The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-08-01

of the mine increased this fall from 600 to 2000 tons of coal
 Good Working Miners.
 MT. Bonnyman tells me that not until this week has his company ever suffered the least inconvenience or annoyance by the labor department. and that his men had won the confidence and esteem of the officers to a remarkable degree. Superin- tendent H. T. Brown, who is in direct charge at these mines, exhibited to me his time books, and the rolls disclose the fact that the men are making net from $40 to SIPS per month, and a number of them far excell that figure. The pay in the three-foot vein is 571ac for pick min ing and 45 cents for machine mining. At No. 2 ffve-foot vein) it Is 45 cents for pick and 371a cents for machine mining. Ninety per cent of all the work done in these mines is by machine method. One negro miner with one helper, who cost him S1 50 per day, made S177.s0 this month and he tells me that he did not average six hours labor per day.
 Mulea Is Great.
 Leaving Short Creek l visited Mulga, the real great mining town of the Bir- mingham Coal and Iron company, which is the terminus of q branch of the new Atlanta, Birmingham and Atlantic rail road, and on the Ensley Southern. This is a new town, not the neucleus for a town, but a real town today of only 1 year of age. Here a shaft 760 feet In depth has been cut, passing through both the Pratt and the Mary Lee coal seams. and today this mine is in motion, not, of course, at it's full capacity, but it's mighty stacks are emitting smoke, it's restless engines and other machinery almost ready to delve down for the black dia- monds in quantities of 5000 tons per day. The 100 tons daily output now is but pre- limnary to real work.
 Mulga is destined soon to be a town of 5000 people It Is modernly and sys- tematically planned and built The houses for working people and their fam lilies are real cozy and delightful cot tages; it's hotel and boarding houses large imposing and affording all the com forts and conveniences of city inns. Elec- tric lights brighten the walkways and the drives, water works are in operation and there are fire plugs on every square. The commissary is a regular brick de- partment store-which would prove an ornament to any city, in size and appear ance
 Real Home Town.
 Mulga is built as a home town of com fort and convenience and happiness for men who with their families live and labor nere. udnclHg pdNlllOI, u clup room. a ball ground are all provided, and modern school houses and churches for white and colored add charm to the picture The company has expended thus far $75O, 900 right here at Mulga.
 I thought as I reviewed this magnif- cent picture of capitals confidence in the wealth of these Alabama hills, when I beheld the smiling faces of women and children in these vine-clad cottages many ornamented by sweet blooming flowers even now, with lace curtains and with an exterior which portend to con tentment and happiness, how horrible it is to contemplate that the madness of misguided men and even the cruel ven geance of those who ply the midnight instruments of destruction may mar this picture-retard this development and sub stitute misery and poverty where hap piness and contentment should ever abide.
 It may be so; yes, it would be so, did not faithful sentinels stand watch at this hour over the active men and the sleep- ing wives and babes of Muga. What a dreadful fact even that this enormous expense must be imposed upon the com pany which pays annual tribute to the state of Alabama for protection of it's property
 Sales of Ammunition.
 It is a lamentable fact that sales of ammuntion-ball cartridges and even dynamite-in this district have increased every day during this strike. not to mine workers, but to idle men. This truth is in painful evidence; and the small country wayside stores are the benahn-