The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1909-09-25
BUTTE UNION MEN REFUSE TO
WORK WITH ENGINEERS OF
NEW ORGANIZATION.
OPERATIONS SUSPENDED
Practically Nothing Is Being Done
Underground in Smoky City and
Smelsers May Close Down-Prssident
Meyer Of Western Federation Is on
His Way to Scene Of Dispute.

Special 10 The Daily Missoulian.
Butte. Sept. 24.-At | o'clock this
morning the special meeting OF the
Butte miners union adjourned. A
committee of five was appointed to
interview the mine owners regarding
the employment of engineers of the
new union No. l. This committee lis
to report at another SPECIAL meeting
To be held Monday afternoon. Until
then, nothing will be done. but there
is much anxiety in town.
The matter under discussion Is the
walkout. as 1T may be called. which
is the outgrowth of the trouble be-
tween the two unions of engineers.
Tonight there are only two mines
working in the camp. the Mountain
Con. and the Silver Bow, en-
ploying not more than 200 men on
shift. Until midnight the streets
were crowded by idle miners. MEM
bers of the union coming and going
front the hall all night long.
Secrecy Is Maintained.
Little can be learned as to the ac-
ton of the miners. for every safe
guard of secrecy Is thrown about the
meeting. Ii is stated, however. that
a vote was taken in returning to work
and allowing matter of the difference
between the two unions of engineers
to be threshed out later. but this was
rejected and the men will continue to
refuse to go down under the engineers
of the rival of the Western Federation
of Miners.
President Moyer of the Western
Federation of Miners has telegraphed
for the local to take no action until
his arrival In Butte. and he Is expect
ed here early this morning.
Widespread Effect.
The effect of the trouble will be
widespread. At 1t Is at present. there
are few miners at work In the Butte
district and the employing companies
seem to be disposed to allow the men
to fight out their own differences.
They maintain that the fight Ii not
of their seeking. that their contracts
are with the engineers and that the
men should settle their own differ
ences.
There were warm developments
when the time came for the hoisting
of the men who worked today. Big
crowds of men in sympathy with the
miners who had walked out were on
hand at every shaft where men
worked. At the Gagnon. Walter Fl.
Anderson. miner came over to greet
a friend, who was under ground. He
made the remark that the strike was
:, ,ftts tal nd IA In hn
part of the men working. Instantly
he was set upon by a few hundred
men and beaten severely before the
deputies from the sheriff's office ar
rived and reached him.
Not So Bad.
There Is still optisnism I'm many
quarters. but II is feared that radical
Ism may destroy all efforts for "A
peaceful solution of the trouble. The
streets of the town are quiet at this
hour and the miners not In the meet
ing have apparently gone home tn
await the arrival of president Meyer.
Compared with tho shutdown of a
few years ago the situation is much
to the good, as comparatively few
stop orders have been received by
the telegraph companies today. One
telegraph company received 200 orders
to hold goods. Friday morning. Two
years ago the same company received
nearly 1000 stop orders i'm the same
time. Interviews with business men
indicate that they do not anticipate
any great difficulty and everyone in
Butte is hoping for the best. 5
Charles Nifahan hnsir1Ss auans ~
Union No. /. Was arraigned in justice
court this afternoon. The defense did
not put in any testimony and he was
held TO the district court. his bond of
$4,000 being made continuing He is
accused of first degree assault in
shooting John Cronin. business agent
of the Miners union. during the melee
at engineers hall Wednesday night
Situation Peculiar.
The situation Is the most peculiar
in the history Of labor trouble in this
district. for no question Of hours.
wages or rules Is involved. There
Is no strike. the differences being con-
fined To the unions. John Gillie. gen.
eral manager of the Amalgamated
Copper company. again defined the po-
sition OF his concern this morning.
We have nothing to do with the
trouble he said II. is purely Il
question Of Jurisdiction which the
unions must themselves settle. Our
company wishes In employ only union
men: in is not within our province.
should say. to take up the fight. nor
are We expected 10 do So
BY banking their furnaces. the
smelters that treat the Butte ores
can run along Il few days. A con-