The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-06-22
Southern Utah Men Meet Death at
De Lamar.
SCORE OF YOUNG WIDOWS
WANT DAMAGES FROM CA1TAIN
DE LAMAR.
Judge Rives, the Captains Attorney,
Says the Men Are to Blame-Ev-
cry Precaution Is Taken to Pro-
tect Their Health-Work Too
Long Without Rest.

The dust in the De Lamar mill at De
Lamar, New, is reported to be killing
off the employees by the wholesale.
Washington county are said TO have
lost their husbands during the past
few months as a result of their en-
ployment at that plant and consequent
exposure to what has recentlv been
termed the deadly dust arising from
the Griffin mills there in operation.
The latest victim reported is Frank
Carter of st. George, who died on the
10th, and, according to K. c. Lund, who
was seen yesterday, some six or eight
women in st. George alone are now
widows through the same cause. In
the case of Carter an autopsy was de-
cided upon, to determine what effect
the dust had on the lungs, and it re-
suited in statement by the physicians
who conducted the examination, to the
effect that one lung was entirely
clogged up with dust, and the air cells
encaSed in a tiSSuouS substance which
completely destroyed the functions of
that organ; the other lung was fast
approaching the same condition when
death relieved the sufferer.
Hearing that a movement was on
foot to seek financial relief from Cap
tain De Lamar by the relatives of the
men who had thus lost their lives,
Judge Henry Rives, the captains at
torney, was asked what he knew of
the matter, and what cause there was
for action against the management of
the mill.
Judge Rives' Statement.
Il am fully aware" said he, that the
dust in the De Lamar mill is claimed
to be responsible for the death of some
of the men who have been employed
there, and L am also aware that a num-
Der of suits for damages have been
threatened, but the fact that no suit
has ever yet been prosecuted is good
evidence that no reasonable grounds eX-
ist for such action
THE dust Itself is practically free
from all poisonous substances. 1t con-
tains no arsenic, barely a trace of lead
and copper, and is the cleanest dust
imaginable. On account of the values
in gold which it contains, every effort
is made to save it. Long chambers
have been constructed, with strong
drafts attached, to draw it in; the
Griffin mills are all supplied with can
vas hoods to confine it, and every man
who has to work near or in it is sup
piled free with wet sponges to wear
above his mouth and nostrils, to pro-
tect him against its inhalation.
The Fault of the Men.
1.-The fault lies with the men them
selves. Anyone at all familiar with
the operation Of quartz mills knows
that men who value their health have
no business to work month in and
month out in places where they are
constantly exposed to the dust which
arises in spite of every care which can
be taken to prevent it, especially where
ten and twelve-hour shifts prevail.
AT the plant in question Captain De
Lamar pays a high scale of wages
from SO to Sc day-and 1 attribute
most of the trouble arising from the
dust to the fact that men stay with
their jobs too long at q stretch. Their
positions would in no wise be in danger
should they take a lay-Off occsaiOE-
ally, but most of them appear to be
too avaricious to protect their health,
and, as they are all free agents, it is
their own concern.
A Remedy Suggested.
Il believe it would relieve the situa-
ton greatly if a shorter shift system
could be adopted, but as that would
necessarily reduce the wage scale some
what. the men appear not to want it.
Captain De Lamar is most liberal
with and thoughtful for the health,
comfort and safety of his employees.
All of his miners are insured against
accident, but, of course. it IS impossible
and impractical BILE TO insure the mill
men against dust so l hardly know
What can be done, unless the men them
selves pay less attention TO the amount
they earn and more to their health. No
man can be compelled to work at the
mill. and no one can say them nay
when they want to quit, and under
those conditions and the precautions
taken TO make their work as pleasant
as possible, ! cannot see where they
nave any grievance against the De La
mar company"