The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1895-08-03

Falls district The wages current here
are fully upyto the standard OF wages
paid in any portion OF the Lake Superior
district and as high ms orc-market CON
ditions will at present permit.
Adviccs received from Negaunce ON
Tuesday conveyed the following infOrma-
tion in regard 10 the strike situation on
the Marquette range: The decision OF
the strikers here in refusing To visit the
mines at the request OF their employers
WAS a great surprise TO the citizens gener-
ally, and it would not be wondered at II
the companies would now decline TO
make any further concessions to the
men. Ii wns supposed that the strikers
would nt least come out aud hear what
the mine officials would have TO offer,
but a large majority of them seem to
think the move on the part OF the com
panies was wholly to break the plans Of
the well-organized miners union. The
mine officials know nothing about the
union and have thusfar given il but lit
tie consideration. While the strikers
have thusTnr been orderly and wcll-be-
haved, their action with regard to their
treatment of the companies propositions
is being severely criticiscd. The decision
OF the companies To Talk To their own
men seemed to meet the approval OF
those not directly concerned la the strike
as IL WAS certniniy an important step
toward bringing about settlement OF
the difficulty.
As the matter now stands il looks as
though the strike had only begun. The
ter united than at any time since the
l....... rsho f.ral .s.s
of the mines have urged their superior
officers that CONCESSIONS be made the
men, and in several cascs an increase
in the amount paid TO laborers would
have been made August | voluntarily.
The pay of contract miners was being
gradually Increased during the last three
months. The officials here have been
greatly pleased at the excellent conduct
OF the men aud they have reported this
10 HEADQUARTERS with the request thnt
the very best concession possible be al-
lowed Tor the employees. IL is claimed
that II they possessed n correct kuowl-
edge Of the iron ore mining business they
would have accepted the proposition OF
the companies and started TO work.
They are certainly tired of idlencss, and
some months will be required 20 make
up for that which has already been lost.
Il
than meet the wngeB of other orc dis
tricts in this region, and while the adj
vance will not be as great as the men
would like, the companies shy ID viii be
all the business will warrant IN paying.
There is NO denying the TACT that miners
did better last month IN all of the mines
of Ishpeming and Ncgnunec than at any
time in the pnst two years.
A number of women were on guard at
tho mines to see that nome OF the estrikers
went To confer with the officials. The
managers say their offer made on Satur-
day was their ultimatum and have
ORDERED the men paid oil.
IL * thought that the local mine
officials may soon meet again and
decide 60 present their concessions 70
the body al miners as whole
The strikers nc the Champion mine are
being paid on today with the notiIicn-
fion Tint the mine will remain closed for
nm indefinite period. The Champion has
been working on the pillars, ruhbing the
worked out portions Oi the property.
The orr il of the hard variety and has
TO l,o crushed, which adds considerably
10 the expense. aud u s said the mnn-
ncemcnt has had "A difficult time meeting
expenses Tho Champion WIS the first
hnrd ore property IN this region to sns.
pend work some three years ago. II was
unable 90 mine ore NJ y profit Tor some
time before the panic struck this fcction
in 1898 The strikers here ARE holding
another big demonstration today.
The result ~ The strike on the Mar
qucttc range Will probably be total
suApcnuion Of operations IN the mines Of
that tliAtrlct The mon are being paid
ofinnd long scuson ~ idlcncss seems Co
he IN store for them. While they have
dencnncd themselves in an orderly man
ncr, the strikers seem to ise noiudgncnt
In the matter ~ wnges which the com
panics nfc able 20 pny under existing
contracts, and the companies are not
disposed 10 mine ore at o loss simply