Gilpin observer., 1899-06-15

| The State Board of Arbitration has
been called to consider the smelter diff
ficulty.
The government has finally decided
to allow ]. A. Mcintyre to complete
| his contract on the Denver mint.
On the 18th every indication in the
smelter situation pointed to the conclu-
sion that a strike would come within
the next two or three days, and that
the result would be the closing down
of large proportion of the mines of
the state.
Three hundred and fifty employees of
the Denver City Tramway company
will hereafter receive substantial in
crease of wages. The raise will place
the employees of the company on the
same basis as those of Boston, where
street railway employees notably re-
ceive wages better than in most cities
in the country. The new scale adopt
ed is as follows: First year men 1I1a
cents an hour: second year, 20 cents;
third, fourth and fifth year, 81 cents,
and, after the fifth year in the service
of the company, % cents an hour.
Work ON the Denver mint will be re-
sumed Immediately. Secretary Tay-
lor has had n conference with repre-
sentatives of the United States Fidel-
ity and Guarantee company of Balti-
more, Contractor McIntyre's bondsmen
and the First National Bank of Den
yer, one of the creditors. Both of the
concerns promised that the work would
be hurried and they We're told to pro-
ceed with the work. ]. Harvey Nc
Dowell of the Supervising Architects
Office has left for Denver in the in
terest of the treasury department.
Judge Hallett has rendered an opin-
ion in favor of the Mercantaile Trust
company in the Tramway case. BY
his decision the city council of Denver
is restrained from repeating the tram
ways blanket franchise of 1885, inso-
far as the streets occupied by the
tracks of the company are concerned.
The judge denied that the court had
any power to direct the legislation of
the city over any streets except those
occupied by the tramway. He af-
frmed, however, that as in the case at
bar, the irremediable injury would be
worked by the repeal of the franchise;
that the general rule that courts
should not interfere in the action of
municipal bodies and especially not
until the ordinance in question had
been passed, would have to be laid
aside.
The State Federation of Labor ad-
iourned yesterday after electing the
following officers: President, David G.
Coates of Pueblo; first vice president,
Patrick Rooney of Denver; second vice
president, Mrs. A. J. Frincke of Den
yer, secretary, ]. X. Robinson of Den
yer; treasurer. Joy Pollard of Altman;
executive board. Ted Sugrue of Den
yer, John Bawden of Silverton. The
federation will meet at Cripple Greek
next year. The president of the Unit
ed States is included in resolutions
adopted denouncing General Merriam,
calling him n coward and declaring
him responsible for the death of men
in the Wardner bull pen" Only one
man raised his voice in defense of the
government. This was George e. Es-
terling, who begged the convention TO
use some Judgment" He said he IA
vored investigation before passing SEN
tence. Dozens of the delegates hooted
and groaned at his speech.
AS was predicted. the conference be-
tween the State Board of Equalization
and the county assessors came to
naught. The conference adjourned
without reaching any agreement. The
assessors declare that they will not
raise their assessments. 1t is hoped
that the state board will exercise its
power in equaliZing these assessments
by raising the assessments in some
counties which are now too low
Whether the board will take such rad
zeal action along this line Is not known.
In the course of the discussion County
Attorney Cavender of Lake county
stated that the first mortgage bonds of
the Denver 4 Rio Grande railroad
were selling at premium and that the
road was worth $4,000 mile yet it
was assessed at but $1,000. In reply
Governor Thomas stated that consid-
eTing the output of the Cripple Creek
and the fact that one mine alone sold
recently for $10.000,000 the assess
ments were much to low on mining
property as well. The governor has
not decided to call an extra session of
the legislature. but expresses strong
reluctance to do so.
In reply to the denunciations hurled
at him by the State Federation of
Labor, General Merriam, in an inter-
view, says: 1.-The chief bitterness
that has expressed itself, originated
from the fact that the people, and
perhaps the press, fail to realize that
my position was subordinate entirely.
IT was the governors martial law and
the governors campaign to restore
The state functions in the rebellious
county. My function was simply to
maintain order and protect the state
authorities in the discharge of their
duty. / did not make and did not
order n single arrest, nor have l had
anything whatever to do with the
prisoners. except to guard them and
prevent their escape. Their shelter,
support and medical attendance, like
their arrest. was wholly in the con-
troll of the state authorities. The same