Gilpin observer., 1899-08-03
SCALE Is TOO HIGH.
SHELTER MANAGERS SAY THEY
CANNOT PAY IT.
Statement Issued In Which 1T is Claimed
Thas the Smclters Have Been Discrim-
mated Against.

Denver. Aug. 2.-Manager Grant this
afternoon, backed by the operating
committee, declares that the smelters
cannot resume operations under the
scale recommended yesterday. The
committee has issued what is practic-
ally an ultimatum. which would indi-
cate that the company is not 'blufiing"
i'll its persistence III keeping the works
closed down. The following letter
was prepared for publication as the
final statement of the managers to-
day:
Denver. Aug. TO the Editor of
the Times: The decision of the board of
arbitration cannot be accepted by the
American Smelling and Refining Com
pany, because it is unreasonable and
unjust. The board has undertaken ar
Ditrarily to interfere with the indus
trial conditions in Colorado in such Il
way which cannot fail, if persisted in,
to bring about great hardship to the in
dustries already established and TO
surely prevent new industries from
establishing themselves here.
We do not believe there is a single
industry in Colorado employing TWEEN
ty-five men or more that has advanced
its scale of wages above the scale
which prevailed before the panic of
1893.
Have the wages of the miners of
this state been advanced above the
scale which prevailed before the panic
of 1893?
Have the wages of the railway en-
ployes been advanced above the seals
which prevailed before the panic of
1893?
Hnvn fha w nf ha Two, nj stnpl
workers been advanced above the scale
that prevailed before the panic of 1898?
Have the wages of the Tramway en-
ployes in Denver been advanced above
the scale which prevailed before the
panic of 1898?
Mr.. Byers can probably answer thi,
question.
Have the wages of the horseshoers
been advanced above the scale that eX-
listed before the panic of 1893?
Mr.. Kenehan. who is president of
their union, can answer this question.
Have the wages of the great army of
clerks and statesmen in the business
houses of this state been advanced
above the scale which prevailed before
the panic of 1893?
And yet the smelling industry.
which. together with mining, is the
cOTlleTStOUe OF InlS SIuIp prosperity,
is singled out from all others and or
dered arbitrarily to advance the wages
of its employees 10 per cent. above the
high scale which existed before 1S:3.
and which was voluntarily restored by
this company June /, 1890. just before
the strike. The fact is there is moth
ing in the industrial situation of this
state which would justify this great in
crease in our wage scale. which. ac-
cording to the recommendation of the
board of arbitration. would he over 20
per cent. more than had been paid in
our business with entire satisfaction to
our employees from 1893 until June /.
1890.
This action of the board in advOcat-
ing 10 per cent. advance above the
1892 scale will tend to cause discomfort
among industrial workers in other
lines. who will naturally demand the
same advance. The board having cs-
tablishcd the precedent in our case.
must do the same for them. or all
the great industries of this state the
mining industry can least afford to
make such an advance in wages as the
board has recommended.
If any one believes the smelling
charge ON ores can he arbitrarily ad-
vanced - cents or 81 per ton. let him
consult any of the great low-gradc
miners of Gilpin county. Leadville.
Aspen and the San Juan. and they will
say mt once that such an advance
would cut of more than 60 per cent. OF
the tonnage of those districts.