The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1919-05-22

w panies were advanced 80
cents per day through the
unanimous action of representatives
of the principal operators at a meet
ing in this city last Monday afternoon
called for the purpose of considering
the wage question, During the war
wages We're advanced from time to
time until the rate was $5.25 per day.
Soon after the armistice was signed
the. price of lead and zinc dropped
materially due to the large accumula-
tions of the metals in anticipation Of
condition which made 1t difficult to
dispose Of the products. Some Of
the mines of this district shut down
tight and those which continued in
operation curtailed output. In the
meantime the costs of mining re-
maned on a war; time basis, situa-
ton which reduced profits to narrow
margin and in some cases wiped 1t
out altogether. However, the compan-
les continued operations under the ad-
verse conditions hoping to find relief
in a general reduction of operating
costs. But as this did not materialize,
the managers of the various compan-
| les met on March and resolved to
reduce the wages of employees from
$5.25 to $4.25 per day, clean cut Of
81 effective March 16. Notices were
posted at the various mines in which
il was explained that this action had
been deferred in the hope that living
costs would come down to point at
which a reduction of wages would not
impose a hardship upon employees. 1t
was realized that the cost of living
had not come down. but as the COM
panies, in some cases at least, were
confronted with a choice Of suspend
ing operations or reducing wages, 1t
was decided that the latter course
was preferable.
Hardship on Employees.
While no protest was made by en-
ployes, the cut caused many single
men to draw their time and leave the
men to take their places became a
serious one, and today every mine is
short of men. But the reduction in
pay was especially hard upon married
men, who were not in a position to go
elsewhere. Rent and the cost Of food
and clothing remained on a war basis
or higher, while their income had been
reduced to a peace basis. 1t was no
longer a question of saving part of
: the pay check for a rainy day; 1t was
question of making the check hold
out to meet actual and necessary liv-
ing expenses Thus the matter has
dragged along for the past two
months, the shortage Of men growing
, more acute. Men could get better
wages in other lines outside the dis
. trict a situation which both attract
ed men from the mines and prevented
!, others from coming in to seek en-
ployment.
:, Companies Raise Wages.
:. Although there has been no mater
= ial change in the lead market to thu
advantage of the producers, there ha
been big advance in the price Of sill
yer which has probably come to sta,
and which is substantial offset t.
-, the low price of lead 1t was this, to
gether with the maintenance of higl
living costs, from which there Is n
70 relief in sight, that prompted the mi
ming companies to make the advanc
in wages that has just been announc
ed. The action of the companies Is ex
- planned in the following authorize
40 statement:
m "At a meeting of the managers {
l. the principal operating mines, held
ad Wallace yesterday, it was decided
al make an increase Of so cents per da
he in the bonus paid to all employe
n Since the reduction made In Marcl
NV the bonus has been rs cents per da
e. Beginning with today it will be s1.2
as "The companies nave realized thi
on the expected decrease in the cost
Ter living has not taken place. And the
realize also that conditions have BET
burdensome to the employees; partic'
larly so to the men with families.
in "The price of lead Is still around
,rs cents, but the recent advance in t
he price Of silver has been Of benefit
ed the mines, and this they are passil
he on to the men. In the case of sor