The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-06-11
TROUBLES
COST MILLIONS
Ye1aI Colorado Legislature Is
Directly Responsible.
STATE VOTED EIGHT HOURS
MINE OWNERS INFLUENCED
THE LEGISLATORS.

n ENYER, June let is estimated
that the cost of the strikes ia
Colorado during the past sixteen
months under the administration of
Governor James II. Peabody, VIII ag-
gregate S23. OBS. 900. An itemized state
ment is given as follows:
Colorado City strike. States ex-
pense $40 900; loss 10 men in wages.
$3.50 600.
cripple Creek strike: States ex-
peuse $500. 900, loss i'm wages to union
men. $4,000 coo, loss in wages 10 other
labor 100000.
Denver and Pueblo smelter strike:
Loss 10 smeItermen and miners, $780,
ol0: loss 20 dependent labor. $500 000
Telluride strike. States expense.
Sl75. 600, loss to union miners, $780,
900; loss to dependent labor, SS50,0J0.
Coal miners strike. States expense.
s25.000i loss i'm wages to miners, $4,000
600; loss to steel works employees, ST.
10000; loss TO men in allied trades, ST.
100000; loss TO employers. through idle
capital, interest profits, etc, $4,000 000
Total. $23. 0S6,0O0.
Trouble over Eight-Hour Day.
The Western Federation of Miners is
charged with responsibility for the
strife that has affected every business
and trade in the state and caused much
bloodshed.
: The strikes originated early fin 1903
en- an attempt on the part of the Fed
Grafton to force the introduction of an
eight-hour day in the mills and smell
ters or Colorado City, Denver and Bu-
eblo. Within q few weeks after tax
ing office jan I, 1903, Governor Pea
body sent troops to Colorado City and
with the exception of brief periods the
national guard has been on duty at
one point or another ever since. at
present troops are stationed i'm Teller
and San Miguel counties, i'm which
martial law obtains and in Las Ami
mas county where martial law was
suspended last Monday,
The Cripple Creek miners strike be-
gan ten months ago The men were
earning ON the average 1925 for eight
hours work. They had no complaints
OF their own, but went on strike i'm
obedience TO an order OF their eXeCU-
tive officers for the purpose Of shutting
or the ore supply of the mills and
Bmelters at which an eigbt-hOur day
was not granted.
Venal Legislature.
In this connection it should be noted
shat by an overwhelming vote the
people % the state had adopted a con-
sutuCiOual amendment asking an
eight hour DAY for men working in
mines, mills and shelters. but by some
means the passage OF the law ueCes-
sary. to make the amendment effective
was defeated at the ensuing regular
session OF the legislature This is the
reason given by the executive officers
of the Federation for calling strikes,
Ia Cripple Greek about 1900 union
miners were called out. Had the qUes-
ton been submitted to the men them
selves on a secret ballot it is asserted
that so per cent OF them would have
voted against going out. Many Of
them have renowned the union and
returned TO work. the mine owners,
with the exception OF the Portland
company refusing employment TO
members Of the union.
The Western Federation of Miners
admit the loss to the Cripple Greek
unions through the strike has been
"a GOO 600 and the total loss in that dis
trict S. 100000.
= The loss through the suspension Of
work i'm the Telluride district. which
was also a sympathetic strike, is es-
timated at $2.0000J0.
President Campbell of the Colorado
Mine Operators association. said that
while the cost of the state militia being
iu the field would possibly reach $1,000
GOO. the loss to the meJaIiferous min
ers who stopped work and others
forced TO quit would DE five times that
amount
The strike of the Southern Colorado
coal miners. who are members OF the
United Mine Workers of America. was
ordered for different reasons and has
no relation TO the strikes at the gold
mines