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

tiers and kilograms consisted Of an in
terchangc OF communications betweeI
Hopper country officials of the West
ern Federation OF Miners and the na'
tional officials at Denver. also com.
munications To ana from Governor
Ferris and various notices and hanI
bills relating 10 the strikc-one docu.
ment in particular. with an artic',
written 10y &. III. Meyer 10 the Detroit
Times
| When Mr.. Hilton began to read this
MIR Rees, counsel for the companies
objected on the grounds that it was
matter that should not be offered as
proof. Mr.. Hilton explained: "rhis is
To show that the officers of the West =
ern Federation did not bring about this
strike, as stated 10y the counsel for OPP
orators i'm his opening statement, and
also to show the attitude of the Fed
Grafton in regard to a speedy settle.
ment. Chairman Taylor here asked:
| is Mr.. Meyer going TO here"
He will DE here If needed at the
conclusion of the executive board
meeting at Denver"
Chairman Taylor said he did not like
to rule this matter out, but that he did
not consider 1t proof.
After completing the reading of the
Meyer article, Mr. Hilton began read
ing form of contract between the
Butte union and mining company.
The purpose of this reading was 70
make a comparison between the wages
paid in Butte and i'm the Michigan cop
per district.
Radical Statement by Hilton.
Judge O. y. Hilton. counsel for the
Western Federation of Miners made a
radical opening statement at the begin
ming of the inquiry yesterday after
noon 1t was followed by a dignihed
reply by Attorney Allen f. Rees for the
mining companies.
William J. Richard of Calumet, pres
ident Of the Calumet union of the Fed
Grafton, was the only witness called At
this session. which extended half an
hour beyond scheduled time, but his
testimony was not lengthy because At
torney Kerr interpolated some dozen
exhibits in the form of dockets, and
pay slips collected over period of sew
eral years.
The strikers counsel asked first that
the seven propositions named in the
resolution directing the inquiry, which
have been listed previously. be taken IN
reverse order. He made his opening
with that understanding on his own
part
we are prepared to show" said At
torney Hilton. that for years, the last
forty years, men have worked at the
ages of. II, II and 16 years in these
mines and have worked thereafter for
II lifetime under conditions unparallel-
ed and unprecedented We will show
these men have worked for nearly half
II century and have never gotten SO u |
day, but have received less than $50 Il |
month, less than 50 a month down To- |
nothing a month. They have been. an
debt to the companies and the deficit !
has been charged against them. They
have found IL Impossible TO get work |
unless they have traded at certain |
stores and after getting work have got |
into helpless debt but have been fired |
if they failed to patronize these stores
We will show that the wages here
are lower and meaner than the under. |
paid labor of the old world. The ply |
steal conditions are astonishing and
will be Il complete justification for tho
strike. The mines are mile and a !
half deep, there is practically no TIM
boring in some places, the conglom-
crate constantly falls and the rate Of
is Unfortunately high. human |
the mule.
we will show that the trammers
break down under the strain of hav-
ng TO push heavily loaded ears with
heir shoulders so that sores break out
ike those caused by i'll fitting horse
collars. The trammcrs have to push
hcse cars eight to ten miles daily and
ire discharged for failing to do so.
These trammers never receive living
wages but are expected To work for
months on tracks that are covered with
water.
we will take up the complaints as
O the one man drill and the other
matters complained of. To this end
We will ask YOU to inspect the locus
n quo to see the men working i'm IN
Inferno of heat, naked excepting for
cots and trousers.
These men have worked for years
lndcr these conditions for ten hours a
lay. They have worked in gas and
cadly fumes. There is no ventilation
Excepting the exhaust from the drills.
here are no latrines. There is no
Thinking water excepting that brought
own in dinner buckets by the miners,
+ that which seeps through the rocks.
I'VE will show that the wages are
he lowest in the mining world. We +,
will introduce Utah, Butte and Arizo-
IA wage scales in comparison. We
iill show that this strike was called
fter the demands of the men had been
resented I'm writing to the operators,
ONE of which letters had been return
d unopened"
Reply by Mr.. Rees.
Mr.. Rees replied To 1t in the follow
ng language: