The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-10-30
THE FATHER.
CLOSING DOWN THE MINES.


The Anaconda Standard reproduces
The INDEPENDENTS interview with }.
B. Haggin regarding the partial suspen-
sion OF operations by the Anaconda COM
pany and remarks that, "the facts were
perverted until The INDEPENDENT had
the courage to permit itself to be OIL
cially corrected" That is hardly a fair
way Of stating it, but we will not quarrel
with the Standard about phrases. The
charge, however, that any untrue re-
ports were invented or circulated by
anybody in Helena, or for the benefit or
advantage of Helena, is such an utterly
absurd falsehood that it falls to the
ground the moment the light is turned
on.
The situation was just this: At the
time of the annual meeting of the stock
holders Of the Northern Pacific Railway
company in New York, the report was
widely circulated in that city that the
Anaconda company would temporarily
suspend operations. The reporters of
the various New York journals were sent
to interview Mr.. Haggin and the next
day all the leading newspapers of the
city contained statements from him in
part confirming the report. The news
was sent out also to leading newspapers
in other cities as one Of the current
events of the day. The INDEPENDENT
published the dispatch as it appeared in
the ST. Paul Pioneer Press, as follows:
NEW YORK, Oct. 18.-The announcement
yesterday In Wall street that it had been
decided to shut down the Anaconda copper
mines for three months. beginning Nov. 10.
caused quite a little excitement, which was
manifested especially on the stock exchange
by a raid on Northern Pacific preferred.
The Anaconda mines ship immsns quanti-
ties of ore over tho Northern Pacific. This
fact furnished a good enough reason for the
bears to hammer the stock. j. Is. HaGgin,
when questioned in regard to the closing,
said it was merely for the purpose of max
ing needed repairs and a general cleaning.
The mines had been worked steadily for a
long time, he said, and this was necessary.
Some Of the New York papers unac-
quainted with our local geography evil
IDENTITY have confused the terms "mines"
and works" at least there has been in
some Of them, a misuse of the words.
But the dispatch from the Pioneer
Press above quoted, it will be observed,
refers only to the mines. That dispatch
is substantially correct as 1T stands. The
eyasive denials that appeared in the
Standard led The INDEPENDENT, which
aims first of all to be a newspaper, to
get the exact truth. The INDEPENDENT
has advocated, at all times and under all
circumstances, every interest of every
locality in this state. 1t has steadfastly
encouraged the great industry IN which
the Anaconda company is interested.
1t has expressed regret whenever it has
been necessary for that company to sus-
pend operations, IN whole or in part; it
has rejoiced when work has been re-
sumed and distressed labor been re-
lieved.
So it happened that THE INDEpEs,
DENT te%legraphed to it's New York cor
respondent for an authorized interview
with MI. Haggin. 1t was printed ex-
quoted in the Standard, as follows:
New YORK. Oct. 2~7.-[Special. j. B.
Haggin said this morning: There will be
no stoppage al all of the Anaconda works.
We have decided to ship no more ore for the
present until we can clean up what we have
on hand. As soon as that is done ws shall
Resume operations at the mines and make
shipments of ores as usual. This step il
not in any way the result of any copper
trust or combination of copper interests.
1t is what q merchant docs when he wants
to take an account Of stock. He closes his
doors until he completes his inventory.
Our closing down at the mines has in il
nothing of an unusual or sentimental ma.
ture and the stoppage will be of short du-
ration.
This statement from MI. Haggin does
not agree with the statement of the
Standard, and OF Mr.. DAILY, that the
mines will not be shut down. 1t SAYS
the works will not be shut down, which
is quite a different matter. 1t agrees
exactly with the first dispatch that ap
peared in the Pioneer Press. We ar,
glad to see that the Standard now &C.
cepts as true the statement OF Mr., Hap
gin.
Lest there be any further misunder
standing about it THE I%SpEPENDEN,
has further continuation OF the shuttinl
down of the mines from Mr.. Haggil
himself. Our New York correspondent
under date Of Oct. 90, telegraphed us a
follows:
The New York Sun of to-day contain
the following: "The report is again curren
that the Anaconda copper mines will b
temporarily shut down under an agreement
with other companies to restrict productio
of copper. Mr.. j. B. HaRgin denied yester
day that the Anaconda company had on
tered into any such agreement. H
said: W will suspend our shipments
ore from the mine at Butte to the works a
Anaconda for a short time, because we war
to clean up the ore on hand. The work
will not stop at all and we shall rssum
shipments as soon as we have exhausted tn
present RDpplv. uhera in NOTHING uausus