The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1892-02-13
THE RAILROADS POSITION


following statement, which is said to
have been authorized by President Hill,
relating to the labor trouble on the spurs
to the B. & NJ. mine; also an interview
with Captain Couch:
"The object of the work undertaken
by the Montana Central is not under.
stood by the people Of Butte. During
the past few years it has been claimed
that the cost Of transportation between
the railways into Butte and the various
works on the hill has been sc great a
burden that it has forced the suspension,
from time to time, of the mines, and re-
suited in locking out thousands OF
miners and driving them to find work
elsewhere. To relieve this situation, the
Montana Central has undertaken to
build a line onto the hill, not for the
purpose of increasing it's revenue, but
simply for the purpose Of furnishing ad-
ditional facilities for transferring; the
railway company not only furnished the
capital to construct the additional facili-
ties, but is to be at the expense of oper-
ating them without any increased
charge. The miners and laboring men
of Butte have, during the past three
years, lost more time by high charges
than would build the proposed work
several times over.
"This work is not the construction of
a railroad that would bring revenue to
the company, but is simply the furnish
ing of additional facilities to relieve the
works on the hill from a burden they
claim is oppressive.
"When railways were being built into
Butte there was never any question
raised as to the wages paid by the con-
tractors, Notwithstanding the several
lines of railway were built for revenue
only, and did not rest on the same
grounds as the work that has been stop
ped. When the railway company under
took this work it was let to the lowest re-
sponsible bidders. The contracting firm
have worked for the railway company in
Montana for the past two years and have
always paid their men. and all other
claims incurred to them. and they are
entirely responsible for whatever they
undertake. The railway company will
look to them to complete the work they
have undertaken. provided they are not
forcibly interfcred with. On the other
hand, the railway company is not suf-
fering in any manner for the want OF
these facilities, and is in a position to
wait until better counscls and IA better
understanding will prevail. and the
workingmen of Butte have an oppOr-
tunity to realize that they cannOt in
any way in the world help their situa-
ton by interfering with local improve
ments. the object of which is to increase
the facilities for the transaction of local
business, without any additional charge
or burden on the business of Butte
BENEFIT re MINERS.
Capt. Thomas Couch. manager of the
Boston d Montana, was called upon at
his Office and asked whether anything
new in the situation had beer developed
by the visit of President Hill, and he re,
piled nothing beyond what the Miner al
ready knew.
Capt. Couch was then asked whether
he had anything to say upon the subject.
II have nothing to say except what |
have already said-that in my opinion
the %workingmen of Butte are standing in
their own light, and they are the real
sufferers by the stoppage of work"
'Please explain"
while some of the idle men now here
might be employed for a brief time on
the spur if it is built, they are a class for
whose labor there is no market in Butte
They are simply birds of passage who
follow a contractor or come and go from
point to point as a job of any kind opens
up. They are in no sense Butte men
and what they do or how they are paid
can have no effect upon the wages OF
Butte men. They are worthless to work
in a mine and when the railroad job is
completed they would go off TO the next
available point"
"They are not suited for the mines?"
"Of course not. They could not get
90 a month to work about a mine; in
fact. they would not be allowed neal one
by the managers"
'"1'he working of that class then on the
spur would not affect Butte wages!"
"Certainly not. There is no disposition
among employers here to reduce the
wages of regular Workingmen. | have
never ever heard such a proposition
mooted and | know that it does not
exist"
"Do you consider this movement inim,
zeal TO the best interests of the Butte
workingmen:'
1T certainly is. These agitators have
kept bora tide w~orkingmen out Of EN-
ployment. BY the stoppage of the hear
roast the Boston q Montana was com
PEELED to lay of about seventy miners al
$3.50 per day and the smoke mas not YET
left the city. However, the roasting
stalls will soon be completed and thost
who were laid off will soon be put bacl
to work."
SLOW will the building of the spul
affect the mines?"
"Very materially. When that spur O
switch is finished the Boston d. MOntan;
will increase its mining force fully 4O
men. They will be all skilled workmel
and recei Q $3.50 per day. Figure TO
yourself and see what that amounts to
This, too, is permanent work for mel
who are residents Of this city. good citi
Gems and men with families, Butte work
ingmen in fact as well as in name, no
the class who are supposed to work OF
railroad grades and who always live il
camps instead of cities"
"How long would it take to build tn
spur"
"There will be three spurs O
MI ...:. -.. I'LL t.l,n l.