The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1916-02-03
STEWART MINING COMPANY ANNOUNCES
ADOPTION Of SAME SCALE At SAME TIME
UNDERSTOOD ALL OTHER PRODUCING
so ADVANCE wAGEs-MEANs INCREASED ANNUAL
DlsBuRsE $75oooo

IL is WlIH great pleasure IIlttt L IL
Miner announces the action of tn
mining companies at Wardner ant
Kellogg in advancing the wages o
their employees, and it hopes and con
fidently expects to have the furthe
pleasure of announcing similar action
by the other productive companies o
the district. In voluntarily making
the increase the companies have shown
a spirit of fairness and consideration
toward their employees that is in th'
highest degree commendable, and will
bring returns in the form of a recipro
cal feeling among employees that cal
not be measured in dollars and cents
IL recent issues of this paper the mat
ter Of increased ply has been referred
to In a manner that reflected the pre-
vailing sentiment of the people of thu
district, and the voluntary action o
the mining companies shows that thi
feeling is shared by them also ThC
sliding scale of wages adopted by thu
Wardner Kellogg mines Is the faires
system that could be devised and will
insure fair compensation for the
wage Garner under all conditions oI
the metal market, and we hope to see
1t become the rule throughout the dis
trict. 1t is reasonably certain that the
high prices of the metals will continue
for a period of years, and the benefi-
cial effects of the advance in wages
that Is in force will not be limited tC
the men who directly receive the pay
At a conservative estimate, assuming
that all the companies adopt the same
system, 1t will mean the disbursement
of approximately $750,000 annually
in addition to the large payroii, which
will be a matter of no small import
ance to the business community. The
entire district is to be congratulated
for 1t will increase prosperity in a dis
trict already exceptionally favored In
that respect.
How 1t Came About.
While at Boise last week attending
the meeting of the Idaho Mining asso-
citation 1t is learned that representa-
tives Of the Coeur d'Alene mining CON-
panies conferred on the subject of in
creasing wages and agreed upon a ba-
sis so far as they were concerned. But
as there were only four companies
the Bunker Hill & Sullivan, Hecla,
Marsh and Federal-represented in
the conference, it was decided to defer
public announcement until the other
companies could be heard from. How
ever on this point, the manager OF the
Bunker Hill & Sullivan is understood
to have stated that he would not wait
beyond the first day Of February tc
announce the new scale of wages fol-
his and affiliated companies. And ne
made his word good. Representatives
authorized to act for some of the other
companies were widely scattered and
it was impossible to get an expression
from them in time to make the action
unanimous, with the result that on
February / the manager of the Bunker
Hill 4 Sullivan gave formal notice that
all employees of the companies he rep
resented would from that date work
under sliding scale of wages which
meant an immediate advance. Stimuli
taneously with the action of the Bun
ker Hill & Sullivan, the manager OF
the Stewart Mining company announc-
ed a similar advance in the wage OF
all its employees.
Other Companies Will Follow.
While no official authority has been
given for the announcement, it may
be accepted as fact that all other
producing companies will adopt the
same sliding scale within a few days.
It is stated that meeting Of the COM
panies will be held as soon as possible
to consider the matter of an increase,
but 1t is understood that the action
will be little more than mere formal
ity for they are already practcally
agreed.
The Sliding Scale.
The scale of wages adopted by the
Bunker Hill Sullivan, the Caledonia
the Ontario and the Sierra Nevada
which became effective last TUESDAY
applies to all employees Of the compan-
les in whatever capacity and includes
the office force. 1t provides for an In
crease Of rs cents l,er day when leac
is quoted at cents per pound and no.
over 51a cents; so cents per day wher
lead is over ~ cents per pound anc
not over cents; rs cents per day
when lead Is over cents. The rate o.
increase is to be figured on the aver
age price of lead for the preceding
month. While the new scale was an
nounced on February 1, 1t is in realit!