, 1906-05-11
THE WAGE QUESTION
CAUSES SHUTDOWN

the big mill has done nothing but roll
iron, using scrap to make breakdown
for the little mill, but that an immense
amount of steel in billets had been or
dered and that soon the mill wouldhave
been started on steel. He did not know
just what would be done now, but gave
the impression that the trouble was
only temporary n that the delay
would be brief although he felt this
morning as though the men had treat
ed him shabbily, and he would not hest
tate. if the shabby treatment continu-
ed, to shut down the mill. I'VE have
spent 100000 in fitting up the mill, our
pay roll last month was nearly $4,000,
We have 121 men employed, and h
people of Laramie, l doubt not, would
be sorry to see the plant closed"
other offIcieIs Reticent.
Among the officials seen at the mills
during the forenoon by reporters for
this paper were William inland, the
master mechanic for the Wyoming di-
vision; Manager Jacobus of the rolling
mills and District Foreman Sullivan
of the local shops, who mas charge of
the machinery department at the mill.
They were all asked TO add something
to the discussion, but each declined, de-
claring that Mr.. McKeen, the chief Of
fetal present, had given the company's
side of the matter. Superintendent An
derson of the operating department of
the Wyoming division also said he had
nothing to say that had not been coy-
| nrnH h. Mr. Mn[nnn That nfHpia1
left for the east this afternoon, his Of
fetal car being attached to train No. 4,
and Messrs. Anderson and INLAND were
~west-bound passengers, Mr.. Anderson's
official car being attached to train
No. 5.
May Have Caused the Trouble.
Some of the lesser officials about the
mill are inclined to inscribe the pres
ent trouble to a man named Parks,
who anne here to go to work in the
mill, but for some eason was not per-
mitted to remain long. When he left
the plant he is said to have started
making trouble, first assailing the head
roller, Mr.. Cush, and later turning his
attention TO missionary work among
the employees of the mill. o well he
succeeded in stirring up strife is not
known, or whether he had anything to
do with the action of the Messrs. Bail
lie, Skogerson, Arp and Matheson. He
was employed for a time on the street
cleaning gang, but is believed to have
returned to Denver, from whence he
came. 1t is said that his actions from
the very first were somewhat peculiar,
to say the least.
Could Not Work for Cush.
AS soon as Parks heard that Cush
was to have charge of the rolls he de-
clared he could not work under him
and would not. He tried to persuade
the men that they were "scabbing'' by
working in the Laramie plant, and in
timated a little while before leaving the
city that, should the men strike and
the mill be shut down, cit will be OPP
Grated by someone else under lease"
From time to time in the last few
weeks there have been reports that
the mill was again to be leased, a new
manager installed and a general clean
ing out of the present force of officials
and employees. Reporters for this pa
per chased these stories and found not
a scintilla of evidence of their genuine
ness. 1t is intimated that Parks may
have given them birth.
Embarrassing to Superintendent.
1t could plainly be seen that Mr.. Nc
Keen was laboring undr a good deal of
pressure during the forenoon. His ad-
dress last night at the dinner given by
the Laramie Literary club, to use the
expressive language of one of the par
Elephants, was not very long but it
was a yard WIDE" and everybody who
heard it remarked upon the hopeful
tone of that utterance and the inspira-
ton of future enlargement of the plant.
1.-The statement to a reporter this morn
ing that in all probability the big mill
will next run several months on steel
billets indicates something better from
time to time for the plant. Mr.. Nc
Keen was angry enough to have given
out a cold statement of the closing of
the mill, but its progress so far has
been so satisfactory, the work so well
done and the manufacture of iron so
helpful to the operating department of
the road, that he said he would hest
tate before taking such drastic action.
Matter Will Be Righted.
The Republican believes the matter
will be settled to the satisfaction of
all parties. An employee of the little
mill said he believed heaters would be
brought to the city from other points
and that the mill would resume opera,
tons early next week. TIL big mill
will be started, according to this and
other employees, next week also, and the
trouble will be forgotten. This is the
hopeful view taken by the people Of
the city, so far as they have expressed
, themselves.