Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1901-01-31
HELENA news.
TALK ON EIGHT HOUR BILLS.
Interviews With Interested Parties
and Leading Legislators.

upon the elSnt-nOur DIS III the senate
chamber yesterday afternoon. Daniel
Mcdonald, president of the Western Fed
GRAFTON of Labor, was called upon to eX-
press his views. He said that he was
thoroughly familiar with house bill No.
]. and was heartily in favor of it. AS
he understood the matter the principal
controversy was when the portion of the
b,l. affecting smelters should go into eff
feet. He understood that some question
lad arisen as to obtaining men capable
of working in shelters. He was not so
familiar with smelter work as some 9TH
er industries, but he believed that it
would take but very short time indeed
to obtain a sufficient number of men to
operate the smeters on eight hour shifts
He believed that there was no longer any
controversy relative to eight hours in the
mines, as all the leading companies had
agreed to grant that.
A. Fl. Wethey, manager of the Butte
Reduction Works, was asked by Senator
Clark of Madison if Swimming a furnace
was skilled work.
certainly think that sl<imming re-
quires considerable skill. An unskilled
man would skim off considerable copper
and Stag replied the witness.
IF this law should go into effect i'm
nicdiately upon it's passage would you
have any difficulty in securing skilled
worlsmen?'
I'm works the size of ours I do
not think we would have any difficulty
in getting men,"
Mr.. Wethey, will you tell us how
many men are employed in the smelters
OF the state?' asked Senator Hobson.
Il could not say exactly, but L should
judge from 5000 to 1000"
LAS [ understand it," continued Mr..
Hobson. this law would require the
employment of so per cent more men in
the smelters?"
1T would in the concentra tors, but It
would not require that number in all the
departments of a smelter"
IF this matter was thrown open in all
the smelters it would take some time to
fill the places?'
Yes, of course. if all the shelters
We're needing men,
You are employing two swimmers to
furnace now asked Senator Connollv
Yes sr.''
Then how do you make out that the
elgllt-hour system would require the
engagement of so per cent more men -,
wen, sir. we pay two swimmers 50 90.
We should have to put on one roro
which would make total payroll for ona
furnace of $3.50. or an addition Of 81 n
per day, and $3.50 per day is so per cent
VI S9.oV, the amount at present paid"
Inc chair called upon Ex-Secretarv of
state L. S. Hogan to speak. as he had
Iao considerable experience in sme|ters
Mr. Hogan said that he had worked for
TOUR years IN the Anaconda smelters
ne mad had experience in all the DIFF.
lerent branches of smelling. He did not
believe there was a miner in Butte who
would. If the pay was the same and the
hours the same, be willing to exchanoa
places with smelterman He aerend
with Mr. Hotter that the work i'm con-
contractors and stamp mills was not so
arduous as In smelters. He had seen men
working IN smelters who had their
clothes literally eaten into holes by the
FUMES. 1t was his Judgment that even
II there was danger that wages would
be reduced. even if that calamity should
happen. 1T would be better for the man
to work the shorter hours. even tbonoh
they might not fully recognizes il. HI
cid not believe that it was possible for
the men working in the smelter. or his
family to retain their health if follow.
ing that vocation for years. He said he
was opposed to the measures which
sought to divide the question, becal1s.,
he DelleVed that the division was mad,
Win the intention of defeating thu
smelter bill. He did not believe in ahat
ing the law for a minute after it went
INTO erect. He would concede that there
are places in the smelter where it would
BIZ very hard to get skilled men.
want to say for myself, if I wer.
skinner. 1 should object to having
an inexperienced man furnished me as
a helper"
His judgment and opinion was that
| mouse bill No. l should be passed, but
II more time were thought to be need
ed in the smelter provision, he hoped
1t would be amended to extend tina.
time, but not beyond 60 days at the
outside.
FRANK Klepetko. manager of the Bos-
ION ana Montana smelter in Great
Falls, and the Anaconda Reduction
works, said that it would be impossi-
bic for the shelters to comply with the
spirit of the act, if it We're made opera :
tive at once. 1t would mean in the Gres t
Falls smelters an increase of from ] 900
| to l,2O0 men and in Anaconda probably
| LOU. TO comply with the law at once
II would necessitate the closing down
OF one-third of both smelters mentioned,
The smelter plants could fill in the nee
essary men. but shelters the size of
theirs could not do this.
Questioned by Mr. Courtney-"What
in your judgment would be the approx.
mate. time required?'
well, that all depends. I think il
should be at least four months and pos.
sibly six months. 1 think we should
have to advertise for skilled men,"
He said further that his companies
did not want to be placed in the posi-
ton of lawbreakers and he did not be
lieve there were 1000 idle men in Mon
tana today He thought nearly every
one in Montana was employed.
Asked by Senator Hobson-"AIr
KlepetkO, the bill l have introduced pro