The White Pine news. [volume] (Treasure City, Nev.) 1868-1906, 1893-08-19
rHE comsTocK PROBLEM.

/, Up to the present time no under
standing has been reached between
the miners and mine owners. Sum
ming up the situation at this time the
Appeal logically treats the subject as
follows:
The mine owners say in defense of
the plan Of reducing miners wages
that the low price of silver and the
general depression in business all over
fhe country has such an effect on the
mining industry that it will not pay
"a q day TO men for extrating the ore.
That more men could be put to work
If the wages were reduced % per
cent.
That the miners are now receiving
what they got years ago when the
Comstock was prosperous and price OF
groceries and family supplies was near
" double what it is now.
That the railroad, the water COM
pany and the mining officers are all
willing to accept the same reduction;
that if the miners do not accede to the
reducing that the mines will be shut
down, some Of them never to open
again.
The miners give their version ofthe
matter as follows: That they have no
assurance that extra men will be put
to work If there is reduction, but IT
they get this assurance in black and
white they would be ready to discuss
the proposition of working at SS 90 a
dav. but no less as the heat in the
lower levels in some places is almost
suffocating, and the labor underground
is always attended with great danger
to human life.
That many of the mines do not pay
over ten per cent of the money ex-
pended for miners. That it goes to
officers salaries and into the pockets
Of men, who are parasiteson the mines
and are holding sinecure positions.
That the talk of low-grade ore Is IN
reality merely blind to cover up
finds of good ore. ST.
That the incubus on the mining IN
dustry. are the milling rings who are
making all the money at the expense
of other branches of the mining IN
dustry.
That the proposed reduction OF offi-
GERS salaries are all on paper.
This in substance gives the two side'
of the situation as read from the min
ers and mill owners standpoint.
The mine-owncrs have sent petit
tion to the Miners Union, to the rail
road company and the water company
outlining the situation, and asking FOL
a 20 per cent. reduction.
The V. & Z. railroad has already
reduced the charge on ore sent to the
river from 50 90 car to go cents, anc
Ycrington announces that the road il
willing to transport ore at a triffe
above cost until the financial pinch Il
/ over.
So far none Of the mine-owners have
met the miners to have a personal
talk. The Appeal believes that q bet
ter understanding of the situation
could be reached by committee Of
conference. The representatives Of
both sides could have good business
talk.
Some Of the Superintendent say
that it would be as much as a mans
life was worth to go into the Miners
Union hall and talk of reduction OF
wages. The Appeal thinks this al
humbug. The miners are law-abidine
people, and would be perfectly win.
ing to meet anybody and talk bust
ness.
Some of the superintendent, how.
ever, are men whom the miners have
no special love for, and for some they
| have the heartiest contempt
They do not consider that they were
treated well when the mine-owners
sent them letter to act on instead d
having a personal talk.
Some Of the miners say that if the
wages are ever reduced they will never
come back. In this case the mine
owners ought to embody proposition
in writing that should silver go up thu
wages will be advanced accordingly,
the old scale of wages to be resumed
with silver at par.