Amador ledger., 1904-08-05
Colorado Labor Troubles.
MINING MAGAZINE |

| Jl6S IN COlOfdQU, OF WnlCn we nave re-
Gently heard so much, may be said to
date from July 3, 1903 On the even
ing of that day, after meeting at
| Den ver the memb bers of the Smelter's
Union proceeded to two of the princi-
pal smelters, took possession of their
power houses, put out the lights and
succeeded in getting the 400 or 500 men
at work off the grounds.
This was in the midst of negotia-
tions between the manager of the smell
ters and a committee of the union An
eight-hour day had been asked for by
the committee. and the manager had
| replied, explaining the situation so far
as the company was concerned, and
saying that it was unable to meet the
additional expense involved. The COM
mittee had rejOined that the men were
not seeking raise in wage rate but
shorter hours, and that no reply on
that point had been received
The strike on, both parties settled
down to a determined and stubborn
test of endurance. The Citizens AL
lance of Denver adopted resolutions
condemning the actions of the men in
shutting down the smelters and promis-
ing support to law and order. The
Western Federation of Miners, believed
to have been the hackers of the strikers
from the first, began calling sympathe-
tic strikes at the mines supplying ores
to the smelters. This organization had
in its annual convention, held in Dem
YER shortly before, invested its execu-
tive committee with the power to call
and maintain strikes, and the members
of this committee were accordingly
able to declare strikes at whatever
points they choose.
Pickets were esta blished at the vari-
Gus works and mines, to prevent non
union men from working, and on the
other hand court injunctions were Sc
cured against interfering with nom
union men.
On July %, 1908, the transformer
house of the Sun and Moon Mine at
Idaho Springs was blown up by dyna-
mite, one of the dynamiters' being
killed. The Idaho Springs Miners
Union, affiliated with the Western
Federation, had been in disagreement
with this mine for number of months,
and according to the subsequent testi-
mony of former president Of the
union had delegated the men to do this
work Prominent citizens of Idaho
Springs, mem bers of the Citizens Alli-
ance, promptly expelled ID number of
Union leaders from the district and for
this we're indicted, though not prose-
cuted, by the court.
On August II. $500 men in the
Cripple Creek mines were called out,
without, it is said their preferences in
the matter being consulted; but they
Loyalty obeyed, Notwithstanding the
fact that the strike at this point was
purely sympathetic, that the eight
hour day was in force, and the mini
mum wage So a day and the average
So. 40.
The strike continued to spread until
by the latter part of August 1000 men
in Cripple Creek were reported idle,
and but 1000 at work. On Sept. s.
] ZOO of the State militia arrived in the
district and camped at Goldfeld, al
though the Governor had been threat
ened with assassination if he should
order out the troops.
The mine owners and operators at
Cripple Cree k, members Of the Mine
Owners Association, with the excep-
tion of the Portland Mine, posted
notice placing ban on members OF the
Western Federation, hut not proposing
any chance in hours or wages. They
also commenced the importation of
miners from other parts of the country,
and the Ell Paso Mine resumed work
with non-union men.
Many of the best and most law-abid-
ing miners left the district, and the un-
wisdom of having delegated to the Fed
Grafton Committee the power of order
ing strikes began to be appreciated by
the men. Numbers Of the strike lead
ers were arrested and held by the mill
tia. One large mining company which
closed its works offered to resume at
any time on condition of announcement
of the Federation by the individual
men.
The members ei the Mine Owners
AssQciation alsp DECIDED to grant no
more leases to members of the Fedora
tion, and took steps to establish per-
manent labor bureau for the purpose of
keeping out the Federation members,
The importation of miners from
other DISTRICTS cpntinued, and by the
end of QctQPer 50 per cent of the full
force of the district was at work, and
Governor Peabody reduced the militia
to 25O men.
On Nov. y q general strike for an
eight-hour day and 20 per cent increase
OF wage took effect in both the north
ern and southern Colorado coal fields,
the strike being declared by the United
Mine Workers of America.
In the northern field the operators
met the demands, but their men re-
fused to go to work until the difficulty
in the southern field was also settled.