The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-02-28
CONNECTS MADE
 MONEY FOR STATE Large Sum of $235,952'51
 Made in the Mines ROGERS FILES HIS REPORT Governor JeI<s Finds the Change Made By HIm to Have Been Very satls-
 factory During the Past Year.
ROGERS FILES HIS REPORT
BY E. E.. kERsH.

|
 Montgomery, February 27.-(special)- Alabama made '.barrel' of money out of the convicts worked in the mines last year. Superintendent W. L. Rogers filed his reports for 1908 with the governor to- day, and 1t makes the magnificent show ing of s235 952.51 as the net earnings for the men worked In the mines. This Is magnificent increase, due to the new poll icy of the governor in working the con- victs under state control. For the fiscal year beginning September l, 1901, and end ing September l, 1902, the total receipts received from about the same number of convicts leased to the mining conpa- nies, netted the state $91, ,274.46. Taking this as a basis, and 1t is the largest earn ing on record to that date, the new sys- tenn netted s1H,s7s.o5 more for the first year than did the old. And this amount Is expected to increase next year.
 The report of Superintendent Rogers is not for the fiscal year. but covers the calendar year. It will be recalled that Governor Jelks decided in October. 1902. that the convlcts worked in the mines were not earning, in his opinion, as much as If worked under state control at 80 much per ton for coal mined.
 Would Not Renew Leases.
 Accordingly he notified the mining com panies that he would not renew the leases on January 1 under the old plan, but would accept bids under his new prop osition to have the state take full control and the mining companies pay price per | ton for coal mined. Under this proposi- ton the Tennessee Coal, Iron and Rail- road company made a bid of 73 cents per ton for coal mined, the contract calling for a maximum of five hundred men. | These men were to be worked at Pratt Mines. The Sloss-Sheffleld company was awarded a maximum of three hundred men to work at Flat Top at 43 cents per | ton for coal mined.
 Tho state works only about half of its | convcts In the mines, the others being employed on the state farm and leased to different manufacturing concerns. As a matter of course, many of these conviots not worked in the mines are not physi- cally able to do very arduous manual labor and great many of them are not able to work at all. For this reason the l half of the convicts not worked in the mines do not quite earn enough to sus- tain themselves and the expenses of the department. which includes something like $40.00O court costs per year in addition
 
 expenses
 Receipts VIII Fall Short.
 The receipts from the labor of these convicts will probably fall short about $10000 in meeting all the expenses, which would make the net receipts for the last calendar year about S225,000. The signih- canoe of these figures can only be realized by a comparison of the net receipts of for mer years, as shown by the report of the state auditor. This report shows that In 1900, the last year of the Johnston admin istration. the convict department paid into | the treasury net $6235.14 In 1901, the Samford-Jeks administration. paid Into the treasury from the fund $92 545. 30. and in 1902 the total paid into the treasury was increased to $9S,SS561
 It has been the purpose of the state board acting with the governor to make an attempt to place the state farm on a better paying basis. The farm in Fillmore county has proven expense every year since its purchase because of the nature of the lands. Most of this land is of thin sandy soil, entirely too poor for a paying production On this farm, howev- CT, the state made about 200 bales of cot ton last year, which Is being held for bet ter prices-the state board being composed strictly of 'bulls.'
 The last legislature authorized the sale 
 and more fertile one. The high price of cotton has placed the price of desirable farm lands so high that the board has been unable to make purchase at req sonabe prices, and as it Is absolutely necessary to have a farm with stockade to care for several hundred of the con vcts including the women and children, the Fillmore farm has not been sold, but | will again be worked.
 The department will plant more diver sified crop, however. The low, river bot toms which have been subject to dis astrous over1ows has been planted in Johnson grass, and with good seasons the state will produce several hundred tons of hay. Governor Jelks stated today that he hoped to purchase a new farm of about seven thousand acres next year, In which instance the Elmore property will be placed upon the market
 Full of Interesting Figures.
 The report of Superintendent Rogers is full of interesting figures. He makes separate reports on the Tennessee com pany contract at Pratt City and the Sloss- Sheffield company contract at Flat Top.
 The Tennesse company worked an aver age of 491 men at Slope No. 10, minging 309,074 tons of coal at 73 cents per ton, which netted s225,624.02. Yardage and the hire of S3 men on Slope No. run this
 
 incurred for this work was $S3,S7O 40. This expense account included the feeding of convicts. mine supplies clothing, trans portation. hospital guards. garden, sta bles, repairs and buildings, prison store and some incidentals. The average daily output was 99S tons.
 It is shown that the cost for mining coal and other incidentals was $4SS3 for each man per year. The gross earnings was S552.0S per man and the expense was S154.95 per man, showing net annual earning of S397.49 per year. or s33.13 per month. Under the old lease system the state received SIS per month for first-class men and sl0.17 for second-class men. The summary of convicts at Pratt shows that there were 463 men on hand January l, 1903; 25S were received during the year, 11s were discharged. 60 were transferred, 6 escaped, were recaptured, were killed in the mines by accident, were killed by fellow convicts, and died from dis ease.
 Worked Average of 163.
 At Flat Top an average of 1sS were worked daily. mining s15S,5S0 tons at 4S cents per ton. With yardage and hire | of conyicts this gross earning was brought up to s72.59s.09. The total ex- pense was ss5.712.97. The average daily output was 531. The earning, gross, per man was $419.61, with an expense of s1SSS5, leaving a net earning of S2s5.So or $19-66