Great Falls weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1894-1???, 1896-11-13
COUCH HAS RESIGNED
In an Interview He Admits That He
Has ASKED 10 Be Re
,.~,ta-roJ- lieved. -.4 ...,. ..., 2
Much Doubt That the Resignation
viii Be Accepted-His Prob. IA
able Successor.

...tl5-r-p ,-----r. r,
For several weeks there have been sub
~tantial rumors that Capt. Thomas
Couch, manager Of the western proper
les Of the Boston and Montana Mining
Co., had rendered to the directors of the
company his resignation. Captain Couch
you'd neither affirm nor deny the rum
brs until a day Or two ago. to
The Butte Miner says: .H-.a.
81 have sent in my resignation az
panager OF the western properties of the
Boston and Montana Mining company,
)aid Capt. Thomas Couch Friday nigh,
n conversation with the Miner. 'Tleave
(umorrow for California to look over the
properties OF the company in Mariposa
county, where tho MERGED mine is stu
bted. | expect to hear from the board
bf directors while l am in California, and
will probably 60 on down into Mexico
bnd back into Arizona before 1 return.
"Regarding the cause for his r%esigna-
hon Capt. Couch would say nothing,
1T is known, however, that he has been
anxious to get away for some time, but
when he g in his resignation last
spring the board of directors refused to
accept it and numerous personal friends
bf his persuaded him to reconsider and
femain with the company he has made
10 many millions of dollars for IN the
past III years.
az am proud of the present condition
bf the mines of the company now in
my charge said Capt. Couch, 'and the
reserve ores we have blocked out in the
East and West Colusas, the Mountain
View and the Pennsylvania will last
for several years even if no moro de-
%Belopment work is done. ! have had
charge OF the interests of the company
bince March, 1887, when the company
vas organized, and since that time we
pave had profits amounting to SS,0OO,-
D00. We have constructed the smelt-
ing plant at Great Falls at a cost Of
P2,5OO,O0O. We have paid in dividends
Pver ~SJ,OOO,OOO and we have over $1,000
pOO surplus cash 10 the treasury.
"Capt. Couch intimated that he would
Dot remain in Butte, but would engage
p mining elsewhere as soon as he set
fled up his affairs here. He will return
rom his present trip about Jan. l, and
bis plans after that date he does not
Eish to discuss. '' '"' '"'f .''
ut is generally known that the action
eaken by Engineer IIyams in closing
Town the concentration at Great Falls
had something to do with making Capt.
Couch dissatisfied with the action Of
eome of the eastern people to whom Hy-
ams must have looked for support in
Infringing Do the authority of Couch as
manager. Those who know Capt. Couch
ssay that he would not stand anything of
that sort and that in itself would be
enough to cause him to send in bis res
ignation at once"
"Captain Couch is now on his way to
California, where he will remain several
weeks" further Gays the Miner. "a we'll
known mining man who has known
Captain Couch for 10 years said yester-
day: Il know as much of the inside
workings of the Boston and Montana
company as any mar now in Butte and
u feel sure that Captain Couch will re-
main as manager of the company here,
Notwithstanding the fact that he has
sent in his resignation. l don't Relieve
chat the board Of directors of the %Iioston
sand Montana will accept the resignation
pf Captain Couch and ! think that when
Che board acts IN the matter it will be to
refuse to consider his resignation, but
VT the same time the board will confirm
Blis authority and and recall Mr.. Hyams,
who has caused all the trouble. No ono
pretends that hyams knows anything
&bout a mine or a smelter, and there is
po doubt that he was sent out here by
fhe faction among tho Boston people
who would like to get rid of Capt. Couch.
t is simply an internal personal quarrel.
bnd there is no question in my mind
about what action the board will take in
.the matter. The men who have been
making a fight on Captain Couch for a
year or more are not mining men and
ehey have no particular man in view for
|the place. ,ai ..N. t
In referring to the resignation the
Butte Inter Mountain says:
"Who Capt. COUGHS successor will be
rs not known. 1t was rumored that
Frank Klepetko, superintendent of the
Great Falls plant, had been suggested,
|but this is denied. Mr.. Klepetko has
had more experience in milling than at
thinning, and it is believed he would not
the position if rendered him. He
fhas temporary charge OF the operations
fpt the company in this district and
Eame in Thursday night from Great
Fails with Capt. Couch.
i The name of Mr.. &. w. GoodRle has
been mentioned az the successor Of Capt.
Couch. Mr.. Goodale stands we'll with
(the directors Of the company, is an ex-
|perienced mining maj and would fill the
position with ability" .an
In referring to the above the mining
man who was talking with the Miner
said that neither of the men mentioned
would succeed Couch, even if the reslg-
nation were accepted. He said: "Mr.
Shiepetko is a good smelterman, but has
no ambition to risk his present reputa-
lion IN attempting to manage mines OF
winch he knows comparatively little"
property in Belt Is continually On the
EaoVance-buy Of j. B. Gieske.
C0mplimenting Miss Craven.