Albuquerque citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1907-1909, 1907-12-09
GOLOF|ELD MINES WILL
Be RE-OPENED
WEDNESDAY
1000 StTikebredkerS Are Now
Ready to Take Place
OF Striking
Miners.
WAGE SCALE WILL
Be REDUCED
Mine Owners Propose to Reduce
Cost of Living In Goldfleld--
Scrip and High Grading Is
Given as Cause For
Trouble.

Goldfield, New, Dec. 9.-The mine
owners association made the state
ment last night that enough strike
breakers were on the ground to re-
open the mines and thab an attempt
to do so would be made on Wednes-
day. The total number of men on
the ground and ready to go to work
is placed at 1000. There are about
1900 members of the Western Fed
GRAFTON of Miners out.
The mine owners have decided
upon two propositions, one that the
Goldfeld mines win be open shop
mines in the Future and the other
that wages Will be reduced. At the
same time the miners owners prom
Use to make a vrusade to lower the
cost of living in Goldfield.
The scope of the mine owners or
ganization will be greatly enlarged
by the organization of the Nevada
Mine Owners association. of which
the Goldfield organization will be a
part.
Troops Arrive.
The troops have begun to arrive
and are camping in outskirts of
town.
This is the first time federal troops
have been asked by any state since
the assassinated Gov Steunenberg
called Gen. Merriam and his troop
. y
ostensibly tbf trouble IN Gold
field was preeA,ilateu by the issu-
ance OF scrip by the mining COM
panies in the payment of wages to
the miners. nearly a month ago,
during the money shortage.
Back of this makeshift casus belli,
however, is the story of long-sup-
pressed resentments on the part of
the men.
Chief among these is the miners
objection to the recently-instituted
"change house system. imposed by
the operators allied with the big con-
solidation ,as a protection, they say,
against that class of miner whom
they term high graders"
High Graders Cause Trouble.
These operators claim that prior
to the Introduction of the change
house" plan an average of $4,000 a
day was stolen from their mines.
While the miners do not deny that |
there was been thieving. they dis
pute the heavy claim of the opera
tors and insist that the Change |
we'll as dishonest miners under sus-
picion.
The Goldfield ore is so rich that a
chunk the size of ones first may be |
worth from $50 to 5000. 1t Is high |
grade ore, and the miner who slips |
DchStli anu gets away /
With 1t is known as a high grader"
To defeat his operations the COM
panies established large Change |
houses" at each mine, where the |
miners are compelled to change
clothes before going into the mine,
and 20 change again after leaving
The shaft.
The houses are fitted with shower
baths, lockers for mine clothes on
one side, for street clothes on the
other. The miner strips to his un-
1erwear on one side of the room
srosses to the other. taking a bath
Meantime IL he desires, and dons his
)ther garments.
The Western Federation of Miners
made no opposition to This innova-
ion save upon the ground that q
vas humiliation to the men. The
men themselves individually resent
I'd it, They were not slow in ex-
PRESSING themselves.
Change Houses Prevent Thefts.
1t stood, however Men who de-
lined to make the change were
potted and quickly laid off. The
lnion was powerless to assist them
o uphold their wounded pride. And
Q the situation stood, the miners
bitterness increasing daily.
The operators point, In support Of
heir claims, to the decrease in the
ssayer's office since the plan was
.dopted.
There is ordinarily legitimate en-
loyment for perhaps six assay Of ,
ICES In Goldheld. Prior 10 the
change houses" there were 10 times
= many. There are about 80 yet
ome OF these offices handled the
ligh graders stealings, exacting a {
beral commission.
1t Is not an infrequent occurrence
hat ore Is accepted over the bars
bout the town. Goldheld Is a typi-
al wild and woolly mining camp; !
is not considered good form to
SIX too many questions. l