The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-08-07
(special TO The Herald.l

9dTh 0liN, aug
Chambers received an order today by
wire from the president and directors
of the company, to close down the On
tario and DAILY mines as soon as they
can be placed in condition to close
which viii be about two weeks. Work
will be suspended on the drain tunnel,
which is now within less than 100 feet
of DAILY No. 1 shaft.
The force at the Ontario is being
gradually reduced each day, more than
so men having been laid of up to the
present time, and this will continue
until the property is completely closed
down. Dead work and prospecting
have been discontinued and the levels
will not be extended any further but
ore will be taken out for several days.
The closing of the DAILY has already
been announced in The Herald, small
force being retained to place the mine
in condition to close.
II was hoped to continue the opera
ton OF the mine as long as 40-ounce
ore could be produced, with silver at
60 cents, it being calculated that the
property could be made TO pay ex-
penses at that figure, but the decline
in the price of silver within the last
few days renders the operation of the
mine very Improbable, and necessi-
tates closing down.
The saving by the recent reduction
in wages is a very small item COM
pared to the total running expenses,
which consists chiefly OF supplies and
other expenses outside the labor of the
miners.
The Ontario mill and also the Marsac
viii continue to run until the supply
of ore now on hand is exhausted. which
may take until about Sept. l.
A DARK OUTLOOK.
The closing of the Ontario and DAILY
mines and mills makes the future Of
Park City look verk dark. For years
the Ontario mine has employed. over
500 men ard the Daily mine more than
200, while the number on the payrolls
of the Ontario and Marsac mills will
exceed 1870. making a total of $50 hands
employed by these two mining COM
panies.
Besides the properties at Park City
the companies have operated the Weber
coal mines at Coalville, giving employ
ment to from so to $50 men. The com
panies have also sustained many saw
mills, as the mines used a great deal
of mining timbers and employed a
horde of teamsters to carry the lumber
from the sawmills to the mines. All
of these operations made a fine mar
ket for farm and ranch products, such
as beef, grain, hay and so forth, for
which cash was always paid.
THOUSANDS AFFECTED.
Several thousands of people will feel
the closedown directly and indirectly. /
There are many workmen here who
have families living in Nevada, Cali I
fornia and even in the east, and il is /
perhaps not an exaggeration to state
that each man contributes to the sup /
port of at least five people.
To the business men the closing will [
prove a hard blow, for their prosperity
depends on the payroll of the mines
and mills. II fact, everyone is de-
pendent on the mining industry and
the result OF the shutdown VIII be dis
astrous to Park City.
The Silver King will now be the only
mine employing a large force of men.
To no one attached to the Ontario
company is the closing Of operations
more regretted than by Superintendent
Chambers, who exported the mine near
ly % years ago and who has been SUI
perintendent ever since, having seen
it become the greatest producer in
Utah. with total production of nearly
$si.oOO.OG0 and dividend record of $1S.-
1895. 600.