File under Men and Religion
Knoxville, Tenn
5/2/15

Atlanta

Dear sir
I spent two days in and around Westborn, 
Tenn where Campbell Coal Co is located.  I submit you my 
report below.

Commissary 
This store is an up to date store and 
very full line of all things and is kept very neat, and 
nice but I find things are a little high in this store.  The 
miners in trading here when they have no money go to office of 
company and draw money as they need it but they do 
not give money but give out brass checks in value from .25
to $1.00 only good in this store.  this brass check system is 
used so miners tell mr so they won't spend money anywhere 
but companies store.  no cash money advance at all.

Wages
The wages paid by this company is as 
good as any mine around their running from 30 to 50 cents per 
ton on cut coal. But the miners have to finish their own 
powder.  [..] and all things needed to get coal loose.  
The houses used by the miners are very cheap affairs 
made of lumber straight up and down affair and the cost 
to build one of these houses would not be $75 at very 
most.  houses very close together and sanitary conditions 
seem to have been forgotton all together.  open closets out 
in yard and I only saw two houses with enough space for 
small garden.  Pigs, goats, cattle running at large.  the 
cost of rent for a three room shack (as miners express it) is 
$6.00 a month or $2 a room.  these rooms are not 
plastered at all and very cold in winter.  No water 
works in lot at all. and water is drawn from wells 
dug around the lot.  The children around this camp 
seem to all be in rags and half [...]

Schools
They have two school buildings, one 
for small children from 1st to 3rd grade very poor building 
on side of R.R. track. high school building as they call 
it is held in the church and very good building in [...] 
building in camp outside of homes of mine boss Supt 
and office men.  The charge for schooling as follows 
50 cent per month for each married man  if he has children 
or not.  25 cents per month for each single man.  this is 
not per family but per man!  They have about 410 men 
on pay roll and you can figure 50% married and the 
two teachers I was told  receive $75.00 month.  Books are 
not furnished by the company.  
The doctor at this camp is kept busy as the 
miners say lot of sickness up there the miners have to pay 
extra for each visit the doctor makes.  I met a young 
fellow who was hurt and he was out 21 days with bad 
arm and the last day I was their the doctor discovered 
his shoulder was dislocated.  now this took 21 days to find 
this out and when he did find it out he had to call 
another Dr. from another camp to help put in place.  now 
this man was out 21 days before the Dr discovered this and 
the moner kept telling him that he thought it was out of place. 
The fines assessed are usually for drinking.  I 
was talking to young fellow who said he was working out a f
ines if $5.75 for taking a drink of whiskey he said he 
was tried before a judge up there and for the least thing 
they are fined and he expressed it he makes good 
money but the "deducks" get it all.  
The houses occupied by office men...Supt etc 
are as nice little homes as you will find any where.  they 
rather boarded, plastered, papered and painted.  
this company pays off each month and I 
am not sure. but I know that a bill was introduced four 
years ago to compel all firms to pay off twice a month 
some say this bill passed.  this I am not able to say but 
will find out and if so this company is violating the law.
This company is not running full time, in fact none of 
the mines are.
I hope this report will give you idea of what 
you want and if any other information wanted.  I will try 
to get some for you.

Yours truly,
Denk