| Show Hopes for Improved Economy Rise Here HereWith HereWith With Narrowing of Employment Gap Gap t The general economy of the Moab area is reflecting heal thy signs of ol growth again alter after af at- ter a year mid letdown Employment figures Indicate Indi cate that new industries at Moab and Green River are slowly but steadily closing the gap between the number of workers cutback within the uranium Industry and the de tie- development phase of the potash potash pot pot- ash project and present em- em em em- Last week it was revealed that the gross Income of the coun county y had risen over Dver the first quarter of 1963 by thousand tho s nd dc despite ite the decrease ase in the number of of people employed em em m- m The gain was chiefly attributed to growing missile industry and generally higher high high- er wages Average wages jumped from in ht 1963 to per month in 1964 The economy however hit hita a low point since the release of those figures which concluded concluded con con- eluded in March It is believed ed now that the low has been reached and passed and the growth will be steady and more permanent In order to evaluate the loss gain picture Th The Times TIes Independent surveyed operators operators oper oper- In the major industries Industries Indus indus- tries o on current employment employ employ- ment mont versus versus their March reports to the Utah State Stat Employment Service Major losses in employment occurred at af the tle potash coM coMplex com complex ni- ni plex where Harrison concluded work last month In March the Florida contractor employed 92 men men In the uranium Industry Atlas Minerals due to a cutback cutback cut cut- back ack for the stretch i f fp p program pro gram gram at the Moab mill their work force to March figures s showed employed Two vo years ago the mill employed In the Big Indian mining district where the major part of Atlas ore is mined all but butone butone butone one of ot the major operators showed substantial cutback In labor force Atlas cut back from to approximately 80 at present Standard Metals in March employed 54 now is down to 30 Hecla now closed listed a payroll of 10 Mining Co expanded operations since March and Is presently employing employing em an approximate I force of 70 They employed only 46 In March f Losses Losse in employment within within with with- in the mining-milling mining industry Indus indus- try dry from the reporting opera operators operators oper oper- a tors would be a net of ot Seventy of these were in the uranium Industry The loss loss' figure does not include all op Op- Opera era tors nor does docs it include those indirectly cutback by virtue of ot the loss of ore hauling hauling haul haul- ing lug contracts With employed employed em em- in the transportation communication and Utility fields in Grand county alone it would not be unreasonable to estimate a loss of ot an addi addi- 40 40 38 men o or a of men An Increase in the number of reporting stations to the Utah State E Employment Ser Ser- Service vice Indicates that th the number number num num- ber her of ot small lease o operators has increased The small op op- EI hiring from 2 to 15 men nien are difficult to assess In terms of employment because because because be be- cause of sporadic operation but employment officials assured as the T-I T that the number num number num num- number ber had Increased Some ol of I these compa companies les oper operate te in ir the Big Indian mining district or or that vicinity Ouray Mining MinIng Mining Min Min- ing Continental Materials and Yuba Development Co are three with work forc forces s In the 20 10 man category Documenting the closing of the employment gap from the summer low Is the In Increase increase In in- crease registered at the Texas Gulf Sulphur Sulphur- Company Com Com- C Company m. m pany operation alone Since Sinco March the potash developer has Increased Its employment employ employ- ment rolls by 75 personnel Frank Tipple Tippie general manager man managar agar ager for forthe the project revealed reveal reveal- ed Tuesday that the company com corn pany Intends to continue a hiring program each week of 1964 The operation addition neutralizes thA th loss loll to Ito the uranium industry numerically numerically nu nu- nu as employment 1 now stands The Green River missile comp complex ex which h hires among mong its various contractors an ap approximate aa- aa proximate persons has nai seen sin since e March a gain of 20 per cent or an estimated 61 persons That does not Include include in In- in clude temporary buildups for missile firings or military personnel However it also does not Include those person per per- 1 son on living in Green River or ar r Carbon county count though employed em em- a at the he base in Grand county A third factor in the employment employment em em- regain is a temporary tem tern boost in contract construction con construction related to the tion of wave micro-wave relay Installations installations In in- in Grand Emery and San Juan counties Now past the peak of construction the installations have given employment to a peak total of men Supplementing Supplement Supplement- ment ing this figure Is additional employment p peak ak 65 60 on the construction of ot the new Field Both of the contract construction con con- figures will se see rapid rapid ra pid adjustment this month Hanger Henger Construction of Dalla Dallas Dal Dal- la las erecting a station 18 miles north of Moab Universal Construction Construction Con Con- at work north of oC Monticello will wUl pass In th next ten days the major construction con con- phases of at their pro pro- Field will open Monday fonday However the projects have provided a temporary tem relief that permitted the employment gap to be bo closed by more permanent employers Gains within the potash and missile Industries amount amount am awn to employees since March versus a mining mining min min- ing Industry loss of Additional employment by contract construction durIng during dur dur- ing the same period created a minimum of job jobs Of Ot the employment ions lons reported repotted by the state ec survey for Grand county only one the mining Industry shows any substantial substantial loss loss' and that Wa was duo due to the Harrison International completion Manufacturing employing men in March Marchand Marchand Marchand and including missile assembly assem assem- bly My has increased The Tho county cou coun- coun ty leads the sta state e in average salary paid in manufacturing ing Contract Construction tion in March Is not down due to the projects mentioned mentioned men men- above Transportation communication and utilities have havo decreased slightly from employed In March maInly mainly main maIn- ly due to their service relationship relationship relationship rela rela- to mining Wholesale and retail trade at for forbie forthe the bie county In i March remain remains fairly con constant tant Also fairly constant are arc finance real es cs estate estate es- es tate tat Insurance services an and anil government employment The u t latter listed in March March In Including Including In In- school district employees employees em and is slightly down it is estimated In summary It appears probable that developments development of the next three months especially with potash production production pro pro- meeting a target targeted d dd d date te of December Will cl close or or nearly close cloo the employment employment employ employ- ment gap and bring a a. a substantial sub sub- economic re restora restora- tora |
