The Bozeman weekly chronicle. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1883-1889, 1885-10-07

Mineral Djstrict," Montana Terri
tory.
10 Hon. J. K Tools, Delegate from Mont.
SIR: We, undersigned, a committee
duly appointed hya public meeting helC
September 9th, 1885, at the Mammoth
| Hot Springs National Yellowstone Park
/ respectfully ask your attention hereto
and your assistance in the premises, We
being commissioned by resolution Of saiC
meeting TO memorialize as herein:
The mineral district mentioned is 9
regularly organized one, for series oi
years duly recognized by the govern
ment as a part of Mineral District No
~ Government mineral surveys have
been made therein by order of the Uni
ted States surveyor General for Montana
and mineral patents have been issued
and the Cooke township application al
lowed upon lands within said district.
The first mineral locations were mads
therin before the National Yellowstone
Park" was set aside as reservation by
the government, much work done and
capital invested Two smelters have
been built, one of which is now in oper-
alton; over 46O bona fide mineral loca-
tions have been made, and year by year
representation ofhundreds of locations
has been made as the mineral laws of
the United States require Since the
stated establishment of the district it has
never been abandoned, while the gov
ernment has acknowledged its legality
by issue Of patents, etc, as stated; there
being resident population, justice
court and voting precinct, in fact, it is
in every sense a. regularly and perma
nently established mining camp.
That it is a genuine mineral district,
with valuable deposits, is shown not only
by the facts hereinbefore detailed, but
by the additional one that mines have
been sold to local and eastern capitalists
two duly incorporated mining COM
panies are. established AMI operating
while Notwithstanding the fact Tat the
building of railroad THAT transporta-
ton may be secured) has been denied by
the government thus practically rem
dering the are valueless). Yet locations,
patent applications, work and expendi-
ture have continued to this day, and yet
continue.
The dist let is sitnate about go miles
from.any railroad-that being the Park
Branch" of the Northern Pacific We
nave made efforts to secure the right 10
construct road therefrom to it, but be-
cause oftbe fact that such road would
Of necessity traverse one end or corner
If the Park reservation, the government
refused either to give the right ofway orto
cut of from the park the portion thereof
over which the road would have to pass
Thus, after years Of legal occupation of
and work and expenditure in the dis
trict, we yet, at the end of another sea
son, find ourselves unable to utilize the
same, though the district is without
doubt one of the richest in America, and
one of the most extensive go miles
in the world.
We recognize the objections existing
against the cutting-down of reservations,
or of permitting construction Of railways
over them-but we ask no cutting down
with any speculative object in view
nor do we ask any right of way except
in the legitimate interest of the citizens
Of Montana as connected with said
mines, It is capable of complete demon
stration that the part of the park
through which the road should pass is
utterly yalueless to the park-it is a por-
tion thereof which will never be sought |
by tourists it is almost wholly destitute
Of timber access by wagon road across
it to said mines, it must be evident from |
the nature Of things. must result in far
more injury to timber growth by fires
md consumption than from railway
Destruction OF game occupies like posi- |
tion not tie can be cut upon it for
railway construction saw mills need |
lot injure the streams those already in
he district have not done sol smelling |
md milling operations cannot affect |
hem, and in no way can the building or
operating of railway result in injury to |
he park, or to public or private in
erests.
The right to be in location within said
district, has been and is, as already |
tated, recognized by the government
hat right was legally initiated prior to
lie establishment Of the park and GER
ainly the right to means of exit for
he construction of said district is as sac
ed and as inalienable. The right to 60
ii and out with supplies and production
" wagon road is also recognized, and as
railway would prove the only practical
aeans for transportation, and less dan
.srous and Objectionable means, as stat
dit cannot be seen why objection
hould exist.
Further, railway would connect the
district with the coal fields upon the I'M
eserved public lands now traversed by
he n. P. R. r. and said PARK branch.
The result would be the development Of
,ur coal interests. providing a means Of
transportation of coal to these mines for
melting and milling and iuel purposes
has, also, decreasing the destruction Of
imber, not only upon the way but with
n said district itself, while the desired
ailwaY would itself not use wood fuel
rom the Park. but the coal mentioned
Is the said existing roads already do.
The ores OF the district are mainly
melting in character-i.e., lead ores car
j gold and silver We're they milling
res, the matter Of means OF transporta
! would not be so important, as then
he product would be bars Of gold and /
liver. ofthousands Of dollars per ton;
ST these ores By smelling produce