Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1919-02-14
ALL MINES Of BUTTE
FORCED TO CLOSE
STRIKE CALLED BY MINERS HAS
DEMoRALIZlNG EFFECT ON
MONTANA CITY.
CITY SEEMS TO Be BANKRUPT
Mine Companies Follow Agreement
When Metal Prices Go Down
Wages FoIlow-City Bankrupt,
No Pay for Employees.

Butte.-Work in Butte's mines was
virtually at a standstill Sunday, but
not altogether because of the strike of
miners affiliated with the Butte Metal
| Mine Workers union independently
and with the Metal Mine Workers In
| dustrial union No. 500 of the l. w. w.
| The fact that the day was Change
| day. when the men on night shift
change to the day shift, thus gaining
| day off, is thought to have had con-
| siderable to do with the fact that vir-
| tually no ore was hoisted to the sur
| face. Curtailment Of Sunday work al.
so had an effect.
| Soldiers lndorse Strike.
meeting was held by the Butte
Army and Navy association. 1t was
held in the county courthouse, and
after much speaking the strike of the
miners was Endorsed because of the
reduction last Friday of one dollar a
day in wages.
Major A. M. Jones, in charge of
| COMPANY, fflH CHlIeu OIdlSo lHloilti
(regulars), arrived in Butte from Spo
kane Sunday and Immediately took
command of the situation from a mill
tary standpoint.
Officials of the Butte Metal Mine
Workers union independently claimed
that the entire force of miners in the
Butte district had walked out.
Want Sc for Hours.
Fred G.. Clough, secretary of the Met
al Mine Workers union independent
says that his organization had formu
lated demands for a daily wage of 81
and a six-hour working day.
City Employees Dismissed.
Mayor W. H. Maloney has issued
: supplementary statement declarin,
that for reasons of economy all cit,
employees, except heads of department
are suspended. The order of the coun
Gil merely discharged the firemen ant
J policemen but Sundays order of tn
J mayor includes clerical employees
, street and alley departments and tn
r crew which collected garbage.
: Mayor Maloney states that the o.
/ der authorized him to reduce the cit
: payroll as he might deem necessary t
cut expense because, he declared, tn
city had exceeded it's constitutions
= limit of Indebtedness.
e After the announcement by tn
s. mayor, Major A. M. Jones, who is
d charge of the troops stationed here
o connection with the existing strik
; placed soldier patrols in the bushes
r section of the city.
l. Fear Violence.
It A report Tuesday says approximat
d ly $4,000 men are idle in Butte and tn
city is virtually under the control {
the military. The men are strikin
against the recent reduction in wage
d of 81 day and for adjustment of tt
l. "rustling' card system in vogue her
If Besides the miners being affecte
n close to 100 street car operative
y were compelled to keep their cars
II the barns through fear of threatene
a intimidation.
r. Discharged soldiers who still VOL
the uniform and who associated wit
those attempting to do picket dut
. were singled out and ordered to r
: move the uniform or to cease partiC
: pating in the attempted picketing.
% For about two hours Monday durir
:. the time the day shifts of miners sc
= orally go to work, the military W;
kept busy patrolling approaches to ii
mines. Many gatherings were broke
up and the bayonet was used on fe
occasions.
Many strikers, proceeding in "col
r panies" to do picket duty were sto
& ped.
A. Although the streets leading to Il
re mines were cleared of pickets, but fe
lie men went to work, according to Jof
Gillie, manager of the mines for Il
Anaconda Copper Mining compan
Mr.. Gillies said this was due partly
the lack of street car transportatit
and partly to fear of violence.
mo demands for anything have be-
presented to the companies" Mr.. G
lie said "The men who have been
work have not struck-they simpt
are being prevented from going
work through intimidation.
Sentence Four Disloyal.