The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-21

Montgomery, April 2V-tSpecldl.l .l-1oN.
Emmett o'Neal issued during the past
week three important statements bear
ing upon various features of the work
of the convict department. They were
fsued under the heads Contracts"
Convict Department; Change in the
Law. and Examinations of the Con-
vict Department" In view of the public
interest in the subject the governors S
three statements are herewith given in
full. The first is that bearing upon
contracts" as follows:
shortly after MIR. Oakley became pres
ident of the convict board he stated to
me that the revenues of that depart
ment might be largely increased by talk
ing from the lumber camps in South Ala
bama the convicts there employed and
concentrating them in the mining camps
in the Birmingham district. His argu-
ment was that the expense of mainte-
nance would be very greatly decreased
by the concentration of the convicts
the sanitary conditions improved and the
revenues increased There were a large
number of convicts at that time en-
ployed by various lumber camps in south
ern and southeast Alabama, and at every
camp the state had to maintain a war
den, guards and a physician. and all
OF these various, but necessary, expenses
largely reduced the net earnings of the
state.
] stated that I fully agreed with his
policy, but that large number of the
men who were engaged in work at the
f,.x 10 f1, af
the mines and that it might be necessary
to retain one or two contracts with the
lumber and turpentine people, provided
they would pay a fair and reasonable
price for the hire of the convicts. Both
DR.. Fowler and Mr.. Greer, the associate
inspectors, stated that sanitary condi-
tions were very bad in the lumber camps
that the men were being overtasked, and
that the sickness and death rate largely
exceeded the percentage in the mining
district.
Letters to Contractors
Mr.. Oakley then wrote letter after
his conference with, me, to the varioO
contractors in southern Alabama to the
effect that their contracts would not be
renewed, but would be Cancelled in No
vember of 1911. Mr.. Oakley informed me
that he had arranged the hire of about
400 convicts to the Pratt Consolidated
company at Banner mines, that they
had offered to pay the state 65 cents
a ton for washed coal, the state on
its part to furnish certain tools, pow
der, explosives and to maintain the con-
victs. He stated that he had conferred
with Mr.. w. ]. Nesbitt, the state mine
Inspector, and had careful estimates made
by Mr.. C. c. Huckabee, state mine SUI
rfyfa VA oth min n
experts, and was absolutely convinced
that this contract would yield the state
a net revenue from at least $40 to $50
a mouth and was, In his opinion, the
best contract which the state of Ala
bama had ever made. I had frequent
conferences with Mr.. Huckabee. Mr..
Oakley and many mining experts as to
this contract, and finally. on August s.
gave 1t my approval 1t having como
to my attention shortly afterwards from
a variety OF sources that this contract
would probably be unprofitabe to the
state. inaugurated and took personally
a part in a number of Investigations de-
signed to obtain the real value to the
state of the contract The contract was
approved to commence on November Is
and was to terminate on November 10,
1916. sent for Mr.. w. ]. Nesbitt, the
chief mine inspector. who was an engi-
neer. of acknowledged ability. and who
was familiar with the cost of coal min
ing in the Birmingham district Mr.. r.
G Dawson, who was warden who had
long experience with coal mining, hav-
ing been engaged in the state service
about 10 or 20 years. and conferred with
them fully as to the contract and their
estimate of the revenue the state would
receive if the contract was allowed to
continue.
Employed Two Engineers
Mr.. Nesbitt was at first inclined to be-
lieve that the state was not receiving
sufficient compensation, but said that he
could not make reliable estimate with
out visiting the mines and obtaining fully
the expenses which the state would have
to undergo in undertaking to carry out
its part of this contract. then instruct
ed Mr.. Nesbitt to employ two disinter-
ested mining engineers. who were in no
way connected with the Pratt Consolidat-
ed company, or any other mining COM
pany, or In any way biased and to go
to the Banner mines make a fun and
complete investigation of the conditions
there and submit report of their esti-
mate of the revenue the state would re-
ceve under the terms of the contract
as it had been written, and advise me
f,lly whether, in their Judgment. I should
allow the contract to be carried out. In
the meanwhile, [ went to Birmingham
and had personal interviews with Major
Tutwiler, Mr.. Maben Hobson and many
other mining experts and discussed fully
this contract. / had notified the Pratt
company that was dissatisfied with the
terms of the contract, that 1t was then
being investigated, and that / would let
them know later whether / would cam
eel or modify it, or allow it to remain
in force. I instructed Mr.. Oakley to
notify the Pratt Consolidated company
that the contract could not go in force
until January 1. even If it received my
approval, as desired full time to make
n, thorough and complete investigation.
Tn the meanwhile, In accordance with my
instructions, Mr.. Nesbitt employed Mr.
William M. Given and Mr. p. r. Jordan,
who, with himself, constituted the COM
nlittee to investigate and give me an
estimate on this contract. On Decem.
~ber IS, 1911, Mr. Nesbitt, the chief mine
inspector, made me a written report, He
stated In his letter to me that date that
''In forming the committee I was par
ticularly cautious, as, of course, 1t is es-
sertial to have an absolutely unbiased
estimate" .He said, "Mr. William M.
Given is a recognized consulting engineer
in this district, not employed by any coz
poration, but is in business for himself.
Mr.. p. r. Jordan is a thoroughly prac-
tical and experienced coal man and is
operating for himself He stated, "These
gentlemen and l tconstituting the COM
niittee) spent sufficient time at the mines
to thoroughly investigate the cost of
producing coal under the states contract