Arthur L. Collins
Encyclopedia
Arthur Lancelot Collins was an English-born mine manager in the American state of Colorado. He was born July 8, 1868, in Truro
, England
. He was the son of a prominent mining
expert, Joseph Henry Collins
. The Collins family ran a business, J.H. Collins & Sons, Mining and Metallurgical Engineers. Arthur Collins left England to manage mining holdings in Central City, Colorado
. He married Marguerite Morton Becker, who was the daughter of Gilpin County
Judge Clayton F. Becker.
At age 31, Arthur Collins became general manager of the Smuggler-Union Mining Company which was a significant silver mine near Telluride
in San Miguel County, Colorado
. While the Smuggler-Union was a major producer in the district, its output consisted of low-grade ore
.
. It was referred to as the "contract system," or "fathoms," and essentially turned mining into piecework
. The system became a point of contention between the Smuggler-Union Company and Telluride's Local 63 of the Western Federation of Miners
, which complained that the wider the vein of ore, the lower a miner's wages would be. But Arthur Collins had little use for the union
, and declared that there was nothing to arbitrate.
, a young, inspirational man who had become the leader of the local union. St. John patiently tried to convince Collins to bargain
over the issue of contracts, but Collins refused. On May 1, 1901, 350 miners walked off the job at the Smuggler-Union. The strike
was under way.
Collins began to hire gunmen
to protect the Smuggler-Union property, and he eventually brought in replacement workers. The gunmen harassed and tried to intimidate union men, while the union miners sought to persuade the strike breakers to stop working and join the strike.
, or ore thieves, and that they had called the strike in revenge after they had been caught. But Barthell was a faithful union man and the story was untrue.
On July 3, 1901, Barthell, a native of Finland
, stepped to the front of the picket line, faced company gunmen, and shouted in broken English, "You are under arrest." The company gunmen immediately shot him through the neck and he fell, mortally wounded. Striking miners began to return fire, and a general shooting war broke out.
St. John quickly left Telluride to go to the site of the shooting as soon as he heard about it. He brokered a cease-fire with Edgar Collins, the brother of Arthur Collins, and the company agreed to close down the mine for three days.
Orman
to send in the Colorado Volunteer Militia
, but Lieutenant Governor David Coates
persuaded him to allow for negotiations instead. The negotiations were successful, with Vincent St. John and Arthur Collins compromising over the issue of contracts. The district experienced 16 months of labor peace after the agreement.
In the aftermath of the fire, the company was criticized for failing to respond effectively. Arthur Collins' decision to eliminate the fireboss positions, and his practice of promoting non-union men with less experience, was considered a significant factor in management's early, fumbling response.
. Twenty-seven members started the group, many of them from Idaho Springs
, where the WFM was strong. The organization would play a significant role in the upcoming Colorado Labor Wars
.
blast through the window of the house on the Smuggler-Union property. There were many who accused the union, but others declared that with a contract in place and relative cooperation, the union had no motive for the attack. Others considered the possibility that the murder was committed as revenge for the men killed in the fire one year earlier.
Arthur Collins was replaced as the Smuggler-Union general manager by Bulkeley Wells
.
Truro
Truro is a city and civil parish in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. The city is the centre for administration, leisure and retail in Cornwall, with a population recorded in the 2001 census of 17,431. Truro urban statistical area, which includes parts of surrounding parishes, has a 2001 census...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. He was the son of a prominent mining
Mining
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...
expert, Joseph Henry Collins
Joseph Henry Collins
Joseph Henry Collins FGS, , mining engineer, mineralogist and geologist. Of Cornish descent, he was born in London.-Career:He was at various times the secretary or president of the three learned societies of Cornwall - Royal Geological Society of Cornwall , the Royal Cornwall Polytechnic Society...
. The Collins family ran a business, J.H. Collins & Sons, Mining and Metallurgical Engineers. Arthur Collins left England to manage mining holdings in Central City, Colorado
Central City, Colorado
Central City is a home rule municipality in Clear Creek and Gilpin counties in the U.S. state of Colorado, and the county seat of Gilpin County. The city population was 515 in the 2000 United States Census...
