Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1901-01-31
- ANACONDA NEWS -

Hickey declared that the notice given
him was too short to consider makina
any changes on the date Stipulated
tht If he did SO the company would
come out loses in many of the contracts
already undertaken. He also explained
to the committee that the Anaconda
plant is doing commercial business
in competition with all other large foun-
dries in the United States, and was
working at the present time on a wage
scale that had been in. existence for
eleven years. He also declared that the
men under his supervision were receiv
ing 25 pr cent higher pay than is GUS
tomary in any other part of the cOun
try The committee was told too, that
as the new works are growing towards
completion there is a falling off in bust
ness in prospect, in which event he
would be compelled to make reduc-
ton in forces. And until this wage
question is settled he will not receive
any new work.
A meeting of the machinsts was held
in Silver hall last night, which was
largely attended, and a report was
heard from the committee which waited
upon the foundry superintendent. Aft
er the meeting was over several who
had participated in the deliberations
were approached by a reporter to learn
what had transplred on the inside, but
all were reticent about divulging any
thing, but from substantial sources it
was learned that the spirit of conserv-
atiSm prevailed and that mojority at
least favored giving Mr.. Hickey the 80
days further time asked for in which
to reply to the proposal previously sub
mitted by the mechanics. There was
disposition among the men to treat
fairly and not take any undue advan-
taXe of their employers during the
present controversy.
Another committee was appointed at
last nights meeting to wait upon Mr.
! Hickey today.
WERE AFTER KELLER.
President keeler of the Mechanics as
scciation was in a heap" of trouble yes
terday and all because some of his
brother members believed he had d.
vulged some of the actions of Sun
day nights meeting. contrary to the
rules of the order. The particular para
graph to which exceptions were taken
was that printed in Tuesdays Inter
Mountain to the effect that Vive Presi-
dent O'Connor had presided al the Sun
day night session and that committee
had been dispatched to Butte to lay their
grievance before President William Seal
| lon, president of the Anaconda company.
! A special meeting was hurredly called
| together soon after the newSboys
reached the streets with their papers
| and President Keller was summoned.
| He had no sooner dropped his gavcl
| until explanations We're in order and he
! Was threatened with expulsion from the
association if he did not make salts
! factory statement. Mr.. Keller denied
| that he had ever made any such re-
marks those attributed to him; that
! the reporter obtained his information
! from some other source.
| In justice to Mr.. Keller it is we'll to
! state that careful reading of the arti-
| Gle will show that he has told the truth
aud that he is only credited with saying
the things which bear quotation marks
The committee which went to wait
| upon President Scallon in Butte last
Monday returned home night before last
and from what can be learend it is
understood that the conference witt:
him ended by the president saying that
| 10 would not interfere with Mr.. Hickey's
| authority to act in the matter in contro-
! versy, SO the settlement of the pending
! difficulty seems to be left in his hands
and he is vested with the power to grant
the demands of the men, or close down
the foundry department entirely. which
latter event would be a most disastrous
thing to have happen to the town.
| Considerable talk has been going on
for several weeks about the formation
| of an Iron Trades Council, in which all
the iron makers organizations are to
| join for their mutual benefit. The move