The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-08-28
THE PURITAN EMPLOY rs.
An Explanation of tho Recent ClOso Down
of That Property

An Explanation of tho Recent Close Down
Of That Property
To Tho independent
As considsfn fnb!s interest has been created
throughout this part OF the country In re-
gard TO dffioulty between tho Puritan coIn-
pany, Of this place. and the Granite miners
union, which il LRanch OF the ButtS
Miners' union. your correspondent has
awaited upon the management Of the com
psny for the purpose OF learning whether
or not our local papers had boon giving tho
matter tts iroper attention. As a results
the following statement has been secured
from Mr.. John McKeohney. the genial
president of the company. which seems to
throw more light on the subject. After
speaking OF the decline in the price OF ell.
yer and the action Of tho union in throw
ing out of ernployment forty men, most Of
wnom have families. he says: 'fhe man
aRement of tho Puritan company on the
first day of July went TO tho different men
in tho employment Of the company and
told those men that the Puritan COMPANY
and nay all oash. They would
pay them miners wages, $3.50 per
dhy-two-thirds In cash and one-third in
stock Of tho company at % cents per share.
and just as soon a. tho hard times mad
eased up q little bit the full $3.50 in cash
porary expedient far keeping those men
employed and the developments OF the
company in opeI alton. 1t was losing
game to the company any way and they
hoped in tho near future that the property
would develop into paying property. The
| stated that tho proposition was very fan
one and that they would accept 1t. Those
ono or two who preferred TO look at il
| otherwise, be it said TO their credit. quietly
dropped out without saying word. The
terms have been accepted without one word
| of com plaint until tho arbitrary intsrven-
sion of the union on the 23d of this month.
Some reports had been carried to the union
that the men that were employed did not
know anything about these terms until they
came 70 draw their pay. The secretary of
the union came to me about the matter and
told him the report was abso-
lutely without foundation. That he could
go up TO the mine among tho men, down
the shafts. in tho drifts. up the slopes. and
ascertain from each man what the agree
ment was. lie said 'No;' that my word
was sufficient on that proposition. On the
23d the foreman Of the mine sent a man 10
| the Office to inform me that the secretary
| of the miners union was at tho mine. and
| asked me to come up. ] met tho secretary,
meeting the night before and he had beer
instructed to como over and see if tho mat
ter could not be fixed ur. After a littl.
discussion. good-naturedly. pro and con
on the subject. told him that | was per
fectAy willing to do everything coul bu
l could not see my way for the present t.
change my terms with the men. He asket
me II could not promise to do so on tn
first of next month. and l told him that
could only make that promise condition
ally, and If the times improved We woult
improve with them. II being the nool
hour. and all the men being on tor, I tolt
him to call ali the men together in tn
SHAFT house. and he asked the ns
IL they were willing to wor
under those terms--two' thirds cas-
and one-third in stock. One of the me
spoke up and asked him what the unio
wanted; that they were all union mer
The secretary stated that the union dc
cided that they could not work under thos
terms. The man who had previousl
spoken stated that they all wanted wor
and wanted it badly, and that they wer
suffering ON want of work now, and tina
they were willing to work under thes
terma. but they were union men and di
not care to work against tho wishes of tn
union. and they quit"
| The result OF the matter is forty me
and about as many families will suffer dur
ing these stringent times, and work on wha
has given promise of being a very fine p; OF
erty will be discontinued. for the present a
least, and Mr.. NcKsohney regrets yer
much the state of affairs although he
certainly not at fault in the matter. Th
prioe Of the stock to be issued to the men ii
lien of Dash for third of their wages WA
certainly reasonable. and in rrosperou
times for silver would b. we'll worth man
| times the price, % cents.
| Philipgbugp Aug. 2S 1893