The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-09-11
WORK FOR EVERYBODY,
The Demand for Laborers in Hel-
ena Greatly Exceeds the
Supply.
The East Helena Smelter to Ra-
sumo Operations in q
Few Days

The Business Outlook Very Encouraeine
What is Going on In and About
Helena
There is no reason for man in Mno
tana being idle.'' said an employment agent
yesterday to an INDEPENDENT reporter.
why" he continued, Il have work for
LOGO men if they will only CONS after it,
Not day passes that don't receive orders
for from five to 500 mon. We want wood
choppers and railroad men till YOU can't
rest. And there is a scarcity of girls.
There is quite a demand now for female
help and cannot say the supply comes ND
to the demand
A tour of the twelve employment agencies
now doing business in this city DEVELOPED
the same state of affairs. While the de-
mand for labor in Helena is not great. there
will be plenty of work. During the entire
summer several hundred men have been en-
gagged III building street railroads. The
big demand for men comes from the rail-
roads. The Great Northern finds it diff
cult to get men, and for this reason are un-
able to proceed with their coast extension
az rapidly as they would desire, although
they they, have l,eo men employed. The
men hat will apply. as they are
DESTROYS of completing the Missoula
cutoff as rapidly as possible. Both rail
roads have offered the inducement of free
fare on some occasions and q half fare rate
prevails now. 1t was learned from an agent
near the Northern Pacific depot that he
sent S00 mon n typn yaoka IN Mn1Ion NNo,%
Of those seeking employment 50 to the
Northern Pacific for the reason that this
company offers $3.50 for laborers as against
81 offered by the Great Northern. but the
fact is lost sight of that while the Northern
Pacific work will only continue few
Northern can feel assured of work for the
next two years; and the latter COMPANY
furnishes board for so per week.
"As rule these laborers are Swedes and
Norwegians." said an employment agent to
the reporter, land they are peculiar set.
They never look forward; the present is all
that they care about; they naturally take
the $3.50 per day and work month or two
and then come to town and have time.
When the Northern Pacific completes its
work there will be plenty of men anxious
to go to work and until then we will con-
tinue to find it difficult to supply the de-
mand for men,
As rule there is no difference in the
scale of wages from that of a year ago.
Plenty Of wood choppers are wanted in the
neighboring bills. 1t is a low estimate to
state that within the past six weeks 1900
men have been shipped out of Helena and
there is no denying the fact that this has
materially cut down the census enumera-
ton made by Special Agent Wood. During
tho summer fully that number have been |
railway lines, most of which are now |
complete, as to that portion which common |
taborers do.
Business cannot said to be brisk in Helena |
but it is holding its own and great many
men are being employed in enterprises Of
look for business boom and continued ac-
tivity was never brighter. ~.
Probably the best news is that relative to |
the smelter. The important negotiations
subsequent to the contamination of the
consolidation into one big company of the
the Chicago refining works has occupied
some delay, but now everything is in read
mess for work. "We are receiving ore
daily" said Ex-Governor Hauser yesterday.
land are ready to receive all that can be
sent to US in East Helena. Preparations /
are going on now for starting up the furna-
ces and as soon as We get enough ore on the
ground to guarantee long and continued |
period of operations orders will be given to |
fire up, and from the way ore is now coming
in the starting time will be within few
days."
Since the organization was first made
several changes have been made in the fac
ulty of the company. Mr.. Eilers, of the |
Great Falls smelter, has been elected gener-
al manager and first vice-presldent;
Abram S. Hewitt. of New York is
president ,s sna Mr. A. Rshs has
As there is another Union Smelling and Re-
filming company in the United States, it was
thought best to change the name of the new
organization by pref1ing ''United," but
this plan has also been abandoned for the
present, though the name will be changed
company does business in New Jersey.
But the reliable news that the East Hell
ena smelter will positively resume is good |
news, as it will give employment to at least
200 men and will revive business.
Several important enterprises are going on
as soon as they are we'll under way. Within
the past ten months no less than $3.50, GOO |
have been expended in building street rail-
ways in Helena, and to-day there are twenty !
miles OF track laid in this city and n more to
Hons i lines % BE- a Offended NJ st
cation over the Main street right
of-way is soon settled by De- |
cember l the Helena Electric Rail |
way company Will De operating double |
line of electric cars on Helena avenue and
Main street. and electric cars on Seventh
avenue, Davis street, Spencer street, Rodney
street and State street, besides the present !
line running out to the West side; and tn
Wallace and Thornburah lines will also be
extended and operated by electricity. Their
line is already constructed to the northern
city boundaries as far as Richmond Hill
addition, and before they get through they
will be operating cars by electricity to the
Montana university, six miles down the
valley.
And to furnish the power that will operate
these cars mammoth electrical plant that
contemplates an expenditure of $3.50 900 is
IN course of construction and will be placed
i'll building of brick and iron, l07x120 feet.
which is being erected. Not only will this
furnish power to the railways, but to many
local industries. c. w. Cannon is at the
head of this enterprise, being president
of the company and he says it will be COM
pleted by Dec. l. The Gas company, of
which he is also president, is making ex-
tensive improvements to its plant. Many
people have noticed the long line of iron
pipe strung along Main street. Last year
this company spent $4,000 in improving
its plant and this year will expend $4,000,
and the result will be an increase of its ca
pacity four times greater than its present
size. Those pipes on Main street are
twelve-inch gas mains and are to be substi-
A.-A- e. IL Fyr>ry..