The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-11-05


though not up to the Montana scale.
would. perhaps. be satisfactory. were
1t possible to secure necessities at liv-
ing prices. In one way or another,
about 1000 men are employed.
The company maintains its own
boarding and bunk houses and owns
about all Of the dwelling and business
houses. Rents are unreasonabiy high,
averaging considerably more than at
Phoenix. the metropolis of the terri
tory. All nationalities are employed.
but Mexicans predominate Clark's
representatives here are ]. L. Giroux.
superintendent. and II. j. Allen, finan-
cial agent The former is the respon-
sible man and is extremely unpopular,
carrying to the uttermost Clark's dis
tasteful policy and being entirely de-
void Of any regard for the safety or
welfare OF the employees. The mine has
long been unsafe. many fatal accidents
occurring every year from caving,
which could be prevented by filling
stoped-out ground with waste, but the
management has steadily declined to
take this precaution, except where the
company's interests were endangered,
the safety of the miners lives never
having been an incentive to undertake
any expense.
This Is really one of the greatest
grievance the people have in Jerome,
understanding the situation as they
do. The smelter is no less dan
gerous than the underground work.
ings, scarcely a month passes with
out serious casualty. due dl-
rectly to the company's disregard for
the safety of life. The company hos
pital is always filled with manned and
disabled employees. The town has
burned down about once a year for the
past three years. owing to inadequate
water supply.
The water is controlled exclusively by
the company. which has so far found it
cheaper to rebuild its lumber shacks
than to improve the water system,
which is ample to protect the company
works. Insurance rates range from 10
to 25 per cent. so residents have no
protection whatever.
Clark Sells the whiskey.
The man who works at Jerome has
to do as the Clark management orders
He must buy what he wants OF the
company, down to his tobacco and his
whiskey. He has to patronize the COM
pany's barber and. IL he is an average
laborer, he sleeps in a company bunk
that is slovenly kept. The company
gets back the bulk Of the mems
money.
The people OF Arizona have every
reason to entertain a feeling of hos
tility toward the ownership at Jerome.
Clark Is without favorable standing in
the territory for the reason that his
policy has been one of intense selfish
ness. Had it not been for his freezing
out tactics. Jerome to-day would easily
be the largest town in the Southwest.
There are mountains of mineral there.
but, so far, no other company but
Clark's has been able to make head
way. He contests and fights every ad-
joining company or miner. He never
buys out a neighboring operator. but
does what his man Giroux calls bully
doing" them. In most instances 1t has
resulted in the neighbor being forced
to give up his promising claim. a PEN
niless miner. to wander in search of a
better field. while his claim lies idle
under the surveillance OF Clark's
henchmen. Instead Of dozens operating
mines which would give employment
to thousands OF men, Jerome has but
the United Verde and Clark proposes to
keep II so.
One of Many Cases.
The most striking Instance of Clark's
attitude toward rival mining operators
is that of the John Duke group, four
miles from Jerome. These claims have
been noted for years for their marvellous
richness. experts even contending that
they excelled that OF the United Verde.
John Duke. the locator. had the group
satisfactorily developed at the time that
Clark bought the United Verde. He
also hoped to sell to Clark. but a mis-
understanding as to price arose Then
a contest developed over boundaries,