The Bozeman weekly chronicle. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1883-1889, 1884-05-21

boys stood in the paying teller's window
in the Metropolitan Bank, corner of
Broadway and Pine street, of which Geo.
I. Seney is president. Every person in
line held one or more checks to be certi-
fed, alarming rumors of failures in every
direction having made uncertitied checks
of no value. just at that moment the
paying teller shut his window with .
bang and announced: "The Metropoli-
tan Bank has suspended payment as
matter of necessity and precaution." A
howl of dismay went up from the line as
the men and boys made for the door,
where number of depositors were met
hurrying into the bank to get denial Of
the rumored suspension. In less than
five minutes the iron doors we're shut
and a policeman arrived to stand guard
on the stairs. The first story told to the
large depositors who arrived breathless
and indignant was that the suspension
was ordered by seney to prevent run
for which the bank might not be pre-
pared. It was said by Seney that if mat
tes quieted this afternoon the bank
might open for some business to-day.
The promise was accepted by large de-
positors as of small comfort, and after l2
o'clock crowd of nearly 100 persons
gathered in front of the bank and be-
walled the loss of their deposits Two
women who had drafts upon the bank
were In tears upon the steps. Among
the depositors who appeared to know
anything about the suspension it was
said that the immediate cause was de-
mand for 5000 by the clearing house
to make good its account, but railroad
speculation by president Seney is sup
posed to be the real cause.
WASHINGTON, May 16.-A report has
been submitted to accompany the bill
reported from the house committee on
public lands providing for the repeal of
the pre-emption and timber culture laws,
and to the amendment of the homestead
law. The committee says: 1--WE believe
it should be the policy of the government
to those of our citizens who are without
homes such an amount of the public do
main as will make them comfortable
homesteads, where they enter upon it in
good faith, intending to make it their
homes, and cultivate and live upon the
same for fixed period of time, and we
believe 160 acres should be the maximum.
Under the pre-emption, homestead and
timber culture laws as they now stand,
one person may become the owner of
4SO acres of the public domain; 16O acres
under EACH This is too large all amount
of land in our opinion for any one person
to acquire in this manner. We think the
policy of the government should be to
furnish as many of its citizens comforta-
BILE homes as long in the fature as possi-
BILE and 100 acres is sufficient for this pur-
pose. By giving them this amount it
will not be many years until all our pub
lie domain will be taken up. The pre-
emption law was passed in l841; the
homestead law in 1852, and the timber
culture act in 1873. When the home
stead law was enacted the pre-emption
laws should have been repealed. The
timber culture law should never have
been passed. We have therefore in this
statute provided for the repeal Of the pre-
emption and timber culture acts and an
amendment for the homestead law.
New YORK. May 1.-THE morning
passed quietly. Confidence seems re-
stored. There is no trace of excitement.
Affairs are progressing in a fair way
towards speedy recovery. Values in
stock advance this morning are well
maintained, the movement being merely
checked at intervals by the usual sales of
small holders to secure a profit. The
bank statement is favorable, showing an
excess above the legal requirements OF
over $3,OOO,O0O.
BATON ROUGE, May 15-The democratic
Joint caucus nominated T. B. Eustice for
United States senator to succeed Senator
Jones. Eustice was nominated on the
first ballot, receiving 58 votes, Jones 53,
and Manning 4.