The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1921-03-24
$500 MEN EMPLOYED
MINES OF DISTRICT
The Closing of Two
Affected About
600 Men
CAUSES OF SHUTDOWN
Hecla, Morning and Bunker
Hill Are Making Usual
Shipments
THE CLOSING down of the Her

] VIM q A4Nff'AANNf 4ON n III TIC AAtl-
/ cules and Tamarack & Custer
mines last Sunday was not
wholly unexpected. for there
have been persistent rumors to that
effect for the past month or two The
low price of lead, the high freight
rate ON bullion from the Rocky Noun
tain states to the Atlantic coast, the
continued high cost of powder and
AN other supplies that enter into min
ing operations, and finally the weak
demand for the metal even at the low
price have all combined to bring
about condition that makes it diff
cult for any of the mines to continue
production. II is probable that these
conditions were more binding upon
the Hercules and Tamarack than up
on the mines still active, for these
companies having their own smelter
possibly lacked the financial re-
sources to carry a large and steadily
increasing stock of lead, it being as
sumed that they were no more sue
cessful i'm marketing their product
than other smelling concerns Be
sides it is probably less expensive to
maintain the Hercules and Tamarack
mines certainly the latter while in
active than it is the other mines
which are still in operation
Continue Development.
1t is understood that both the Her
cules and Tamaracls mines viii carry
on considerable development work.
the former employing about So men
and the latter probably half that
number. The Hercules is said to
have been employing about 500 men
and the TamaracS about 200. and the
number of mine employees actually
thrown out of employment was about
500. In addition to these there were
65 men employed at the Hercules mill
in this city and probably 25 at the
Tamarack mill at Frisco It is pos
sibe that a few of these win be re-
tanned on repair work about the mills.
the suspension Of produc-
tion by these two companies has re-
duced the payroll of the district to
the extent of about 700 men. Tt is
that the men retained on
development work are generally mar
ried men. A few of those who were
aid off found employment at the 9TH
or mines but most of them left the
district.
Three Mines Still Producing.
The Hecla mine at Burke, the Nor
lng at Mullan and the Bunker Hill
& Sullivan at Kellogg are in opera
ion as usual It is reasonably certain
hat the Morning and Bunker Hill
vll continue; in fact the managers
IF both companies have been quoted
is so stating. It would be very cost
y for either to close down and it is
therefore, to their advantage to con-
niue production even on a very mar.
ow margin Of profit and possibly at
n actual loss. Besides the Bunker
ill company has it's own smelter and
he Morning is affiliated with the A.
. e r.. and both smelling concerns
ave ample financial resources to car
y an unlimited surplus stock of lead
NTH such time as there is a market.
everybody is of course hopeful that
he Hecla company will remain ac-
i've, but it is probable that nothing
efnite will be known on the subject
ntfl the annual meeting Of stock
olders which will be held i'm SpO-
ane on April -.
Men Now Working.
The Hecla, Morning and Bunker
Till & Sullivan, including the smelter,
re now employing in round figures
bout 1000 men. Add to these a con-
arvative estimate Of 500 men en-
Logged in small producing mines and
ills, leases and development opera
ions. and we have a total of $500 men
n the payroll of the district. This
not a bad showing, and compared
18th conditions i'm other mining dis
-icts and agricultural sections as
ell, we should congratulate our
elves upon our good fortune