The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-12-18


 Spring circuit, Bessemer district, in care of Rev. Mr. Nolin, who also has the charge of two churches located, one m North Lewisburg and the other in south Lewisburg. This is a country church ana l cemetery very beautifully located, put l am sorry to say seemingly sadly neglect ed. I especially refer to the cemetery. l learned that quite a few of the victims | of the recent turbulent times are oufleu there.
 I learned of one pathetic incident oe- curing in the mines in which the Vleeiih was also buried tere, and if you Will par don me l will give you the facts as gathered them. Some time ago the papers ehr onicled the death of Andrew Allen, | a miner, but did not say that he was oniN a lad of 10 years of age, nor did the papers say anything about how tae ac- oident happened. Andrew Allen lost ms l life in an effort to save the He ot u mule It seems that by the carelesshess | of some one whose duty it was to LOOK after the mules this one was left standing where the cars coming out of the lower workings of the mine and drawn by | large cable attached to an engine located at the top of the shaft could not pass without striking and killing it. Andrew l saw the mule when it was too late eo | remove it. and gallantly mounted the moving train of cars, he uncoupled them | from the cable in time to save the an- | inal hut lost his balance and fell directly | in front of the moving train, breaking his neck and receiving other injuries which
 caused instant death. Sleep on. Andrew, yoil brave little Scotchman, you died the death of a hero.
 From there I went to the mines of the Alabama Consolidated Coal and Iron company and found the site even more beautiful than at No. l, though not so | in OncratiOn. l WdS l greatly impressed with the scenic beauty surrounding there, and all the way to Fulton Spring nature seemed to De uslhs l a bountiful hand in the distribution ol l the beautiful. l found the Lewispufg l High school located near the No. mines, and although this is the hrst year TOT this school, the principal, Professor Self seems to have the work well in hand. In addition to the high school there are five common schools employing seven teach CTS. five for whites and two Tor negroes, all we'll attended.
 The most important thing to my mind Tn the entire section is also located near No mines. That is Lynnhurst cottage sanitorium and institution for the treat ment of tuberculosis, and under the diree- torship of Dr. Watts and associates. pr,
 Watts reports that the institution mas
 been in operation for about l3 months,
 and they have had excellent results. lie
 furnished me with some statstles In re-
 gard to the number of cases treated ana
 cures obtained. He is, however. very
 modest and when l told him l did not
 know of the existence of such place he
 informed me that doctors do not adVer-
 tise. The doctor would talk quite freely
 upon the subject of past conditions ana
 was quite optimistic for the future Of hls
 section. He, like most every one In that
 section, seems to think that with the
 building of a street car line there that
 city would in a few years annex BIT mineham. I met party while there said to be representing the Tidewater looking over the situation. The Birmingham Rail- way, Light and Power company last sum mer survey a line, but have so Tar not begun to build.
 Graves Shale Paving Brick company factory 1 passed on my way home. Ihey have the reputation of making the best paving brick in the entire state, and have some large contracts for paving in other cities besides Birmingham. This plant IS owned by Capt W. H. Graves and IS under the management of J. M Brown as local superintendent.
 Graves mines, the property of the South- ern Steel and Iron company, IS located near this factory, but is not now in op- eraton.
 As night is fast approaching, and am somewhat tired by my days work, leave the field of former turbulency and wend my way home, not without having been very much impressed by what have seen and the stories l have heard. However. I feel that l have been well re- paid for all the energy l have expended in my efforts and l think anyone else would be if they will do as l have done, get among the people and talk to them, let them feel that you are their friend, that you sympathize with them. l must say that more courteous people l never met in my life. l did not see single in- dividual who appeared to be in the least I did not see a gun or pistol, | nor did 1 see any one who looked like desperado. The children all looked happy and seemed well clothed and shod l did not inquire into the conditions Of how well the laborers were paid for their labors. but from the contented manner l presume they are paid as well as their fel- low workmen at other places.
 am singularly impressed with the number and condition of the church houses encountered on my rounds.
 Thanking you in behalf of the people who have had so many hard knocks with in the past short while. and trusting that I have been of some benefit to some one bv my efforts. and that you will give this space in your valuable paper, am, very tr,1lv yours, REV. J. c. STONE.
 Birmingham, December 16 1912.