The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-08-25
ANACONDA MEMS
WALK0uT CLOSES
MINES OF BUTTE
Great Falls Refinery Must
Shut Down as Result
of sTieup.
INDEPENDENTS HELD;
HAVE NO FACILITIES
Washoe Plant Served Every
Producer in District;
Fires Drawn.

Butte. Aug "A Following orders
issued today upon notice that the
smcltcrnIcn at Anaconda had gone on
strike, the mines of the Anaconda
Copper Mining company in Eutt, ate
down tonight, for an indefinite period
The closing of the mincs means thu
shutdown of the Smsltcr of the corr
pany at Great Falls. as wcll AS the bi4,,
plant at Anaconda. It il estimated
that 5000 men are directly affected
by the action OF the company. Gthcr
mines of the district which are de
pendent upon the smcltcrs also arc at
toct"d and win be idle.
All Copper Properties Idle.
When the day shirt concluded work
late this afternoon, the mines Of the
Butte district ceased production. It
IL understood that no copper property
is working. Independent copper r-pro-
dncing properties which had been
shipping thoir ore to Anaconda wero
| compelled to shut down. owing to lack
Of facilities for disposng VI their out
put None of the mines of the dis
trict have facilities for storing orc.
Trouble Seemed at End.
rh. strike at Anaconda came at q
| time when the operators had become
| optimistic, believing that the INDUS
! trial diScord which had prevailed
| since early In June was nearing Its
end. Wage increases had been granted
every craft employed in th" mines and
| smcltcrS and to Il number of unions
| throughout tn" city.
More than 10000 men were employed
| ia mining operations around Butte aud
about 5000 tons OF ore were being sent
| out daily, and it was held by the Op-
orators that tn" strike called by the
| Metal Mine Workers union had lost
! it's force and effect. Troops have been
palrolling streets used by miners who
| desired to follow their occupation and
no trouble had resulted.
The Prevailing Scale.
Th" miners in Butte were paid ON
! their last payday Il minimum rate Of
s52H for eight hours. with S6 IA day
for men working in shafts. The smell
termcn at Great Falls. where the new
scale was approved. received II mimi
mum wage of $i.5p for eight hours,
|
| ccptcd the new scale.
| Touays developments follow the ac-
ti"n Of the radicals in the Mill and
| Sm'lt"rnnns union who announced
their intention on Wednesday night 10
| hreah away from the union and go ON
strike. Thrs" mon were led by Tom
| Campbell, 10" shannon and others OF
tn" Metal Mine Workers union Of
| Butte. Tho Smritcrmcns union had
previously voted against Il strike. \
small majority of those voting had fa-
| Nor"d the strike, but as a two third
Noi" M required, the proposal did not
carry. Wednesday night Tom Camp
bell. Joe Shannon and other leaders OF
tn" Metal Mine Workers union in
Butte secured control of meeting Of
tn" men; the conservatives were
elected and those present voted to
STRIKE,
Force Rapidly Dwirdies.
| Yesterday morning the smeItor had
- per cent Of It's regular crew. The
street r;.iIwaNm"n in Anaconda struck
as they belonged to tn" Mill and Smci-
t"rru"u's union. For the aftcrnoon
shift tn" company had less than -
per cent of It's usual force and last
night only a few men reported for
work. This morning only llo men re
ported for work. These were at one
put 10 work tapping the furnaces, as a
shutdown, it was apparent, was in
rvitablc.
Electricians Join Strike.
Just before noon today IA committc,
, representing the electricians union OF
Anaconda made IL demand upon Man.
aG"r Frederick lnisi for an increase L.
$50 II day, with other conditions SCI
out in their original demands, sayinl
! they would 20 ont at once unless tn,
demands were met, The committe,
! was told that the company had al,
ready entered into a contract with tn,
E. metal trades, which include the elcc
triciitns, and that it could not reopcr
II discussion of wages, the scale havinl
already been agreed to by the meta
trades and the company. At noon tht
, electricians at the smcltcr quit work
"3.7-77" to Leaders.
[ At today's meeting of the Meta
Il Mine Workers of Butte. Thoma
Il Campbell and Joe Shannon. leaders II
G the union. declared they had receive,
= notices carrying the numerals "3-7-7
Il the vigiiante signature found on tn
e body of Frank Little, hanged ear,
II this month by persons whose identi,
has not been ascertained.