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48 THE COAL TRADE BULLETIN.
The Bituminous Region committee of the Penn­
sylvania Young Men's Christian Association, with
headquarters at Greensburg, is closing a successful
year. Since three years ago about thirty different
associations have been organized in mining towns,
the association having approximately 3,000 mem­
bers. Nearly all the larger coal companies are interested
in the movement, and a number have
erected buildings, in some places provided equipment.
Several buildings will be erected this
summer.
That the coal property of the Alaska Petroleum
& Coal Co., at Catalla, Alaska, will prove to be
one of the most valuable in the world is the
opinion of Clark Davis, vice president and general
manager of the coinpany, who is now in the
North. In a recent letter Mr. Davis tells of an in­
spection made of the property and says that it
is his opinion there is enough coal in sight in that
vicinity to make it a paying proposition for generations.
At the preliminary hearing of the case of the
A. C. Fulmer Coal Co.. against the Morgantown &
Kingwood railroad Co.. held on July 26, before
Judge Dayton, at Phillipi, W. Va., the motion of
the defendant company to quash the alternative
mandamus was denied by the court. Depositions
will be taken, and an effort will Le made to have
the case submitted for final hearing at the September
term of the superior court.
The Indiana Railroad Commissioners have ordered
the Southern Railway Co.. to make a reduction
in the rate on coal from the coal fields of
Pike county. Ind.. to New Albany and interme­
diate points. The new rate from Winslow to all
points beitween Huntingburg and New Albany
will be 40 cents per ton, a reduction from the old
rate of from 25 to 45 cents.
The Somerset Coal Co.. controlled in Baltimore
as an ally of the Consolidation & Fairmont Coal
companies, has just closed a contract with the Interborough
Rapid Transit Co., of New York, for
400,000 tons of coal to be delivered within 12
months. The Baltimore & Ohio railroad will
handle the coal from the Somerset company's
mines at Somerset, Pa.
From present indications this will be the worst
year for accidents in the history of the anthracite
coal fields. 388 men already having heen killed
this year. In the Thirteenth district alone there
have been 27 fatal accidents, only four less than
the entire number for last year. The figures of
the Twelfth district show a similar state of affairs.
The long-deferred trial of the suit of Attorney
Wales, of Binghamton, N. Y., against John Mitchell,
president of the IT. M. W. of A., will occur
at Binghamton next month. Wales seeks to recover
a large sum of money for services alleged
to have been rendered in the settlement of the
anthracite strike of 1902.
The Southern Connellsville Coke Co., capitalized
at $300,000 and recently chartered at Harrisburg,
has elected the following directors: W. C. Magee,
Pittsburgh; I. W. Semans, George Whyel, S. I.
Harry, Thomas Morrison, I. H. Brownfleld and
James Henderson, Uniontown, and John Husband,
of Mt. Pleasant.
FEMALE AND CHILD LABOR IN ITALY.
The recent modifications of the Italian labor
law of 1902, governing the employment of women
and children, provide that children of either sex
under 12 years will not be allowed to work in any
factory or mine. This provision is practically
extended also to any trade. For admission to work
in mines, tunnels, and so forth, children must have
attained the age of 13 years where there is electric
traction, and 14 years where there is no electrictraction;
and women and girls are excluded altogether
from this class of labor, regardless of
age. In work of a heavy, unhealthy, or dangerous
nature, the new laws provide that no boys under 15
years of age shall be employed, or females under
the age of 21. In Sicily, under certain circumstances,
boys of 13 years will be allowed to continue
in the employments where they are now engaged
until July 1, 1907, after which the age limit
will be 14 years under the conditions named
above. Night work will not legally exceed nine
hours out of any twenty-four, and in cases where
night and day shifts are used the reliefs shall be
made every eight hours.
Chicago Coal Men's Picnic.
The third annual picnic of the Chicago coal men
on August 12. was an unqualified success. The
affair was held at Ravinia park, which is about
20 miles north of Chicago and near the lake.
Music, field sports, boating, bathing and fishing
provided ample amusement and a royal good time
was had by all present. The sports, for which
prizes were given to the winners included everything
from base ball to a potato race. J. K.
Deering, F. L. Jewett and H. H. Taylor, judged
the various events.