Amador ledger., 1903-04-17
A Strike Thirty-Two Years Ago.

The present strike will undoubtedly
recall to the mines of many of the old
timers OF Amador county the trouble
that was precipitated by the Miners
League,in this county in 1871, and we
herewith publish synopsis of what
occurred at that time.
The Miners League organized as
kind of mutual benefit association. Ii
does not appear that any unlawful
measures were at first contemplated;
but organization gave the members an
idea of strength and influence. Mer-
chants joined the league, for fear of
losing the trade of the miners; polite
iaus, to make a few votes; and the law
less aud desperate. to work against law
and order in society. In Sutter Creek,
it numbered about three hundred mem
bers, composed of Irish, Cornishmen,
Austrians and Italians, and had
membership of perhaps as many more
in other parts of the county. They
built large hall, cost several thousand
dollars. Luke Burns, who had some
experience in similar associations in
Virginia City, was President, and l..
j. Marks, Secretary.
The immediate cause of the outbreak
was the reduction of twenty-five cents
a day on the wages of the hands work
ing on the surface, in the Consolidated
Amador mine. After much discussion
a general strike was agreed upon, also
a determination to enforce it every
where, and not permit the working
of the mines unless at the proposed
rates The schedule of wages demand
ed by the Miners League made very
little advance over the existing rates,
but the right to make evan small ad-
vance implied right to control the
working of the mines, and the mine
owners refused to accept the rates.
Mem bers of the league to the number
of two hundred visited the different
mines, and ordered the stopping of the
work. They carried no arms that
were in sight, though according to
some reports they supplied themselves
with clubs from the wOod-piles of the
mills 1t is now contended by some
that no threats or force was used; that
the miners went rather as committee
of conference than as menacing party.
They would not permit any work to be
done, not even allowing an engine to
be run to keep the water out. The
mills at AmadOr, Sutter and Oneida
were all stopped. 1t is true that some
of the mines, like the Keystone, Con-
solidated, Amador, and others, were
paying mines, and could have paid
higher wages and dividends also; but
other mines like the Oneida had never
paid dividends, but had always been
worked at loss. The wages paid var
led from two dollars and half a day
for top hands, to four dollars for un-
derground men. There was no plea
that the wages were insufficient to sup
port the families, or less than were
paid in other laborious occupations,
but it was intended to raise them to
the Virginia and Gold Hill standard,
where the expenses of living were much
higher. The daily threats of destruc-
ton of life and property showed the
existence of so much ill-feeling that the
Governor was invoked for aid, and
body of volunteers, under General
Cnzenau, came from San Francisco
and camped on the hill near the old
Wolverine shaft. They had several
pieces of artillery, and formed a reg
ular military camp. sending out and
relieving guards every evening for the
different mines. The threats of life
and property extended to other parts
of the county. 1t seemed that the
officers of justice were paralyzed The
newspapers of the county said little
about it, as if fearful that word
might bring destruction upon them.
The result was general 'prostration
of business. The towns around the
quartz mines had been the principal
market for produce for some years,
and when thousand or more men
were thrown out of employment and
the money which was usually paid as
wages ceased to circulate the depress-
ion in business was universal, produc-
ing in some instances actual distress.
The soldiers remained in the county
for several weeks, and prevented any
destruction of property. Some kind of
concession was made which terminated
the siege, and the soldiers left, al
though the ill-feeling engendered by
the operation remained for some time.
The damage to the county by this
affair can hardly be estimated. The
mines of gold and copper, as we'll as
other. minerals, require the aid of capt.
tai to be made profitable. Capital must
be protected, or it silently shuts itself
up. In subsequent years, the memory
thousands from investment in the
county.