The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-11-06

Part Two Of Special Dispatch to the
Standard.
PRESCOTT. Ariz.. Nov. 5.-Jerome, under
| public-spirited and generous manage
ment, would rapidly take its place in
the front rank Of mining cities of the
country. This sfreezing-out business dam
ages not only Jerome. but the whole
territory. but it is felt particularly
there, where all realize that Mr.. Clark
is directly responsible.
High Freights, of Course.
Another drawback to Jerome, in a
business way, is the excessive freights
charged by Clark's narrow-gauge rail-
way. which connects Jerome with the
Santa Fe line. only 26 miles away. The
company store. of course, has a very
different freight rate from that of other
competitors. There being no other way
Of getting freight in, except by Clark's
road. the few merchants there have to
pay his price. This puts them at
great disadvantage when it comes to
which sets the price on everything. Ac-
cordngly Jerome is not a Mecca for
merchants or legitimate business men.
The wage scale would not be so very
Objectionable to the employees were it
possible to secure the necessities of life
at even fair prices. 1t is Gods truth
that many families do without meat
practically the year round. on account
of the impossible price at which IL is
sold, although the head of the family
be. steady man and earning. say 81. so
a day. The married men of the camp,
monthly house rent to the company and
their store bill. have little or nothing
left. 1t is little better with the econom-
ical single man who lives at the COM
pany's boarding house and rooms In a
company bunk house.
These Are Side Partners.
The saloon and gambling elements
do well because they get what the COM
pany doesn't In fact, there seems to
be a perfect bond of sympathy between
On pay day. Allen. Clark's financial
agent. will head a gang of high rollers
who are also in the company's en-
ploy. and together they make a COM
plete round of the saloons and gambling
houses blowing themselves in. This
stimulates the too-willing miner, who
proceeds to emulate Clark's representa-
tives. with the result that he awakes
next day minus the cash balance with
which he opened business. 1t is not
known whether or not Clark receives a
commission from the saloon men for
this energetic boosting of his hirelings.
But while Allen confines himself to
making money for Clark. Giroux de-
votes his energies to seeing that the
company. which is Clark. never spends
any. Giroux Is much the worse of the
two. He persistently declines to under
take the expense of making either the
mine or the works safe for the en-
ployes.
The Worst of All.
This has always been Clark's policy,
and Giroux executes 1t admirably. Ac-
cidents are of such frequency here that
they create no more excitement than an
ordinary dog fight. The employees know
their danger, but they must work to
live. so they take the chances. Aside
from the usual accidents occurring in
any large mine. the United Verde is
subject to extraordinary and deadly
surface caves-traceable to the close
listed policy Of the company. The ore
Of this great mine extends to within a
few feet of the surface. under the en-
tire site Of the company's works and
the townsite as well. Clark has been
20 greedy to get all the ore within |
reach that. in places. the levels have |
been stopped almost to the grass roots.
On account Of the expense of filling
these dangerous workings with waste,
10 prevent caving. this necessary pre-
caution is not generally taken and /
whole areas remain a menace to the
ives Of those above. Numerous disas-
trous caves have occurred here in the
past few years from no other cause
han as described.
The One In July.
The cave-in attended with the great
st fatality was that of July % last,