University of Idaho Library, Special Collections and Archives
Coeur d'Alene Mine Owners Association papers
Coeur d'Alene Mine Owners Association
MG 682
3 cubic feet
1884-1907
Some books and papers are fragile
The materials in the Coeur d'Alene Mine Owners Association collection showcase many aspects of mining operations during the early 1900s. Financial records and cheques detailing the spending and profit, daily notable activity logs such as operatives who were looking for union activity, and record keeping on employees and nationalities.
English
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2
3
This collection contains information on finances, employees, and unionization through the Coeur d'Alene Mining District, which was centered in Wallace, Idaho. Notes on men deemed a threat to operations, including photos, were kept along with tallies on the nationalities of employees with the fear of socialism spreading through unionization trends throughout the country.
Through this collection, there is evidence of the day-to-day operational tasks and management of the mine owners but also signs of the social and political tensions of the time. Ledger books, operative reports, invoices, and distributions.
Wallace, Idaho is a historical mining town, part of the silver boom that took over Northern Idaho in 1878 when gold was found near the modern-day site of the town. As more precious metals were found in the mountains, more mining communities started developing. The Coeur d'Alene Mining District, named after the indigenous population, was started and acted as a central control for the many operations and sites around North Idaho including Mullan, Kellogg, and Burke. Wallace was considered the center of the district as industrialization swept through the Silver Valley.
The Mine Owners Association was started in the late 1880s in opposition to growing unionization and the fear socialism control from the increase of immigrant workers in blue collar fields like mining.
While under the Coeur d'Alene Mining District, individual mines operated under their own companies but have compiled resources and materials through the district's records.
Materials were organized for ease of access
Collection is open for research
Western Mining History
MG 5849 Mining Strike Damage photograph
Bunker Hill Labor Collection
Materials received from Kenton Bird in 2025 (MA 2025-20).
FOR PHOTOS: Photographer, "Title," date. Collection name, object ID. University of Idaho Library Special Collections and Archives, Moscow, ID.
FOR DOCUMENTS: Author, Description or "Title" of item, date. Collection name, collection number, box, folder. University of Idaho Library Special Collections and Archives, Moscow, ID.
Accession arrived as "Wallace Mine Owners Association" but appears to be "Coeur d'Alene Mine Owners Association." Record updated to reflect that.
Wallace, Idaho
Coeur d'Alene Mining District (Idaho)
Mining corporations--Idaho
Labor Unions
Labor unions--Idaho--History
Detectives
Miners
Protest movements
Suspects (Criminal investigation) URI(s)
Idaho
Series I:
Operative Reports I
1 items
Reports from operatives on the watch for illegal or union activities and rumors, particularly from non-Americans, to prevent a workers strike
1905
1
1
Operative Reports II
1 items
Reports from operatives on the watch for illegal or union activities and rumors, particularly from non-Americans, to prevent a workers strike
1902
1
2
Operative Reports III
1 items
Reports from operatives on the watch for illegal or union activities and rumors, particularly from non-Americans, to prevent a workers strike
1904
1
3
Operative Reports IV
1 items
Reports from operatives on the watch for illegal or union activities and rumors, particularly from non-Americans, to prevent a workers strike
1903
1
4
Cheques and Vouchers I
29 items
Checks and receipts for book-keeping purposes
1904
1
5
Cheques and Vouchers II
45 items
Checks and receipts for book-keeping purposes
1899-1903
1
6
Cheques and Vouchers III
32 items
Checks and receipts for book-keeping purposes
1900-1904
1
7
Cheques and Vouchers IV
21 items
Checks and receipts for book-keeping purposes
1904
1
8
Miscellaneous
26 items
Correspondence, receipts, nationality tallies of workers, and map of mining districts
1900-1905
1
9
Check Stubs
3 items
Booklets of check stubs
1901-1905
1
10
Book I
1 items
Written reports and entries on daily activities of note
1904
1
11
Book II
1 items
Financial records book
1900-1904
1
12
Book III
1 items
Log book from mining operations
1899-1904
1
13
Book IV
1 items
Book of letters, receipts, and statements from the Mine Owners Association
1901-1904
1
14
Fugitive Papers
1 items
Lists of fugitives and their crimes. Numbers beside names match numbers on the back of photographs in folder 16.
undated
1
15
Pictures
65 items
Photos on card of men deemed a threat to mining operations, including fugitives and immigrants. Numbers on back of photographs match names in folder 15.
undated
1
16
Materials from Company Logs III
8 items
Loose photos of three men (WM Haywood, Chas Moyer, and JH Simpkins) and two photos of a house, list of men from Gem, and a letter from L.U.
1904
1
17
Obituaries
2 items
Obituaries for Ira Allen Robson and Robert Robson who had close connection to the mining town of Kellogg
1972-2006
1
18
Taxes
75 items
Documents for taxes, deeds, and book-keeping materials
1884-1906
2
19
Receipts
359 items
Financial materials for checks and book-keeping materials
1899-1906
3
20
Company Logs I
1 items
Letter Copying Books of employment logs, mine building assignment, copies of communication from the mining companies, and includes nationality tallies.
1906-1907
4
21
Company Logs II
1 items
Letter Copying Books of company communication and reports, copies of The Mining Review print, and nationality tallies. Also includes boards used when stamping pages.
1907
4
22
Company Logs III
1 items
Letter Copying Books of company communication and reports, and nationality tallies
1904-1906
4
23