El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-03-21

"HE controversy over labor condi-
tions in the great TreadweH mine
on Douglas island, Alaska has
aroused SO much interest that the ma
tionaI lIlieau of labor IS preparing 20
Issue dlletin on the subject. E.Gny
labor authorities declare this mine to
be one of the most dangerous in exist
ence, 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 con-
tributed much to the fame of Alaska
For many years this wonderful mine
has paid its owners profit of nearly
$4,000 a day. and there is enough ore
left to keep the monster plant working
day and night for probably 20 years TO
cone.
Mine Sold for $435.
The man who discovered this extra
ordinary II neral deposit did not realize
its value and sold it for $435. Almost
every school boy has heard about the
I, GLORY hole of the Treadwell, but few
of them know how it came to have thai
maze.
French Pete was the discoverer of the
| mine which has already produced-s25,-
| 100000 worth Of gold. He was a small
merchant in Juneau, who had a hard
time to make both ends meet. In the
! fall of 1881 he received a shipment of
| goods to replenish his stock for the win
ter. THE freight charges amounted to
| S435, 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 if 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 favorably at
! the waters edge, where steamers can
| tie up alongside the mills
Several city blocks could be dumped
| into the glory hole" It is a monster
pit where the ore has been lifted out
in chunks like building rock is taken
from quarry. Men working in the
bottom u it 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 I'M
canny that it would not seem at all
| surprising If his satanic majesty should
| bound out of the rock at one side or
come soaring up through the smoke
from the depths.
Gigantic Plant.
Douglas island is 20 miles long and
eight miles wide. Although the Tread
well is best known on account of the
glory hole" the fact is that there are
over 90 miles of tunnels underground.
One of these extends out under the sea
\ Tor nearly a quarter OF a mile.
On the surface there are six miles
| OF track, which run inside the build
lpgs. 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
russ about it than many moguls
The Treadwell runs "a 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
] wneeIs moving, and the roar of its ma
| chlnery may be heard a mile AWAY
There are $50 massive crushers call
ed stamps, each consisting Of five heavy
upright bars Of steel that are lifted ND
| 10 fall with terrific force on flat
| hard plates The rock passes under
| these pounding bars and Is smashed
INTO dust These noisy. powerful ma
chlnes consume about 1900 tons of rock
| daily In order TO keep the ore rolling
| into their Unsuitable mouths. $1,000
worth OF powder is used in blasting
! every day
The amount of gold realized from
every "a hour run is about $4,000. and
| the expense of operating Is about $4,000.
The ore is low grade-the lowest in
the world to pay such profits. 1t
| averages only s2-65 per ton. but there
is so much of 1T, and It Is handled in
such wholesale and economical man
ner' that II runs fast into money.
Plant Is Complete.
! On account Of the TreadwelI being
so remote from civilization. it is nee
essary TO maintain a most complete
| plant There is a fully equipped fouo-
! dry where any piece OF broken ma
| chinery can be replaced Immediately a
| fine assay office makes II unnecessary
to send the ore away TO have its vsIue
| established, and a modern hospitaI ts
| maintained TO care for the sick and
| wounded.
so many people work in the mine that
| 1t supports a United States postoffice
| OF the third class. The company store
has stock Of goods valued at $40 o0O
the stock of iron and steel kent CON
stantly on hand is worth $4,000. and
the supply OF powder is worth $40. 600.
me company store. butcher shop and
| cook houses are large departments. he
cause the firm boards its men. IT Is No
small undertaking to feed all these ro-
bust miners
Ihe butchers in the COMPANY sbon
cut up three beeves every day. besides
quantities of fish, pork and mutton II
takes 5000 pan cakes to go round in
! the morning, and four barrels of flour
are made into $500 biscuits every dav
Another daily ration Is so pounds of
coIIee and 10 pounds of butter. The
NUMBER OF eggs used daily is 23OO
Employment for 1900.
The usual working force of ~