Montana labor news., 1949-04-07
BY briggs

often hear that people are not in
tercsted in statistics because they
are cold and dry (like the climate
OF Butte) Those of us who at
tended the hearing on the silicosis
bill in Helena this winter, heard
an avalanche of statictics on the
dust count in Butte mines that
sounded like the exchange rate on
the Chinese dollar. These figures
we may forget, but we cannot for
get that there are close to 700 re-
corded cases Of sllicosis III Mon
tana as OF now, and that IS per
cent Of them are in Silver Bow
County.
II got are one Of those whose
husband prowls around the house
at night because he can't sleep Tor
coughing if you are irantically
trying to figure out some way to
fill the gap in the family budget
left by the $40 silicosis handout
(only slightly improved by the $40
increase granted by the 1919 leg
islature), or if you are Just one
OF those who is haunted by the
unspoken misery in. the eyes OF a
neighbor who is trying to adjust
herself to the doctors verdict just
pronounced-if you are any Of these
you don't need to count dust par
ticles to know that silicosis is a
spectre that haunts the home OF
every miner in the state OF
Montana.
Thus we echo the scornful laugh
ter that greeted the bland state
ment by ACM Manager McGlone
that 1T is impossible to contact
silicosis in the Butte mines today
a statement that has been kicked
around town, a ~luriously funny
Joke ever since the hearing
Imagine, then, Jul astonishment
when we came across the identical
statement by one Mr.. Linforth, as
sistant to the manager OF the ACM
company. at a sillcosis hearing IL
Butte in December, 1888. Then, as
now. it was admitted that there are
cases OF silicosis around but il
was either contracted before we
drilling became general i'll 1924, OF
else it was brought in by miners
from other states, who had the d.
sease when they came and who re-
gard the Butte mines as a healtl
resort compared to those elsewhere
Then, as now, representatives 0
the Butte Miners Union told a diff
ferent story-that as long as 20,
have to break rock by drilling ant
blasting, uncountable billions OF dus
particles fill the air. The grea
strike Of 1917 brought installation
OF wet drilling, which helps reduce
dust but falls far short OF complete
control. The 1884 strike brough
further improvement in the way o
: sprinkling, forced ventilation ant
air conditioning
But eternal vigilance is the pric
of liberty-if you are a miner, rea'
the last word life itself" No,
conditions are worse rather thai
better than they were in 1888. TIL
company has had so much fu
. watching its profits rise from
, mere $l8 million in 1889 to owe
S52 million in 1913, it can't b
: bothered with trifles like dust Cor
! troll. True, they have air con
+" ditioning, particularly in the OF
fees on the Sixth floor; true, tn
+, water pipes leak a little every fe'
hundred feet; true, the pumps fore
! air down the shafts and into tn
main tunnels and drifts, partly I
{ stir up the dust when it does settle
, but true, also, contract regulation
have been relaxed in the intere'
of efficiency" until noon-tin
blasting is a common occurrene
/ and wet chutes have been largel
j discontinued because to spra
; enough to lay the dust at the mout
/, of the chute increases the tonnae
to the smelter.
This explains the jubliant repot
e Of L. F. Bishop, production for,
man for ACM at Butte, to-wit: u
d 1886, mine output averaged Sc tor
per man shift; in l947, it was TO-.
If conclusive evidence OF the gal
,e in production through safer, mol
efficient operations" Safer fC
,e whom? and what price efficiency
h Why are conditions worse in II
d mines today than ten years age
,e Because, in common with all 9TH
&c union men, the miners voluntari
II laid down their arms, that is, the
right to strike, in patriotic solidari
nt against an outside foe, and a
ID now paying the penalty for failu'
d to protect themselves from the
traditional internal enemy, the DO
l. who cares more for profits than f
,e the well being OF the men who pr
Or duce those profits for him.
During those war years and du