. He married Marguerite Morton Becker, who was the daughter of Gilpin County
Gilpin County, Colorado
Gilpin County is the second least extensive of the 64 counties of the State of Colorado of the United States. Gilpin County was named after Colonel William Gilpin, the first Governor of the Territory of Colorado. The county population was 4,757 at U.S. Census 2000. The county seat is Central City...
Judge Clayton F. Becker.
At age 31, Arthur Collins became general manager of the Smuggler-Union Mining Company which was a significant silver mine near Telluride
Telluride, Colorado
The town of Telluride is the county seat and most populous town of San Miguel County in the southwestern portion of the U.S. state of Colorado. The town is a former silver mining camp on the San Miguel River in the western San Juan Mountains...
in San Miguel County, Colorado
San Miguel County, Colorado
San Miguel County is one of the 64 counties of the state of Colorado of the United States. The county is named for the San Miguel River. The county population was 6,594 at U.S. Census 2000...
. While the Smuggler-Union was a major producer in the district, its output consisted of low-grade ore
Ore
An ore is a type of rock that contains minerals with important elements including metals. The ores are extracted through mining; these are then refined to extract the valuable element....
.
Increasing efficiency in the Smuggler-Union Mine
In order to increase profits, Collins ended the shift fireboss positions in the mine. He also introduced the "old Cornish system" of mining, which he was familiar with from his native CornwallCornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
. It was referred to as the "contract system," or "fathoms," and essentially turned mining into piecework
Piece work
Piece work is any type of employment in which a worker is paid a fixed "piece rate" for each unit produced or action performed regardless of time...
. The system became a point of contention between the Smuggler-Union Company and Telluride's Local 63 of the Western Federation of Miners
Western Federation of Miners
The Western Federation of Miners was a radical labor union that gained a reputation for militancy in the mines of the western United States and British Columbia. Its efforts to organize both hard rock miners and smelter workers brought it into sharp conflicts – and often pitched battles...
, which complained that the wider the vein of ore, the lower a miner's wages would be. But Arthur Collins had little use for the union
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
, and declared that there was nothing to arbitrate.
The Western Federation of Miners calls a strike in Telluride
One of the miners in the Smuggler-Union was Vincent St. JohnVincent Saint John
Vincent Saint John was an American labor leader and a prominent Wobbly.-Biography:He was born in Newport, Kentucky and was the only son of New York native Silas St. John and Irish immigrant Marian "Mary" Cecilia Magee...
, a young, inspirational man who had become the leader of the local union. St. John patiently tried to convince Collins to bargain
Collective bargaining
Collective bargaining is a process of negotiations between employers and the representatives of a unit of employees aimed at reaching agreements that regulate working conditions...
over the issue of contracts, but Collins refused. On May 1, 1901, 350 miners walked off the job at the Smuggler-Union. The strike
Strike action
Strike action, also called labour strike, on strike, greve , or simply strike, is a work stoppage caused by the mass refusal of employees to work. A strike usually takes place in response to employee grievances. Strikes became important during the industrial revolution, when mass labour became...
was under way.
Collins began to hire gunmen
Gun
A gun is a muzzle or breech-loaded projectile-firing weapon. There are various definitions depending on the nation and branch of service. A "gun" may be distinguished from other firearms in being a crew-served weapon such as a howitzer or mortar, as opposed to a small arm like a rifle or pistol,...
to protect the Smuggler-Union property, and he eventually brought in replacement workers. The gunmen harassed and tried to intimidate union men, while the union miners sought to persuade the strike breakers to stop working and join the strike.
Violence during the strike
In the middle of May 1901, the Telluride Daily Journal, a local newspaper hostile to the union, reprinted a story from a neighboring community, the Ouray Herald. It was an inflammatory story attributed to 27-year-old John Barthell, one of the striking miners. In the report, Barthell stated that the striking miners were highgradersHigh grading
The term high grading in forestry, fishing and mining relates to selectively harvesting goods, to “cut the best and leave the rest”. In mining, it can also be a term for theft.-Forestry:...
, or ore thieves, and that they had called the strike in revenge after they had been caught. But Barthell was a faithful union man and the story was untrue.
