The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-01-03
SIGNS THAT CALUMET
STRIKE Is NEAR END
Many Miners Desert Western
Federation and Seek Their
Former Jobs.
MOYER ELECTION DENIED
Calumet and Hecla Heads Will
Make No Peace With
Federation.

CALUMET. Mich. Jan. "A sensational
announcement was made over brokers'
wires In Boston to-day that the strike
would he declared or within twenty-four
hours through the efforts Of John b.
Densmore Of the Department Of Labor,
who. according to the story. has sue
ceeded I'm inducing both sides TO agree
to the elimination of the Western Fedora
ton of Miners and the organisation of
purely local unions.
Densmore denies tonight the authen-
ITCHY Of this announcement. He says ne
has a plan which Ia being slowly worked
acceptable 20 both the miners and the
companies, but he will divulge no part of
II. He denies that he In considering the
organization of local nnions.
Densmore conferred this morning with
Claude o. Taylor. president of the Michi-
gan Federation OF Labor. representing
the Western Federation Of Miners, and
Judge o. n. Hilton. representative Of
President Meyer. Later he conferred
with Allan +. Rees. chief OF counsel for
the Calumet and Hecla and all subsidiary
companies. thirteen In number. and Supt
John Knox of that company and sub
salaries.
Won't Deal with Federation.
/: liz understood the local representa-
tives of the Calumet and Hecla and other
companies also had long Geographic COM
muncations with the head offices In Bos-
ton and New York. The companies will
refuse 1t is again positively stated. to
deal in any way with the Western Fed
Grafton or to agree to allow that organi-
z3tion to remain In the district.
That Samuel Gompers. president Of the
American Federation OF Labor, IL pre-
pairing to take some hand in the strike
troubles here is the belief OF local people
James X. Roach of Albany. ". Y. of the
moulders' union. and Grant Hamilton.
Washington. d. c., Typographical Union.
are here. and they conferred with both
Hilton and Taylor and later with Dens-
more to-day. They did not confer with
any OF the local unions heads, however
These two men are here for the purpose
OF investigating the labor troubles for
Gompers personally not for the Amer,-
can Federation. They will not talk be-
yond stating their mission.
To-day's lack OF developments i'm the
situation seems 10 leave matters lust
about where they stood three or four DAYS
ago President Meyer Ia Just as unyield.
ing concerning the withdrawal of the fed
GRAFTON as the companies are in demand
ing its elimination. There seems TO be a
deadlock which there Is little none of
breaking. although Densmore believes he
can do II.
strikers Returning 70 Work.
There was a noteworthy improvement
III the local labor situation to-day as the
result OF the announcement by the mining
companies some time ago that no strik-
ers would be taken back to work who did
not apply for their old places by jan
uary !.
This morning the Hancock Consolidated
company received a sufficiently large force
OF men to enable IL to resume Operations
after being closed down tight since July
10 the DAY the strike was declared. Sixty
I'VE men went to work underground and
about thirty on the surface. More than
hhit OF these We're formerly members
OF the Western Federation OF Miners
Nearly one hundred q the old men re-,
turned TO work ut the Mohawk mine.
The Calumet and Hecla had applications
Tor work from thirty men, twenty of
them former strikers, ana sent them TO
the North and South Kearsarge and
Ahmeek shafts.
Inc copper Range Consolidated put on
ahout sixty more men, most of them
strikers. Quincy has 80 increased its force
as 10 bring It's output up to better than
half what it was when the strike was
declared.
The Quincy company may release its
imported men II enough Of the old men
return to work. The Calumet and Hecla
has nearly three hundred more on its pay
rolls now than when the strike was de-
c'ared, and has announced that II needs
no more men, although the subsidiary
mines will take on several hundred.
All but two Of the twenty-five or
tWehtS-three mines closed by the strike
are operating. one or two are turning
out their normal production and several
are rapidly getting back toward normal
The Tamarack and the Franklin are
closed and will remain closed at least Till
the spring, perhaps longer.
Where $4,000 men We're employed by
companies six months ago about II 900
are now at work. Two thousand have
lett the district and $500 are still on
strike. The companies need men. need
them badly. and have only been holding
on from bringing In men in the hopes
mat their experienced miners and tram
mers might return To work
Nearly all the idle men are underground
workers. The total underground force at
normal times Is about 5000.