The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1903-07-05
SMELTERMEN
OUT ON STRIKE
Employees in Denver Surprise the
Managers.
FURNACES MAY FREEZE"
SHORTER DAY THE BASIS OF
THE FIGHT.

n ENVER, July 4-The managers
OF the Denver smelters were
taken completely by surprise
last night when. at a meeting OF
the Smeltermen's union. a strike
was declared, taking effect at once,
and they were wholly unprepared for
the walk-Out which followed By the
drawing of the fires from under the
furnaces at the Grant and Globe smelt-
ers the risk of a heavy loss to the
American Smelling & Refining COM
pany was incurred. At the two smelt-
ers there were eleven furnaces fun
of ore and should they freeze up
they win have to be blasted out ana
rebuilt. 1t is said by those informed
on the situation that this strike is the
first move in a general campaign for
an eight-hOur day for all unions af-
hliated with the Western Federation
of Miners. and that the fight viii be
made 10 a finish.
There are $500 men employed in the
three smelters OF Denver. but the ArgO
plant. which is independent of the
trust. viii probably not be involved IN
the strike.
In the disturbance in the Globe
smelter attending the withdrawal ot
the men Engineer Edwards was struck
on the head with a club and badly in
iUred-
Much Ore to Be Smelted.
There is an immense amount Of ore
to be smeIted. and if the furnaces are
not attended to in a few hours they
will grow cold and IL viii require an
outlay Of about 100000 to repair the
damage that viii be done.
A train of twenty-seven ore cars was
derailed at the entrance To the Globe
smelter today by a caUiked switch.
The police department was called upon
for help by the smelter people this
morning and fifty specials We're sworn
in and ia ken to the Globe smelter un-
der. command of Chief Armstrong. An
equal number Of specials were sent 70
the Grant smelters. The smelter peo-
pie are now considering the advisable
ity of requesting the governor TO call
out the state troops TO guard their
plants.
General Manager Guiterman OF the
smelling company said today that the
two plants would be operated I'm sd
Of the strike. and that the men VINO
go to work in place of the strikers VIII
be protected at all hazards
The number Of strikers at the two
smeIters is S73. A strike was also in
augurated today at the United States
/ Reduction & Refining cOmpany's mills
at Colorado City and labor leaders say
that the Cripple Greek miners will be
called out in sympathy.
When asked today If the company in
tended to continue running its plants in
the face Of the opposition Of the Western
/ Federation OF Miners, former Governor
James r. Grant. chairman of the eNecu-
tive committee of the American Smelling
& Refining company said
1--WE go on operating as long as we can
get men to work Our furnaces are all
down this morning, and it may be some
! time before we can again run on fun ca
/ pacity but we viii work If we can do
| so
/ "Wiu you consent to treat in any way
| with the unions2
1--WE will have no conferences with
! them We viii never consent to DONNA
/ ton of the Western Federation of Min
! ers."
/ do YOU expect trouble2'
/ 1--WE will ask for protection for those
I men who are willing to work for us
and if we can't get it we will do the
4 best we can
( How long do you think operations on
! the old basis will be suspended
! 1T may be a month before we can get
/ to running again on fun capacity, and
/ it may be longer