The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-08-09
Train Which Carries Miners from Homes in Pratt CiB
 VIII be Discontinued
MR. BACON SAYS HOUSES
 WILL BE BUILT AT ONCE
This Is Believed to Be the First De termined Step Taken in the Pres ent strlke-WlII Be Serious
 Blow to Pratt City.

.aThe Tennessee company will begin the erection of houses for miners at mine No. 4. near Ensley. right away" said Don H. Bacon, president of that company, yesterday, and it is our purpose to even tually erect houses at all of the mines in that section.
 For several years past the Tennessee company has been operating train be- tween Pratt City and the mines for the convenience of the miners wiehout any cost to them whatever. This train has cost us about $2o,Ooo a year. It is our pur- pose to discontinue this train and let the miners live at the company houses at the mines. or provide their own conveyance
 .Yes, 1t Is true, I understand that many of the miners at Pratt City own their own houses. and for this reason 1t will be a blow to Pratt City but. as matter of business, I see no reason why we should go to the expense of $20,0OO a year to carry the miners to and from the mines when they could just as well live at houses at the mines. This money could be used to other purposes.
 "The effect of this will be that when the mines resume work the miners will have to either walk to their work or live nearer the mines. We will begin the erection of fifty houses at No. mine at once. The other houses will be built as soon as practicable"
 Will Be Far-Reaching.
 The effect of this action on the part of the Tennessee company. 1t is thought by both operators and miners. will be far reaching. It Is regarded as the first de- termined step on the part of the opera tors in the present strike. It is well known fact that four-fifths of the miners at Pratt City own their own houses and as they have been taken to the mines on the train, mentioned by MT. Bacon, for years, it's discontinuance will cause them great l inconvenience when work Is resumed at the mines.
 The miners had heard of this probable action on the part of the Tennessee com pany several days ago and they regard it as a serious blow to the business in- terests of Pratt City
 ,tr ba n Tpnnpq- see company" said President Flynn of the miners union, will only make the men more determined to stand by their de- mands. If the policy Is maintained in the future 1t will undoubtedly hurt Pratt City and will cause the miners great inconve- nience These men have worked for years to build their homes and the new policy of the Tennessee company will tend to discourage men in upbuilding their homes and accommodating property. MT. Falrley Talks. l MT. Fairley learned of the action of the Tennessee company just as he was leav- ing for Tennessee where he will address the miners convention which meets ir that state today.
 If these houses ars erected and the mines opened.'' said Mr. Fairley, "it IS but natural that the men living in the houses at the mines will be given the preference by the company. I. Is evident ly the beginning of plan to operate the mines with miners who see fit to work re- gardess of the strike. It will undoubted- ly cause the men considerable inconve- nience and will injure the business of Pratt City"
 It was currently reported in industrial centers yesterday that the operators had decided to make an attempt to open up their mines, or part of them, tomorrow regardless of the union. According to this report 1t Is the purpose of the companies to open their mines and Invite all miners to return to work at a scale to be given on posted notices. At the offices of the various companies this report could neith- CT be confirmed nor denied.
 MT. Maben, president of the Sloss-Shef | field company, said he saw no prospects of a conference with the miners and in- | sisted that his company could not sigr the scale proposed by the miners.
 "of course we will have to open up oul mines" said Mir Maben, "but just wher I can not say just now"
 Directors Stand By Bacon.
 The following special telegram was re ceiyed by the Age-Herald from New Yorl last night:
 .The firm stand of Chairman Don. H Bacon in the matter of the labor trou. bies now worrying the Tennessee Coal Iron and Railroad company will be up. | held officially and any hope of the strike Headers that Mr. Bacon's policy will be 1 overruled has no basis
 "It is officially announced that tho strike will be fought to finish. A can vass of the directors of the company now in this city, and constituting a majority of the board, shows that they are unani- mously behind the chairman in the radi cal stand he has taken against the strik | CTS.