Arizona republican., 1919-04-21
LEADV|LLE FACING
 SERIOUS SITUATION
 IN WAGE DILEMMA
Unorganized Men Unionized Now Meet Today To Present Counter Claim Mines Preparing for the Worst
rRepubIican A. p. Leased Wlre1

LEADVILLE, Colo, April 20.-With the exception of a few small leases which are paying wages on the basis of s4.5O a day, there is not a mine op- erating in the Leadville district. This is the situation brought about by the refusal of the miners to accept the cut of one dollar, which was later modified to 75 cents, as a result of the visit here of Governor Shoup and two members of the industrial commission.
 The principal properties affected by the walkout are the Yak, employing 200 men; the Iron Silver and the Mikado, 200 men; the Downtown Mines company. 100 men; the Garbutt, 200 men, and the Ibex. 250 men. At the Penrose shaft of the Down. town company, volunteers are taking care of the pumps and salaried men at the Yak are holding the water down there. The Mikado has pulled it's pumping equipment, and it is feared 1 that the overflow will seriously affect l the Downtown mines, where the pump l ing. capacity is limited to 1000 gallons per minute
 
 We are in just this position" said a representative of one of the mining companies. "There is practically no market for either spelter or lead. Treatment charges have advanced. The 1 grade of the ore is low. Under present conditions, it is impossible to carry on mining operations and maintain the | present scale of wages. We are will ing to do our share in keeping the mines going, but we must ask the CO., operation of the men and if that is not given, we have no other course open"
 The miners of the Leadville district are unorganiZed and have carried on their negotiations through a commit tee. That committee held several meetings during the day and finally decided to present to a meeting of miners to be held this evening a propo- sitiOn for a new wage scale of S4 a day.
 That" said Chairman Daniels of the committee, "is what we consider fair rate for this district under pres ent conditions. If the meeting will agree to this, we will present it to the mine managers. If the men stand out for the s4.50 scale, then this committee will resign and the men will have to find another committee"
 Situation is Critical
 There were few outward indications
 in the city that Leadyille faces one of
 the most critical situations in it's his
 tory. There was a general walkout last
 year for an advance in wages which
 was quickly granted by the mine Op-
 orators, as at time the price of metals
 was high and conditions, it was con- ceded warranted a raise.
 Conditions at this time, however
 are quite different and unless there is
 settlement of some sort, mine op-
 orators believe that there will be g general shut down.
 There is one large manganese com 1, pany, the Northern, at present operat- ing under the S4.5O scale. The man.
 ager. C. J. Dold, stated that his con- tract would expire within two months , when operations would cease Two smelters, the Arkansas Valle, plant of the American Smelling ant Refining company and the WesterI
 Zinc Oxide company plant are still il operation. The zinc plant, which em
 ployS about 100 men, has sufficien ore to continue running for about ;
 month, and the reserves at the Arkan sas Valley smelter would keep a fev 2 furnaces in blast for about the sam . time. Cessation of operations at in latter plant would affect about GO men.
 9 No Attempt to Operate All the mine managers have state, 5 that there will be no attempt to op . crate their properties with outside la
 Dor. It would be a serious mistake. tn
 operators pointed out to adopt such d course, the principal concern being ap e parently to keep the pumps going a the Yak and the DowntonW mines. During the past week there has bee . a marked exodus of single men iron - the district.
 [ Striking metal miners of the Lead c Vile district, whose walkout toda Q following announcement of a redllctio r, of wages, resulted in the closing q t every large mining property in the dis
 trlct tonight met and organized a loca n union. meeting will be held tomor n row noon to decide strike plans. l. proposal from the miners com IT mittee to make a counter offer of S4 wage scale, instead of the s3.7l e made by the operators, will be Dre IT sented to the union tomorrow. - Harry Mitchell is president of th s. union, James McDonald, secretary an s, Alan Mcdonald, treasurer. -