The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-12-16
ANALGAhATED SHUT DOWN
Causes for the Latest Order Are Be-
ing Discussed in the
East.

There is another side to the proposed
closing down of the Washoe smelter be-
yond the mere fact that it Will lead TO a
possible further curtailment of output.
ana a suspension of net earnings of Ana
conda, Butte Coalition, North Butte and
any other companies which may be de-
pendent upon the WashOe smeIter for the
treatment OF their ores, says the Boston
News Bureau
1t is known that the Western Fedora
ton of Miners has for many years been
extremely autocratic in the Butte camp.
Ihere are those who believe that the
closing down Of the WashOe smelter and
the exodus of thousands of miners from
that camp will enable the copper interests
in that district to hereafter adhere TO the
open shop" policy.
Furthermore, a complete shut down in
Butte VIII bring the farmers who are de-
pendent for the sale of their products up-
on the prosperity of the mining interests
10 realizing sense of the hardships
which will be endured in case they force
action, through the court looking to a
complete abatement of the so-called
smelter fume nuisance.
AT great expense the Amalgamated
people have already reduced to a mini
mum the emission of sulphur fumes, etc.
arising from the treatment of sulphurous
ores in the Washoe smelter.
A careful observer saws: while I do
not care 10 reflect upon the sincerity of
the motives leading to the drastic orders
which have been issued regarding mining
operations in Butte, / cannot but feel
ness on the part of the Amalgamated
people TO enlarge upon the unfavorable
conditions in the copper industry, espe-
cially so far as it relates to their Butte
properties.
''Of course, it goes without saying that
none of the. Butte mines, with the possi-
bic exception of North Butte and Boston
x Montana, can make a new dollar for
an old one, operating at less than half
capacity with copper selling at 1215 cents
and under. Nevertheless, why should the
Amalgamated people feel themselves call
ed upon by further restriction of OUTPUT
to facilitate the sale of such copper as
can be produced at 10 cents per pound
and under? This good Samaritan act is.
TO my mind, very significant.
The present situation naturally empha-
sizes the need of smelling plants by the
Butte Coalition and North Butte cOmpa-
MES. l believe that North Butte could to-
day operate at very substantial profit,
provided, of course, they could have their
ore smelted at the Washoe plant and if
North Butte has q smelling contract with
Amalgamated, it must be a strange sort
of document which permits the entire ces-
sation of smelling at the will Of the Anal
gamated people.
II have seen no evidence that the
Amalgamated people were securing a
larger ownership in the Butte mines but
they now have the opportunity of life
time, If they are so disposed, to secure at
rock bottom prices large, If not a dom
mating interest in Butte Coalition and
North Butte. 1t would seem also. that
with Anaconda at S28 per share, the Anal
gamated people would be very short sight
ed If they did not still further increase
their ownership in that property.
THE normal output Of the Butte camp
may be placed at 25,0O0,O0O pounds per
month. or 300 900, 900 pounds per annun If
only the Boston & Montana is to be kept
in operation, together with the restricted
output of William A. Clark's plant, it
will mean that the Butte copper district
is TO put on the market only a little in
excess of 100.000000 pounds per annum, or
a loss from normal operations Of 200.000.-
600 pounds per annum, which is little
more than 20 per cent of the whole United
States production.
1T would seem as though the Amalga-
mated were needlessly sacrificing their
own profits to the benefit of their COM
petitOrs. when they are apparently so
willing to bear almost the entire burden
incident to a lessened output, but, on the
other hand, il may be merely the opera
ton of natural economic laws which de-
cree that on a 13d1315-cent copper market
only those mines can live which can land
their copper in New York at a cost I'M
der this figure"