Durango semi-weekly herald., 1901-05-06


In quit work. Oncials at the nine
report that no demands were maAs.
and it is inferred that the occasion -
the men quitting was the refusal'-cf
the company to accede to the dematdn
made week or ten days ago. The
following letter. which seems to
need no comment. was received BY
last nights mail from the Denver fof.
flee of the company:
''' DENVER. April 20. 1901.
ITO the Editor of the Telluride Jour
nal, Telluride. Colo:
| "'DEAR SIR: In view of the strike
against the Smuggler- Union Mining
company's properties, which No. ~.
| Western Federation Of Miners. pro
poses to inaugurate unless certain de-
mands made by 1t are conceded by
| the Smuggler-Union management, we
believe 1t well that the Telluride COM
munity be definitely informed of the
| position taken by the owners Of tae
Smuggler-Union properties.
In May, 1899. the New England
Exploration company purchased the
controlling interest in the SmuggIer-
Union Mining company. and has since
purchased in the interest Of this COM
| pany the Sheridan and Mendoza prop
critics, the Humboldt claim. the New
port placer and valuable water rights.
1t has also purchased recently the
Contention mines. and holds options
on number of other properties In
the Telluride and adjoining districts.
As bearing upon the demands
Il 1,, tIA
can positively be asserted:
THAT since the Inauguration of
the existing system of breaking ore
by contract. the average wage earn
ed by men working under this system
has exceeded SO per day.
That no effort Is made by the
management to induce men to work
more than eight hours per day.
That more men apply for ore
breaking contracts than can be given
employment.
That within the limits of the to-
tai force employed. men can secure
work on days pay If contract work
is not acceptable to them
That the Smuggler- Union mines
can be operated at profit only under
the most economical management. and
that the system of breaking ore by
contract effects important economies.
That the management has never
Disseminated against the employment
of union labor.
If 1t Is the sense OF the Telluride
community that the employer and en-
ploye may not voluntarily enter into
| contracts, and that an armed force
OF masked men may drive from q COM
pany's properties men who desire to
| work under the existing conditions.
the New England Exploration COM
pany certainly proposes to make no
additional investments. and is forced
to regret the investments already
| made in the Telluride district. and
will not carry out its plans for enlarg-
| ing the operations of the Smuggler.
| Union mines.
| 1T is the belief OF the present man.
| agement that the Union
properties can be operated at a profit
only under the present working sys-
TEN, and 1t will close the mine rather
than abandon this system. Yours
very truly,
1.-THE NEW ENGLAND ExPLoRA.
TION co.
by BULKELEY WELLS.
| 'Vice-President.'
"If the advice of the Journal ever
had value or its comment effect In
these promises. the time has passed
for these things. and this papers sole
duty Is now performed when It gives
to the public the news from day to day
concerning the progress Of the con-
troversy. without comment or criti-
cism. Having the welfare OF the COM
munity at heart we cannot but regret
the situation. believing 1t to be ill-ad-
vised and confident that 1t will occa-
sion serious and lasting injury.
Last week the following CORES
pondence passed between the officers
OF the Miners union and the ofncers
Of the Smuggler-Union. This will ex-
plain why this big property Is forced
to suspend. Here are the letters:
| TELLURIDE, April >23. 1901.
ITO the Manager of the Smugsler-
\ Union Mining Co.:
Gentlemen: The is to Miners
union respectfully submit for your con-
sideration the following plan for the
adjustment of the differences existing
between the union, In behalf Of the
employees OF the Smuggler-Union. and
the management of said mine:
"'Ihat all contractors who work
longer than a period Of ten days shall
receive at least SO per day for the
time employed.
THAT the mine recognize the right
of this union to act in behalf Of the
employees in all differences arising
between the management and said
employees.
"'V. ST. JOHN. President"
40 this the company. through its
manager. replied as follows:
TELLURIDE. April 25. 1901.
"'Mr. v. st. John
"'DEAR SIR: We are obliged for
the suggestion as to contracts con.
tanned in your letter Of the 23d, but
-