Pilot Bay Smelter

PILOT BAY SMELTER. – All Men Laid Off For An Indefinite Period.

            Andrew B. Hendryx, manger of the Kootenay Mining and Smelting company, owners of the Pilot Bay smelter and the Blue Bell mine, has just executed an order which means that the smelter will not be operated this fall, at least not by his company.

            When the smelter closed down last May it was with the purpose of cleaning up, making some improvements, and resuming again at an early date.  Throughout the summer a large force of men has been engaged in making bricks for an additional stack and a proposed refinery.  Wednesday Mr. Hendryx appeared at Pilot Bay, discharged the entire force and closed down all works, leaving only watchmen on the premises.  He makes no statement beyond that the smelter will be closed down for an indefinite period.  This of course means that the Blue Bell mine will not be worked, as it must depend on the local smelter to treat the low grade ores.

            There is no new developments in connection with the supposed negotiations for the smelter by the Kansas City people.