Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1876-04-06

Miners Union. The puollc, Tor the
most part, seem to be u~nacquainted
with the real merits of the case at
issue. 1t is generally accepted for
truth that theSUnion has gone too far,
that they have exceeded their just linn
it's. and the entire blame of the present
inactivity on Ruby Hill is laid to their
charge. "Errori il ever talkative," and
those who talk loudest about our re-
cent proceedings, are those who are
least acquainted with the facts of the
case. 1t is in order to lay the matter
fully and fairly before the public, that
| send you the present communities
ton. In it 1 shall cOntine myself
strictly to facts.
With the X X Company we have
not now, or never had, any difficulty
whatever. Our difficulty with the
Eureka Consolidated wa of light i'm
portance. 1t has already been settled.
As far as the Uuion is concerned, this
orr any is free to work their mines in
whatever manner they choose; to
employ whonlsoever they think pro-
per, without molestation from US.
Then it will tie seen that these cotmpa-
Mess mines being now shut down Is
not to be attributed to the Union.
Our dispute with the Richmond
is now narrowed down to one
single issue, the letting OF contracts be-
low the 500-foot level. Heretofore
there has beer no ore extracted, on
contract, from this part of the mine.
The reason why the Union objects to
it, objects to the II OF letting O re
contracts invariably adhered to by
Mr.. Richards, will be explained below.
All our troubles originated from an
attempt, on the part of the Richmond
Company, to pay its employees in de-
preciated silver dollars. The Union
considered that the proposed change
would work an injustice to the miners.
and a special meeting was called for
the purpose of taxing steps to prevent
it. AT the meeting it was declared, on
the authority OF the foreman OF the
mine, hat the company had aban-
doned the project OF payment in trade
dollars, and assurance was given that
they would continue to pay as fereto-
fore. immediately after, the Superiu-
tendent made arrangements to let the
entire ore slopes OF the mine on con-
tract, STIMULATING that the work was TO
be paid for IN trade dollars. Tins the
trade dollar question was revived, after
it was supposed TO have been tinslly
settled. The terms of the contract
leaked out. The trade dollar clause
was made known To the miners, and
they freely expressed their sentiments
in opposition To it. On account of this
agitation among tie miners, the o
tractors backed our, and it is owing To
their withdrawal from the contract,
and not to the good faith of Mr.. Rick
ards, that the trade dollar motion was
finally killed.
have spoken 10 a previous issue, in
general terms on the contract system
of mining. | will say a few words
relative to this system as carried out in
the Richmond mine. The plan Vas
inaugurated before the present mana
ger got control; however it did not at
tain formidable proportions until very
recently. The old ore contracts were
mostiv in caved ground. To them,
the Uuion made no objections, nor
makes none now, except as TO the man
ner OF letting. Mr.. Richard alleges
that he favors the contract method of
working the mine on ground OF econ
NY IoN ~ u Erittitiifhit ~ fSilON
thai 1t has proven economical in The
past; If he can deny the Statements
here set forth, | shall cheerfully acqui-
esce in his views on the subject. 1t is
we'll known to every man that has
worked in the Richmond mine that
those ore contracts were not open TO
competition; that they We're let pri-
vately and secretly; that they Were all
let t the personal friends or blood re-
lations ofthe Superintendent; thar they
were given to them as favors; that in
n instance where composition was
admitted, the proposal of The low est
bidder Git WAS nearly 80 per cent. less
than the accepted tender) was not ac-
cepted, although the men who made
the proposal were fully as competent
to perform the work as the man whose
bid was accepted; that in another in
stanc the contract was subject for less
than hall the sum paid by the compa-
ny for doing the work; that in many
instances one dollar out of five did
not go TO the men who ran all the risk
incidental to mining in dangerous
ground, bnt was consumed by middle
men, n there is good reason to be-
lieve that the lions share of il went
into the pockets of the coinpany's
officers. If this he economy, IL is of
a kind with which lam unacquainted.
But it is not economy; it is far away
from economy; it is a system OF mining
foreign to Nevada; a system rotten and
corr upt in all its parts.
1t may be asked, "Why the Union
opposes the ore contracts, as long as
the men who work them get four dol.
lars a day?" We have good reasons
for our opposition. The Uuion is be-
~nevolent AS well Al protective. When
a member becomes sick, or receives
such injury as incapacitates him for
work, he is allowed a benefit of ten
dollars a week. The men who work
these ore contracts in dangerous
ground run many risks; they fire.
quently become a burden to the Union;
and il is our duty, as it is our interest,
to make such an arrangement as will
insure to them the full profits of their
labor.
When labor begins to resist the in
cursions of capital and succeeds in
maintaining its just rights, il frequent
ly happens that capital tries to escape
by some side issue. The means of
escape commonly resorted to is the