Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1885-03-21

an Ola uulsm Fire Brand-The 9th.
er Side as Seen by Wood River
Miner.
lSalt Lake Tritune
TIL. news from Wood River indi.
Gates that the trouble there between
the Miners Union and the owners Of
tho Queen OF the Hills is not yet end.
ed. Yesterday Tribune reporter
interviewed Judge Hunter, J. G.
Conklin and Boyd Park, the chief
owners and directors Of the Queen,
for the purpose of ascertaining their
side Of the difficulty.
MIR. coNKL1N,
Who answered the most Of the cues.
tons, said: at has cost us $l5O,O0O
to put the mine in its present shape,
so that it can be worked. This was
for prospecting, opening, timbering
and other dead expense. Bearing this
fact in mind, it costs US $40 per ton
to mine and put in marketable shape
every ton of ore we send to market.
About oue ton in ten is first. class ore,
while the other nine, carrying 10 to
Is per cent. of lead and about Is
ounces of silver, have to be concent-
rated into one ton of ore before it can
be shipped. The first.class ore runs
IS to o. ounces of silver and 65 to rs
per cent. lead, while the concentrates
carry about the same per cent of lead
aud Is to IS ounces of silver. To put
our orc in shape costs $40 per ton;
$40 freight to Denver; $lS.25 to smelt
it.; 81 for sampling and assaying, and
80 cents to get it from the concen-
traitor TO the railroad; or in all, 1872
per ton. You see, therefore, that we
have just about the lead to pay inter
est on our money, keep up repairs and
prosecute the work of development
and prospecting. The Miners Union
has been circulating tho report that
the mine paid in dividends last year
$l5O,OOo, and two dividends already
in 1885, which is not true. One div
idend of $4,000 was declared this
year, and that was the only dividend
ever paid. That, however, was de
c!ared before this trouble commenced
or it would not have been declared
All the outside stockholders have
been paid this, but the principa
shareholders have not drawn theirs
and will not do so. In short, the
company cannot pay miners 81 PEI
day and make any money. 1t ha.
come to this with us a reduction o
wages, or the closing of the mine"
JUDGE HUNTER
Said "The papers on the river, will
one exception, have all opposed til.
mcthols rcsorted to by the Union t.
keep up the price Of wages, and have
presented, in many well-written arti
scles. the facts which Mr.. Conklin ha
reiated, showing that reduction il
wages must be made in order to keel
ahs mines running. Mr., Conkli'
omitted to state that the reduction il
the price of metals since last fall ha
decreased the market value of tn
Queen ore fully sl5 per ton. Blu
such is the case. Another point to b
considered as against the justice an
reason of the Unions claims. is tina
diving in Wood River is quite a
cheap as in Salt Lake, or in any min
ing camp in the country. This come
from the fact that goods are now lai
Alown in HALEY from the East at tn
same fraght rates as they are in th
city, While the market is glutted wit
home raised vegetables aud provision.
There is no sense, therefore, in tn
present depression of prices and {
business generally, in paying Woo
River miners 81 per day, when in otl
rr Idaho camps they are getting onl
$500, in Colorado only IS, in Arizo,
%, in Utah $3.50 to So, and in MOI
tana IS. 1t is true, on the Con.s,oc
in Nevada, the Onion exacts and ce
81 per dav. hut because of this ii
mining industry in that State is dea
whereas if reasonable reduction
thc price of wages were made, ma,
properties could be opened ar
worked az profit But no; a fe
miners oh y are employed. and the id
ones go running around from can