The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-10-29

at the end of March. the price rose by
rap;d degrees until it reached the
figures mentioned at the beginning of
this article. when -four ceased to be
ouotable product in the market reports,
and the price was only regulated by the
elasticity of conscience in the possessor
of the article or his ability to hold his
breath while naming the figures to a
would-b purchaser. AS might be ex-
pected. prices in some instances reached
almost fabulous figures, and many
man made quiet, respectable
stake" through being a lucky possess
sor of few sacks of wheaton flour at
this time.
They Went Right at 1t.
When things had reached this stage,
popular feeling began to be aroused en-
the subject, and with a promptness
characteristic of all new mining com
munities. the people bestirred them
selves to find a remedy for the threat.
ening danger AS it had been with the
vigilance committee year or so be-
fore, so it was with the flour committee
on the evening of the 18th of April, 1865,
A meeting of citizens was called at
Nevada, to which citizens Of Virginia
were invited, and subsequently ad-
journed to Virginia City. Few speeches
were made, and what was said was
terse and to the point.
The story Of how the price of flour
had trebled in two weeks was rectted;
the jump from s45 to $11o per sack in
single day was briefly but forciblv
dilated upon; a committee on resol1-
tons was appointed with instructions
to report Immediately; in Is minutes
thereafter the committees report was
received and adopted mem. con-, and
-. in one hour and half from the tire
of calling the meeting TO order it was
adjourned, and it's emissaries were on
their way, armed and equipped with
the popular authority, conferred by the
= peoples flour committee to seize upon
= and confscate all flour, regardless Of
:. quantity or ownership, upon payment
therefor of $50 per sack for st. Louis
. flour and $27- per sack for the Salt. Lake
. article.
[Note-All -four brought from Mis-
souri, IlNSl poillto " NAoiiNsii'h - NAt"F~
DAYS was classified under the generic
!, term, est. Louis tiour.1 H
n The edict was carried into effect the
/, next day, and was attended with very
n little disturbance-in fact, not any
y worth mentioning, nearly everybody in
vt terested acquiescing quietly in the yer
o dict of the people as expressed in the
W public meetings at Nevada and Nlr-
o ginia City. The Standard reporter re-
J. calls only one serious controversy be
If tween a -four owner and the -four COM
II mittee. 1t arose out of the fact tha'
James Gormley, a wellknown citizel
,e of Nevada, had, at great expense, sue
IF ceeded in getting 40 sacks of -four across
V. the snowy divide by means of pack ami
ii mails, one of which had been lost If
l. making the trip.
Il When the committee offered Gormlel
" s27 per sack for his -four, he Indignantly
IS spurned it. and exhibited his expense
IN accounts to the leader, showed that the
flour had cost s43 per sack in first cos
Il and transportation, adding that TIL
in committee could take it at $45 per sack
Of but for no less unless they took it gu
III Of the store over his dead body. TIL
~ dispute was quite heated for while
is and was finally settled by one of tn
j. committee recognizing the business Q
en- Gormley's claim, and undertaking t
it. pay the difference out of his oW
he pocket. On April 10 the flour was dis
he tributed among the populace by allow
on ing each man 10 pounds, and famille
Cd five pounds additional for each memhe
to of the family in addition to the hea
OF thereof. The rate for distribution wa
no the same as that for collection of tn
RS -four, l. e. 81 cents per pound for Sa
On Lake and so cents per pound for 5
D. Louis flour The committeeman, collec
st tors and distributors all performed the
ed labors gratuitously
In Strange Hiding Places.
IF there was no open defiance of tt
of work of the committee, there were n
;et lacking attempts to outwit the leader
IL in the work of securing flour for distr
of button, and all sorts of hiding place
Sc for the coveted article were in actiN
he reauisition. Cellars. outbuildings, ha!
I'd stacks, holes in the ground and otht
as out-of-theway places were utilized II
of the secretion of flour, and In this wa
Old hundreds of sacks escaped the Nlsilal
er' scrutiny of the collectors, and the SUI
1t cessful hiders gained splendid reward
an for their enterprise in this direction.
and was current rumor after the affair ha
axe blown over that ]. B. Laur!n, wei
known merchant of the Ruby vale
ore had succeeded in secreting so sacks
be- -four in various hiding places on
I'M ranch near the village which still bea
LEY his name, and selling the same pric
ant considerably exceeding 500 per sac
in and thus laid the foundation of Z
ere large fortune which he afterWa
of amassed, and of which he died posse
nse sed a few years ago.