Fergus County Democrat. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1904-1919, 1906-11-13
Gredt improvements Announced BY
the Boston and Montana Com
pany in Grert falls Plant
WAGES ARE GIVEN A BOOST
laborers in Bntte, AndaCenda aud
Great Falls Works Get an
Unsolicited Raise

Great Falls, Nov. 1l-Superintendent
Il. A. Wheeler OF the Boston & Mon
tana smelter yesterday received from
the head office Of the company instruc-
tions to proceed Immediately with the
actual construction work in enlarging
the smelter here and Mr. Wheeler an
nounced that he will put to work ev-
cry man he can get and that the work
viii be pushed as rapidly as possible.
Much Of the material that Will be
needed in the construction work has
been ordered already, and the rest will
be ordered at once. 1t Is estimated that
by January |, ut least 500 men Will he
employed on the new work, and this
force will be Increased from time to
time, as fast as the development OF the
plans Will permit.
Another section will be added to the
present concentrator Immediately, and
this Will increase the concentrating
facilities 900 tons Der day general
enlargement Of AL the other depart
mcnts viii be made as soon as practic-
able. One Of the important additions
To the equipment of this plant will be
new set Of blast furnaces, which will
cost in the neighborhood of $50, 900
One of the most striking additions to
the plant will be the erection Of q 500
foot stack, to replace the present one.
which Is only about 1870 feet In height.
This stack will be the largest in the
world, and will stand between $50 and
200 feet above the river. The present
stack Is conspicuous object in the
landscape in this section and can be
seen many miles from the city. but the
proposed stack will make monument
that will be visible from the greater
elevations within a radius of 200 or 300
miles from the city. An idea of it's inn
mensity will be gained by comparison
with the stack at the Washoe smelter
at Anaconda, which is 300 feet in height
or about two-thirds of the height Of the
stack to be built here. The Great Falls
stack will have an inside diameter at
it's highest point of SO feet. The cost of
the stack will be not far short or
$4,000
AT recent meeting Of the directors
OF the company in Boston an apprOpri-
alton of 81 100000 was made for the con-
struction work In enlarging the plant
here, and this expenditure assures to
Great Falls vast and permanent In
dustrial works that will be q most i'm
portant factor In the future prosperity
Of the city.
enlargement of the plant came a no.
tice to the employees Of the smelters to
the effect that a change in the wage
schedule which will take effect Novem-
ber 18th, will make So per day the low
est amount to be paid for labor at this
smelter. This will affect the earnings
Of about 500 men In the unskilled labor
class who have heretofore received
less than that amount
Most Of the men who have been re-
ceiving less than So per day are en-
ployed at outside work, although
number are employees of the electrolyt-
ic department. The raise FIJI wages is
due to the present high price
of copper, the campany being willing
to share a part of it's increased profits
with it's employees.
The notice announcing the change In
the wage scale is as follows:
NOTICE T OEMPLOYES.
"Beginning November Is the wages
of all men employed i'm and about the
works of this company who are now
receiving less than So per day will be
advanced to that sum- This advance
is given by this company on account Of
the present satisfactory condition Of
the meta! market and will be MAIN
tanned so long as the price of electro
lytic copper remains at is cents per
ponud or over.
Boston & Montana Consolidated Cop
per and Silver Mining Company.
November 10, 1906