The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1919-03-13

ter mines l6SL SoAAAASAp 'WAes~AS 49,
appearance Of being the result OF
pro- German propaganda and which
was settled by direct action OF mill
tary representatives Of the govern
ment is made the subject of an In
teresting chapter in the annual re-
port Of Robert N. Bell, state mine in
spector. After the strike was settled
complaint was filed with the depart
ment of labor, in which 1t was claimed
the Morning mine was poorly ventil-
ated, badly timbered and generally In
an unsanitary and unsafe condition
Subsequently three representatives OF
as many bureaus of the government
we're sent out at different times to in
vestigate these reports, and each OF
them sustained the charges to an ex-
tent that reflected upon the Morning
management and the state mine in
spector as we'll. Mr.. Bell reviews the
strike and the alleged causes. working
conditions in the Morning, the sys-
tenn of timbering and the ventilating
i plant that conveys pure air to all
parts of the mine. He says:
Morning and Hunter Strike.
For the first time since 1898 incipi-
emit labor troubles developed in the
Occur dAlenes. During the summer,
on July 81, the men employed at the
Morning and Gold Hunter mines. en-
bracing 1888 OF the crew at the Morn
ing property and 90 men at the Gold
Hunter, went out on strike without
previous notice to the foremen IN
charge, with a demand for a change
in working conditions, principally
aimed at obtaining the concession
from the company OF going to work
and returning from the tunnel portal
within the period Of an S-hour day,
together with a demand for two pay
days per month and the elimination
of the short change day and better
working conditions which the COM
mittee did not further definitely define
at the time.
This strike occurred at time when
the company was extremely snort
handed and making strenuous ef-
fort, along with the other mines OF
he district, to supply large portion
of their production to the government
for munition purposes, and by virtue
of this fact, two well known and COM
petent army officers were sent IN
from the spruce division Of the gov
eminent work on the coast to help
arbitrate the matter and to try and
arrive at a settlement in the govern
ment's interest.
These officers discussed the situa-
ton thoroughly, both with the COM
pany officials and with the striking
miners, advised the concession of the
two pay days per month, the elimin-
alton of the short change day. which
was cheerfully granted, and the men
were advised that in government
work the government expected for an
8-hour day, hours actually on the
Job and induced the men to return to
work pending a further investigation
The matter was subsequently taken
I'D in the interest of the men by the
u. S. department of labor, and three
inspectors were sent at different
times, one of whom was from the
federal bureau Of Cancellation, one
from the department of justice, ano
one from the department OF immigra-
ton. all of whom duly criticised the
neglect of the state inspector OF mines
and the condition of the Morning
mine, but failed to have anything te
say about the condition of the COLO
Hunter mine, to discuss with or t
have much to say about the adverse
natural and contingent conditions IN
yolyed in the operation on the side
Of the owners.
Governor Asks Bell to Investigate.
One of these federal representatives
complained to Governor Alexander
about the bad condition Of the Morn
ing mine and the lack of faith OF EN-
ployes in the state mine inspector, re
ouesting a special investigation by
nrivate inspector from the governor
who duly submitted this complain
To nv department and asked me to IN
yestigate the situation, which ! did o.
September 1. and I found the doi'
Hunter mine in good condition. wei
timbered and well ventilated with tn
exception of one dead end that wa
supplied by special fan and on
stope in which a new air connect'o
was being driven for and within FEY
feet of being made at the time. Nine
~ per cent of the active workin
faces Of both this and the Mornin
mine &ere inspected on this trip.
At the Morning mine the quality
labor available up to June l, in spit
OF the high wages paid, was of such
low efficiency and indifference as
make 1t impossible for the company
keep its immense milling plant opel
ating at more than half its capacit
and the company instituted a contra
system Of mining the ore by the to
furnishing all supplies and timpe
and turning the slopes over to II
men with their usual shift bosses
charge, who also participated In Il
contract rate with bonus over Il