The diamond drill., 1922-01-07

underground or. wage OF about
$3.50 for surface labor and 1878
for underground.
II we read the signs Alright then,
low wages have come 10 stay for even
with the increase mentioned men can
barely exist at present prices for
living necessities.
That means that the key TO the
whole question OF good or bad times
Is In the hand OF the merchandiser
both wholesale and retail II COM
modify prices come down to about
the 1914 level business will stabalize,
otherwise the year 1922 win be very
"spotty" In business way.
A reduction OF retail and whole
sale prices means drop in the
wages OF store. office and sales en-
ployes who have not, as general
rule. been cut deeply yet. This is
contingency that Crystal Falls
people must face.
Local Employment Outlook
The outlook for employment loc-
ally. outside of the mines and woods
is very fair at the present time.
Here again the general problem OF an
adjustment between wages and sup
ply costs bobs up.
For example. number of Crystal
Falls people are figuring on build
ing homes and they win build If
wage and supply prices are harmo-
nized. Carpenters at IS TO $40 per
day will certainly put a crimp in this
program but carpenters at So to 81
will promote il. The same holds
true OF cement workers, painters,
plumbers and other tradesmen. With
anywhere near a fair rate OF wage
and supplies Crystal Falls is certain
to see considerable building.
The state says that 1t Will certain
] ly construct the new bridge and the
hotel company will surely build the
hotel while the shoe last people say
that they. also, will surely do some
thing on their new plant. Should
these three activities materialize 1t
means much for the city and the in
dications are now that they will
materalize.
Farm Equipment An Item
An item that has been overlooked
in the past but which is rapidly
growing in amount is the demand
from the farmers for equipment pur-
poses. Every farm in this district
means a complete equipment and
every farmer pushes along the equip
ping of his property as fast as his
meager funds will allow. The number
OF farms have been increasing rapid
ly in the Crystal Falls district OF
late so that the yearly demand from
that source. because of the natura.
growth is getting 10 be a bigger item
each succeeding year. Silos are being
put in at many farms in this district
and that means much labor and
quite business for the handlers of
that line OF business. Several barns
and some homes are being planned,
all OF which add TO the amount of
prospective busoiness.
The Fly In The Ointment
Ii must not be forgotten that the
high railroad rates still rule and in
dications are that they will continue
10 rule. Thus there is injected into
te general situation very irksome
contingency Rail rates are so abb
normally high that II Is generally
conceded that they must come down
just as soon as the railroads get so
conditioned to stand cut. The rail-
road authorities fight against a re.
duction Only last week they sue
ceeded in keeping off reduction in
ore rates. What they did in ore rates
they can undoubtedly do with other
rates until the situation becomes
unbearable.
Thus there arises the inquiry, will
those having projects in view that
can be held off feel like putting in
the extra money called for in the
abnormal freight rates OF the pres
ent. This may hold back the return OF
prosperity much longer than an
ticipated at the present time.
However, for Crystal Falls It Is
certain that the coming year will
see more activity than the past year
but to Offset that the credit reserves
will not be as great as they were
at the beginning OF the year 1921 and
that fact may Lave an important
bearing on local activities.