, 1896-09-22

promise Of a continued season Of mex
ampled prosperity for the laboring men
and business men of Leadville. There
was a large amount of development
work being done in the hope of reach
ing the rich deposits known to exist at
great depths. and it was certain that
for a long time there would be employ
ment for all who applied.
At the time of the closing of the In
dian minis and the consequent drop
in the price Of silver bullion, it became
evident that it would be impossible for
many of the mines to continue in op-
Grafton at the rate of wages paid-$3
per day-and an agreement was enter
ed into between the miners and man.
ayers, under which the men were to re-
ceive $3.50 per day until silver should
reach SO cents per ounce. The union
was in favor of this, as it was plain that
the attempt to keep up the rate or
wages to 50 per day would result in
closing down a large portion of the
mines. At the same time it was UNDER
stood hal il anything should occur
which would warrant the payment OF
So per day, that amount should be paid
by any property which could afford to
do SO, without interfering with the
main agreement.
Under this agreement work was con-
tinued with scarcely an exception, and
the increased activity in the search for
new deposits resulted in the increase of
the number OF men employed, until
Leadville was, without exception. the
best mining camp in point Of amount
OF labor employed in the state. The
average daily pay roll at the date Of
the Inauguration of the strike was
$1,000. and there was every probability
that this rate Of payment would have
been continued indefinitely, and posi-
bly, increased. as there was a very
strong presumption that a number Of
new properties would commence ship
ping ore during the present season, II
permitted to continue the development
then in progress.
This was the condition Of affairs
when, some time last fall, a man named
Boise arrived from Butte, Mont, cloth
ed with authority to organize a branch
of the Western Federation of Miners,
a body OF men which has acquired such
control Of the labor situation. Every
class of labor in that states is organized
and the whole are almost absolutely
under the control of the Miners Fed
Grafton. Boise had been for some time
one Of the leaders of the federation,
and had been a state senator.
Soon after his arrival at Leadville
he was joined by two Or three other
delegates from Butte. Very little was
said about the object of their visit DUR
ing the winter, but early last spring the
Leadville union became a part of the
Western Federation of Miners, and
early in May the union numbered near
ly 1000 men, comprising almost every
working miner in the district.
In the mean time the rate of wages
agreed upon between the managers and
the miners in 1898 had been gradually
and voluntarily advanced by individual
operators until not less than Is or 10
per cen of the skilled miners were re-
ceiving 50 per day. Some of the pro-
prietors continued to pay the $3.50 per
day agreed upon, but in the most Of
these cases it was because they were
doing no shipping that would warrant
any advance Of wages, being mainly
engaged in developing toward the
heavy body Of ore existing at great
depths.
When. therefore. umo of an i'm
pending strike became prevalent in
May and June, it was not credited. as
there seemed to be no reason for any
strike, inasmuch as skilled miners
found little difficulty in getting 50 per
day. Members Of the union. when ask.
ed about the probability of a strike,
oCOulcu luc lucd. EuDllC t4pcCudllOH
was kept at a fever heat for several
days, and finally on June Is the union
made q demand that the rate of wages
be advanced to 50 per day for all men
employed, including trammers and 9TH
ers not skilled underground men.
The managers In the numerous ION.
ferences that were held called attention
to the fact that the rate Of wages had
been fixed by an agreement made in
1893, and that the majority of the men
were already receiving 50 per day,
while it shold not be expected that men
who did nothing but push tram cars
and shovel ore on the dumps should be
paid az much as skilled miners.
MALONE'S OPINION.
Chicago, Sept. 21.-Rev. Father Ma,
lone Of Denver. who is in Chicago on
a lecture tour said today:
THE result of the Leadville strike
Is deplorable in the extreme. The
aronk h~l,, - -.lon-c ch~,,1l 80 l., 49,.