The copper era., 1903-06-04
A BIG STRIKE NOW ON.
Mines, Shelters and Concentrators
Closed Down.

last legislature, went into effect Mon
day last.
on Sunday the Arizoua Copper
company and the Detroit Copper Min
ing company. posted notices that on
the following day they would pay all
underground miners uine hours time
at the old scale for eight hours work.
This proposition was in effect to adj
just the loss under the new law
equally between the companies and
the men. but the proposition was not
accepted by the men, and on Monday
morning the New England, Standard
and the Stevens companies were the
only ones working in the district. Tie
New England company i doing its de-
velopmeut work mostly with machines
and was working only eight hours any
way. The Standard has also been
working eight hour shifts on ore,
and the Stevens company i
developing under contract work
hence neither OF these companies
we're affected by the new law.
The Shannon had been paying %
cents per day less than the other COM
panies, and offered to continue the
same rate with their men under the
new 8-hour law, but the men quit
work.
The Coronado company was doing
its development work under contract,
which was not affected by the law, but
the ERA is informed that the camp
was visited by a large delegation of
miners from Metcalf, who requested
that the men knock of. and the re-
quest was at once complied with.
The ERA Is also informed that the
miner, at Metcalf refused to allow the
trainmen to draw ore from the bins.
hence the supply Of ore on hand was
exhausted Monday night, and the
smelters and concentratOrs closed down.
The Shannon smelter and concen-
! traitors closed down Monday noon.
Between twenty-five hundred and
three thousand men are now out of en-
plOyment in the entire camp.
As to when the differences between
the men and the companies will be
adjusted is Il problem that cannot be
solved at the present time.
This is the first serious strike TO oc-
cur in this district. and it would not
have occurred but for the new S-hour
law, as previous to that time the men
as class were fairly well satisfied.
The scale of wages for miners in this
district has been slightly under that
of some Of the other camps Of the ter
ritcry, but the mines are dry, cool and
well ventilated and the conditions gen.
orally more favorable that in most
camps.
The companies operating here are
inclined to be as liberal as those of
other sections, but the mines as a
whole are low grade, the entire ton
the great bulk OF it goes less :han
} per cent. To make dividends on
this class of ore requires economy and
good management.
Companies operating in this district
did not take kindly to the proposed
new law when it was up for passage,
and flied their protests against it.
Had it not been for the rise in the
price of copper since the passage of
the law it is not likely that any con-
cessiOns would have been offered by
the companies. and in making new
scale OF wages they are confronted
with the probability of decline in
the price of their output, which might
leave them with little or no profit on
their investments.
The men claim that they can not
afford to work for less than they have
been receiving, and as they cannot
now work more than eight hours, they
demand the same wages As here tOfOre.
This strike, il it lasts for any length
Of time, will not only affect the mir
crs. but also all classes of laborers and
business men in the entire district,
and it will also engcGder feeling of
unrest and strife, which bodies no good
to the community.
Camps like Bisbee and jerome, where |
eight hours have been in effect even |
before the passage OF this law, are over
crowded with miners hunting employ /
ment, and for some time past the /.
newspapers OF those places have been |
warning miners to stay away. a their |
services were not needed, and there |
was no show for men to get work.
Good order prevailed throughout /
the district.
James Colquhoun, general manager
of the \. c. company. in an interview
on the S-hour law said:
more than thirty tons of ore re-
quired to make one ton of copper in
the Clifton Morenci district, mining
costs are already too high. After 4
very careful consideration of all
phases of the new condition I'M
der the S-hour law passed by the last
legislature, the companies have de-
cidcd TO offer their miners nine hours
pay for eight hoJrs work. which. it is