Omaha daily bee., 1910-03-22

The controversy over labor conditions in
the great Treadwell mine on Douglas Is
land. Alaska, has aroused so much interest
that the National Bureau Of Labor Is pre-
pairing 20 issue a bulletin on the subject.
Many labor authorities declare this mine
to be one OF the most dangerous IN ex-
istence, while the owners reply that no
where else are men better cared for. The
Treadwell is one of the largest gold mines
In the world, and has contributed much to
the fame OF Alaska For many years this
wonderful mine has paid its owners a
profit Of nearly 5000 a day, and there Is
enough ore left to keep the monster plant
working day and night for probably twenty
years to come.
The man who discovered this extraordi-
nary mineral deposit did not realize its
value and sold II for s4S5. Almost every
school boy has heard about the glory
hole" Of the ~Treadwell, but few Of them
know how II came to have that name.
French Pete was the %discoverer OF the mine
which has already produced SIS, 600, 900
worth of gold. He has q small merchant
in Juneau who had-A hard time to make
both ends meet. In the fall OF 1881 he re-
ceived a shipment OF goods to replenlsh his
stock for the winter. The freight charges
amounted to AS5, and Pete did not have
this much money. A prospector by the
name Of Treadwell was panning along the
beach and Pete offered him the claim on
Douglas Island II he would redeem the
goods. Treadwell paid the freight and
the mine has been called by his name ever
since.
The property which changed hands by
this deal contained one Of the largest
bodies Of gold-bearing rock in the world.
The ore Is located fsvorably at the waters
edge where steamers can tie up alongside
the mills. Several city blocks could be
dumped into the glory hole" 1t is a mon
ster pit where the ore has been lifted out
In chunks like building rock is taken from
a quarry. Men working in the bottom of
1t look like crawling flies. The thunder Of
the blasts, the clouds of smoke and the
hollow voices Of the men combine to make
an effect SO uncanny that 1t would not
seem at all surprising IL His Satanic
Majesty should bound out Of the rock az
one side or come soaring up through the
smoke from the depths.
Douglas island is twenty miles long and
eight miles wide. Although the T~readwell
Is best known on account of the GLORY
hole the fact is that there are over sixty
miles Of tunnels underground. One OF these
extends out. under the sea for nearly a
quarter of a mile. On the surface there are
six miles of track, which runs inside the
buildings, to and from the different struc-
lures and along the piers. Numerous
dummy engines push and pull long strings
Of little cars and make more fuss about II
than as many moguls.
The Treadwell runs twenty-four hours
every day in the year. except the Fourth
of July and Christmas. 1t takes 200 tons OF
coal every day to keep the many wheels
moving, and the roar of its machinery may
be heard a mile away, There are $50 mas
sive crushers, called stamps, each consist
ing of five heavy upright bars OF steel that
are lifted up to fall with terrific force on
flat, hard plates. The rock passes under
these pounding bars and Is smashed into
dust. These noisy, powerful machines con-
sumo about $500 tons of rock daily. In
order to keep the ore rolling into their in
satiable mouths, 81, 400 worth Of powder is
used in blasting every day The amount of
gold realized from every Neutrality-suspicious.
run is about 100000 and the expense of OPP
Grating is about $4,OOO. The ore is low grade
the lowest in the world to pay such prof
its. 1t averages only $3.50 per ton, but there
is SO much of 1t, and 1t is handled in such
a wholesale and economical manner, that
it runs fast into money.
On account of the Treadwell being so re-
mote from civilization, 1t is necessary to
maintain a most complete plant. There is
a fully equipped foundry where any piece
of broken machinery can be replaced inn
mediately. A fine assay office makes II
unnecessary to send the ore away to have
its value established, and a modern hos
pital is maintained to care for the sick and
wounded. So many people work in the mine
that it supports a United States postoffice
Of the third class. phe company store has
a stock OF goods valued at $4,000, the stock
Of iron and steel kept constantly on hand
is worth $4,000. and the supply Of powder
is worth 10000.
The company store, butcher shop and
cook houses are large departments, because
the firm boards its men. 1t is no small UNI
dertaklng to feed all these robust miners.
The butchers in the company shop cut up
three beeves every day, besides quantities
| Of fish, pork and mutton. 1t takes 5000 pan
cakes TO 20 round in the morning, and four
barrels OF flour are made into $500 biscuits
every day. Another daily ration is sixty
pounds Of coffee and 175 pounds OF butter.
The number of eggs used daily is $500
The usual working force of the Treadwell
consists Of 1900 men. There is such a nix
ture Of nationalitiss that Sc enteen differ
emit languages are spoken in the camp, and