Show SMELTERS CUT COT FORCES TODAY TOW American Smelting Refining Company Retrenches jn In Montana WAGES CUT TO OLD SCALE LOW PRICES OF METALS GIVEN AS THE CAUSE Helena Mont Jan Ta 1 IThe The American Smelting Refining company compan It is au authoritatively authoritatively authoritatively announced hero here tonight will shortly close down several veral s of Its smelting plants because of the depres depression sion in the lead leall market At the East Helena plant today the company re reduced reduced reduced Its force men and tomorrow a n 10 io per cent reduction in wages will wll willbe Willbe be posted for the men who are arc re retained retained Other Plants to Close Manager Frank M I Smith of the local plant received notice several days ago ao from officials of the company that th 3 smelter would be closed However he lie prevailed upon his superiors to con continue continue continue operations in Helena on a reduced force and on the wage wa e scale which was in force November 1906 This action was taken with the understanding that smelting plants In Colorado and other states will be closed Notice to Be Posted Mr Smith tonight gave out the fol following following lowing owing notice which will be posted at atthe atthe atthe the plant tomorrow Owing to the tho low prices of this company is seriously ing closing down the East Helena plant I IThe The low price of lead has forced sev sew several several sewera eral era of the large mines In the Coeur to shut down and this will greatly curtail our lead supply With the limited supply of lead and other ores we cannot run to exceed two blast blat furnaces and possibly only one if It in fact act we are not obliged to shut down dow J together her herr r F In order to keep the plant running at a small capacity it will be necessary ry 17 to cut down expenses ex in every de do department J and reduce operating costs The first step in this direction is a general reduction in wages The man management management management has therefore received in instructions Instructions instructions to reduce the wage scale to that in effect prior to Nov 1 1906 This scale will be posted in the time timekeepers timekeepers timekeepers keepers office Two Raises One prop Drop During the past fourteen months two increases In wages have been made at this plant and now that conditions are so unfavorable for continued ope of smelters it Is absolutely ne necessary necessary necessary to go back to the old wage cale scale Several other smelters have either already closed down or will Jn In tn all probability do so It is hoped that th t the of this plant will accept this reduction in wages and thus assist in keeping the plant in operation Other Otherwise Otherwise Otherwise wise the plant will surely have to shut shutdown shutdown shutdown down for tor an indefinite period It is planned to keep the H H roasting plant and two blast furnaces s sIn in operation If it possible In making up the crews for those furnaces the su superintendent superintendent has been instructed to togIe give gIe preference to married men |