Bisbee daily review., 1904-05-04

For some reason there is found among many miners prejudice against "one-mine camp" The camp where laere is but one mine is looked upon by some men with suspicion, and to be avoided, ofttimes by men who should have better and broaoeT ideas. It should be remembered that, in all probability, if it were not for that che mine there would be no camp there at all. The arguments against the one-mine camp are: The mines are compelled to board at the company's boarding house and 10 pat onize the comDany's store. They must buy all they require-cloth- ing. boots, shoes, tobacco, etc, at this one store. In some instances it is claimed that the men innocently Patronize the company's store and at lhe end of the month find they have nothing coming, or worse still are ia debt to the company. This does seem to be unfair and unnecessary, but 6ces analysis of the situation show this 10 be fact? In the first place, mining companies as rule are not organized ana run tor the purpose of building up a village or town about the works The primary object of the company is to make money upon the capital invest ed, and this the greater number strive to do legitimately. When an isolated mine is opened and worked new village springs up about it, and if there be but one company operating there the management must do some thing to accommodate the miners. At no mine are the men all single or all married They who are single must have place to sleep, and the greater number prefer boarding 10 patching" necessarily the company must supply these wants. This means the invest ment of several thousand dollars more in bunk houses, and boarding house and their equipment. It is only just that the boarding house should not be run at loss, consequently the man agement must make a rule that all employees shall patroniZe the boar ding house. Often exception is made in the case of married men, with whom the matter is optional. Where the proposi- ton is left to the miners, the board ing house becomes a nightmare" to the management. One week there will be more than can be accommodated, the next there will be less than half the former number. and the arrange ment cannot always be regulated to meet the requirements of the miners. Of necessity the company insists on the men making use of the accommo- dations afforded, as this is a portion of the organization. though cnly an incidental part. As to the company store, of which there is so much said in it's disparagement. that too is usual ly a necessity when the mine is re- mote from the nearest town, and hun dreds of men will candidly admit that the store is often a great convent ence. Prices are usually higher than Tn towns more easy of access, but it should be remembered that there are additional freight charges. Mines are not philanthropic institutions con ducted for the benefit of a community which may spring up about it, but are operated for the purpose of making money, the same as any other industri- al enterprise.
 The miner who at the end of the month finds himself in cebt to the company would in many cases ind himself broke at the end of each month in cities like Cripple Creek, Leadville, or Butte.
 There are places where the company boarding house and the company