The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-07-17
NOT THE SAME HOBSON
He Denies That He's the Man
Who Sank the Merrimac.
WASN'T THERE AT ALL
Nevertheless the Striking PAYERS Keep
on Striking-Foreman Hobson Came
to Butte Last Fall-The Strikers
Have Very Little to Say.

The rumor that the striking PAYERS
nave refused to work under Foreman
Hobson because he sank the Merrimac
In Santiago harbor a few weeks ago,
and is therefore a new resident of Butte
n not entitled to a finger in the paw
ing, seems to be i'll justified by any
facts which are obtainable i'm the case.
The strike is certainly one of the most
mysterious which ever took place in a
city which has had many strikes, and II
may be that the pavers have some
grounds for believing that Hobson has
been brought here from Santiago to
watch their job. but the grounds. it
must be confessed. are slight. The paw
ers have very little to say as to the
reason for their striking. They assert
that Mr.. Hobson came here only a short
time ago, that they have proof, IL news
paper accounts may be believed, that
he was In Cuban waters not more than
a month ago, that he has served time
in a Spanish prison, n they think
some local man should be given the pre-
ference of bossfng their job and they
particularly object to working for a
man who has been in prison and most
of all a Spanish prison.
Mr.. Hobson, however, most emphatic
ally denies being implicated in any way
with the sinking of the Merrimac. He
declares that he can prove al alibi. He
has been working quietly for the water
company at the new reservoir, all win
ter. The Hobson who sank the Mer-
rimac, he says, is an entirely different
Hobson, and no relation of his. He has
the papers from the water company to
prove hat he has not been out of the
county, n therefore could not be con-
cerned in the Santiago affair. He also
Indignantly denies that he has ever
been in a Spanish prison, n he says 1t
is all a scheme of the PAYERS to get
this job of foreman for some local
friend of theirs, who Won't be so hard
on them.
The PAYERS were still out on strike
yesterday. and so the paving work was
suspended. Late yesterday afternoon
ii was reported that the street railroad
mpa had so far arranged matters
that work will be resumed tomorrow
morning under Mr.. Hobson. There were
five PAYERS who were at work at the
time of the strike, and 1t is announced
tina tour men will start to work to-
morrow morning, of whom two are re-
pentant strikers and the other two are
new men.
That which makes a strike of PAYERS
formidable is the fact that II is a new
art in Butte, and there are few men
here who can do the work. 1t is a
business. too, where the few now here
find II to their interest to discourage
outsiders from coming I'm, and claim
h Butte men should have the pre-
ference, although they themselves
only came to Butte for the paving last
tall. The street railroad company has,
however, arranged to resume work, and
Mr.. Wharton says he has no objection
TO any of his men quitting his job at
any time. Now that he has go far fin
ished his work as to be able to handle
the race crowds, he is in no hurry to
complete the balance.
Mr.. Hobson came to Butte last fall
about the time the other paving people
arrived, so there is not much advan-
tage over him In point OF residence,
unless 1t can be proven that he Joined
the navy and went to Santiago since he
was here last fall.
e. o. Dugan q Co. have invited the
mayor and the members of the paving
committee to go out to the quarries to-
day and inspect them to see IL the paw
ing stone is all right. The firm expects
to begin excavations tonight.