The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1914-02-10

The introduction IF pay checks
nearly all of which were three, four
and five ycars'old. by which the West
ern Federation hoped to show that
copper country miners are workinC
! for a wage on which they can barely
subsist, and the testimony of William
! Richard, president Of the Calumet To-
cal, constituted this mornings ses-
| sion OF the congressional inquiry into
| the strike situation. Counsel q. y. Hill
| ton offered time checks from various
mines which apparently had been
carefully selected in order that none
| should show the average wage of the
contract miner or trammer. Several
Of the checks were even from min.
ing company that has ceased to exist.
the King Phillip Mining company.
After the Introduction Of this evi-
dencc, Congressman Howell asked for
some information as tc the scale OF
wages. Attorney Angus w. Kerr told
of the duties of trammers, shaft men
and other undergroun / employees, an'l
said that miners and trammers prin-
| Cipally are under contract. Payments
on contract, he said, were made ac-
cording to the amound of rock tram
med or mined, and that at the eXpira-
tion Of the third month, If the miner
| had anything coming he was paid, IL
not received nothing. Congressman
Howell referred to a statement by
William Richard yesterday. who said
he received $3.50 for a months work
! The inquisitor asked If that was not
the amount he had coming on the
CONTRACT He replied that it was,
though it was the remuneration for a
months work.
Rickard Again on Stand.
At this juncture William Rickard
was again placed on the stand In
| reply to a question from Attorney
Kerr, apparently to aid an impression
I that the mining companies controlled
the postoflice. Rickard said that the
postoffice at Mohawk. at Allouez and
iNNthi Ntii ~ llt l'Nbltu WI llt IllIllHS
company's property ard i'm the Peter
man stores. He also said that the
postoniccs on the South Range are To-
Gated on mining properties.
on some of The dockots that were in
troduccd. charges for rent, physicians
services, supplies and other accounts
were made. one of these accounts was
steel. which Rickard said represented
the wear on drills and lost drills He
said that at the end of every three
months, the drills werc weighed i'm the
blacksmith shop ana If any shortage
deductions were made from the min
crs pay at the rate OF - cents pound.
When il was suggested by Attor-
uey Allen r. Recs. the witness replied
the expense was only i'm the case of
contract miners
Rickard declared there is no cir
culation of air in mine until the first
stope is up. Congressman Howell ask
ed him how long IL would take To-
break through. Rickard declared five
or seven months. He added that the
miners were then full of gas, smoke
and water. Congressman Howell ask
ed if a miner could not earn more by
contract. Rickard replied: Certainly:
f YOU make good the first and second
months. you're cut. They wouldn't give
YOU the price. They keep cutting until
il is impossible for an experienced
miner tn make any money out Of IT,.
II YOU didn't accept contract you
could look elsewhere for a job. The
Calumet & Hecla Mining Co. own
nearly all the mines and if YOU lost
you're job YOU can get no work again
Il YOU arc forty years old"
Tells OF Cause of Strike.
Attorney Kerr referred 10 the pay
system Of the mining companies lie
said the pay was held up In some
mines for more than a month. but at
the present time il is held up for two
weeks in every mine.
Chairman Taylor ASKED the witness
the cause Of the strike Rickard out
lined the various meetings of local
unions. and the referendum vote in
which he said % per cent Of the
members voted i'm favor Of the strike.
He referred to the organization of tho
district union and it's affiliation with
the Western Federation of Miners, the
officers Of which. he said, were Oppose
ed to the strike. He reiterated the
statement made To Governor Ferris
thnt they could not help calling the
strike because the men demanded II,
thrt conditions were growing worse.
A secret ballot, calling the strike. was
taken July 9Th and the strike occurred
July %. He said, meanwhile the dis
triet board presented the demands OF