The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-07-26
THE DEADLY PISTOL AGAIN
PERFECT ORDER AT THE
 BESSIE AND OTHER MINES
Special Correspondent Gives Prices Paid Miners and Other Details of Interest Affecting the Strike Situation.
 How Long Will the Strike Last?
BY FRANK V. EVANS.

Bessie Mine, July 3.--(Special.) )-There are no soldiers at this immediate point, but thirty deputy sheriffs are guarding the premises and preserving order. It is order too; perfect order. In fact, there is a stiffness here bordering close to inactivity, save such activity as is observant when machinery is moving and smoke ascending from the stackssof a mine performing a minimum task.
 Bessie Mine has not shut down and will not, though the strike reduced the force very materially. few faithful men have stood 'loyally by the Sloss-Shef- field company notwithstanding the re- duction, and to this force additions are being made each day. So steady is this inflow of new men and this return of some of the old ones that the manage ment here assures me that soon the nor nal force will be producing a daily out put of 1200 tons. Just what length of time will be necessary to meet this prop osition is not stated, but the expressed confidence of the company in its ability to overcome the present difficulty indicates that the day is not far distant.
 Rations for Strikers.
 As I write this letter strikers are un- loading car of provisions sent them by the union, and all in quiet, orderly way. Most of them still dwell in the companv's houses and distribute their rations on the premises of the company without in ter1erence. These rations consist of flour. meal, meat, rice, sugar and coffee, and n ha frtxT to single men and to men of families.
 l am informed that on this point some dissatisfaction has been expressed and that most of the old men who have re- turned to work are men of families who say that no more feedstuff is given them than to single men-only one ration to each union man, married or single.
 Another statement is that cash money, in addition to rations promised by the union, has not been forthcoming This may, however, be on account of the non approach of their regular union pay day.
 Free Rent and Reduced Charges.
 The management here tells me that when the company cut the mining scale to 40 cents per ton it gave. free of rent. houses for the miners. and cut down the price of supplies in the commissary de- partment. That each commissary has.
  visions far below quoted prices in the retail market of Birmingham, and that good miners now at work here are mak- ing net wages of from S75 to sl00 per month, over and above the cost of their help.
 In connection with this matter of re- duced wages, this correspondent has been asked to inquire of consumers of coal if the price to such consumers has been reduced proportionately to reduction of cost of production, and If not, why not? Really to the question is apropos, and ought to be answered.
 At Flat Top.
 This writer has just returned iron, Flat Top mine. just two miles beyond this point Flat Top is prison mine and hardly affords subject matter for a dis icussion of the strike situation There everything is run by prison force, ant has been all along, except the coke