The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1916-08-11

P1sSA oho oVO1
During the month of June,
1916, the lowest average at any
single mine of the Great North
ern Ore properties was 5000 per
day and the highest average rate
for any mine was 1881 per day.
Skilling's Mining Review in
speaking of the contract system
in last weeks issue has the fol-
lowing to say on the subject:
"The !. w. w. desire to have
the contract system abolished and
have the miners work on COM
pany time, with minimum wage
basis, regardless Of experience or
skill. In other words the best
man would receive no more than
the most inefficient. Mining is
skilled work and years of exper-
fence are required to learn the
same thoroughly. Manifestly it
is unfair that a skilled miner
should be penalized for skill ac-
quired by years of service.
"The contract system is one
which permits the ambitious and
efficient miner to earn more than
the inexperienced and Indifferent
one, and as length of service u.s.
ually increases mans knowl-
edge Of the work-which means
increased efficiency-it places
premium on continuous service
and familiar knowledge, united
to a readiness of performance.
Contract prices are fixed so
as to permit not the best miner,
but the average miner, to earn
1925 to $3.50 per day. The unit
price per foot, ton, set or car, is
comparative, based on conditions
encountered in the mine, and
there are as many different base
rates or contract prices, as there
are varying conditions under
ground. Contracts where similar
conditions prevail are paid the
same price, and conditions en-
countered, rather than the amount
earned, govern the price paid.
''The captain, who usually sets
the contract price, is always q
man of many years of practical
experience, and selected for his
position because of his khowl-
edge of and good judgment con-
corning the work, and the vary
ing amounts earned by the men
is indicative Of a miners skill
and ambition rather than an err
ror in the judgment in the set
ting of the price or adverse con-
ditions encountered under
ground. The minimum wage
commonly advocated disregards a
mans length Of service, exper-
fence and skill, and would give
to the inefficient miner practic-
ally the same as the individual
of long experience. 1t would, to
a great extent, destroy the incen-
tive to efficiency and encourage
the extravagant use of supplies.
cit is much better, and more to
the best interests Of the employer
and the employee alike, to give a
man am opportunity to earn a
minimum or much better wage,
rather than pay minimum wage,
whether earned or not. This is
what is being done.
Many Of the men employed
in underground mines on the Me-
saba range have had little or no
mining experience when starting
work, and it is not reasonable to
expect that green men would
earn as high wages as men who
have acquired more skill.
However, it is the average
wages earned in the district that
should control, and the fact that
less than / per cent of all the un-
foreground men draw less than
$500 shows that there is no just
basis for the claims that have
been made. Any miner who does
a fair days work can make over
$500 per day, and it is his own
fault if he does not work the full