Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1877-10-12
DEMOS HEARD FROM AGAIN.
SALMON Cry, Sept. 10, 1871

ago WIOC6 you iOOC0A "oAhS
information in reference to the public
land surveys in this portion of Idaho
Territory. Since that | have not
heard word in reply to my many I'M
portant inquiries. am not satisfied
with this, and | am determined to
keep writing to you till some one gets
tired of my letters, and just to get rid
of my "clack," sits down and tells me
all about this much vexed question.
To refresh the memories of your nu-
merous readers, you will pardon me
for restating some of my facts and
queries. Three or four years ago Il
am not positive in reference to the ex-
act time) surveying party LETT Boise
CITY with instructions to extend the
base line of the Territory so many
ranges east, and then strike north on
a meridian line to Salmon City or near
there. 1t is of this meridian line
wish to speak. AS l told you in my
first letter, this line passed over the
Rocky Mountai is, and terminated at
a point some three or four miles from
Red Rock Station, in Montana. From
said noint the surveyor, having found
his mistake, offset west, and then
north to Salmon City. Perhaps this
kind of work is allowable. The peo-
pie of our town and valley do not
know in what range they are, and of
course feel uneasy.
And now for the queries. Is 1t a
mistake for surveyor to run out OF
one state or territory into another,
then offset, make no corrections, but
go on and base his work on said kind
of lines? If it were not a mistake to
cross the Rocky mountains and run in
to Montana, why does the maps of the
territory represent this line as just
coming to the summit of said noun
tains, and that the Offset is made from
said summit? Was this an attempt at
concealment, or was it lucky mis-
take made by the draughtsman in the
Surveyor Generals Office? Surely,
sir, these are questions worth inqulr-
ing into and answering. have no
ak to grind, Mr.. Editor; these are in
ouiries after the truth. In my first
letter | failed to mention the names
of the surveyors. A little inquiry has
furnished me With most of the names.
Mr.. A. NJ. Thompson was the survey
or: P. D. RothweIl and VIM. B. Thews,
chain-men; J. NJ. Thompson, cook, and
Mexican named Kossuth was packer.
Are these men all dead? If not why
do they not answer my questions? 1t
they are dead, Mr.. Editor, the line
they run hUes and can be traced and
found in every particular just as have
told you. The Boise City Statesman,
that most important vehicle of truth
and grand elimination of newspaper
enterprise, is it dead too? lfnot, why
does it overlook a matter of such i'm
-portance as this? Do not let any one
be fool enough to say that this writer
from Salmon City does not know what
he is writing about. That would be
a very easy and convenient way to
get rid of me, but neither manly nor
expedient. lave faith mot as much
as it took to remove the Rocky noun
tains in order to make that line APP
pear right on paper) enough in the
general honesty of mankind to hope
that there will be some satisfactory
explanation given to this matter. Let
me not be disappointed.
If this letter remains unanswered, l
will try some other place to find re-
dress for the grievances under which