Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1903-10-28


cussing the situation. Superintendent
John Gillie, said the managers of the
various companies met and discussed
the situation, and decided to close
down as there was no use trying to dc
business in Montana while the local
courts were so manifestly adverse to
the company. No orders had been re-
ceived from New York. The matter
was left solely to the local officials,
and Mr. Gillie did not think the New
York people knew that the shut down
had been ordered until tonight. The
policy of the company is that it does
not propose to have its property loot
ed and will protect it to the limit.
If il is not to be permitted to mine
ore and carry on its business as 1t
sees fit 1t will simply rest until such
time as the people decide that it has
some rights that will receive protec.
ton.
The shut down is the most COM
plete and extensive ever known in
Montana 1t includes the great Ana
conda, st. Lawrence, Never Sweat,
Mountain View, Leonard, East and
West Colusa, Parrott. Gagnon, Colu-
sa-Parrott, Diamond High Ore, Noun
tain Consolidated No. 1 and No. 2,
Comanche, Silver Bow Nos. l and 2,
Blue Jay and many other smaller
mines, as well as a large number or
mines that are being worked under
lease. IL is expected that the fires
will be drawn from the Boston d
Montana. Colorado and Washoe smell
ters tomorrow.
The effects of this shut down will
be felt in all parts of Montana, as
there is hardly a county that the Ana
conda company does not operate in,
in one way or another. Woodchop-
pers and lumbermen will be idle; coal
miners will be out of work in a half
dozen counties, including Cascade,
Park, Gallatin, to say nothing OF the
big coal mines of Dlamondville,
where the output will necessarily be
curtailed.
The Amalgamated mines produced
9.40J tons of ore every day. This
enormous tonnage being cut on is
bound to have an effect on the copper
market, and it may create furore on
Wall street tomorrow. Amalgamated
stock dropped two points today, Un-
der the ruling of Judge Clancy, hold
ers of Amalgamated stock have moth
ing to show for their money and can
not get dividend for their invest
ment.
Just what steps will be taken to re-
lieve the situation remains to be
seen. The people who own most OF
the stock can afford to stand the sus-
pension, but 1t will fall hard on the
thousands of men, women and chill
dren who are dependent upon the
mines for their living.
Nothing else is talked OF in the city
but the shut down. Should ii con-
tinue any length of time, the business
men of Butte will feel the effects quite
as seriously as the army of men who
are thrown out of employment. The
closing down of the Amalgamated
mines, causing dismay among the cit
izens of Butte. was accounted for this
evening from the standpoint of the
company, in authoritative statements
by its Representatives to the Tribune.
Il was stated that, owing to the con-
slant adverse decisions of Judge Clan
cy in the district court here the
Amalgamated company, owning 80 per
Get of the stock of the sub-companies
in Butte. has been unable in the past
two years to transact any business in
Montana in the way of directing the
affairs of its business. Also the Bos-
ton & Montana and Parrot companies
have been unable to transact any bus
mess for the reason that under the
decision of the court no stockholders
meeting could be held.
President Scallon is in the city at
the present time, but will not open his
lips to make a statement of any kind
although he is besieged with tele-
grams from all over the country. ask
ing for an expression of some kind.
Representatives of the Amalgamat
ed company claim that by the decis.
ion rendered by Judge William Clan
cy today in the Boston & Montana
company Injunction case the Amalga.
mated Copper company is practically
wiped out of existence and can not
do business in Montana. The decls-
ion. they say, in effect, brands the
Amalgamated as an outlaw. Its stock
holders are prevented from receiving
dividends, although s3,OO0,0OO are tied
up and awaiting distribution to the
stockholders. The Amalgamated peo-
pie, finding that they are barred from
conducting their own business have
ordered the suspension Of all mining
operations in Montana All the mines
and smelters of the company have
been ordered closed and $1,000 work
men are thrown out of employment,
how long the shut down will continue
is a matter of doubt. The attorneys
of the company think II may take 3
or 10 months before they can get a
hearing before the supreme court.