The sun., 1919-08-26
COBALT STRIKE NOW
SEEMS NEAR AN END
Effort to Force Recognition of
Western Federation of
Miners Failing.
NEW NAME MERE BLIND
Camp Has Forged Ahead Until
Now 1t Is an Established
Leader.
NEW NAME MERE BLIND
sy a s,dr Correspondent Of Tp, Sun.

Bv stdr Correspondent Of THn Sun.
cosArr, Ont, Aug. 25.--This mining
ssmp has been given more notice re-
Gently on account Of the strike than It
has received since the boom days of If
teen years ago. But the fact isthat ever
,Ince IL first came into prominence It
steadily has worked ahead, and added
year by year to its producing power un-
NJ now II is one Of the most important
mining centres in North America.
Up to December 81. 1918. the silver
and gold output OF the north country
since 1904 has amounted to s1s1. O65, 11o.
Silver is the chief mineral asset of the
Cobalt mines, but gold is found in pay
ing quantities about 1875 miles north, at
Tinmins, twenty miles In from the Pas
ouls junction. There the Hollinger mine
Is operated with a degree of success that
has brought the company into favor. Its
report. Just issued, shows net profits Of
N519,756, as against a total income of
sS16e,62O. The company employs 1874
men and kept the mills running SO per
cent of the possible running time In 1918.
Mineral Exports s315.OOO,OOO.
In 1917 Canada exported SAT-. 900, 900
worth of mineral products. of which
tl4s,O0O 900 went to the United States.
The principal items were: Copper, Ill.,
09S5OO pounds; nickel, 70,220, 400
hounds; silver, 7.7so.06o ounces. ashes
tos, s4,141, 96S gold bearing quartz. $19,-
s7l.026. Ontario. divides with the
Yukon the honor for gold production, but
leads in silver and copper.
seNr 81 M n N
average about 1S,00O,0 900 ounces Of all
ycr annually. The strike, which has been
in force since mid July. will hold down
the total. but the record up to that time
for this year was very good. There are
twenty-five companies in operation here,
ard of that number fifteen are on
proft paying basis. Five of the COM
NAMES are capitalized at Ave millions or
more, but most are on capitalization
basis of about a million and half.
Most Of the gold mining Is carried on
I'D in the Porcupine country to the north.
VARYING degrees of success have at
tended the enterprise. but the entire
camp has been a success quite equal to
the dreams of an Ell Dorado prophet.
Since 1910 the mines in the district have
produced $44.97s,90S in gold values.
This year activities proceed without any
Interruption, for the strike mania and
advance agent OF dlSSenston nave not
prevented the mines from yielding their
riches
The strike down in this district. among
the silver mine owners and their work.
ers. came after some years Of amicable
relations mingled with marked success
10 the operators. The break is doubly
to be regretted because the employing
companies had used the profit sharing
system to advantage for some time.
Current wages are paid on the basis Of
silver being at a price OF SO cents an
ounce. For each 10 cent rise in the
price OF silver the wages Of all mine en-
ployees are increased rs cents day.
With silver as at present well over the
tl.lO mark the employees are entitled
to daily bonus In wages of S1.26 for
each days work. That should be suffi-
cent TO keep the most selfish individual
quiet and entice the most energetic kind
OF industry out Of the Indifferent But
not So for the terms were not Sufficient
to prevent the virus OF division and dis
cord from doing its work. Wages are
higher in the Cobalt mining camp than
they are up north in the gold fields.
But wages do not provide the chief cause
Of trouble in this case.
Recognition Is Main Issue.
ton Of Miners is the main issue at
stake in the test OF strength between
the operators and miners in the present
strike. It is true that the men have
asked that the bonus be made part OF
the guaranteed pay, but they do not
look for that to be pranted. The aver
age pay for June was $3.50 per diem,
but many OF the skilled miners make
up to 81 day under the bonus system
in vogue.
The new name adopted for the union
Is the International Mine Millers and
Shelters Union. 1t Is claimed that
when the day came for a break up Hay
wood went to the I. w. w. and Charles
Meyer had the evil name of the West
ern Federation covered up with new
title. But the Cobalt mine managers
assert that the gang and its purposes
are not TO be separated from the old
bunch, and they will not deal with or
recognize the old union in Its alleged
new life
The story Of the strike and the strug-
gle Of the International men for recog-
milton here and at Ottawa is q tale of
many quirks. The Minister Of Labor.
the Hon. G. II. Robertson, himself an
old line union man of the A. F. Y. type,
either has been duped into giving his
support TO get recognition OF the Inter
national or he has been unsupported by
the Cobalt miners. It Is important that
he should give out the facts. But at
this stage It looks as II the strike is lost
10 the men and that the mines will be
reopened up under such arrangements
as the operators agree to.
The right OF collective bargaining is
not questioned by the mine managers,
They do protest against any right OF
the old Western Federation gang to
represent the collectiye rights of the
Cobalt miners and Will never consent
TO deal with that unions The principle
Involved is important