The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1903-11-13
WAYSIDE TALES AND COMMENT.

Is WAIClUE lALEN
If the striking coal miners in Col
orado only knew it, some of them
could secure employment at their reg
ular calling in this state. Just how
large that number would be cannot be
stated definitely, but there is demand
for miners at Bridger and possibly
elsewhere in Montana coal camps.
Superintendent Hough of the Bridger
mines was in the city a few days
ago and said that he was kept at his
wits end to supply the demand for
fuel, n at the same time deplored the
scarcity of available help. Because
of the closing of the Colorado mines he
anticipated an increased call, as Butte
and other towns that have in the
past received a part of their supply
from mines outside of the state will
now look to the Montana collieries
for coal. Union wages and union
hours obtain in the mines of this state
and what little likelihood of trouble
existed earlier in the fall has been
overcome between the miners and
operators.
Some people are apparently never
satisfied and have "a kick comm !"
r0 ~on++ora ~ x-lo%S eaovo T,o4 ~
cause the coal mining Companies that
supply the local demand for fuel saw
fit to advance the price of their pro-
duct lately some Of the consumers
are growing doubly; first because OF
the advance and secondly because OF
the large amount of waste they are
compelled to pay for. They seem to
think that $4.25 and $3.50 a ton is too
much to charge for slate and rock.
One more philosophically inclined
head of a family was heard to remark
a few days ago that while it came
high, he was satisfied. BY spring, he
said, he would have enough material
~ A1oC0Odl1lLO IAO 0LlOCt III 1lOAL VI
his home, besides having plenty OF
stone for the foundation of a house
he intends to build. Considering the
cost of transportation and the superior
quality of the article he was receiv-
ing he thought he had no complaint
to make, especially as not every one
| could hoock 0f e1o+a o,,nIo%iNne o~N
a roadway paved with the same ma
terial.
A couple of old ~residenters were
discussing the snowstorm yesterday
and gradually they grew into a remin.
iscent mood and began to tell stories
of storms of other days. 1T was dur
ing the winter of '65," said one, "that
a little incident occurred in my ca
reer that l will never forget. Me and
my partner had gone on a prospecting
trip and expected to return before
the weather became too severe. But
before we could get back to our start
lIS pOluL VIC WOl0 Cdu6AC w q ~
and the thing | am speaking about
happened. We had built a small wick
iup Of brush, just enough to say we
had something over us, and in this
we slept while we were prospecting
a gulch we found. One night we crawl
ed under our blankets al usual. Thu
night was perfect and not a sign o.
a storm to be seen anywhere. While
we slept one of those sudden and un
expected snowfalls occurred that arr
not %infrequent in the mountains. l
was heavy and wet snow and it fel
to a depth Of at least two feet. W.
were tired and did not wake up unit
late in the morning. When we dit
attempt to get up we found ourselves
pinned down by the weight OF tn
snow and the wickiup, which hat
caved in and settled down onto VI
until we were pinned to the ground
asked my partner to get up first
but he swore that he wouldn't and thel
wanted to know why didn't get out
told him I reckoned / could stan'
it as long as he could and pretendet
to go to sleep again, thinking tina