Durango semi-weekly herald., 1904-12-01

is charming home and club house
for the physicians. where they can
find diversion and rest, and 1t is pro.
posed 20 build n similar home for the
nurses. There is an amusement hall
reading-room and library for the con-
valescents and 1t is proposed to supply
some sort of factory In which they
may find some sort OF light employ
ment and do something to support
their families before they are able to
return to work in the shops or mines.
dormitory for convalescents ia al
so proposed. in which they may live
entirely separated from the sick. for
DR.. Corwin believes that the associa-
ton is often depressing and retards
recovery. Religious services are now
held in the amusement hall and he
wants chapel. also headquarters
ofhce-rooms "A reference library, ana
other accommodations for the socio-
logical department of the company.
which is trying to manufacture useful
citizens as well as iron and steel
The Colorado Fuel G. Iron Company
like other corporations, was organized
to promote the financial welfare of a
stockholders. but is endeavoring al
the snme time to promote the physI.
cal, moral and mental welfare of its
5000 employees on the side. That pur-
pose was born in the mind of Mr.
| osgood. former president. and was
developed by him TO an extent tina,
| mas not been reached by any other
corporation | know of. Mr.. Osgood
does not control the company any
| longer. | believe he is entirely out of
II, and is living life of quiet enioying
his ranch In the Crystal river valley
where he is entitled to the satIsfac.
ton of knowing that the good men do
often outlive them.
The methods and policy of the com.
pany are not approved by great
many people. and are severely con.
demned by the leaders and advocates
OF organized labor. who have several
times endeavored to chang them by
strikes and other means, That has
injured the company and gained moth
ing for the men. The company still
declines to recognize any union or
other organization: II employs both
union and non-unlon labor on eaual
terms, Just as 1t employs representa-
tives Of all races and religions-
tsoman Catholics. Protestants. Jews. |
Hehules, Mormons and pagans works |
them eight hours and a half n day
ana pays them scale OF wages adopt. |
ed In conference with committees rem
resenting the men. II provides not on
iy hospitals. but libraries. reading
rooms lecture c2nrses. schools. con
nasiums, Fairgrounds and various
other educational institutions and |
amusements, at Its mills and mines;
but requires the men to pay their
share of the expense
At the Pueblo mills the pay ron
bears from 5000 to 5000 names. ac-
cording to business. and an average
of about 1000 the year round. The
majority are foreigners; the same
class you will find in every furnace
and rolling mill. with the addition of
colony of about $50 Japanese. who
are said to be exceedingly valuable,
because OF their Industrious habits
and ingenious skill. The remainder of
the 1000 men are kept busy In other
mins and mines scattered over Colo |
rado. Wyoming and New Mexico. The |
company manufactures pig iron. spie |
gel, rails. wire, nails spikes, bolts |
nuts, Iron pipe. building material, mer-
chants iron and steel and every other |
form of those metals, to the amount |
OF about. $12 000,0 year. 1t mines |
about 100000 orth OF coal and |
makes about $4,000, 900 worth OF coke |
it has a tin plate mill also, which |
cost $1,000. 900, but II has never been
in operation and has no practical use,
except as monument to that eminent
philanthropist and citizen OF the world
John w. Gates. II has also been whis-
pered that the tin trust has requested
that this mill remain idle. and the
Colorado Fuel and Iron Company nas
been accommodating enough to graf
ify that corporation.
1t was not the policy and methods
of the company. however, or the man
ufacturing plant that interested me,
but the educational and benevolent
work that is being done under It's aus
pices The sanitary and medical ser
vice at Its mills and mines is per.
formed by forty-two salaried physi-
| clans, and each employe is taxed 81
a month to pay a part of the expense.
That entities him and his family to
medical attendance and all the other
privileges offered. Last year s2.s21
patients were treated, but that is
only a part of the duty of the EUR
geons. No man can obtain work in the
mines or the mills OF the company
nutil he has submitted to a physical
examination. and the labor to which
he is assigned will be such as he is
physically fitted to perform. This is
; not only humane to the employe, but
is of obvious advantage to the com