The DeLamar nugget. [volume] (DeLamar, Idaho) 1891-1900, 1899-05-05
Trouble in the Ceur d'AIenes.

history; when the great mineral dis
coveries in Idaho county we're attract
ing capital to purchase and develop
them; when railroad companies are
lcrowding each other to be first into the
new districts; when the great Seven
Devils copper district is promising to
be speedily developed; when sturdy
and industrious immigrants and home
seekers have begun to come into the
state in greatly increasing numbers,
another disastrous war has broken out
in the C9ur d'Alenes. 1t is very un-
| fortunate as well as disgraceful affair,
and condition of affairs now exists in
Shoshone county which, however
quickly it may be settled, is going to be
great blot on the name of Idaho and
cost the state vast amount of money
and seriously retard its development.
| AS fair statement as we can make
of the history of the troubles in that
northern county is as follows:
In 1892, when the trouble began there,
the mine owners formed an association
about the same time the miners refused
| to submit to cut in their wages and
when the trouble began it was a diff
cult matter to tell which was the meaner
gang. The mine owners association,
while ostensibly making an effort to
protect each other, were many of them
standing in with the Union meanwhile
| making show of trying to defeat them
and the association sent to California
and imported from there lot Of dagos
and brought on war which resulted
in the loss of number of li7es and the
destruction of much valuable property,
and the trouble was only ended after
the state militia had all been called out
and efforts supplemented by company
of U. S. soldiers. A treaty Of peace
was finally patched up and scale of
wages agreed upon, which the mine
owners agreed to raise when certain
advance was made in the price of lead
or silver.
In the meantime number of changes
were made in the ownerships of the
mines, and the Standard Oil people
became the owners of the Bunker Hill
and Sullivan properties and they and
the Last Chance owners, both proper
ties at Wardner, refused to recognize
the Miners Union end employed scab
labor. Matters have run along in this
way for long time, and lead having
advanced in price materially, and the
Unions at the other mines having grown
stronger and having induced many of
the miners employed in Wardher to
join the Union, made a demand for a
restoration Of wages and recognition
of the Union. The superintendent of
the Bunker Hill and Sullivan mines
promptly responded that the wages
would be restored, but that the mine
would be closed down for twenty years
before the Miners Union would be
recognized. The most of the Union
men then left, but the next day seized
train at Wallace, picked up the Union
miners along the road, and bringing
with them 5000 pounds of giant powder
came to Wardner and blew up the
Bunker Hill & Sullivan mill One of
the Union men was shot and killed,
presumably by his comrades, and one
or two citizens were wounded. Tele
grams were sent to the governor in
Boise, who at the time was ill and in
bed, who at once dispatched the Presi-
dent asking that troops be sent from
the nearest available point to protect
the people and property.
The Ceur d'Alene mines produce
about 80 per cent of the lead mined in
the United States, and the concentrates
produced by them are in big demand
by the smelters, for 6uX for other
ores. Should the supply from the
Bunker Hill and Sullivan be cut off
indefinitely, it would materially in
crease the value of the product of the
other mines, matter which the owners
uhNe ny uo lleduS ofsIIookeu. ror
years the mine owners in that district,
while ostensibly united under the name
of the "Mine Owners Association" have
never hesitated to stab one another in
the back when an opportunity was
presented. 1t is safe to wager, could
the truth be found out, that the Union
men have been egged on to commit this
last outrage. The trouble in 1892 had
just such backing. The Standard Oil
Co., has world of money and may not
suffer if it keeps its threat to remain
closed for twenty years before it will
submit to the dictation of the Union,