The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1917-02-15
High Cost Of Mining and Smelling.
Causes and Effects Discussed

AT the December meeting of the
Mining and Metallurgical Society of
America, the subject, How and why
do present conditions affect tho cost of
mining, smelling and milling" brought
out many interesting and some very
unexpected facts as to present condi-
lions and the REIMBURSEMENT that will
come when peace abroad is restored,
says the Engineering and Mining
Journal.
United States Smelling, Refining and
Mining Company.
Sidney J, Jennings, vice president of
the United States Smelling, Refining
and Mining company, said: The min
ing of ore in the United States is done
almost entirely by foreigners. In the
mines with which | am connected q
different nationalities are represented.
In some mines, especially copper
mines, Spaniards are in the majority;
in Others Films predominant for run
ming rock drills, while shoveling and
pushing cars is done largely by Aus
TRANS, work on the surface being done
mostly by Greeks
The breaking out of the war called
to the armies of the different nations
those, at least, who were sufficiently
patriotic to want to be called. There
are still undoubtedly number of for
eigners working in this country who,
during the past two and half or
three years have accumulated large
sums of money. They do not spend
much, their families are not here, and
consequently they accumulate money.
The wages in the mines with which l
am connected have been advanced in
order to keep up with what We might
call the scale advance, that is, in pro-
portion to the price of copper, so that
wages paid to miners are now about
so per cent higher than they were
three years ago. As wages constitute
approximately two-thirds the cost of
mining, the actual cost of mining has
increased very largely from that fac
tor alone
Cost of Supplies Advanced as Much as
Cost of Labor.
The price of all supplies, owing to
the insistent demand for materials
which enter into the manufacture of
explosives, fuse and all machinery,
has increased very largely For the
first year and half of the war, our
supplies We're delivered to us on con-
tracts which had been made before the
war broke out, and the increase in
their cost was not felt by the mining
companies until the expiration of
those contracts. At the present time, |
should say the cost of supplies has |
certainly advanced as much as the
cost of labor Now, that increase has
occurred not only in the cost of min |
ing, but in all industries, and the min
er now has to pay. for his food and |
clothing and rent and transportation.
an Increase proportionate to his in
creased wages; but of course his ca
Paeity for saving has likewise increas-
ed IN proportion, so that all his in
creased wages have not been consum-
ed by the increased cost to him. TAX
ing very broad view of the situation.
i appears to me that the United
States has financed a rise in price in
all commodities, including labor, and
that this prosperity, which is so APP |,
parent at present, will probably not Z
remain with MS, because the reducing /,
of the price of all things will be ac-
complished with so much greater diff e,
hculty than the raising was accom- E
plished, the wealth accumulated in {
this period of prosperity will be alb
sorbed in that period of depression 1t c
viii need our best effort and our most ;
careful study how to economize in the T
use of labor especially, and in the a
consumption of supplies. if we wish I
to retain in this country some of the IN
which has been so apparent 4
in the past two years. q
New jersey Zinc Co. /
George c. Stone, Of the New Jersey q
Zinc company. much to the amuse- n
nent of his hearers began" think I,
hat we zinc men have been some of l,
he worst sufferers in the last two n
iears. There have been compensa- "A
ions sufficient to make up for the
arge increase In labor costs, but aside
rom this we have suffered severely re
rom the scarcity of skilled furnace w
men. Good spelter men are always n,
carce. and when the smelling capac- w
~ OF the country was doubled In a IN
cry short time, the lack of expert &c
need men was severely felt Owing m
0 the shortage they could get prac- ii,
lcally what they asked for and they NJ
sked frequently. We found consid- an
rable difference in the amount Of al,
rouble In volved in obtaining suitable I'M
len in different parts of the country,
spending on the proximity of other m
meters. The southwest where the su
orks are numerous close together, mr.
nd were rapidly increasing their ca we
acity, was the worst point. The or,
Mississippi valley. where there are 7 I
'wer works and less expansion was On
IT so bad and in the east, where nv
ere are no other speter works. our VII
lily trouble was due To the general he
portage of labor tri