The Alaska daily empire., 1920-07-10

you may say for me-" said B. L.
Thane, managing director of the Al
aska Gastineau Mining Company, to
a representative of The Empire to
day, that we have no plans which
contemplate closing down our mines
or shutting off mining operations
now or in the future. All reports
or rumors, to the contrary, are alb
solutely without foundation of fact"
In company with General Manager
Jackson, Mr.. Thane was seen in his
apartments at the Gastineau Hotel
and went into detail regarding the
mining situation, and other matters.
and made the above statement en-.
tirely on his own initiative.
1--WE are of course aware that
there have been reports circulated
operations in this district" he said.
"but such reports are not only I'M.
warranted, but without any semb-
lance of truth in them
Labor Shortage Felt
THAT we are working less than
full shifts on all crews is a condi-
ton not of our own choosing, \t
forced on us by a serious shortage
of labor" he declared, "and there is
nothing about such a condition which
would indicate that it is a part of
the plan of the Alaska Gastineau
Company to gradually close mining
operations. We would like to fill
up our crews to the limit and be
able to run 1000 tons of ore through
the mill every day. and would rather
make it 5000 tons than the former
figure
High wages in the Seattle ship
yards and other wartime industries
resulted in drawing many wOrkmen
from Alaska Southwark and our com
pany suffered in comon with other
large employers of labor in the Ter
ritory. Owing to the nature of the
operations we are carrying on, we
are unable to compete with the
higher wages. We pay our men
and have been doing so all the time.
everything that we can and keep
| working
"To offset the difference, however.
we have used every endeavor pos
sible to make living and working
| conditions ideal for our employees.
and we feel that our efforts have
been successful. In spite of the
higher wages paid elsewhere our
workmen really make as much as
| those working at better paying jobs
when an average is arrived at. The
average wage paid in our mines and
mills for the past year was around
| $3.50 per day, and the living cOndi-
| tons are as nearly ideal as can be
made. Coast shipyards are already
closing down and the tide of travel
! is setting toward the Territory. We
| confidently expect that we will be
| able to fill up our crews in the near
| future"
Praises Mine Personnel
| Discussing the work which has
| been done by General Manager Jack
son. and the organization of which
he is the head. Mr. Thane bestowed
words of unqualified praise and com
| mendation. "My trip to Juneau is
| Of course. primarily to go over the
operations with Mr.. Jackson" he
stated "Mr. Jackson and the mon
| under his control and working and
| cooperating with him have done a
most remarkable piece of work, one
which has made a record, not only in
the United States but in the entire
mining world. 1t has been noted
and commented on throughout the
worlds mining circles. Wartime
conditions have resulted in enormous
depreciation of values, but despite
this fact and the labor shortage al
ready referred to, Mr.. Jackson and
his men have maintained operations
and a wonderful spirit has been
shown from the head down through
tho ont;ra orpnnization COma Of