The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1908-01-01
MONTANA BRIEFLETS.
SHORT ITEMS OF NEWS FROM
ALL OVER THE STATE.
What Has Happened in Montana Dur
ing the Past Few Days.

HELENA, Dec. 26.-A score OF min.
ing men in the state are protesting
against what they declare are the ex.
hOrbitant rates on the treatment OF
ore put into effect December l at the
East Helena plant of the American
Smelling & Refining company. They
allege the rates are practically con
fscatory and absolutely inhibit the
earring on of operations on many
mining properties. They are very Bit
ter in their denunciations of the smell
ter company.
HAMILTON, Dec 26.-Receiver VOL.
gemah for the Bitter Root District IT.
rigation company announced yester-
day that the big irrigation project un-
dertaken by that company in the
Bitter Root valley will be abandoned.
The officers of the company at Chicago
have communicated to the receiver to
this effect, and he will proceed to dis.
pose of the assets of the company IN
der an order of the court and apply
the money thus secured to liquidate
the Indebtedness.
M1ssoULA, Dec. 26.-Ahother big
reduction is to be made in the work
ing force at the machinists shops Sat.
urday. The announcement was made
that the company has reduced the
hours of the machines to eight a day
and hve days a week. There was no
reduction pay per hour, which at the
present time is IL cents. The con
pany will, it is reported lay off abou,
60 men in the different departments
about the machines and a shops,
Butte, Dec. %. John w. and c.
S. Passmore are charged with grand
larceny in a complaint issued at the
county attorneys Office. Mrs. Jessie
F. I. Trouro, the complaining witness,
alleged that by misrepresentation she
wss defrauded OF $1,000 advanced by
her in q mining proposition promoted
by the PASSWORDS. Now she declares
the claims in question are unpatented.
the option has expired, and the accus'
ed have refused t. returned but 81, OO(
of her money, claiming that the re-
mainder was sunk in the deal.
M1ssoULA, Dec. 27.-Deputy Sher
if Callahan of Taft, brought a mar
by the name of White to the county
Jail this afternoon. White killed a
man named;Gibson. Both are freigh
team drivers and White claims Glib
son attempted to kill him with a knife
LEwIsTowN, Dec. q. - Eugene
, Francis, for a long time expert ma
chinist with the Barnes-King com
pany, dropped dead at Kendall thi
afternoon, heart failure a%pparentl.
being %the:cause of his sudden demise
Mr.. Francis was on the hill back o
town when he was stricken. The de
ceased was about so years of age ant
unmarried.
BUTTE,l Dec. 27.-Iiobert Bryne
+, aged SO, known throughout Montan'
: as "Bobby Burns was found deat
in bed ia his apartments at Melrose
= 10 miles south of this city. last night
, Bryne crossed the plains in a prairi
schooner coming to this state NOR
!, than 40 years ago, fighting the Indian
en- route. He had amassed considers
BILE property and was rated as wealthy
LEWIsTOWN. Dec. 27.-While som
Austrians employed on the Billing
4 Northern grade at Garneill wer
thawing out dynamite this afternoo
a it exploded. One of the men was ir
stantly killed. another was so badl
injured that he will lose his sigf
even If he lives, and several wer
. slightly injured.
HELENA. Dec. 27.-While settin
cases for trial this morning Judg
Hunt announced that ne would leav
" for Portland January IL to preside 9
a the trial of the Oregon land frau
cases to which Special Prosecute
) Francis j. Heney has again turne
=, his ACtcuGlOu. IL is eNpeCleu III
several months will be taken up wit
land fraud cases.
lie BUTTE, Dec. 27.-The Butcher
ie union have started an agitatiC
W against the proprietors Of meat ma
= kets in Butte who charge more fl
= meats than they advertise. The unic
IN asks that anyone who buys meat
any Of the shops should see wheth,
or not they are buying meat at a
vertised prices. II any butcher
he caught selling meat above the adve
tised price he will be fined $40 for d
III first offense, $40 for the second tin
and the third time he will be expells
from the union.
IS HELENA, Dec. 2S.-In the feder
court today, Judge Hunt, upon motto
MS Of District Attorney Rasch ordar