The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-05-07
The CRISIS At HAND.
The Trouble in the Cnur d'Alenes
Said TO Be Coming to
a Focus.
Mine Owners Now Say They VIII
Not Employ q Member
Of the Union.
The Impression GsnsrAi That Thousands
Of Men VIII He Imported to
Work In tho Mines.

WARDNER, Idaho, May 4.--[Special. mo
authentic announcement has been given of
tbs probable action OF the mine owners, bus
it seems TO be understood that some radical
move will BE- made III a fsw days, and d
vague uneasinezs seems to pervade all
classes in contemplation of size conse-
quences. The actions Of ths mine owners
up to the present time have been that of u
programme we'll prepared long ago. It was
their avowed intention to break up the
strength Of the union so far as it interfersd
with the ratio Of waR paid carmen and
shovelers. They knew exactly the strength
Of the union. and In the event that no men
in this section could be had to 10 into the
mines without the sanction OF the union,
they had arrangements already made to get
men who would. and they have now got to
that part of the programme whore they
publicly announce that they will not en-
ploy union men at any price, and that they
will start up their mines in a few weeks in
dependently of the nnion and regardless Of
consequences. It begins to look now as il
they would carry out the programme to the
last act. During the time since the shut
down q great deal of necessary improve
ments and preparations have been going on
in the mines that will employ the most
mon. and therefor were not ready for any
decisive action. These Improvements are
nearing completion, and the air is full Of
rumors Of the mine owaers' inten-
ton to bring in q large force
Of men. This the owners tacitly admit is
true. Contingent to these improvements
are excellent opportunities to put those
men at work. A number Of short pieces Of
railroad are to be built, and il is said to be
the intention to first put these men to work
on them, and thensQradually into the mines.
II is plain that il is not the intention Of the
owners Of these mines to let them lie idle
any longer than till these improvements
can be completed. ARreat deal of money
is being expended for that purpose. and
every indication points TO some Immediate
action. .:A@ ~ s
The Bunker Hill and Sullivan will employ
about 500 men, and the difference between
Of more Importance to the owners than to
any other company in, the district, for the
reason that they will employ more carmen
and shovelers to the proportion of miners.
The mine is in such shape as to admit of a
gteat many machine drills being used, and
these are what the miners fear. Only a
few machine men will be considered miners,
the rest 1nuckers and Rrmen The affairs
of this company and the condition of it's
mines have not been in shape to be oper-
ated for some time to any advantage, and
loss on account of the controversy with the
union. A very serious and important liti-
cation concerning title to valuable
contingent inter ests to the prop
eerty was pending and seriously
nave been recently settled up. Their
means Of carrying the ore from the mine to
the mill was by tramway. which did not
work satisfactorily or up to it's guaranteed
capacity, and it is still in the hands Of the
manufacturers. who, for the last two
months. have been making such alterations
sary. These improvements are now about
completed, n there is considerable work
on the part of the managers of the mine
that indicates a start-up. Considerable re-
pairs on the mill have been made. and a
contract let to put the machinery in a new
mill. But whether or not the tramway
can be operated up to the capacity guaran-
teed by the manufacturers, it is not capa-
BILE of carrying the amount of ore required
to supply the mill when its capacity is in
creased by the new One, and in order to do
30, q railroad will have TO pc built, and the
COMPANY " A0SO phtSy IA oNt VOyOA1 Ala
the field locating a line from tho mine TO
the mill. A gentleman we'll acquainted
with the affairs of the and who Ia
himself a member of the Mine Owners as
ISOLATION. said that it was the intention of
the association to bring in a large number
of men and put them to work on this piece
of road, and from there into the mines as
they needed them. Thu plan seems FEAST
BILE and probable. The report of the in
tended building Of the rond was at first re-
garded as a sort of 'blutI." but enough has
been lone to show that it is serious and
we'll meant, and that the road il \ neces-
sity. This will DO the occasion Of bringing
into the country a large force of mon over
whom the union will have but little CON
troll, and at better wages than they have
been accustomed to getting. Then, and
not till then, will tho conflict between the
Mine Owners association and the Miners
union begin, and the issue be sguarely met.
Up to the present time there really has
been no controversy. III mine owners
have simply been awaiting the maturing of
plans. and whatever discussion there has
been was simply a little parleyinR between