The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1920-03-25

ment from producers as follows:
Lead lbs. Observation-Disclosures. 1S5,S94.OO
Silver ozs .....................- 5.269, 80
Zinc, lbs --.---..-.......-..-...... 20,414.0 90
Copper, lbs .--.-.-......-.-.......... 2,4SS,4 O
Gold. ozs. -...--..-....................... 2S,77
With total gross value of $19.1O2, 1887.
These total results compare with Z
total gross value of $S7, S2OOS2 4S il
1918, decline Of $1S,217,35S.72, will
an even more serious cut in dividend
results which are estimated at S2,52S,-
600 in 1919 as compared with S71O6,.
600 in 1918
This serious decline in output in NJ
way reflects weaking in ore re-
sources or productive capacity of the
principal ore producers in Idaho, par
ticularly in lead-silver values for, as
a matter of fact, the developed re-
sources, especially of our big Occur
d'Alene mines, are such as to warrant
their continued operation at maximum
capacity for years to come and other
lead-silver districts of the state are
also showing most substantial evil
dences of strength and expansion.
Cause of Decline.
The decline was brought about
through natural flat metal market
conditions and the general prevailing
labor unrest and dissatisfaction un-
ouestionably influenced by fairly
general bolsheviki faint In the open
ing months of the year the market for
lead mineral and metal was so dull
and flat that refined soft lead. bullion
commenced to pile up edgeways at
the Bunker Hill smelter at Kellogg in
the Occur d'Alenes. Lead ores were
not in demand ait other markets and
the operators felt the necessity of
reducing wages from war time stand
ards, which was done. in common
with big operators in other districts.
This created such a feeling of unrest
and such a serious objection from
employees, especially among married
workers with dependent families, by
reason of the continued excessive cost
of living. that in a short period oper-
ators put the wage scale back to its
former war standard. The flat metal
market, however, involved. the closing
down of some of the large low grade
ore producers which were unable to
operate at profit under metal prices
then prevailing. These conditions re-
stricted the output of all the other
mines where in spite of the reestab-
lishment of the war time wage scale,
labor continued dissatisfied and in
different to its employment which re-
suited. through the agitation of a few
unwise union leaders, in general
strike on August Is, closing every
mine in the district for practically
two months excepting the Bunker
Hill & Sullivan at Kellogg. This
strike was untimely, ill-advised and
apparently not fully supported by the
parent union authorities.
Attitude of Operators.
The operators had made an honest
endeavor to investigate the local cost
Of living with a view to its modifca-
ton. which proved to be impossible
without lowering the high standard
that the men were used to and condi-
tons of the metal market prohibited
any further advance in wages or
equivalent shortening of hours which
were demanded The Bunker He'll & /
Sullivan company mad a well estab-
lished policy of give and take with its
men, a community interest with a
heart in it that has been displayed
for years. eliminating, as far as
practical, any interference with the
other industrial affairs of the COM
and especially favoring its
older employees and encouraging them
in ideas of thrift This policy has re-
suited in the establishment of a pre-
dominant number of married men in
their employ who were willing to rea-
son and recognize the cOmpany's
manifest market disadvantages, thus ]
enabling it to weather the general l;
district strike and keep in continuous {
operation throughout the year at 4
nearly normal capacity, with the re- =,
suit that it produced half of the total
lead output of the district and saved !
the state from a disastrous slump in i
metal production.
During the strike federal medi- I
tor was sent to the district from the a
department of labor at washington. {
who persistently used his best en- c
deavors to bring about a settlement {
throughout the duration of the strike. In
On October fifth the local unions. T
whose activities caused the closing Of
all the big mines in the eastern end
IF the district, voted the strike a fail t
IRE and returned to work without OBJ i
tanning the exacting conditions they c
had demanded Since that date the !
different mines have filled up with 9
men and some of the larger properties
are back to normal capacity in their 7
abor requirements and others vary z
rom half to two-thirds of the nor t
nal crew at the close of the year {
Other Adverse Conditions. g
Labor unrest among the miners was c
lot the only cause Of this adverse I