The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1883-11-28
BAD FOR
Everything, at a Stahdstill at the
Camp on account Of the Embar-
easements of the Smelling
Company.
All the --latest Available News in Refer
ence to the Matter.

It GEMS that the financial troubles at
Barker are growing more and more con
plicated every day. Lien after lien has
been placed upon the property OF the
company by the different creditors, and
the firms of +. w. Reed Il Co. and the
Clendenin numbering company are sui
Tering the same fate, and will naturally
fall or rise with the smelling company.
AS soon as one attachment was made,
others /" followed fast and followed
faster" until now the matter is in a sort
Of q hopelessly mixed legal mess. +. W..
Reed u Co. have made an assignment
to VIM. Mcqueen, of Ciendenin, for the
benefit of their Fort Benton creditors,
their assets being fully sufficient TO cover
their liabilities, and if the smelling COM
pany should II operations soon
they would have no difficulty in con
tinuing the business and meeting every
obligation.
Messrs. B%urghardt and Emery left for
Helena Monday morning with the view
OF securing such assistance, ii possible,
as would bridge the smelling company
over the present difficulties, and it is to
be hoped they will succeed in their mis-
sion. The company has just reached
that point where they are in a position
to make money, and if the failure OF Til
| Iinghast &c Go. had not occurred at this
most ~inopportune time they would soon
have been in easy financial circum-
stances. If some arrangement can be
made by which work could be resumed
| at Clendenin, everything would soon be
running smoothly again, and all these
debts-and they do not aggregate one
tenth of the value of the Silver Belle
mine alone-would De paid. It should
be the desire OF everyone interested to
bring about such a result.
At Barker there is naturally intense
excitement over this affair. The checks
of the smelling company and OF +. w.
Reed & Co. were about the only cur
rency in the camp. If there should be
a collapse nearly every citizen would be
a loser, more or less, and many would
lose their all. The last monthly pay roll
amounted to SIS, 900, all in checks, and
all have been protested, a fact of itself
calculated to bring financial ruin, upon
the little community. On Sunday the
miners and workmen generally of the
camp held a meeting to consider the
situation, and as a result Mr.. M. d.
| Scott was selected to come to this city
and learn thescondition of affairs. He
arrived Monday evening and has since
been prosecuting his inquiries and tax
ing such steps as he could to secure him
self and fellow Workmen. Prof. N. A.
Foss arrived from the camp yesterday
afternoon and he confirms what has al
ready been said in regard to the stu
alton at Clendenin. There have been
no disturbances whatever, but a feeling
of gloom pervades the town, although
many are still hopeful that matters will
yet work out all right.
There are nearly 5000 bars CT bullion
at the smelter, and on Sunday night
some of the men who had been in the
employ Of the company took possession
Of the same and determined that none
of it should be hauled away until they
got their pay. Whether or not they
are still guarding the silver bars we are
not informed, but it is probable that they
are. Gel. Donnelly and Max Water
man left for Clendenin yesterday to look
after the interests Of their clients. Mr..
Waterman is the bearer of a letter from
Mr.. Scott that will doubtless do much
towards restoring confidence in the
camp.
Nothing, we believe, has yet been
learned as to the result of Messrs. Burg.
hardt and Emery's mission, but it is
sincerely to be hoped that something
will be done by which operations al
Clendenin can be resumed. If not, il
will be a sever blow to hundreds in this
section of the country, including Ben
ton, Barker and all the mining camps
adjacent.