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Show Local Mining Operation Cutback Explained. True Figures Revealed Cedar City' citizenry in general has been taking a look-see into the future as the results of developments at the iron mining operations west of the city and in particular particu-lar at the Utah Construction Company. Generally a dim view of what the future holds has been taken particularly by the businessmen of the area from the rumors that over 100 men have been laid off from their jobs and as one man put it: "It looks like it will get worse before it gets better." In the face of this gloomy outlook officials at the Utah Construction Company were contacted during the week and to be specific the situation sit-uation is not nearly as bad as some would make it out to be. For instance at the first of the week only 40 men (we say only 10 in the face of the reports by tome that the amount had already al-ready reached over 100), and although al-though another anticipated 20 will lose their jobs TEMPORARILY TEMPORARI-LY this week the total number will reach only approximately GO in all. Reasons for this cut back have been explained by the cfficials as a "leveling off" of production. This "leveling off" is a trend general over the nation and it may be explained somewhat in the fact that government demands de-mands for war implements have been reduced. Two Month's Stockpile As the situation appears on the local scone the co'orado Fuel and Iron Corporation has had in the past an inventory or stockpile stock-pile of iron ore on hand to last to: about GO davs. Because of the reduction of war contracts and the relaxation of emergency stock piling, that company has stopped ore shipment from the locil mines until that inventory is reduced. In all likelihood when C F & I consumes that inventory, orders will again appear at the iron mines and all Indications are that a good share of those laid off this past week and this week will be rehired to again begin operation in the Iron Springs area. Although the call for ore will undoubtedly be reduced some, the bulk of these men now out of jobs at the mines will be put on to comply with this reduced re-duced scale operation. Some people in the community say that the reduction is the second sec-ond set-back of the organization since the beginning o the year. Mine officials, however, say that the first reduction in manpower was a reduction to normal operation, opera-tion, and can not be considered as a reduction in actual operation. opera-tion. Project Completed They point out that the Burke project, as it is known in the area, was a short term stripping contract. The officials continue that when the stripping operation opera-tion were completed, the contract con-tract was completed and there jwas no reason why the contract (Continued on Eack Page) MINE LAY-OFF (Continued from Page One) should have been rt-newed. Over a hundred men were hired by the company last April to work the Burke, and when the contract was completed those men were naturally released as thue was no point in keeping them on. Cnder the plesent lay-off the men have been released according accord-ing to the union seniority clauses and those same men will be rehired re-hired on the same ba;is. Yes, there is a slight reduction in production at the mines. However How-ever it is not as serious as some would make it out to be. Officials claim that for the past lew years they have been working at peak production levels ai:d it seems that things are simply getting down to a normal output for the mines involved. |