The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-01-01
RAMSAY COMMENTS ON THE OUTCOME OF CONVICT CONTRACT IState Is Protected and Plan Is Pleasing to Both
 Sides s6O,OOO BOND MADE
 TO INSURE RETURNS A Large Number of Conyicts Moved Yesterday Without Mishap-Ter-
 nessee Company's Plans
 at No. 12 Mine

Erskine Ramsay, vice president and chief engineer of the Pratt Consolidated Coal company. upon his return yester- day from Montgomery discussed witt he utmost candor the conference held with Coy. Emmet O'Neal. other state officials and the officials of his company regarding the contract with the state for the use of Banner mines.
 He said in the course of an interview that the company executed a bond of S6O,- oo0 instead of s9o0Oo as previously re- ported which insured the state beyond all reasonable doubt that the convicts under the state contract with the Pratt company will earn as much as under the Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railroad com- pany contract, if not more. Mir Ramsay said that in his opinion. unbiased by any personal consideration. the convicts would earn the state considerably more. He added that it was erroneous to say that his company paid only the ridiculous sum of 6 cents per ton for coal, as such was not the case. He said that consd- erng the extra expenses his company would pay not less than S5. cents ton for the coal.
 MT. Ramsay's Views
 "At the conference held in Montgomery Saturday," said MT. Ramsay, ''every phase of the contract between the state and the Pratt company was threshed out. The governor was perfectly correct in his position. He was told that the state was about to enter into a bad bargain, and it was his duty, and he exercised 1t, to inquire into the merits of that propo- sition to the end that all of the state s rights might be protected. He did not criticise any officials, but wanted to get at the bottom of it.
 .He believed the convicts should earn at least as much under our contract as under that of the Tennessee company recently relinquished. When we pointed out that the men would earn that much and offered to protect the state to the extent, of executing si bond he felt that such an offer was fair and the matter was ended. We gave bond in the sum of $60.0O0 that the men would earn as much as heretofore. I believe the rate heretofore was about s27 50 per man per month, and we guaranteed that such an amount would be earned. That was easy for us, as I am of the opinion that they will earn that much surely and perhaps a greater amount.
 Brooke's Opinion
 'In connection with the contract, and in view of the wide comment made upon it, I feel at liberty to quote Col. II. Y. Brooke, examiner of accounts, who told me that he had just given state ment to a newspaper representative in Montgomery to the effect that he believed the contract made with the Pratt com pany was one of the best, if not the best, that was ever made for mining with convicts by the state of Alabama. That opinion of Colonel Brooke, take it. will have great weight in convincing any skeptical persons of the merits of the contract from the states viewpoint.
 '1n connection with the contract the statement was often made that we paid only 65 cents per ton for coal at the cars. That is an error unless explained We are to pay that, 1t is true. But we participate in the work of mining, bearing
  run the cost of the coal delivered to at least S5 cents per ton. If we did not par ticipate in the cost of mining this com pany would be willing to pay as much as 20 cents more for coal under the pres ent arrangement. All mining men would at once stamp 65 cents as a ludicrous price. And it would be if that were all that it cost us.
 Situation at Flat Top
 "A fair comparison in that connec- tion Is found in the Flat Top arrange ment l am told that the Sloss com pany has a contract to pay the state 44ll cents per ton for coal delivered at the mouth of the .am. That is not all that is required and by the time the company participates in the final loading of the coal the amount received by the state is perhaps a fair one It would be manifestly unfair to say that the state only received for it's coal 441a cents placed on the cars
 Another statement has been repeat edly made and that was to the effect that the state was entering the mining business by this contract. Such is a mistake. The state has been worki ing it's convicts under the plan we have up now for many years at Flat Top 
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