The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1910-01-04
STATEMENT is MADE AS TO
PLANS IN REGARD TO
sWlTcHMEN's STRIKE.
MINES MAY Be CLOSED
Pending Such Action as Would Re-
lieve the Situation and Enable the.
Companies to Operate All Their
Mines" Is uitimatum Offered-Re-
views Tieup's History.

Butte. Jan. 3.-tSpecial)-It has
been day of great excitement in
labor circles and the rumor which
went out first was that all of the
mines OF the Amalgamated would be
closed at the o'clock shift Later
this was modified and the matter is
held in abeyance Tomorrow night
the miners union viii hold it's regular
meeting. John d. Ryan's official
statement upon the matter reads as
follows:
Ryan's Statement.
sowing to the action of the miners
union. taken in special meeting yes
terday afternoon and refusing to take
any stand or action to aid the re-
sumption of switching and handling of
ore at Great Falls. it was decided by
the management of the Anaconda
Copper Mining company. the Boston &
Montana company. the Butte & Bos-
ton company, the washoe Copper COM
pany. the Parrot Silver Il Copper
company, the Trenton Mining & De-
velopment company. the Red Metal
Mining company and the North Butte
Mining company. that the conditions
under which the operation of the
properties of these companies are be-
ing carried on at the present time
could not continue, and the mines
must be closed. pending such action as
would relieve the situation and en-
able the companies to operate all Of
their mines.
THE putting of this into effect Is
now withheld for a few days. at the re-
quest of the Great Falls Mill &
Smeltermen's union. which has asked
the management of the Boston &
Montana company to give the organ
ization sufficient time to exhaust all
resources toward resumption of traf-
fic in the yards of Great Falls on the
Great Northern railway in order that
the Boston & Montana smelter at
Great Falls might resume operations
The management of the company has
gone to every length to avoid increas-
ing hardship and suffering in Butte
and Great Falls. already resulting
from the switchmen's strike. notwith-
standing the action of the Butte Miners
union in encouraging the strike. and,
so far as their moral support goes is
endeavoring to maintain the present
operations of the mines and smelters.
The company is awaiting the results
of the efforts of the Great Falls Mill
& Smeltermen's union. practically all
of the members of which have been
out of woork for more than 80 days
on account of this strike. The mines
now in operation will continue so only
for sufficient time to comply with
the request of the Great Falls Mill &
union.
"on December } a joint committee
the miners union, the
Anaconda Smeltermen's union, the
Butte Mill & Smeltermen's union and
the Butte Stationary Engineers union
called on me to ask whether the
mines now closed would resume opera |
tiens If the ore and fuel supply for |
the Boston & Montana smelter at |
Great Falls could be moved in suf- |
flcient volume To take the product of |
the mines, and they We're told that |
under such conditions the mines would |
resume. but that il the smelter at |
Great Falls was not able to resume |
operations, on account of continued |
interference with traffic. II would be |
necessary for business and physical |
reasons to close the other mines OF |
the companies above mentioned. This |
joint committee agreed and reported |
to their several unions and favorable /
action on the resolutions OF the COM
mittee WAS taken by the Great Falls |
Mill & Smeltermen's union yesterday, |
and the matter was referred 10 a t
referendum vote. which is being taken /
today. The Butte Miners union has. /
as above stated. refused to act upon !
the report of the joint committee, and I
order referendum vote. thereby /
the Butte Miners union COM |
mitted to the Endorsement of the /
strike. which Endorsement was given /
in a resolution dated December IA. /
1903. and published in the daily news |
papers of Butte.
AT the conference between this Joint /
and myself il was pointed
out that switching had been fully re- |
sumed in Butte and that the strike |
had resolved itself into situation /
where only about 40 men at Great |
Falls We're preventing the employment
OF approximately 1000 men at Butte !
and Great Fails, on account of the in /
ability of the railroad TO handle ore /
AT Great Falls.
The companies above mentioned. or |
mysteif. have no desire TO pass upon
the question Of right or wrong in /
volsed in the strike of the swirehmer's .
union, and any action will be taken /
only because We deem il necessary
for the interests of the mining COM /
panies. the thousands of employees de- /