On July 3, 1901, Barthell, a native of Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
, stepped to the front of the picket line, faced company gunmen, and shouted in broken English, "You are under arrest." The company gunmen immediately shot him through the neck and he fell, mortally wounded. Striking miners began to return fire, and a general shooting war broke out.
St. John quickly left Telluride to go to the site of the shooting as soon as he heard about it. He brokered a cease-fire with Edgar Collins, the brother of Arthur Collins, and the company agreed to close down the mine for three days.
The strike is settled without further violence
Anti-union business and community leaders called upon GovernorGovernor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
Orman
James Bradley Orman
James Bradley Orman was an American politician and railroad builder. He served as the 12th Governor of Colorado from 1901 to 1903. He was a Democrat....
to send in the Colorado Volunteer Militia
Colorado Army National Guard
The Colorado Army National Guard is a component of the United States Army and the United States National Guard. Nationwide, the Army National Guard comprises approximately one half of the US Army's available combat forces and approximately one third of its support organization...
, but Lieutenant Governor David Coates
David C. Coates
David Courtney Coates was a Pueblo, Colorado businessman, a radical, the 11th Lieutenant Governor of Colorado, secretary of Colorado's State Federation of Labor, and a friend to Big Bill Haywood.Coates was born in Brandon, England....
persuaded him to allow for negotiations instead. The negotiations were successful, with Vincent St. John and Arthur Collins compromising over the issue of contracts. The district experienced 16 months of labor peace after the agreement.
Tragedy again strikes the Smuggler-Union Mine
On November 20, 1901, Arthur Collins was out of the country, and his brother was in charge. A fire started in the Smuggler-Union outbuildings, and fed poisonous smoke into the mine tunnels. Twenty-four miners and mine foremen, both union and non-union, died. Vincent St. John arrived on the scene and, in the absence of any effective response by management, was credited with directing rescue efforts, including entering the smoke-filled mine at serious risk to his own health. St. John was credited with saving lives.In the aftermath of the fire, the company was criticized for failing to respond effectively. Arthur Collins' decision to eliminate the fireboss positions, and his practice of promoting non-union men with less experience, was considered a significant factor in management's early, fumbling response.
Colorado mine owners join forces
In March 1902, Arthur Collins and other mine operators formed the Colorado Mine Operators' AssociationMine Owners' Association
In the United States a Mine Owners' Association, also sometimes referred to as a Mine Operators' Association or a Mine Owners' Protective Association, is the combination of individual mining companies, or groups of mining companies, into an association, established for the purpose of promoting the...
. Twenty-seven members started the group, many of them from Idaho Springs
Idaho Springs, Colorado
The City of Idaho Springs is a municipality in the U.S. state of Colorado that is the most populous settlement in Clear Creek County, Colorado. Idaho Springs is located in Clear Creek Canyon, in the mountains upstream from Golden, some thirty miles west of Denver...
, where the WFM was strong. The organization would play a significant role in the upcoming Colorado Labor Wars
Colorado Labor Wars
Colorado's most significant battles between labor and capital occurred primarily between miners and mine operators. In these battles the state government, with one clear exception, always took the side of the mine operators....
.
Murder
On November 19, 1902, on the eve of the anniversary of the great fire, Arthur Collins was mortally wounded with a shotgunShotgun
A shotgun is a firearm that is usually designed to be fired from the shoulder, which uses the energy of a fixed shell to fire a number of small spherical pellets called shot, or a solid projectile called a slug...
blast through the window of the house on the Smuggler-Union property. There were many who accused the union, but others declared that with a contract in place and relative cooperation, the union had no motive for the attack. Others considered the possibility that the murder was committed as revenge for the men killed in the fire one year earlier.
Arthur Collins was replaced as the Smuggler-Union general manager by Bulkeley Wells
Bulkeley Wells
Bulkeley Wells was born in Chicago on March 10, 1872, to businessman Samuel Edgar Wells and Marry Agnes Bulkeley. He was educated at Roxbury Latin School and at Harvard University. He married into the wealthy family of Colonel Thomas L. Livermore, to daughter Grace Livermore...
.