The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1883-08-29
H RIVER PRESS.
EXCITED.

The following order, No. 134, was re-
Gently posted in Maiden by order of the
commanding officer at Fort Maginnis:
Fort MAGrNNIs, M. T., Aug. s, 'S3.
Order No. 134.
In obedience to general order No. rs,
from headquarters of the army, dated
Washington, D. c., April Is, 1883, and
subsequent instruction from headquar-
tiers department of Dakota, all persons
residing on the military reservation OF
Fort Maginnis. M. IT,, or working in
any mines or prospecting for mines, or
carrying Oh any other kind Of business,
or who may hereafter come upon said
reservation, without proper authority,
I hereby warn that they must leave the
reservation, and remove therefrom all
property that they may have brought
with them, or acquired since coming on
the reservation.
Sixty days from this date will be
be granted for the completion of the re-
moval herein ordered, at the end OF
which time those remaining without
proper authority will be forcibly elected.
By order Of
CAPT. CAss DURHAM.
F. w. K~INGsBURY,
I'd Cav, Post Adj.
Inasmuch as a portion of the Warm
Spring mining district, of which Maid
en- is the metropolis, is included in the
military reservation, the foregoing order
naturally created no little excitement.
If literally enforced, in accordance with
the instructions received by Capt. Dur
ham from department headquarters, it
would work a great hardship to many
miners and lead owners, as well as to
the camp in general. Soon after the or
der was posted a meeting of citizens
was called to consider the matter, and
prompt and decisive action taken to
avert the threatened evil. In the first
place, a petition protesting against the
order, and setting forth the injustice it
would work, was drawn up and a com
mittee appointed to wait upon Capt.
Durham. The result of this meeting
was satisfactory, as the captains senti-
ments accorded with those of the com
mittee, and he agreed to approve OF a
petition to cut down the reservation sc
as to leave the mining district outside OF
the line. Armed with this Endorsement
Of their cause the citizens of Maiden
delegated Mr.. C. w. Gardner to go east
to secure, if possible, from the higher
military authorities a reduction of the
reservation or other redress. Mr.. G,
has already started on his important
mission and hopes to intercept the pres,
idential party and accomplish the de
sired results without going to Washing
ton. Nearly $500 were raised in an hour
or two to defray his expenses.
The enforcement of this order Woule
be a gross and violent piece of injustice
Some of the best lead properties of tina
promising district, a. we understand
are on the reservation, and on some o
them the owners have expended. thous
ands of dollars. Tonow take from then
the fruits of two or three years. labor
when they are not interfering with o
injuring any one, is a wrong that tn
government should not have a hand in
Some of these miners were on the groun'
before the reservation was formed, an
as they have been suffered to remain
since, it would be more than ~injustic
on the part of a generous government
to now drive them off. We trust Nj
Gardeners mission will be a successfu
one.