The Bozeman weekly chronicle. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1883-1889, 1885-12-23
De N.P. COaI Company Defended.

! writes the following reply 10 our con-
Temporary, and requests space in the
0HKsHIcLE that his position in the al
legged dsspotisn may be fully expliin d
- privilege we readily grant. Thr
olloWfng is the letter written at the
siee-I9esident's Office, St. Paul, Mimi,
December 18th, 1885:
Eiit0r Courier, Bozemaa, M T.:
Dear Sir,-T notice in your issue of
December 18th an article headed Tim
beriine despotisnl." This article begins
five are correctly informed" and as
you % not appear to be from what fol-
lows permit me to enli9hten you as to
the trae situation at Timberline.
For some unknown reason during the
last six months there have appeared in
ths local papers articles fercely attack
ingE oaly our companf, bat also the
residents Of Tnnberline and one espec-
tally which I remember characteiizing
the entire population as "utter savages."
Whatever NAV be the motives prompt
ing such articles, or from whatever
source they come, feel sure that when
state to you the real situation (the
truth of which wish you to invpstigate)
such articles will no longer find place
in your columns.
In the first place, as to the attacks
make against the people of Timberline
know of no more orderly community
in the west. At any time, night or day,
everything is quiet There have been
disreputable characters in this as well as
other communities, but public opinion
has soon forced such to leave for other
| fields and the whole community seems
industrious, orderly and contented. A
number of visitors who have been there
have remarked upon the orderly con-
dition ofthe camp and the exceedingly
intelligent and good class of people who
inhabit it. So much for the character of
the people of Timberline, and now
about the article headed ''Timberline
despotism." The frst statement made
Is that almost reign of terror prevails
at Timberline that the company in its
entire management is 50 extremely ar
bitrary and unreasonable that its bears
no respectable resemblance to any other
corporation instituted or sustained in
free America the workingmen are en-
ployed only under the iLost arbitrary
and servile restrictions"
In answer to this enclose you copy
of our rules for the government Of en-
ployes. After careful perusal of which
think any fair-minded man must adm il
that they contain no unreasonable or
'serviIe restrictions" and are only such
rs are necessary to maintain discipline
among large number of men.
The next complaint is that they are
ostenslbly allowed reasonable COM
pensation for their work. In answer TO
thaiszea1 pay 5Osss show that in the
month Of October, 55 out of a total Of l30
miners, received an average pay OF
Sll0.23 for their months work. Th4
highest amount received by any one of
these 55 being S137.s5, and the lowest
$97l5
In November, AZ miners out of 130
averaged S120S7, and the highest re-
ceiyed $149.5O and the lowest S9loO.
Many of them didn't work the entire
month, but lay idle from one to three
days in addition to Sundays, and the
above was the average earnings Of the
lnontIl-between "a and S. per day.
Is this only "ostersibly reasonable
compensation 2" In my opinion j; is
exceedingly good wages, and / know OF
no other place i'm Montana where such
wages can be earned. The remainder OF
the article is taken up in abusing US
because we expect our employees to deal
in our store in which the company has
an interest.
A word to this Timberline is 16 miles
from Bozeman, lthe nearest supply
point and it is certain that commun.
ity could not possibly exist ii all its sup
plies had to come from this distance as
for a great part of the year the roads are
practically impossible, which makes IL
absolutely necessary TO have a we'll
stocked store at TImberline with which
TO supply the people when Boze1nan and
other surrounding towns are inaccessible
and it is not within the limits of reason
that store should be maintained for
a certain portion of the year when it is
impossible to buy elsewhere, and then
oe closed the balance of the time because
the people desire to go elsewhere to
purchase at the same price. In order to
meet the wants of 600 people, there is
constantly on hand a stock of $4,000
worth of goods-the prices charged be-
ing entirely governed by the prices at
3ozeman and in no case do they exceed
them, so that no one can complain OF
/ o.ktsf- tivnassz 1s-;ess, and ouarytllino pns-
sible is done to please those living at
Timberline. In addition to this orders
are given on the current months pay
which really means that those dealing
| in the sore are given from 80 to
90 days credit, which is an additional
advantage oyer having to pay cash.
thus, as far as the men are concerned,
they are better off financially by dealing
at the TimberIine store when they take
INTO consideration the loss of time, cost
of transportation and having to pay
cash for all they buy in case they go
either to Bozeman or Livingston for
their supplies.
Now. as TO the justice of the coal COM
Iany in asking their employees to deal
a. home, think is is recognized as q
correcs principle that home industries
SHOULD De uatronizsd; or in other words
a man should spend his money where
he earns it, and not with people who
have no means of giving him employ
naent. What business man in the coun-