East Helena Smelter

Circa 1895

Owned by the Helena and Livingston Smelting and Refining Company, which formed in May 1888 in direct response to the Great Falls smelter.  It was the only other custom smelter of any consequence in the state at that time.

Samuel Hauser

President - Samuel T. Hauser - "the most powerful capitalist and Democrat in Montana". 

Went on-line just one month after the Great Falls smelter.

Experienced some of the same problems as the Great Falls smelter.  In fact, Hauser admitted his smelter made little to no money while in direct competition with Great Falls.  In the early years, the East Helena smelter lost about $150,000, which is about $3,200,000 today.

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