Bisbee daily review. [volume] (Bisbee, Ariz.) 1901-1971, 1915-09-17
Clifton -MOrenCi-MetCalf District
Facing Period Of SiagnaiIon
Through Agitation OF Migrate
ry Leaders.
LIGHT PLANTS MENACED
AND OPERATE SLIGHTLY
No Indication Of Trouble Until Ar
rival of AgitatorS. NoDemandS
Have Been Made on Compa-
MES Through Acceptable Chan
nelS.

CLIFTON, Sept. 16-Last spring the
mining companies, operating in this
district voluntarily put a sliding scale
of wages in operation which granted
TO the employees a substantial increase
owe rany wages which had been previ-
ously paid in the district This action
was taken i'm conjunction with the
various other mining companies i'm the
state. 1t has been understood that
this sliding scale had given satisfac-
tion to the employees. as no evidence
10 the contrary existed until about d
month ago when representatives of
the Western Federation of Miners,
having completed their labors at Ray,
entered this district and began to
spread the gospel of discomfort among
the working men.
Public meetings have been held in
Clifton, Morenci and Metcalf for the
purpose of enHsting the support of the
workmen and to interest them in a
movement to organize locals of the
Western Federation Of Miners in these
number joined the union.
Tta local companies managers re-
uaested their Latin-American employ
ees to appoint a joint committee to
meet them on the 2Sth day of August
last, at which meeting this committee
was informed that if there was any
question the employees wished to talk
upon with regard to their wages OF
working conditions the companies
were willing to deal with their employ
ees direct but could not recognize the
Western Federation of Miners and
suggested such a meeting with their
employees after the present agitation
had subsided.
Nothing further, in the way of ne
gotiations took place until Saturday
morning, September Il. when requests
were made upon the managers of the
three local companies by committees
of their employees to meet them il
conjunction with Guy e. Miller, al
executive board member of the West
ern Federation of Miners. The reply
made was to repeat the statement
made to the previous employees com
mittee, ie.. that the companies were
willing to meet their employas as suct
not as representatives of the Western
Federation of Miners
No demands of any character, no
any request for an increase of wages
were made upon the respective com
panies and no intimation of a strik,
was given. A general strike, however
was called at eleven o'clock the SAINT
night and all employees were ordere,
out. About 5000 men are now idle
Since then, and up to the present n,
demands have been made. Part of tn,
men simply quit work and the other
were forced out and the various plant
have been heavily picketed Even tn
operations of the electric light plant
have been interfered with to such al
extent that the Detroit Copper Minin
Companys employees at Morenci am
the shannon Copper Company's en-
ployees at Clifton have been withou
lights and It Is only with greatest di
hculty that the Arizona Company ha
been able to operate lighting plant TO
the town of Clifton. The lighting cor
dition has now been relieved throug
the action of Sheriff Cash who has oI
dered the plants put in operation ur
der the protection of the sheriff's o
fee The pickets, stationed at IN
plants. have prevented the companies
watchmen from staying on the prem
ises and have prevented the foremel
shift bosses, office, warehouse an
other smelter employees from ente
ing their places Of work, forcibly ba
ring the entrance
Strikers have marched through th
mines and have elected employe
watching and safeguarding the pro
erty. No violence has been committe
but intimidation has been used TO th
limit A number of citizens, inclu
ing the mayor of Clifton, have fe
compelled for their own safety
leave the district Mass meetings, t
agents OF the Western Federation
Miners. are almost daily occurrence
and speeches of the usual charact'
Continued on Page 81