The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-11-09
INSPECT SOCIAL AND THE SANITARY MINE CONDITIONS Coal Operators Association Employ s Morris Knowles
 To Do Work TO BETTER MINERS LIVING CONDITIONS Eminent Engineers Will Make Re- port on Which Reform Work
 Will Be Based and Car
 ried Out

The AlaDama coal operators aSSoCld- tion as an organization has employed Morris Knowles, the widely known engi- neer, to make study here of the social and sanitary conditions in the coal mine region, with the view of helping living conditions of the employees.
 The announcement was made yesterday by Capt. J. V. Allen, secretary of the association, which embraces practically all the coal mining companies in the district, that the study would embrace fundamental sanitary inspection, includ- ing the drinking water supply, sewerage, garbage disposal and the problems of education and recreation. It is planned to have MT. Knowles look into every mine camp owned by members of the association and then make recommenda- tions to the association as to what should be done to improve the condition of the employees. This work on the part of MT Knowles will be hurried as much as possible. It was announced yesterday that Maurice Roos Scharff, of the Bos- ton Pathological Institute, sanitary en- gineer. and formerly employed with the New Jersey board of health. would be here all the time assisting Mr. Knowles in the accumulation of the data ra- quired to formulate the report that will be made.
 The working condition and the living condition of the workmen of this dis trict have been greatly improved under the Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railroad company's theory. However, some of the smaller companies have not pos sessed sufficient capital to carry on such a work alone. It seems to be the general idea that the course to be pursued in the undertaking will be to apportion the cost to each company, according to whatever possessions 1t may have. In that way the expense of general reforms will be borne uniformly and they will be carried to completion along the best possible lines with comparatively small cost to each operator.
 Better Miners
 The work undertaken will bring, 1t is anticipated, great satisfaction to those workmen in outlying mine towns who are wholly dependent upon the employers for living environment. It is said such has been neglected. in many instances although many of the corporations have made great improvements wherever pos sible to do so
 It was announced yesterday by Cap tain Allen that never before in the his tory of coal operation had an associa- ton of mine owners begun such a work with such ideal views and with such a purpose to guide them in the work.
 Mir Knowles, who is to prosecute -he work is an engineer of eminence. He was formerly with the federal government and is known here principally through his late connection with the Tennessee com pany's operations at the lake construc- ton. He has written articles for the Survey, dealing with social conditions here.
 The formal statement of the Coal Oper- ators' association in giving out their pro posed work follows:
 The Statement
 ''rhe Alabama Coal Operators associa- tion during the last two years has, through it's organization and through the individua. efforts of it's members, given considerable attention to the subject of accident prevention, both on the surface and underground. This work has been supplemented by the organization and training of a number of first aid corps.
 At the annual meeting of the assocIa- ton last August, the subject of tubercU- losis was given special consideration, par ticularly those features relating to it's prevention and cure in it's early stages In extension of this general policy tho association has just engaged the well known engineer, Morris Knowles of Pitts burg, who is now activel vat work in making a social and sanitary survey of the coal mining camps represented in rho organization The work as outlined is rather comprehensive, embracing housing coiid tions, the more strictly fundamental sanitary features including drinking water supplies, closets, sewage and garbage dis posal, etc. The rather difficult problems of education and recreation will also be given proper consideration.
 'As a result of concerted effort along these lines, it is hoped that living condi- tions throughout the state will be such as to entitled Alabama to first rank in matters of this character This is perhaps the first instance noted in which the op- orators of any important district have undertak n such concerted and scientific study of camp life.''