The Goldfield news. [volume] (Goldfield, Nev.) 1904-1911, 1907-09-14
NOW IT'S THE POWER COMPANY

NOW IT'S THE POWER COMPANY
comprehension No sooner is ne labor dispute adjusted than they spring
another with the n and single purpose seemingly, Of keeping up endless
strife and turmoil, to the runation or connscanon If all the industries and bust
ness enterprises in the field in which they arr operating.
This time the Federation is directing it, efforts against the Nevada-can
foria Power company which furnishes III camps Of Southern Nevada With prac
ticauy all their light and power; and while the fight does ct directly affect the
mining camps, Goldaed included, it is possible that in its various and extreme
ramiacauons the fight might affect every town and mining camp within the
service Of the company in question.
Tho Nevada California Power company is a corporation organized to supply
electric light and power . the Southern Nevada territory; the towns and. mines
Of this territory are as dependent upon this company for light and power, as the
day Is dependent upon the sun ir IT. vitahsins influence. Without tn service
thousands Of mines scattered within as many square, miles, and scores Of import
territory has grown up N this industry, and it is a necessary TO or mining and
industrial life As blood to the existence Of animal life; and any blow struck at
this institution mst Of necessity b felt to some degree at least by every mine
and town in this vast desert region.
The cause Of the existing dimcultss between the Power company and the
:. : - ovr's utoI IN count~ n.Nsorrhs :. = nss. :. :, on.rstson 81 Of n povs
company, and organize all workers. skilled and nonskfed. into a branch of the
Western Federation of Miners. About three fouths Of the $50 men at work.
Joined the movement and a demand at once was made Tor a raise in wages in
the uniform amount of 800 PEI day OF about the same scales as prevails in the
desert mining camps Of Nevada 1nyo county is a rich agricultural country, and
the cstof living Far less naturally, than in the DESERT and this was taken into
consideration in the wage scale rsta adopted by the Power company. The wage
prevailing vas $500 per day for unskined, and $500 per day for skilled labor
Thssea figures include boards at she rate Of 500 per day. This wage, the managers
If tho Power company contend, is the highest paid anywhere Gin the United States
mand. for further increase are entirely unjust and unreasonable. they contend
that there is nothing In conditions and cst of living IN Inyo county, which
- r,nt me ssm.na, 81 tn rsdsr.t,on IL ,mnosass.' =. r. has, vast .nssrnr,s
projected involving upwards Of a million and a half dollars. These projects were
financed and contracted for on a basis Of the thn prevailing wag scale; and
that whom the full force necessary to execute the work is under employment, the
increase would mean a difference If over $500 pr day in wages alone, which
would be rutnous in face Of the obligations incurred in financing their enormous
projects And further, curiouhy enough. to meet the demands would incur the en-
nifty of the citizens OF Inyo county, where the power plants are located, as the
farmers there complain that the invasion of the Power company had already
raised wages - msn tina their farms had been depleted Of workmen4 n that to
raise them still further would mean complete ruinanon- The Power company is
therefore between two hres; ON threatening II the wages are not increased and
the other threatening if they arr increased.
The dimcurass that havs arisen between the Power company and the West
ern Federation are dephabe note only because Of what the Power company is
doing for Southern Nevada in an industrial way, but In view Of the vastly In
creased service which it is preparing to furnish every camp and mine old and new
in thisen ttrsd district The work nov under construction OF that has been planned
and contracted Tor involves a little less than two million dollars and this in ad
dion II the million dollars already invested in the present plant
The Power company is mo- engaged in installing a duplicate transmission
line from the power plant at Bishop to Tonopah and 0oldheld, tnsuring N unn
terupted service to these important points This work is costing 100000.
til putting In q new 250ohorse power plant below Plant Nc. / at a cost Of
work las been in progress for some time. It will require about 60 days longer to
lay the pipe An install machinery.
Another 250ohone power plant constituting the Ah unit has just been in
stalled at Plant No. !, thus giving at this point, four units two of 25O0horse
been completed. Tho cost " the All unit wal s15oOoO.
The new plant, with its greatly increased capacity, has necesdtated greater
waterp power, and the company is charging its present reservoirs and also build
ing . w ne which Is to be n Of the largest reservoirs in the world, the dam
alone costing s126Oo0.
In addition to all this authority has been received by Manager Hobbs to go
ahead with another 1oO0ohose power plant similar to the general plant already
under construction. The pipe line for this new plant will be 31l11 feet long, and
under 1850 feet static head. The estimated cost o. this new plant is $1y0O0 600
Thus the entirely % work now under construction OF authorized involves
$ls76000= AL told, AM the benefit to the state at large resultant upon tho com
rlshon Of this magnificent plant will be beyond calculation.
All the above enterprises have been financed. tn money raised, an the ma
chnsy ordsrsd, and the company was just beginning Il increase its force Of
hbores o. Bishop creek when he demand for higher wages raj mad. At the
time the Houhls began there we're $50 men employed The company was pre-
pairing 70 Increase this number 10 SOC in 80 days.
In viw Of TIE great public benefit to be derived from this enterprise. and
IN visw Of the large number Of men to be given work and It wages higher than
q othr PLACES IN the United States for similar SERVICE an interruption of the
progress Of this magnificent project would be nothing hort of . public calamity,
and Il = hsssd Nat the Western Federation Of Miners may be brought to look