The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1894-04-24
IT'S A WAITING GAME
The Great Northern Makes No Attemp.
10 Start a Train From Butte.
BUTTE & BOSTON is CLOSED
The Shutdown Throws 100 Men
Out OF Work-Rumors OF a Strike
on the N. p.-None Likely
at Present

Stl NilS IaNSaJ
at Present
BUTTE, April 3D. The half-expected |
sensation IN connection with the Great |
Northern strike did not take place to-day !
and things remain Just as they we're last
night. The actions of the strikers showed
that they anticipated trouble, however,
aud they were fully prepared for it. BY
o'clock this morning the Great Northern
yard was filed with fully 500 strikers and
sympathissrs. who were quietly awaiting
the partially anticipated attempt to run a
train out OF Butte. They were quiet and
orderly, but determined that any attempt
TO run out anything moro Than a mail car
would be resisted to the bitter end. But
no such attempt was made, and after be-
coming convinced that the management
was not going to do anything in the way
OF moving train here the crowd dis
pcrsed.
The crowd would have been n great
d al larger than Il was had the company
made any movement 10 make up train.
Men were watching the round house and
at the first indication of putting on lire
under an engine the news of impending
trouble would have spread through tho
city. Ii would have taken three or four
hours TO get up steam in an engine and
by that time tho yard would have been
blockadei with strikers and their friends.
What would have followed is a matter of
conjecture.
Major Dawson says there was no inten-
tion on the part of the company to run
| train out OF Butte to-day, aud that no ei-
fort in that direction will be made for
several days. 1t is quietly whispered by
persons on tho outside that II would be
impossible for the Great Northern TO run
| a train out of Butte even II no resistance
of any kind was offered. Even II train
| should start il would not GO very lar IN
the present condition of the track. A
committee OF seven men went out last
| evening as far as the first tunnel to in-
spect the track. They found that tons OF
rock and dirt had fallen down on the
track from tue roof of the tunnel, aud
they say that 1t will take weeks hard
work to clear the track and repair tho
damage. The inspecting committee re-
turned about ; 30 this morning.
No information of importance was re-
ceived at tho strikers headquarters to-
day. President Dcbs telegraphed late last
night that speedy and satisfactory set
!, ,ement was assured, but nothing further
| was heard from him to-day. The men are
still confident ihat a satisfactory settle
ment will be effected not later than
Wednesday. The committee will reach
St. Paul in the morning and IT is expected
that some authentic Information will bc
received here soon after their arrival. Al
least ono Or two Of tho local employees of
the company do not, however, anticipate
an early settlement. On tho contrary they
rather look for a long fight and they be-
lieve that President Hill will play a wait
ing game. leaving things just as they arc
for the present. A well posted railroad
man who arrived from St. Paul to-day
over the Northern Pacific says that Prcsi-
dent Hill started for Washington ycster-
day. II this is SO, 1t would Indicate tina,
Mr.. Hill Is not going To meet tho commit
tee at present. The gentleman who told
of Mr.. Hills departure also stated that IL
is the general opinion in 81. Paul railroad
circles that the strike will be long one,
and that Mr.. Hill has no idea Of giving in
10 the men.
The air was full of rumors to-day con-
cerning a probable strike on the Northern
Pacific. II is fact that all the employees
OF the Northern Pacific had decided to
quit work at 6 o'clock this evening, but il
can be authoritativeiy stated that tho
strike is of for the present at least. II IS
the policy of the A. IL. L. never 10 inau-
gurate strike until IL is absolutely nee
cssary. and when the officers of that order
learned that strike on the Northern Pa.
ciilc was probable, they took steps To
head il of. 4 committee OF sin was sent
out from here a week ago to-day to 20 all
over the Northern Pacific aud try to in
duce the men not to strike for the present,
at least. Tho expenses of the trip were
paid by the local lodge OF the a. Il. /. The
committee succeeded in preventing tho
strike and returned 10 this cIy
to-day, Il is stated that the Northern Pa
cific employees are very much dissatisfied
aud are anxious to strike. They demand
that the schedule which was in effect
prior 10 Jan. |, be restored, but they will
takc no decisive steps until the Great
Northern strike is settled. The majority
of the railroad don't believe that there
will be any strike on the Northern Pacific
and they are certain that If it docs come
Il will not he untll after the present strike
is settled.
The Butte & Boston mines and smolters
were all closed this evening, throwing
about 700 men out OF employment. The
shutdown was necessitated by the fact
that the full storage capacity for copper
matte has been reached, and the supply
of matte now on hand is sufficient tc
keep the converter running for q mouth
Work will be resumed with full force as
soon as the strike is settled and commu
: nication is resumed with Great Falls. In
the meantime some necessary dead work
will be done and the smelter will be thor
: oughly overhauled SO that when work i,
resumed everything will be in good shape
! The rumor that the Parrot is about tC
, close down is officially denied. Tn,
mines and smelter are running full bias
l aud will continue IN operation.