The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-02-28
MINERS ARE URGED
 ID ENDORSE PLAN Officers Issue Circular 10 Locals
 About Raising Money WANT IMMEDIATE REPLY Locals Are Asked to Call Meetings
WANT IMMEDIATE REPLY
Locals Are Asked to Call Meetings and Take Action Regarding the Plan of L. B. MusgroVe to
 Raise Money for Fund.

A circular has been issued from the headquarters Of District No. 20, United Mine Workers, by the officers, urging the locals of the organization throughout the district to hold meetings immediately and take action regarding the plan of L. B.. Musgrove to raise $5OOOO as a permanent fund for a miners benefit
 The locals are urged by the officials to endorse the plan and to make reply as early as possible to the mine workers of flee in Birmingham. The plan in brief Is for every miner to give one days work free to thls fund, and at the same time the operators will be asked to give their profits on the coal for one day.
 MT Musgrove had a conference yester- day with several of the large operators and they endorsed the plan and promised to do their part as soon as the mine workers endorsed the plan. MT. Mus grove said that the miners had taken up the plan heartily and endorsed and were doing all in their power to further 1t, and that he thought the operators should meet them half way, as 1t was the great est thing of the kind that this district had ever attempted, and also the greatest plan of the kind ever attempted in America.
 When the fund is raised it will be dis tributed and placed so that it will be l self-perpetuating and will care for all widows and orphans of miners all crip- pied miners and all miners after they are 60 years of age
 The circular of the miners is Us follows: Office of International Union
 United Mine Workers of America,
 District 20
 Birmingham February 24 1905. To the Officers and Members of Local Unions, Greeting:
 On Monday, February 2O there occurr- ed at Virginia mines in Jefferson county, Alabama. one of the most terrible calam- 1 ites that has ever visited this commu- nifty, by an explosion in the mine on that date, More than one hundred men lost their lives. There are today more than five hundred widows and orphans who have thus been suddenly deprived of their only means of support.
 The citizens of Birmingham have all ready contributed generously, and suffi- ! cient funds have been raised to supply the immediate necessities of the widows and orphans. but to provide for the fu- i ture of these widow and orphans will require a large fund
 plan is now und r consideration to establish a permanent endowment or re- 1 lief fund, whereby the widows and or phans shall be given a weekly allowance in money. To do this would require Eff l ty Thousand Dollars ($50,00O) This mo- ney to be raised by the coal companies l the miners and the public.
 1 We suggest and recommend that the miners contribute one days earnings A special day be set for this purpose, and of which due notice will be given, pro vided the companies contribute the profits of the same days sales of coal produced to create this sum. And fur l ther that a small monthly payment be contributed by each miner and mine la l borer provided the coal companies con l tribute a reasonable amount for the same l purpose.
 We. therefore. urgently appeal to all 1 the miners and mine laborers to call a 1 special meeting to consider and vote or l this matter and notify this office of the | result at the earliest possible mo- ment This will enable the miners representatives to act with au- thority in making the suggested plan success So that those who wee dependent on the unfortunate victims of 1 the Virginia mine disaster, and also any one who may be dependent on any future victims of mine accidents In Alabama l shall be providede for
 (signed) W. R. FARLEY
 National Board Member E. FLYNN,
 President District 20
 J. l.. CLEMO, District 20 Secretary-Treasurer