The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1914-12-05
STARTED A STRIKE
Victor Rajala and Companion Didn't
Understand Mexican Ways

OuuCt Stditu WChIdii Vdyo
A party of Crystal Falls miners was
sent 10 Mexico last month by the
Corrigan- Mckinney people of this city
10 work in a shaft that the company is
sinking at one Of it's properties in the
northeran part OF that troubled
country. Among the number was
Victor Rajala and John Alto, two
Crystal Falls Firms who are more or
less on the labor agitation line. Rajala
was the fellow who raised such a
howl because Italians and Poles were
empolyed on the sewer ditch last fall.
he was given work. too. but after one
and one-nalt days work he concluded
that the work wasn't TO his liking and
quit.
He learned OF the Mexican oppor-
tunity and begged for a cnance to go,
making the same claim to Mr.. Oswald
who was assembling the crew, that he
did TO the sewer contractors--that he
was needy aud must have work. The
agreement was that the company
should pay the transportation OF the
men, pay them $500 per day and
toard and IL they stayed year. or
until the shaft was finished, the com.
pany would pay their fare back TO
Crystal Falls again.
A dozen went in the party, Rajala
and Alto among them. Rsjala had
not been at work much over week
before his striking procliyities be-
gan to show up He was on night
shift and started an agitation among
the men for new captain. The thing
went on for two or three nights and
the first thing the company knew il
had an embryo strike on it's hands.
Ii didn talk, long to find out the
movers IN the trouble and that night
when the crew assembled the head
captain met the men and addressing
himself to Rajsla and his companion
he said, "Rajala, I'll give you just
three hours to gst out OF this section
and when you start, don { stop short
of the border for if you do IN have
Villas men down here and they'll
take care OF you 80 quickly that you
won't know what happened. Now,
20 and don wait for a train for your
time is mighty short"
Rajala and his partner knew what
that meant. The last seen OF them
they were hoofing il over the hills
making Tor the border The mines are
located we'll down in the mountains
and if they have to walk to Crystal
Falls they will probably arrive about
the time prosperity does
The story came out when Sam
Hayman. miner from the Armenia,
got home last week Hayman is In
i'll health, lung trouble being his com
plant. He is good faithful workman
and gave every bit of work in him
while on the job down there hut the
rare air complicated his disease and
he became unable 70 work. The com.
pany, recognizing how faithful the
man was. bought him ticket with
Pullman berth to Crystal Falls, con-
veyed him 100 miles in an automobile
so that he conld catch his train and
gave him $40 to spend on the way
home. Hayman has only words OF
praise 10 say for the Corrigan Me.
Kinney management in Mexico. The
men are made very comfortable in
good, roomy boarding houses and the
food is the very best The section in
wich the Corrigan- Mckinney mines
sfe located is under the control Of
villa and they have not been inter.
fered with in any way.
The last Hayman heard of Rajala
and Alto they were in Arizona trying
10 get north