The Bozeman weekly chronicle. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1883-1889, 1886-01-13

SIR: We, undersigned, committee
duly appointed by a public meeting held
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 said
meeting to memorabilia as herein:
The mineral district mentioned is
regularly organized one, for series of
years duly recognized by the govern
ment as part of Mineral District No.
2" Government mineral surveys have
been made therein by order of the Uni
ted States surveyor General for Montana
and n-st lsrai EsstSasts i7sa .-.- - -
and tfies Cooke township application al
lowed upon lands within said district.
The first mineral locations were made
therin before the National Yellowstone
Park" was set aside as a reservation by
the government, much work done and
capital invested. Two smelters have
been built, one Of which is now in oper-
alton; over AGO bona fde mineral loea-
tions have been made, and year 10y year
representation" ofI1undreds Of locations
has been made as the miueTal laws of
the United States require, Since the
stated establishmentof Of the district it has
never been abandoned, while the gov
ernment has acknowledged it's legality
by issue of patents, etc, as stated; there
being resident population, a iuetice
court and a voting precinct, in fact, it is
in every sense regularity 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 tlat the,
building ofa railroad that transporta-
ton may be securedl 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. ias
The dist let is situate about 60 miles
frOm:any rairoad--that being the "Park
Branch" of the Northern Pacific. We
have made efforts to secure the right to
construct road therefrom to it, but be-
cause of the fact that such road would
of necessity traverse one end or corner
of the Park reservation, the government
refused either to give the right ofwav or to
cut off 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, atthe 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
square) 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, 1t 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 por-
ton 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
and consumption than from railway
Destruction oCgame occupies like posi-
ton not tie can be cut upon it fol
railway construction saw mills need
not injure the streams (those already II
the district have not done SOY smelling
and milling operations cannot afect
them, and in no way can the building OF
operating of a railway result in injury tc
the park, or to public or private in
terests.
The right to be in location within sale
district, has been and is, as already
stated, recognized by the government
thae right was legally initiated prior 4
the establishment of the park and Ger
tainIy the right to a means of exit 70
the construction of said district is as sac
red and as inalienable. The right to g
in and out with supplies and production
by wagon road is also recognized, and a
a railway would prove the only practiea
means for transportation, and less dan
gerous and Objectionable means, as stat
edit cannot be seen why objection
should exist.
Further, railway would connect tn
district with the coal fields upon the 'ln
reserved public lands now traversed b
the N. p. r. r. and said Park branch
The result would be the development Q
our coal interests. providing means 9
transportation of coal to these mines 70
smelling and milling and fuel purposes
thus, also, decreasing the destruction {
timber, not only upon the way but with
in said district itself, while the desire
railway would itself not use wood fue
from the Park, nut the coal mentione
az the said existing roads already do.
!. The ores OF the district are mainl
y y smelling in hafacter-i.e., lead ores cal
:, ry gold and silver. Were they millln
Y ores, the matter Of means OF transport;
: ton wonld not be SO Important, as the
y the product would be bars Of gold an
!, silver, of thousands Of dollars per ton
!; but these ores by smelling produc
3 ~base bullion''--i. e., 8 great preponde
ance of lead and relatively sma
amount of silver or gold. Thus, the lea