The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-02-27
WOULD ESTABLISH
 PERMANENT FUND Such is the Plan Endorsed by
 the Relief Committe WOULD BENEFIT MINERS Fund Would Provide for Widow and Orphan, as Well as the Miner
 After He Becomes Too Old
 to Perform Labor.
 
WOULD BENEFIT MINERS

A self-perpetuatng fund for those dis abled in the Alabama mines and to pro- vide for the widows and orphans left by miners who may be killed, will probably be inaugurated in the near future. Such a plan is being worked out by the relief committee of which the Rev. Dr. J. w. Stagg is chairman.
 The idea of the committed is to use the $6o.OOO raised from the plan of L. B. Musgrove, and s15,OOO from the subscrip- ton which is now being raised, making total of s75,0OO, and have the interest from this distributed at ed periods to those who are left helpless in any way from a mine disaster. The committee believes that only 10000 of the subscrip- tions raised will be needed for immediate relief. and that the other $15,000 of the $250O0 which will be raised, can go to , this permanent fund.
 The committee further desires that ev- cry miner shall give 10 cents a week towards perpetuatng this fund. and in this way every widow and orphan can be provided for. This would amount to over sl5OO0 annually. The plan is based on a similar plan which has been suc- cessfully operated in England for years. Dr. stagg gave out the following last night:
 Dr. staee Talks.
 "A great many inquiries have been made as to what method of distribution the committee appointed by the Commer- cial club will pursue in giving out the funds so generously provided by this city and district for the Virginia City mine sufferers.
 "'rhe committee feels that possibly it would be well for a brief word to be spoken in order that there may be an intelligent idea among all contributors to this fund as to what course it will take.
 On Saturday afternoon, at o'clock, the committee met in the study of the Rev. Quincy Ewing and agreed to the following:
 First, that the immediate distress be relieved at the same ratio that has been observed in distributing this fund, until every individual and family Is reached. Second. should MT. Musgroves plan succeed. and the operators and miners in this district agree to raise, say $6O,0O0, which would be known as a Citizens En- dowment Fund. which endowment should ignore capital and labor, union and non union, white and coored. and should be handled in such way as to touch none of the vital principles underlying any of the interests above named.
 The interest.
 "The interest on said endowment to be paid to all who have been killed in this Virginia mine disaster, and all who may be disabled in the future in the mines of this district.
 "To give the sum to widows, - sum to each orphan, sum to all disa- bled
 'The disbursement to be made on the following conditions:
 "To widows as long as they remain single; to children until they arrive at the age of Is years; to disabled as long as in no condition to work.
 That the miners be asked to perpetuate this endowment by contributing to it 10 cents per week, and that they devise some way for the 10 cents to be collected without charge.
 That the miner who is unwilling to give the ten cents per week shall not participate in the benefit.
 Will Keep Track.
 That all the sufferers from the Vir- ginia Mine disaster be kept tract of and that their weekly stipend be forwarded to them wherever they may dwell on the face of the eal<h, long as they come under the conditions laid down above.
 When the fund reaches a sufficient sum to warrant it, that all miners over sixty years old be penisoned and be al- lowed = sum per month
 If this scheme fails to be carried out in this district, then the committee on disbursing this sum purposes to deposit the entire amount at reasonable rate of interest and prorating it according to the data it has of each family, giving so much to each widow, and so much to each child per week until the fund Is ex- hausted.
 opportune Time.