. The output is 600 tons daily. Checks are only evidence of time worked and on pay day, if a man turns in the checks, he can get dollar for dollar in money. There is a l company store there. No other store there. | can trade at North Birmingham. Prices at Graves mine store are much higher for example. they give IS pounds | of sugar for $1.00. while I can get 20 ! pounds in Birmingham. The company will | allow no outsider to buy checks. Semi l monthly pay days would. I think, cause | fewer checks to be cashed. A man must l draw checks before he can get money. | No man could get $2.00 in cash excepting | at discount. Tn one or two cases. like a death, for instance, l have known the company to advance money. I never dis counted any of my checks. think semi monthly pay day would benefit most of the miners. We cannot help the improyident