The Mineral argus. [volume] (Maiden, Mont.) 1883-1886, 1886-05-27

IUceT TVsS
For the pact week or ten days timber /
fires, Of dangerous and destructive proper I
tions. have been raging in the.Iuditn noun,
tains. til. greatest damage being confined
to Collar, Tone Butte and Warm Springs
clutches
Az near oan lac ascertained the origin
of the fire ia Collar gulch war caused by "A
c,, recss inii, idual who allowed II brush
fire to get beyond his control and into the
timber. The lire ia Warm Springs gulcli,
near Andessonviile, occurred ia Il like man
( ner Both parties are known and hav.
laid themselves liable to the law which in
! niets n fine of sJooorsix months in prison,
or both such line AID imprisonment in
the discretion 81 the court
! Both fires have destroyed vast amount
If valuable timber. The residents oi I'm
dersorvillc were compelled To m"Ye out 81
/ their houses sunday night, and but for
/ timely change IN the wind, would have lost
/ their homes the f,.. being bu! d few rods
away when the wind changed. AZ il was
the only individual. loss SUSTAINED is that
Of several ,uris OF wood bslongng to l..
Bc.ngcr.
The collar gulh fire WAS entirely upon
the TT. Maginns military reservation, and
consumed large amount 81 cord-wood
belonging Ia various parties, aud an cNten-
siNr growth of timber that could have
been saved had the MaeinEis post com
mander. Lieut-Col. Leslie smith. had the
interests 81 the government at heart, and
promptly ordered ont his command to do
battle ag; inst the fiery iiend. But mol
lie maintained he was net III 80 10 fight
fire. and not until particulars had been
pied, by civilians to the Assistant,
. Adiutant General of the deisir, nlent oI
Dakota did he make n move in the prcmi
SECS. and then. we are informed, only
+ through fear of being reported for wilful
neglect of duty, ne ordered out every avail
atlc man. on Monday, armed with axes
and ahovcis. under Instructions To cxtin-
gir,,h the fire ii possible. In the meantime
ti,n,lsanois oi valuable trees wore killed,
a considerable amount ofeord wood burnt.
several MINER cabins leveledtp the ground
, ard the Collar quartz mill only saved by
the strenuous effo,ts Of Supt. Eugene
Sialll anu men Ffil ~ HiS ny TIT
ager Of the Masinnis Mining Go.
, We do not presume to know Commander
, smiths reasons-or restrictions, ii any
, for not acting more promptly, but we do
:, know that il is his duty to defend and pro-
tee. the property of the United states gov
eminent from destrtetion, which. III this
{ instanee. he neglected until Tia. damage was
4 g g,,..t l,.,..l L.,
! passed. His action is in striking cont u
. to that oiCommander Captain MacAdams,
who, three years ago, ordered out the
> whole garrison To fight fire in the snowy
y range. thirty miles away from the reserra
+ ton, solely to avert the possibility of loss
u being SUSTAINED by civilians. capt. Mae
= Adams maintained that soldiers were sta
q TONED in various parts of the country ia
y protect the life and property Of American
I citizens VIII LieutCol. Smith tell the pub
: liz what he is placed in command of from
G tier post Tor, if rot fer that purpose:
Il Ia. last eecl the Interior Depart meni
v Issued instructions tn citizens about cut
ting timber ON mineral lands and disposin!
of the rubbish for fcai ol lire, aud yet Thu
!. aud positively refuses 10 attempt To put
a. out "a fire that he knew destroyin.
y thousands of dollars worth ri government
e timber. LIEUT. Smith may be, and NJ
r dare say probably is, II great soldier, but
X for "A servant Of u democratic government
% he carries his head n little too high. " hn
Il command had their pleasure, weknow iron
= personal acquaintance, that every sub
r. ordinate Officer IN the garrison would hav
le been to the rescue with their soldiers an'
Is made gallant fight TO extingui-h the fire
t. II would seem to "A casual observer INA
Mr.. Smith is triic too great 1t soldier To-
this country. IL would make Il good stat
l. oliccr for some department commander
ri and ii this act Of prorra tina,ion - "a sam
N pie of his idea of d',iy he has no cuisines
j. in charge al "A frontier pest.
.. Both free are still smouhlerms, ana ui
n less eNtingui.hcd by ram ar othtrwise ar
"A liable to consume thousands of dollar
es worth ol timber and personal pr"prt.
u within the next few days.