Amador ledger., 1904-05-13
STRIKE SITUATION AT Ere
MONT.
Men Failed to go to Work on Mon
day, and the Trouble is Still On.

At the close of last week it was
understood that the strike at the FIRE.
mont mine near Drytown was settled,
and that the men would resume work
Monday morning. When the time
came the men were on hand, but it was
soon evident that company and en-
ployes were not agreed. The miners
demanded that all those who had quit
should be taken back. Superintendent
Goodall was not prepared to do this,
even if he were willing. The air COM
pressor was undergoing repairs, and it
was impracticable to employ the full
working force. Besides he was not in
clined to bind himself to re-emplOy all
who had been discharged. The men
thereupon refused to go to work, and
the strike was declared to be still on.
1t is reported that the union sane
toned the strike, and the demands
have been enlarged to include an in
crease of 25 cents per day in the wages
OF underground men, and also recogni-
tion of the union.
On Tuesday the superintendent sent
an ultimatum to the men that their de-
mands could not be granted; that the
company would run the mine on the
same basis as heretofOre; that the
right to employ and discharge men
could neither be surrendered nor
abridged; that the mine would be closed
down rather than surrender.
If the strike continues for any length
of time, it will prove a serious backset
to that section of the county. The
Fremont Company is not in position
to stand additional expense in trying
to run the property under strike con-
ditions. The principal owners are we'll
to-do. They are Independent of the
mine. Indeed, the mine SO far has
proved sink-hole for capital. 1t has
given no adequate return on the capital
invested. Just as it is getting into
good working shape, with development
work in progress looking to the in
crease of the milling capacity this labor
trouble comes along, throwing a dark
shadow over the whole mining indus
try.
There was rock enough on the dump
to run the 40 stamp mill for several
weeks. The strike has led to the quit
ting of some of the surface men, and
a reduction of the stamps in operation
to one half. Wednesday night the mill
was closed down. The rock being low
grade it would hardly justify to keep
the mill going with less than the full
complement of stamps.
This morning the situation was un-
changed. The mill came to standstill
on account of the exhaustion of the ore
on hand The union held protracted
session Wednesday night, but the out
come has not been learned, the men
being pledged to secresy. One picket
is employed to watch in the interest of
/ he strikers, and two extra watchman
are employed by the company at night.
A report is current that the strike is
apt to extend to other mines, but on
this point we have failed to secure any
thing definite. The assayer at the FIRE.
mont is away on a vacation of two
weeks. No serious damage would re-
suit to the underground work ings by
stOppage of several weeks. However,
prolonged shutdown is hardly prob
able. Mr. Goodall would much prefer
to operate with Amador county men,
but if labor cannot be had here, on &C
count of union influences, an effort will
doubtless be made to secure it else
where. 1t is safe to say the Fremont
will be run by those who have their
money invested therein, or it will re-
main idle. Outside of labor union cir
cles public opinion is overwhelmingly
on the side of the company. 1t is the
same fundamental issue that was re-
Gently raised in the threatened street.
car strike in San Francisco-the right
of the employer to conduct his business
to suit himself.