Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-03-29
CITY WITHOUT NEWS.
All Papers In Butte Suspended
on Account of a Strike.
OLD MADAM RUMOR is QUEEN
Unique Conditions In a Newspaperless
Town of 350o0-ldIe Gossip Injuries
Reputations-No journalistic Sleuths
to Run Down Reports.

to Run Down Reports.
With no newspaper of its own for
more than month, Butte is demon
strating that 1t is possible to worry
along without what in other cOmmuni-
ties is regarded as necessity, writes
a St Louis Post Dispatch correspond
ent from Butte, Mont.
The experience is Il novel one even
for Butte, where sensation follows SEN
sation in the ordinary course. The
suspension of the press has caused
much embarrassment and loss TO the
public, but these facts have been over
looked in view of impending labor
troubles of a far more serious charac-
ter. Public sentiment apparently is
with the publishers in the present con-
flict, and, while Butte is the strongest
union town in the world. the other I'M
ions so far have not been enthusiastic
supporters of the striking pressmen
and printers.
The trouble that resulted in the suS-
pension of four daily papers on which
the $4,000 citizens of Butte and nearby
towns depended for news and public
ity was of long standing and grew out
of unnatural conditions that have OBJ
tanned in the publishing business in
Montana for years.
Briefly stated. it may he said that
none of the four papers was. in the
strictest sense, a business enterprise.
Each was maintained by Interests"
either corporate or otherwise, which
operated them for purpose other than
dollar making.
Neither the printers nor the publish
erS are disposed to compromise, and so
long as this feeling exists Butte will
have no newspapers. The publishers
are secure in the thought that they are
losing less money than when publish
ing, and it is now considered likely
that at least two Of the papers may
never again resume publication.
On the day the Butte pressmen
struck and stopped the news presses
of the city the telephone girls went out
on strike, and for nearly n week Butte
was without newspapers or telephone
service. From the beginning of the
trouble the Helena and MissOula news
papers sought to supply the wants Of
Butte, but owing to the train service
their sheets do not arrive in the city
until nearly day late, so that they
are of little service as advertising
mediums.
The public has depended on them
and on the Salt Lake, Denver and SpO-
kane papers principally for the news.
The absence of the local papers has
led to the circulation of the most re-
markable rumors affecting business
concerns and professional persons.
Most of these reports are of Il ride
ulous character and have served to
cause'no end of annoyance and not a
little loss
One of the principal business firms
of the city was reported to be in the
hands of a receiver. and the report
gained circulation throughout thc state.
Two cashiers connected with the swo
leading banks of the city were report
ed suddenly TO have gone insane.
Disquietlng rumors Of every nature
gained circulation and caused general
uneasiness.
Business to certain extent became
demoralized. The department stores.
having no means of reaching the peO-
pie. lose trade. The stores are nearly
empty in mornings when before they
were crowded all day. Merchants re-
sort to handbills. but these are limited
In number md not satisfactory.
Business on the Mining Stock Ex-
change Is affected in much the same
way. With the loss of publicity given
by the newspapers local stocks began
to sink until they reached the lowest
level in the history OF the district ex-
cept in n few instances.