The Nome nugget., 1903-04-18
Montana Business Shak,
 en ny Rumors.
OF SUCH ACTION
Amalgamated Copper Co. to Act and Meeting Of Directors
 Was to be Held.

Seattle, Jan. 20. Tho closing of the ,nelting plants of the state of Montana *ned by the Amalgamatcd Copper Co Ut Anaconda, Butte and Great Falls, is hanging in the balance. At d meeting. If the director, of the company to be held shortly after the first of the month n New York, positive action will be taken, and, if it is decided to close io,000 men will he thrown ou; of em- Uloylnent. This corporation is the largest copper smelting company in the world, and action, such as if k said every indication points to, will have an effect on every copNer state in the United States. The lowest wage paid is $3 per dsr.
 This word is brought to the citysby q Eutte man who is connected with the company, and is confirmed by fccal men representing the companies directly in ;orested in the action to be taken, and TTho have just returned from Montana IAer making an investigation.
 Ir,he city of Butte it is stated that business is paralyZed. Merchants who formerly. at this season of the year, placed large orders with trAveing men are not buying dollars worth of new gpods. and many of the commercial .ravelers' have been advised not to make
 he trip through the-'state by tlreig Houses. The banks of Butte, it is said, Have cut down credits until they are ',arely enough to conduct the routine business of tic city, and while the sit uation in Butte + proba bly worse than in any other part of the state, Great Falls and Anacouda merchants are act iny likewise, and there l. a general feeling of unrest.
 The Great Northern and Northern '3acitic railways, which Go a very great share of tho shelter h1uIng. in and out 5i the cities and the state, are prepau- ing to reduce their crews engaged in tho Smelter woPl., and whatever is the retreachment in this line will add to ,ile army of unemployed.
 Any rumor passed throughout Mon tjgnu reHarding the closing of the smcl- 'sf's causeS q ripple of excitement which grows with the reports. However, it is said that at thi, time the apprehension Is greater than it has ever been. owing 10 the fact that there are many cause, leading up to the proposed closing.
 In the first place there has been re- durtion in the price of copper in tho lhar6ct of , cents pound, In the see Ond place there + Il greater light ou than ever between the Amalgamated company and r. Augustus He.nzc for 'te control of the copper product of ,he s.ate.
 Added to these causes, the labor un- ions Of the state have increased their strength more than double within the past year. Wages for every class of mechanics. connected directly or indi- rectly with the copper trade, have been put up to schedule which it i~ said ;he smelters cannot pay under the existing circumstances. Certain classes of skill cd labor about the smcters at the pres ent time are receiving Sl0 a day while the common laborcr on the dump makes s3.
 The movement on thespart of the la- bor unions began at the time the copper trust 'began butiing the market and placing copper at r. cents pound. Now that there has been lull in the trade the market is falling and the snelters find themselves in position from which it will be hard to eXtricate themselves unless relief comes from the open iArket, which at this time is not expected.
 During the past two years there has been phenomenal demand for copper at home and abroad With this demand and the high price, the production in creased from Michigan and all the Western states have been working cop per properties which in other times had