The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-06-04
THE WAY THEY DO IT
People in Neihart Who Dislike the
Company Store System.
WILL FIGHT TO THE FINISH
Methods Adopted by the CONNER
ciaI End of the Broadwater Min
ing People Do Not Meet Gen.
eraI Approval i'm the Camp.

Great Falls, June BIN the contest
now being waged between the people
of Neihart and the store and boarding
house which are owned by two of the
principal stockholders in the Broad
water Mining company, the people are
battling for principle, not pelf. AS
soon as the company learned of the
boycott which had been ordered by the
Belt Mountain Miners union, and per-
ceived that IL was being rendered ef-
fective by a united people, prices OF
merchandise in the store and the rates
at the boarding house were reduced.
Goods were placed on sale at prices be-
low cost, in the hope that. for money
consideration, the men and women of
Neihart woulds abandon principle and
betray their friends. But the people
saw the result which would be inevi-
table if they yielded TO temptation,
and avoided the pitfall set for them.
They knew that the course of the COM
pany would result in driving other
merchants from the camp. If unob-
structed. and that then prices would
be placed at exorbitant figures, and
the company would enjoy a monopoly
of the business of Neihart.
Thus far the people have been sue
ttHSihi- III Nlltiubs NiC COMPANY mas
pleaded that it's business has greatly
declined, and that ii will be ruined If
the people are not restrained. That is
just what the people hope will happen;
they are in the fight to ruin the COM
pany's side institutions. and no injunc-
ton or threat of closing down a mine
will interfere with them in their strug-
gle for justice. They are not fighting
the Broadwater company's store and
boarding house alone, but are contend
ing that no company store shall be es-
tablished in their town. They realize
that, If the Broadwater company is
successful in the present struggle,
when brighter days for silver arrive
and other mines resume, other compa-
mics WILL perforce. establish company
stores and company boarding houses.
and the camp will be worse than a
penal colony.
The miners of Neihart have had ex-
perience in other camps with company
stores and boarding houses, and are
acquainted with the dark ways pur-
sued by such institutions. The COM
pany store cuts prices until all COM
petitors are crushed. Then the force of
miners is doubled. With the increased
force, the ore accumulates so rapidly
that accommodations for it are made
quate. and the miners are laid off for
several days. This occurs frequently
during a month, and the miners work
perhaps less imam nalf the tlme. But
even when idle they and their families
must eat and find shelter, and when
the men are presented with their
checks on pay day, they find that the
amount of the company's claim
against them has nearly equaled the
amount due them. Thus. every cent
paid in wages returns to the company
through the store and boarding house.
In some camps. the miners have
been paid in checks issued by the COM
pany. By a rule of the company,
these must be cashed at the company
store. But conveniently for the store.
il has no cash on hand, and issues to
the miners due-bills on the store. Then
before the checks are again presented
the store manages to fail, and the
miners must wait until a multitude of
legal entanglements are unraveled, or
sell their checks to 'scalpers," or
leave the camp broke"
The people. of Neihart have never
suffered such proceedings. They are
determined that they never will. and
hence they have boycotted the COM
pany store and boarding house.