Early Mining in Colorado
Early Mining in Colorado
The 1850’s brought various types of mining to the Colorado Rockies; gold, silver, and coal. First, the Pike’s Peak Gold Rush in 1859 brought thousands of prospectors to the Front Range, and coal mining began shortly after. The Colorado Silver Boom followed in 1879, when major amounts of silver were discovered in Leadville, CO. The conditions for miners gradually became dire, resulting in numerous retaliatory strikes which were met with extreme, sometimes violent, opposition from employers of the mines and the U.S. government. The actual work of a miner during that time was dangerous, filthy, exhausting, and managers would demand that they work hours exceeding the labor laws. The death rate, in Colorado specifically, was very high. Conditions away from the mine were terrible as well- inadequate housing, and workers were paid with “scrip”, which was only valid at designated stores, owned by their employers. The wages they earned went right back into the owners’ pockets. The workers were unable to send money to family, save money, or invest any money. They were essentially working just to stay alive, and they finally started revolting against such treatment around 1885. In 1878, the first labor mining union was formed in Erie, Colorado, named the Knights of Labor. They organized the first strike, and were then followed by another union starting in southern Colorado, the United Mine Workers. Some of their demands included a 10% wage increase, an 8-hour work day, and the right to trade at any store. This prompted mine operators to appeal to government officials for assistance. Since Colorado supplied over a third of valuable minerals, the strikes were a serious threat to the stability of Colorado’s economy. Troops were deployed at each strike zone, and they evicted the workers’ from the company housing. Over 13,000 workers set up tents and lived there with their families, usually right next to the mine in which they worked. This
The 1850’s brought various types of mining to the Colorado Rockies; gold, silver, and coal. First, the Pike’s Peak Gold Rush in 1859 brought thousands of prospectors to the Front Range, and coal mining began shortly after. The Colorado Silver Boom followed in 1879, when major amounts of silver were discovered in Leadville, CO. The conditions for miners gradually became dire, resulting in numerous retaliatory strikes which were met with extreme, sometimes violent, opposition from employers of the mines and the U.S. government. The actual work of a miner during that time was dangerous, filthy, exhausting, and managers would demand that they work hours exceeding the labor laws. The death rate, in Colorado specifically, was very high. Conditions away from the mine were terrible as well- inadequate housing, and workers were paid with “scrip”, which was only valid at designated stores, owned by their employers. The wages they earned went right back into the owners’ pockets. The workers were unable to send money to family, save money, or invest any money. They were essentially working just to stay alive, and they finally started revolting against such treatment around 1885. In 1878, the first labor mining union was formed in Erie, Colorado, named the Knights of Labor. They organized the first strike, and were then followed by another union starting in southern Colorado, the United Mine Workers. Some of their demands included a 10% wage increase, an 8-hour work day, and the right to trade at any store. This prompted mine operators to appeal to government officials for assistance. Since Colorado supplied over a third of valuable minerals, the strikes were a serious threat to the stability of Colorado’s economy. Troops were deployed at each strike zone, and they evicted the workers’ from the company housing. Over 13,000 workers set up tents and lived there with their families, usually right next to the mine in which they worked. This