The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-01
'CORMACK TALKS
OF CONVICT MATTER
Examination Showed His
Company Not at Fault
GOOD FOR THE STATE
President of Pratt Consolidated Be-
lieyes Contract Will Be Much
More Profitable to State Than
Any Heretofore Executed

Satisfied that the Pratt Consolidp te1
had been given clean bill of health
in connection with the inuendoes re-
Gently cast to the coal weights at
Banner mines. the officials of that
company have returned home from
Montgomery.
President George b. Mccormack yes
terday was very well pleased with the
sentiment expressed by the examiners
and others who heard him testify.
"The Indictment against the state
managers at Banner and others if
proved would grasp firmly every rail-
road conductor. agent weighman and
official at Banner and Mineral Springs
said Mr. Mccormack For every ear
of coal is weighed by outside officials.
every conductor makes up his train
| from the car numbers and other safe
guards are thrown about the handling
of that coal as well as all other coal
| in this district by the railroads them
selves so as to make it matter ex-
| tremely improbable of any Irregular
tiles in weights.
How Coal Is Weighed
I'VE have already stated that the
coal we sell is weighed by the South
ern Weighing and Inspection bureau.
/ However, Examiner Brooke asked me
to explain a report he had showing
| rairaod cars at Banner moved and
which had not been reported to the
state by its own men. | was able to
show that the state itself had not
received the reports which are per-
haps delayed as the month has not yet
htt aIS al m
that our company had a complete rec
ord for them on our books and that
they would be paid for in April, the
usual settling day
'rhat error was superficial but was
the fault of the state and our company
caught it. However. the state author
tiles had not reported the matter and
that was on account of the month be-
ing as yet unspent. Mr.. Brooke asked
us about 1000 tons shortage December
31, 1912, which was easily explained
on account of the records for the year
being Incomplete at the time. The ton-
mage was credited January l.
Taken as whole the officials of
our company although regretting this
dragging OF our company into the un-
fortunate Montgomery situation feel
he absolutely equitable. In every way
il is shown to be advantageous for the
state our connection with the Whole
situation has been shown by public Of
ficials to be absolutely clear and in
that respect we are well pleased.
Earnings at Banner
'ln the record at Montgomery have
been introduced by the state itself rec
ords showing that even with a lire
which destroyed equipment as a han
dioap the convict earnings at Banner
have been greater than any mine oper-
ated with state convicts. Earnings lor
the first few months We're low because
of new men being employed and the
low production by reason of unfamiliar
surroundings and unskilled miners.
However. / Will make this prediction;
When the convict contract at Banner
shall have expired the state VIII have
earned more money by that contract
than any ever made in this state by
any company. There is only one thing
for the state to look after and that
Is the maintenance cost We have been
asked to give a rea sonable maintenance
cost to the state and will do SO II
they follow that based upon our years
of experience the state VIII make oo
per cent more than under any contract
ever executed for convict miners