Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1888-03-26

company might have been guessed
from a glance at the directorate Of
the New Oscar Mine. Two-thirds OF
the board of that most brilliant fail
ure are now on the board Of the
Alturas. This explains a great deal"
"1'he FIRST conspicuous result OF the
reconstruction Of the Alturas board
has been the resignation of Mr..
Leech. The directors would have
the shareholders believe that Mr..
I.eech left the mine because he got a
better offer to go elsewhere, but it is
nonsense. Mr.. Leech gave up his
connection with Alturas because he
was unduly interfered with and taken
to task by body of men who knew
nothing of mining arrangements.
Mr.. Lcech's services we're surely con-
spicuous enough to have satisfied any
reasonable board that he was best left
alone. The Alturas board is not
reasonable, and therefore cannot be
judged by ordinary standards. A
resignation which followed Mr..
I.eech's was that Of the chief clerk
at the mine, which has not yet been
announced by the directors. This
off ial united the functions of book
keeper and assayer of bullion. For
his clerical work he received a fixed
salary, and for refining the bullion,
sometimes amounting to $4,000 a
month, he was paid $50 a month.
The directors grumbled at this pay
ment, and the useful official who com.
bined such important duties in his
person has resigned. So, too, has the
millman, an officer of experience and
ability, and the underground man
ager has likewise left. Of these re.
signations no notification has been
, made by the directors. 1t is quite
anticipated that the greater part Of
the mining staff will go off in a body
for Mr.. I.eech was so popular among
the employees that |! they can link
their fortunes with his again
they will not scruple to leay.
Alturas to take care Of itself
What have the directors done to sup
ply these vacant places? They have
as stated in circular of the 5,l
inst, appointed Mr.. Eddy as manager
and have dispatched to the mine
Financial agent" and a cashier, tn
two latter having the recommends
zion of being "personally known t.
:. the board" Precisely so. Mr.. Haw
kins, the cashier, is personal frien,
of one of the directors, and Mr.. Whit
taker, the financial agent is I
brother Of the director of the sam
name. The place Of the clerk wh'
kept the books and refined the bullion
, and whose salary was grudged, i
taken by two friends Of the directors
, This is economy indeed. At who's
expense do these two directorial pro
teges and their wives travel to Idaho
and how much more will the share
holders have to pay for their service
than for those of the one competen
officer who was practic ally elbowe.
out?'
"The follies are aggravated by tn,
fact that the mine itself is in rattle
an awkward position. The ore of
good quality has run out in the work
, ings so far operated, and before it ca,
. be worked again All expensive al
shaft must be constructed. This will
occupy at least three months, during
which time there will be no return.
of bullion. The only men who knew
the mine thoroughly, and who's.
knowledge would have enabled tn,
company to obtain continuous yield
have been driven out by the unut,er
5 allie stupidity of the directors, VIII,
have thus turned a valuable mine III
, to temporarily unproductive prop
, erty. Moreover, the board has barei,
I saved itself from still create
> calamity. So far back as June, 1887
? the directors were strongly advised b.
MIR. Leeeh to bny an adjoining prop
erty, into which the lode was running
This they failed to de-, and the new
5 board was equ.lly short.sishted, un
til they ran the risk OF having to stoi
operations altogether Or to engage it
. litigation in Idaho for taking ORE