The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-07-02

mine MINES CLOSED
The Washoe Smelter Shut Down AZ
fects Several Heavy Ore Pro-
ducers at Butte.
Thousands Will Be Idle While
Monster Flue Is Built for
the Shelter.
Special to The Journal.

Special to The Journal,
Butte, Mont, July 2.-The order to close the
Washoe smelter went into effect yesterday,
when the o'clock shift quit work and with it
nine or the heaviest ore producers in Butte sns-
pended operations for the time being.
Ihree thousand men In Butte are affected by
the shutdown. The mines closed are the Ana
conda, st, Lawrence, Never Sweat, Parrott, High
ore, Mountain, Consolidated, Moonlight Bell and
Diamond. 1t is also stated that Gagnon mine
which supplies the Colorado smelter with the
Duik OF It's ore, will also close down in short
Time The close of Gagnon, however has nothing
70 DO with the closing of the other properties
OF the Amalgamated comnay. The Gagnon shaft,
1t is stated. is to be retimbered.
During the general suspension of work at the.
mines on the hill much repairing is to be done,
and some development work will be carried on.
1t Is understood that the Parrott shaft Is to be
retimhered from top to bottom. About 500 men
are employed in building the big fue and stack
at the Washoe sme1ter. The Amalgamated
company expected to have this work completed
by July /, but owing to a shortage Of brick
could not do so. -, :
1t is the purpose of the company to avoid in
Jurtng this years crop in the Deer Lodge valley.
and this is one of the reasons why no ore will be
smelted until the new stack, over 600 feet high
is In operation. When the fue is completed It Is
believed the gases issuing from the shelters will
be robbed of their noxious properties. The only
harmless vapor will come from stack at the
top of the mountain back of the smelling plant
The mines operated by the Boston & Montana
company and the Butte & Boston will raise ore
as usual These mines yield about $500 tons Of
ore day. 300 tons of which is treated at the
Butte & Boston smelter, and 1900 tons at the
Butte & Montana's plant at Great Falls. The
companies are branches Of the Amalgamated
Copper company.
The Amalgamated company employs three
fourths of the miners in Butte. There are about
5000 men engaged in and about the mines
and smelters of Butte and over 5000 on the
payroll of the Amalgamated Copper company.
The city of Butte visited by heavy hall
storm yesterday afternoon after sudden and
unexpected drop in the temperature from sum.
mer warmth to almost wintry coldness Large
| Jumps of ice were showered upon the city until
the streets were strewn with icy fragments. I'M
nlediately afterward there was long and heavy
downpour of cold rain, while the wintry tenn.
perature continued.
| George Il. Robinson, one Of F.. Augustus
Heinzes mining engineers, has acquired three
tenths interest in the celebrated Britannia mine
| in British Columbia, owned by L. ]. Boscowttz
and T. Turner. While the purchase price is not
announced officially, it Is understood to be $l64-
| 600. Charles r. Leonard Of Butte is president
| Of the Britannia company. Robinson Is believed
| to be acting in the interests Of Heinze.