The Salt Lake Tribune, Salt Lake City, Utah
Wednesday Morning, December 15, 1936 (Vol. 134, No. 63)

Miners’ Union Votes to End Par[k City Strike].  

“By the vote that was taken today, members of the Park City local 99 have agreed to accept the proposals submitted by the operators to the miners Tuesday, and they will return to work.”

Began October 9.  

With this announcement made Tuesday night by Reid Robinson of Butte, Mont., president of the Intenational Union of Mine, Mill and Smelter Workers, comes the end of the strike of metal miners in the Park City district which has lasted since October 9.

The strike affected approximately 1200 men of this district, who have been out of employment as a result for the past 67 days.

Proposals Clarified.  

The proposals were identical to those rejected by the miners in a vote last Friday, with the exception that the stipulations made by the operators were clarified to the satisfaction of the union men.

The operators last week proposed:

1. A daily wage increase of 25 cents above the scale prevailing October 9, 1936.

No mention of a wage increase was listed in the proposal voted favorably Tuesday.

2. In reemploying men, no discrimination will be shown against any employe because of participation in this strike or in union activities, nor will be management impose medical examination for the purpose of using it against men on strike.

Made Clear.  

This was the clause that was clarified Tuesday, indicating men employed by the mines October 9, the time the strike began, will be given preference in reemployment before other miners may be hired.

“The vote has been accepted by a fair majority of the members,” agreed Tom Costas, secretary of the union local.

Decision Brings Success to Governor Blood÷s Efforts to End Strife.  

The vote brought success to the efforts of Governor Henry H. Blood in bringing operators and striking miners to a common ground for a basis of settlement of the walkout.

Elated with the settlement of the strike he has tried so hard to bring to an end, Governor Blood made the following comment:

“I am happy to learn that the Park City local 99 has voted to go back to work. This means a very important forward step in industrial peace for Utah, so much to be desired at the present time. The thing I have been most anxious about is to get men back to earning capacity and the mines to remunerative production. Both of these are [objectives of the highest impor]tance, because the mining industry means very much to the prosperity of the state.

“Nothing that I have engaged in recently in my official capacity has given me more satisfaction than to have worked successfully as mediator between the operators and the employes, and to have seen the willingness of both sides to meet at my request and give respectful and serious consideration to each proposal presented, ending with the gratifying results announced tonight.”

Union Head Speaks.  

Scott F. Smith, president of the Park City local of the union said: “As president of local No. 99, I appreciated the loyalty and the support of the members of the local. I feel sure we are going to have a better and stronger organization than we have ever had in our history.”

Return to Job Favored 3-to-1, Ballot Reveals.  

Neither Mr. Robinson nor Mr. Smith would release the official “ballot count,” but from authoritative sources it was learned the count was three to one, the same ratio by which the proposals were rejected last week.

Silence marked the announcement of the vote to a jammed union hall, but Park City Tuesday night was jubilant.

Beer parlors and liquor stores closed all day during the taking of the vote, reopened, but there was no sign of disorder.

Vote Follows Meeting.  

The vote Tuesday afternoon resulted from another lengthy conference at the state capitol Monday, at which Governor Blood again acted as mediary between representatives of operators meeting in one room and union officers cloistered in another room at the capitol.

Five Hundred of Labor Group Take part in Considering Proposals.  

Approximately 500 miners considered the clarified proposals Tuesday at 9 a. m. as they met in the Elks hall at Park City. The balloting was decided on following a three-hour closed session, and union members began the new vote at 1 p. m. Tuesday. The polls closed at 2 p. m.

Official Explains.  

Mr. Robinson released a statement Tuesday in which the revised proposal was explained.

Concerning the clause in question, the statement reads: “The clause reads: ‘If approved (the proposal submitted Tuesday), registration for employment of former employes will begin at once and be carried for 24 hours, or until the close of business December 17, 1936.’”

The statement was concurred in by the following officers of union local 99 at Park City: Scott F. Smith, president; Charles Snow Jr., vice president; Tom P. Costas, secretary and Henry Thielke, chairman of publicity.

The proposals were signed by officers of the three mining compainies of the district as were those first submitted last Thursday at a meeting of the union members, and turned down when voted upon last Friday.

Following earnest efforts on the part of Governor Blood in getting a proposed solution of the strike agreed upon by union officers and mine operators last Wednesday night, these first proposals resulted in the negative vote from strikers Friday.

Mine workers residing at Heber City, Kamas and surrounding communities, most of whom are members of the strike-opposing Park City District Mines Employes Welfare association, impatient with the delay in getting back to work, decided to penetrate the picket lines Saturday to apply for work at the closed mines.

Enraged strikers, numbering more than 400, met the “valley” contingent at the foot of Park City’s Main street, and a furious battle of fists and rocks resulted in the rout of the work applicants, with injuries more or less serious to some of them.

J. L. Johnson, president of the employes’ welfare association, said Tuesday he would neither encourage nor discourage members of his group in attempting to again find employment in the mines at Park City. He and approximately 30 others had gone back to work at the Park Utah Consolidated mine at Keetley in the meantime.

Mayor Pleased.  

At Park City Mayor Foster A. Jones said, “the end of the strike means more to Park City than may even appear. Workers will be able to enjoy Christmas, and business, almost dormant since early October, will get into swing for the New Year, and among citizens, generally, will be revived the optimism and happiness which will carry Park City forward again.”

County Attorney Bartley G. McDonough of Summit county stated that, although he had completed taking statements from the Wasatch county men beaten in the Saturday affray, he will take the matter of filing complaints under advisement until a transcript of the proceedings is prepared.

“Although the evidence presented would leave me no alternative but to file complaints,” he said, “I have advised the complaining witnesses to consider the matter seriously before asking for formal complaints.

“I did this because of the fact that I would not want to widen the breach now existing between the several communities of Wasatch and Summit counties.”

Voices Elation.  

After learning of the settlement of the strike Mr. McDonough added: “We are elated that the strike is settled. A very difficult situation had arisen, and I, for one, am exceedingly happy that it has been settled without further controversy. I believe that the action will have a very definite effect on the complaining witnesses in the criminal actions contemplated.”

J. L. Johnson, president of the Park City District Mines Employes Welfare association, expressed satisfaction with the strike settlement, and concerning filing complaints in the Saturday clash injury cases said, “if the charges are pressed they will not be pressed by me or the association, but only by the individuals involved.”

Operators Speak.  

Operators expressed satisfaction with the ending of the long dispute. W. Mont Ferry, vice president and managing director of the Silver King Coalition Mines company, said: “I am very glad the strike is settled. I certainly think it will bring the men and their families a happier Christmas.”

O. N. Friendly, general manager of the Park Utah Consolidated Mines company, said: “We shall immediately prepare to resume work, and again give employment to the men.”

Sheriff Ephraim Adamson had dismissed his 100 special deputies Tuesday, to be recalled only in the event the dispute flares again between the opposing groups of workers.

Operators affected by the strike at Park City are the Silver King Coalition Mines company, the Park City Consolidated Mines company and at Keetley the Park Utah Consolidated Mines company.

Works of Wonder | Biographical Sketch of Ephraim Adamson