The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1894-08-31
THE GLAD T|O|NGS FROM BELT
A Satisfactory Settlement Of All Dif
ferences Between the Men and
Company Made.
The Trades Council Committee Sue
ceeds on Its MissiOn-Terms Of
Settlement.


the company had been successful and
every difference had been satisfactorily
arranged. The first ~intimation of the
good tidings came in the shape Of a tel
egram from the station agent at Belt to
Pat Kelly, agent at this point, and short
ly afterwards was confirmed by a tele-
gram from the committee TO the Trades
Council here. The executive committee
Of the Trades Council consists of l.. M.
Mcdonald, ticket agent at the depot;
W. H. Allison, Of the A. +. of L.; W. F.
Gay, Of the Carpenters union; Geo.
Lathrop, of the Mill and Smeltermen's
union; Thomas F. Green, of the A. f. of
L., and James Erickson, of the Stone.
masons' union, together with j. E. Fox,
Of the Hub clothing store, president of
the Trades Council. These gentlemen
started for Belt Friday morning on the
train. James Shields, manager Of the
coal company, went on the same train,
but the committee avoided any COMMIT
nication with him until after they had
seen the men at Belt. Arriving there the
committee waited till 4 p. m. for the ar
rival Of W. r. Dixon, chairman of the
Sand Coulee executive committee Of
Coal Miners union, and in conjunction
with him and W. j. Weeks, president Of
the Western Federation Of Miners, who
has been at Belt for some days, a meet
ing was had OF the representatives Of the
striking employees. The result Of this
conference was so satisfactory to the
visiting committee that they felt justified
in the hope that a satisfactory solution
could be obtained by a few concessions
on both sides. The committee then
waited on MI. James Shields, manager
OF the coal company, and requested his
presence at a conference. Mr.. Shields
readily consented to their request, al
though expressing doubt as to it's USE
fulnt So. A continued session was held
from 5 p. m. till II p. NJ. Friday night, at
which hour, by the %judicious conduct of
the committee and the candid and fair
admissions Of the manager, an agree
ment was reached satisfactory to
both parties, and signed by Robert
Hendry, president Of the Belt
Miners union, the executive commit
tee Of the Trades council and it's
president, the chairman OF the Sand
Coulee miners committee, and President
Weeks Of the Western Federation of
Miners, as well as by James Shields for
the Cashier Coal and Coke company.
The terms OF the agreement are as fol-
lows:
l. The company will pay 95 cents a
car for coal mined instead Of 80 cents as
heretofore, and the coal must be clean.
2 The company will lay all rails except
n short pair rails at end Of chambers,
and deliver all timbers to the men at
the entrance Of chambers where they
work.
8. The company are to put in scales as
soon as possible and thereafter all coal
mined will be weighed and paid fer at
the rate Of 70 cents per ton Of 1000
pounds.
A. The Trades Council If Great Falls
binds itself to guarantee that the Belt
employees will give sixty days notice be-
fore they demand any change in the
terms Of the agreement, and il they vio-
late this provision the Trades Council
will sever all relations with the Belt
union which may exist at the time; and
guarantee further to furnish the man.
agement with skilled men to take the
places Of such parties as violate the
agreement.
The town of Belt went wild with Joy
when it was known that an agreement
had been reached and the visitors we're
given a great ovation. Just when the
mines will be started up cannot be
definitely stated. Mr.. Shields returns
today to Anaconda to see what he can do
about getting orders from the smelters
there. These orders have been placed at
Rock Springs, Wyo., and they have been
rushing the coal in to the smelter
in large quantities. Besides this, there
is some doubt in Mr.. Shields mind as to
the extent and effect Of engagements en-
tered into since the strike with the Rock
Springs parties for future delivery.
However, he will endeavor to get such
business as will result in resumption of
work on as large a scale as possible.
The Great Falls committee returned
about 3 p. m. yesterday and received the
congratulations Of their friends. Chair
man Mcdonald Of the executive commit
tee, to whom is due much credit for his
wise suggestions, said to The TRIBUNE
that Mr.. Shields had treated the com.
mittee with the utmost courtesy and
evinced a disposition to be fair in every
respect during their conference. On the
other hand, James Shields told The
TRIBUNE man that il he had been deal
ing with gentlemen like the trades coun-
Gil committee and the president OF the
Butte association he could have fixed all
differences long ago and there would
have been no necessity for any trouble.
He seemed much pleased with the result,
especially with the provision that no
change Of scale would be demanded with
due notice in the future He, on his
part, was equally bound to give sixty
days notice of change.
Already the good effects OF the settle
ment at Belt are observable here. Last
night an order was issued by the Mon
tana Central to put the three train crews
recently laid off at work again. 1t is
estimated by railroad men that the shut
ting down OF the Belt mines permanent
" would have deprived about fifty men
In the train service alone of work.