The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-09-25
ERSKINE RAMSAY
 HAS BUSY DAY
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many things, and is now engaged as president of the board of education in outlining plans for the new schools de- signed to take care of children that will control this country years from now. He has patented many mechanical appliances, and has given away a fortune on more than one occasion. These things are pleasant for him to contemplate but it was gathered that he was most pleased by his patent of a coal sampler which has won a place of unusual importance in coal mining The sampler is to be spoken of at length by Milton H. Fies before the forthcoming meeting of metalurgical engineers.
 That sampler installed by the WOod- ward Iron company has been most pleasing success to me and satisfactory to that company" said MT. Ramsay. ''They started out with one at each mine and now have eleven in opera tion. It takes coal samples of a uniform character and discloses the kind of coal sent up. The miners are protected by the sampler, for it shows the, coal every man sends up. It also protects the users, for it discloses whether the coal is clean or not, l am told that the Woodward company saves between $500,000 and $750,0O0 per year in it's handling of coking coal and its other output in this way. The sampler causes the miner who. sends good coal to get a bonus and it penalizes the one who sends bad coal. The patent was installed | by Woodward without payment of one penny to me after Frank Creckard had studied the matter for some time. One E.. I Ily- pleased that this mechanical device has thus rendered service to this dis trict, of which I am proud, and where I have spent practically all of my adult years. My other patent, the Ramsay dump, which saves costs and does the work of 21 men at one tipple is also something that I am proud of.
 Has Varied Interests Mir. Ramsay is a partner with G B. Mccormack in the Pratt Con. solidated Coal company, the fourth largest owner of coal lands in Alabama. He was for years president of the Bank of Ensley, one of the states most successful banks. He is chairman of the First National bank finance committee and a director. He is associated with Goodall- Brown, the
 
 of the most successful concerns in this section. He is president of the board of education and served with distinc. tion in the World war in civilian capa. cities.
 He came to Birmingham when Pratt City was the center of activity. He had been, at the age of 17, superin. tendent of a mine for the Prick Coal company in Pennsylvania. Making good in the Pratt City job, he became chief engineer for the Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railroad company and through his vision, some of the most lasting, ac complishments of that company, were achieved. Later he entered business with Mir. Mccormack.
 They founded the city of Ensley ana at this time are the principal property owners of that section. They relin | quished control of the Bank of EnsleN some time ago to younger associates and made possible the acquisition o that valuable property by faithful em playes.
 During the past few years Mir. Ram say, has given up some of his busi ness activity, devoting great deal o time to civic work, having been presi dent of the Kiwanis club. He is al ways alert to perform some service fol this community and has come to be ont of the most esteemed men of this dis | trict.