The Princeton union., 1879-04-02

tention of locating in some one of the many
beautiful valleys that encompass the BILLS.
B1AoKMA111Na.
This section OF. the country has expert
enced something or other, almost
continually, since it was first
thrown open for settlement, to give
it set back. At first, it was difficult to
make people believe that gold and silver
really existed in the Hills and there are
men and journals, too, in the East, wllfully
perverse up to the present time. they
don't want to believe the truth, neither will
they. Then came the military arm of the
government to eject the bold pioneers and
retard developments, and when, at last, the
plucky miners returned, they found the
roads leading in and the Hills encompassed
by thousands of savage Indians. Subse-
quently occurred the depopulating stampedes
to Wolf mountain, to the Big Horn, and
more recently still, to the Bear Paw.
Bad as were these influences, they
were not as serious as the evil
that now threatens us, for if it
obtains foothold, it will be almost -impossi
BILE to eradicate it. I refer to a system of
blackmail that has been inaugurated, and,
am sorry to add, with some degree of sue
cess, for victims have either been too poor to
defend their rights, or, deeming it cheaper to
"compromise" than to carry OH an extensive
litigation, have met the demands of the hu-
man leeches. Their plan of operations is
varied, and increases in magnitude as success
gives encouragement and financial means
wherewith to wage war. Everyowner of a
good piece of property has been either bled
or threatened. The De Smet and Homestake
companies have bought up "adverse
claims" time and time again, and are in
court with dozens of suits, the result of
refusal to comply with outrageous demands.
Of course these bloodhounds scare up some
sort of a pretext, but it is invariably such
and nothing more. To show one plan of
procedure I detail their latest move, involv-
ing property than which none better can be
found here or elsewhere.
On the 2Oth day of February Edward
Kearney aud Thomas Barrett located what
they designated the Cheyenne lode. adjoin-
ing the De Smet, and in every particular,
equally as valuable. On the 9Th of April,
1877, Kearney and Barrett, together with
Peter Daily and Michael Morris, located the
Baltic lode, parallel with the Cheyenne.
Both mines were duly staked and recorded.
In locating the Baltic the owners of the
Cheyenne, who were also part owners of the
other mine, agreed with their partners ''to
give to the Baltic right to surface ground
of the Cheyenne lead for working purposes
only, on the west side of the Cheyenne
lead''-as appears of record. In other
Words they gave permission to the Baltic to
cboft TIM intn no
Baltic, on the Cheyenne. The Baltic was
subsequently sold to one John Fortune and
the Cheyenne to a New York stock company;
but no sooner had the latter taken posses
sion and, by erecting extensive machinery,
placing large force of men at
work, etc., demonstrated sound
| financial condition, than the Bal
tic, first surreptitiously removing
its stakes over upon the Cheyenne, made a
claim in the shape of an application for a
| patent for their new mine, including the en-
tire west half of the Cheyenne, basing it's
title upon the Kearney and Barrett stipula-
ton above referred to. The Cheyenne folks
saw through the little game at glance, and
promptly adversed the application. Check
mated, the Fortune outfit abandoned the
'spatent'' dodge, and made direct appeals for
a 'scompromise.' They mistook their game,
however, and were very coldly received,
whereupon, SO far as known, they abandoned
the scheme, but deeply chagrined, gave vent
to their passion in a lengthy article, teeming
with contemplate insinuations and dirty
abuse of the entire Hills country, and miners
as class, all of which was published
in an obscure Wisconsin paper, copies OF
which were gratuitously scattered through
the hills, thus aggravating the insult which
the paper contained. No mine in the hills
has so many friends among miners, as the
Cheyenne, and none has a clearer title, mol
one with which the people at large are sc
thoroughly familiar. John Fortune, there
fore, showed astonishing ignorance when ht
selected it as prey, and greater idiocy, as h
will soon learn, when he assailed thousands
of honest, industrious people, terming then
sharks, sharpers and kindred opprobrioul
epithets.
could cite hundreds of instances and al
endless variety of schemes wherein the OK
tortion of blackmail has been practiced
Heretofore success has been easily attained
but realizing the frequency and increasing
magnitude of such transactions, the entir
community Is thoroughly aroused; public
sentiment has been wrought up to pitcl
that portends danger to evil. workers AM
despoilers of good names, good characters
and the prosperity of others. In othe
t words John Fortune and his ilk must sub
/ side, remain quiet, or be summarily forcet
3 out of the country.
/ For honest men the Hills are an Eldoradt
: but for thieves and kin tits veritable he
= on earth. L. F. w.
BONNER UND BLITZEN!
With the Aid Of Which Electrician HI
|, Discovered that One Can Transmit HI
Il O,Uss Hasa1acriti,s0 Hundreds Of Miles
4axtOOraphic Telegrap1ty.