The Bozeman weekly chronicle. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1883-1889, 1886-08-11
ABANDONMENT OF Fl. ELLIS.

On Tuesday OF last week, the not UNI
expected. yet unwelcome news reached
Bozeman of the abandonment Of
Fort Ellis. The first definite report
came through Washington special.
with the information that the president
had issued the following order:
Whereas. by the provisions of an act
entitled An act to provide for the dis
position of abandoned and useless inlli-
tary reservations, approved July 5. 1884.
the president of the United States,
whenever IN his opinion the lands or
any portion Of them, included within
the limits of any military reservation
heretofore or hereinafter declared to
have become or shall become useless for
military purposes, is directed to cause
the same or so much thereof as he may
designate. to be placed under the lntrol
of the secretary of the interior for dis
position as provided for in said act;
and whereas the secretary of war has
reported to me under date of July 81,
1886. that the military reservation of
Fort Ellis, Mont, is no longer needed
for military purposes: Therefore l,
Grover Cleveland, President of the
United States, do hereby direct that the
military reservation of Fort Ellis, being
the same as that named in the report of
the secretary of war hereinbefore men,
toned, be placed under the direction OF
the secretary of the interior for DISPOSE
ton, as provid ID for in said act of July
6, 1884, it having, in ny opinion, become
useless for military purposes"
The above news had no sooner reached
Bozeman, than many, hastily securing
horses, went in hot haste to the reserva-
ton. taking with them Engineer Robert
son, whose services Were in demand
until late hour that night.
Fl. Ellis was founded In 1857, for the
protection of the Gallatin valley, by
Capt. LaMotte, of the 18th Infantry. At
one time since it has assumed the pro.
portions of a five company post, and
ever since its establishment it has been
of important benefit to Bozeman and
the farmers of the valley, This state
ment il born out by the fact that this
year the farmers had contracted to sup
ply it with about twenty hundred tons
of wild and timothy hay; 100000
pounds of oats; 2l0 tons of straw, 10000
pounds of bran; 1900 cords of wood;
besides meat, vegetables and other farm
products.
On Thursday the troops at Fort Ellis
received oIders to leave at once for Fort
Custer. Ten men under Lieut.. lIolbrook
were detailed to guard the property at
the post, and will probably remain here
until next spring. when the interior de-
partment will probably be ready to dis
pose of the $4,000 acres Of reservation
land by public sale. Fortunately, Post
trader Hoffman had not add4d the usual
summer invoice OF merchandise to his
store, and will not lose a great amount OF
money by the sudden Withdrawal of the
troops. The majority Of our people are
not at all pleased by the abandonment,
which for the time being will be some
what injurious to the interests of the
valley. The removal and Abandonment |
is laid at Gen. Terry's door, who, for ac-
countab.e reasons, was not in favor of
Fl. ellis.
1t is especially necessary now that our
people petition the interior department |
to throw this land open to settlement
under the existing lani laws. that those
who intend to become bona fde residents
upon such lands may exercise their
homestead, pre- emption or timber cul
ture rights. The wholesale seizure of
this land by spectators is to be de- |
ulortd