Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-04-02
Men Who Have Been Digging
Into The Vitala Of Lookout
Mountain for Years, Sc the
Skies Again.
TO MANY OF THEM
1T is FIRST GLIMPSE
.IOFDAYLIGHT FOR YEARS
Special Train Left the Durham Mines
Early Thursday MOrning-Oon-
yicts to Be Distributed Among IS
CoUnties-Perfect order.
BY W. T.Waters, Jr.,
Staff Correspondent of The Journal

Staff correspondent OA A"S
Especial Dispatch to The JournalJ
CHICKAMAUGA, Ca, April 1.--Singing
and laughing and joking as thoush
marching forth to festival the conVists
who have for years past been digging m
TO the vitals of Lookout Mountain
boarded trains for the outer world this
morning. some OF them even shouted IN
their exuberanCe over the change mat
was coming to them under the new con-
yict law of Georgia. Gang after gang
each of some dozen men or so were
seated about the cars which had lala
over night waiting for them at the Dur
ham terminal. Happiness was in the air.
breaking occasionally into melodies
Some of the brightest ones among tue
conyicts provided words that kept theH
fellows laughing over impromptu loo4-
ishness about the trip before them anu
the things that they were bidding Iar~-
we'll forever. banjos battered am worn
were pressed into unusually VlSorous
service, voices that had grown crtSly'
caught up choruses of catchy meier.
II was a holiday spirit that would not
be dampened by the log chains that he'd
them all together. or by handouts and
leg chains that gripped the white men.
rhey were more quiet, though their 5pir-
ito were high. They were ready 10 joke
with anyone of friendly inclination
Promptly at daylight the last
roster of the Durham coai
mine called the prisoners forth 70
their day. For the last time the DIE
triangle in the prison yard was soundeu
to summon the restless fellows from taeif
close packed hunks to dress and muster
for breakfast and the convicts were not
slow to respond. BY $50 O'Clock hey
had breakfasted and with their small be-
lonzinss wrapped or packed and II na1d
were standing to be counted for the last
time.
In SQUADS handcufred to long chains.
they were marched to the waiting train'
the first of them emerging from the
big gates Of the stockade just at
O'Clock. AS they stepped forth they en-
barked upon their new existence uncer
the county officers who were on rand
to receive them. They were in the trains
bv $50 and at 7:05 the first section moved
off down the mountain. 1t was follower
bv the second section at 7:90. Altogether
eleven coaches and a baggage car were
used for moving the convicts. The train
was divided into two sections on account
of the heavy grade to be joined later e.
Chickamauga. All prisoners from the
Lookout Mountain Coal and Coke conf
pany were marched up to Durham and
mustered on the same trains with the
Durham men. There are 4o0 prisoners ali
together on the two trains.
Go To Eighteen Counties
To eighteen counties go the conviets
from the coal mines in Lookout Noun
tain. Into as many parties they are sep
arated and over each party are two or
more countyspolice officers who will con-
duct them to their destination and who
have charge of them henceforth. No
greater facility could have been shown
in handling convicts under such condl-
lions than has been been shown by the
officials of the Central railway who
have charge of the Lookout Mountain
fellows Giving the trains their personal
supervision are Division Superintendent
]. j.. Cotter, Travelling Passenger Agent
]. l.. Hunt. District Passenger Agent
Warren H. Fogg and Henry Baldwin.
trainmaster. Without hitch or delay
they began their responsible task of safe
~ trans porting and distributing over
Georgia the eleven car loads of convicts
that are coming down off OF Lookout
Mountain this morning.