Gilpin observer., 1906-03-01
Ned Era in Montana.

Montana without mining litigation
will be like Hamlet with Hamlet left
put; for the people of a community
may become so accustomed to even
,baneful influence that its sudden ami
hilation disturbs the even tenor Of
their way. Thus 1t is that the realiza-
tion of Montana's dream of freedom
from litigation, which last week came
to her in measure SO full as to be al
most overwhelming, will require re-
adjustment to the conditions Of new
era of peace and prosperity which has
certainly dawned for the leading cop
per-producing state. F. Augustus
Heinze, that energetic and resourceful
operator in Butte fields, and a builder
of fortunes based on remarkably good
judgment, has sold out his interests
and retired from the Butte copper dis
trict.
Just what the full import of this
move Is to Butte cannot be compre-
hended in a moment. At one sweep,
litigation represented by over 120 law
suits with alleged damages on both
sides aggregating several hundred mil
lion dollars, is Immediately wiped out.
Ore bodies of great extent and enorm-
GUS value are released from injunc-
tions W hich have prevented their op-
GRAFTON for years. An atmosphere OF
doubt and distrust has been dispersed.
and the prosperity which was foreshad-
owed year ago when the Heinze and
Amalagamated interests agreed to
temporary truce, will no longer suffer
the handicap which has burdened 1t for
nine years.
Credit for the settlement of the dit
10 eiv n Tnhn #
Ryan, managing director of the Anal
gamated Copper Company, and Thomas
F. Cole, mining operator of Michigan,
Montana and Arizona. The former
first carried on negotiations with
HeinZe over a year ago. and succeeded
in obtaining a temporary cessation OF
hostilities pending definite settle
ment. This step is said to have had a
remarkable influence on tie CONNER
cial conditions of Montana in general
and Butte in particular. Mr.. Cole,
who has been prominent in number
of mergers of mining properties in
Montana and Arizona, was apparently
a valuable auxiliary in the consumma-
tion of the negotiations. He has pro
vided the capital for the new corpora
which is to take over the Heinze inter
ests, and has so manipulated the mat
ter that the majority interests of the
new company will be friendly to the
Amalgamated company. Thus all dis
putes and conflicts which may subse-
Quently arise will be readily adjusted.
while the purchase of the properties
includes the settlement of the suits
now pending.
The properties included in the trans
fer are among the most famous in the
l. la., Do,
Johnstown, Cora, Belmont and Nipper
are among the large mines of the
United Copper Company. In addition
to these. the Montana Ore Purchasing
Company and smelter the Nipper Con
solidated Mining Company, the Hy-
pocka Mining Company. the Johns
town Mining Company. and many other
small unproductive properties are sold
to the new company. Some of these
have been idle under injunction which
restrained the owners from working
the ore bodies which were in dispute.
The sale will release these, among
which are the Minnie Healy, Tramway,
Snohomish, Nipper and Michael Dewitt.
The release of the Nipper is of espe-
cial Importance as IL contained ore
bodies which were claimed by both
contestants. but to which HeinZe laid
claim to ownership by reason of al
legged apexing of the veins in the Nip
per lode claim. Other valuable ore
bodies released are in the Gambetta,
Piccolo and Colusa. all of which Heinze
claimed apexed in Minnie Healey
ground.
The HeinZe-Amalgamated legal con-
troversy has been most remarkable in
many ways. In it's ramifications 1t in
volved all the branches of the govern
ment-executive. legislative and judi
cial. Political wars were fought for
the purpose of gaining control of the
various branches of the government
and plans We're laid years ahead for
the purpose of circumventing the ma
chinations of the other side. Leg
islatures were convened to pass spe-
cial bills one of these being known
as the fair trial" bill, which provided
for the removal of judges for biased
opinions. In short. this copper war
has been productive of almost every
ingenious and cunning device that is
known to man. That it is ended is Il
matter of congratulation to the state of
Montana, which should now make still
greater strides in the theory and prac-
tice of mining.-Mining Reporter.