The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1910-03-26
WAGES AT ALL THE MINES HAVE
IN BEEN RAISED
TO TAKE EFFECT ON APRIL
Range superintendent, Met Here last
Wednesday to Perfect Final Arrange
ments for the Increase.

Wages Will be advanced at all mines
= This announcement will be gladly
welcomed by the working men of the
Crystal Falls district.
This increase in wages came volun-
tarily from the hands OF the mining
companies. That's better still.
For two months tine question of a
wage advance has been on among the
mining companies Of the Lake Super
icr district The matter came up in
formal way first at a meeting OF the
mining euperintedents Of Michigan
held at Iron Mountain elk weeks ago
The purpose Of that meeting was not
given publicity al the time as the
mining companies wanted TO have all
the details in hand before making the
announcement OF the raise, IL was
thought at first that the advance could
be made February but matters were
not settled soon enough so instead Of
Feb. 10 comes az an Easter bonnet.
Every mining company operating on
the M0nonknee range was represented
In meeting held here Wednesday
when the final arrangements were
made for putting the raise into effect
A reporter for the Diamond Drill
called upon the superintendents after
their meeting and was told that raise
ranging from 10 cents TO 20 cents per
day per man had been agreed upon.
said raise TO take effect on the 1st day
of April at all of the mines on this
!. range. A like raise Will be made at
the mines on the Marquette and the
Gogebic ranges.
One of the superintendents IN discus
sing the matter said
'Ore prices are the same today as in
1907 In 1908 prices of ore were re-
duced materially but tho wages of our
miners were not cut for the reason
that the mine operators recognized the
fact that the cost of living. OF bread.
meats and other eatables had not de
creased and that reduction OF wages
at that time would have meant a
severe hardship on our employees, al
though the deep cut that was made in
ore prices justified such a reduction.
prices of ore remained about the
same until the beginning OF the present
year wnen they we're put back whore
they were in 1907 So at the begin.
ming OF this year, wages aud ore
prices were whore they we're in 1907
and under ordinary conditions would
have remained the.same.
"But. an increase has again taken
place In the cost of living over and
above what II was in 1907. The min
ing companies have canvassed the mat
ter very carefully and concluded that
their employees needed an increase In
wages In order 10 enable them 10 live
aud ID was that feeling that prompted
this increase.
"rhe question OF this wage increase
has been under consideration for some
time. At meeting of the superinten-
dents OF the Lake Superior district
held at Iron Mountain two months ago
the whole subject was gone over care
fully and at that meeting the superin-
tendents agreed that AN increase should
be made and fixed the amount That
decision had 10 be submitted TO opera
tors In the east for ratification. The
consent Of the eastern men has been
obtained and we are now putting into
effect what was agreed upon at that
time.
Inquiry at the mining Offices divulge
the fact that this increase has made
the wages OF miners in dry mines
about a.. 20 per day ana in wet mines
close to $500.
- From what we have been able 20
earn this wage increase. coming as IL
has without any request from the en-
ployes. has pleased the workmen OF
this district greatly. The recent in
crease In the cost Of living has had a
depressing effect upon the worKmen
who found in many cases that IL was
tight scraping 10 make both ends meet.
Ar a result business has been very dull,
especially In the line OF Injuries This
wage increase will make the working
men feel more like spending their
money and will loosen mp business all
around.