The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1885-11-07
SEMI WEEKLY MINER.
BUTTE. NOVEMBER z, 1886.
From Thursdays Daily.
LITTLE PIPESTONE TROUBLES
An Explanatory Card From William
C. Lee.

Relative to the employment of Chinese
labor by VIM. G. Lee, who is the owner Of q
mine and mill on the Little Pipestone, of
which mention has been made in The
MINER, that gentleman sends the following
card. In the interest OF fair play it is
given space:
LITTLE PIpEsroNE, November 2, 1885.
Seeing my name used conspicuously in
your paper in connection with this camp
and Chinese labor without my knowledge
or consent, and believing it due to myself
and the public that the facts as they exist
should be known, l ask the use OF your
columns. First, fortunately or unfortun-
ately, we W q gold mine close, also q
mill for reduction of it's ores. Our mill ha
lain idle three-fourths OF the time since it's
erection for the want of ore to run on. l
have used white labor, paid highest price
going by the day, and by contract 50 per
ton on the dump. White labor by theday
would not pay expenses and live. Ny ex-
p~erience with white labor by the day and
by contract has been a failure; l have
found them as a class uncertain. To keep
my mill running and develop my mines and
furnish ore, 1 was compelled to use
cheap laborers. 1t offered itself in the form
OF Chinese laborers. 1 accepted, made
contract. and they are keeping mill
running steady day times ever since they
started work. A huge cry was raised. The
Chinese must 60. An article in your paper
dated October oath (Chance for Troub!e,)
is made up-some is true, balance ID lies.
Meeting true, was called. l had no INVITA-
ton. Hearing accidentally OF a meeting
last week l attended. A true situation OF
our affairs was given to the company and
discussed. We asked four months time
with Chinese labor to get our business
affairs in shape and pay our debts. Then
we would let the Chinese out in full. They
were only willing to grant twenty days. we
refused. / proposed to give them rjne dol
lars per ton, six ton per day. three dollars
with Chinese. l ask a bond to secure us
against any loss that we might sustain Tor
nonfulillment of contract, amount OF bond
not agreed upon at the meeting. For the
benefit OF poor men who are coming to me |
every day and to save expense to them, l
will say, I require a bond OF two thousand
dollars; said bond to be approved by the
First National Bank OF Butte. l know and
10 do good miners know that there
is no wages for white men at 50 per ton on
the dump. When this agreement is COM
plied with, if done in a reasonable time, l
shall stand by it. We are laboring men, no
money in banks or our wife's name, and
neither do we displace white labor by Chi
nese labor, for the situation is thls-shut
the mill and mine down, stop deyelop-
ment, or do as we have lone and are doing.
If we suffer financially from the acts OF
others not interested in our business, we
shall hold them responsible and, if neces-
sary, shall call upon our law makers for
that protection which is guaranteed to
every citizen OF the United States doing
business in a legitimate way. We propose
to live in peace, good will to all; to man.
age our business as we see fit and proper;
to consult lone but the parties interested;
to use physical strength and all the intelli-
gence we can command, and not main force
and ignorance to back it as they claim they
will do with the Cinnamon to get them out
OF camp. 1 nave made my home here and
shall stay here and shall mine as l see fit
and proper SO long as I am doing injury to
none, but trying to benefit self as well as
the camp. WILLIAM c. LEE.