The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-07-05
BIG DINNER FOR
BANNER CONv|cTS
Members of Board of Revenue
Inspect Camp
CONDITIONS ARE IDEAL
Barbecue Dinner Yesterday Was Treat
to Men and Gave Opportunity
to visitors to Make Thor
ough Inspection
BY CLYDE w. ENNIS.

The Fourth of July was gloriously spent
by the convicts at Banner mines, for in
addition to having an excellent barbecue
and Brunswick stew served them, they
were visited by the Board of Revenue and
Erskne Ramsay, one of the men THAT
operates the mine wherein they dig coal
In payment of their misconduct.
The barbecue provided by Manager of
Convicts w. A. Gibson was fine. 1t Is
vided with such repast as was served
the unfortunates that are confined al
Banner.
The inspection of tho Board of Revenue
was for the purpose of viewing personally
Just how the county convicts are cared
for and incidentally to partake of the
barbecue and other toothsome things
that were provided by Mr. Gibson.
Mr.. Gibson made a short talk, in which
he Informed the miners that the members
of the Board of Revenue were present IN
addition to some of the higher officials OF
the company. He then introduced Pres
ident Job Going of the Board of Revenue,
sings OF God upon the convicts in Banner
mines.
The dinner served the men brought the
highest praise from DR.. r. F. Loveiaoy'
Mr.. Going and @. B. Rogers, all of whom
are members of the Board Of Revenue
The menu consisted of barbecued meats,
Brunswick stew candy. cake, pie. preau'
and finally ice cream was donated to the
men. The latter item is, indeed, rarity,
and to supply 31 men with this dencacy
was no small problem The dinner was
served in the large dining room Of the
mines.
Mr.. Ramsay, the members of the Board
of Revenue, Dave Williams of the GRIM
inal courst, Robert A. Brown and otners
we're served their barbecue under per-
feet canopy of trees just outside of the
stockade After the dinner the members
of the Board of Revenue and the special
guests were carried through every por-
ton of the mine and shown just what
environments the men work under.
In order to impress upon the English
lust how far wrong they are in accusing
the Alabama mines of being nothing less
than an inferno" day of life at Banner
is given
In the morning the men are awakened
by loud sounding gong, which signals
them that 1t is time to assume their daily
labors. The men have spent the night In
large, airy room. The place is care
fully arranged for the most voluminous
passage of air and none of them can wish
or want for greater supply of ozone
than is received. The doctor at Banner
tells me that very few cases of tubercu-
losis originate at the camp.
The hunks are suspended from the cell
ing with iron swinging rods which pro-
vide springy and comfortable beds for
the inmates. The quarters are thorough
ly ventilated and are cleaned every hour
of the day.
But to return to the gong. When the
men arise they receive breakfast that
has been provided for them. 1t consists
of menu somewhat different from
Fourth of July affair, but is nevertheless
very palatable. The men are then car
ried single file to the bath room. They
check the cell garments in the bath room
and don those that are for mine work.
Then they enter the mine and perform
their daily work. In the evening the men
return from the mine. Naturally they
have become almost saturated with the
coal dust that is ever present in mine.
They are returned through the same bath
room. Then it is that one of the most
valuable incidents of the day takes place.
The men reverse the mornings schedule
and shed themselves of all the mine
clothing. They enter bath room
equipped with about 100 shower bath
sprays. They are given thorough
shower and they pass into the other COM
partment and receive the clothes that
were left in the morning.
The men return to the nicely prepared
cots and then partake of supper. The
mines at Banner are excellent. The quar-
tiers are ventilated, and the men are we'll
pleased l was permitted to wander to
every nook and corner of the place
talked to many of the striped felons and
never case l found that would warrant
the opinion expressed by sensation
seeking Englishman that Alabama con-
Wet camps are little less than "Infernos''
la Dante
When the men filed into that great big
dining room yesterday and looked upon
the tempting foods placed before them
they were. of course. pleased AS James
Weatherly would so picturesquely phase
1t. their 'innards'' were vibrating In acute
anticipation. However they did not show
the impotence of those who hunger nor
did they look as though they were half
starved They were sleek. sidney look
Ing, and seemed as If the best possible
attention was being given them.
The hospital has few inmates and the
man in charge informed me that very few
cases Of illness were handled In the hos
pital. The mine is equipped with a veg
etable garden. In this spot the infirn
men grow many necessities that are daily
served the men. This garden is in plain
view of the barred windows of the stock
ade, and the men may view those table
delicacies that are placed before them
day after day.
Mr.. Gibson and Mr.. Ramsay In one voice
said they were trying to give the men ev-
cry possible show They said never was
1t the case that the men were strapped
usually severe punishment Then fore
man or superintendent gives the men
few ticks with strap in order
to impress upon them the necessity Of
discipline. However, none or that yellow
journalistic beating is allowed at Bannef
While absolute ignorance marks my
knowledge of other camps, l have some
slight knowledge of the Tennessee COM
pany stockades and yesterday viewed al
close range those of the Pratt Consoli-
dated. After weighing the information
that was gathered. the statement of the
men themselves. and the true side lights
that were shown me without the possible
a.