, 1888-05-09
OUR PUBLIC BUILDING
1t Is Safe if the Bill is Brought Up
in the House.
Little Prospect for New Land Laws
This Year.
Lively Fight Over a Carbon County
Post Office.

snaciol correspondence of The Leader.
WASHINGTON, D. c., May 5, 1885,
Five or six weeks ago Wyoming's affairs
in congress were in a fourishing condi-
ton, and several bills which would have
materially advanced the interests of the
territory stood a fair chance of becoming
laws. But the great deadlock took up
the time which should have been devoted
to these and similar laws, and their
chance of passing this session suffered
much. However, even after this repulse,
they are being pushed as they never were
before; and if the tariff discussion is not
u~nreasonably prolonged, will yet be heard
from.
The public building committee has been
assigned the 5th day of May and two
DAYS in June, but the tariff discussion
will probably override the time, in which
case the committee will not be heard.
There is no doubt, however, that if the
bill can be reached for the erection Of
an $50, 900 public building at Cheyenne it
will pass. This can be also said of the
fish hatchery bill, the probate Judge bill
and the additional judge bill. The pas
sage of the bill for the erection of a pub
lie building at Wyoming's capital will be
of infinitely more benefit to the people of
that city than would the bill now
before congress, for the wholesale
erection 5 OF public buildings
throughout the country, for
by the provisions of the former act, Chey-
enne would be graced by a splendid build
ing for the accommodation of all the
United States offices there, including the
post Office, costing not less than $4,000
and probably $4,000; whereas, by the
latter u building for the accommodation of
the post Office alone would be erected at
the paltry cost of $751; or 500, 0 All
the former bill needs is an opportunity to
get it before the house, as it has already
passed the senate.
A post office having been established at
Wendover, the terminus of the Cheyenne
& Northern, the mail service will be put
on there Immediately, and a route agent
appointed for that line of road. A post
office will also be established at Hartville.
After the LIST of July the Laramie City
post Office will be a second class office.
Chairman Holman Of the public lands
committee says that there will be no new
legislation at this session of congress with
reference to the disposal of lands included
within abandoned military reservations;
and Delegate Carey is therefore urging the
interior department to take action for the
disposal of these reservations under the
law of 1884, providing for their survey
and sale in forty acre tracts.
The tariff discussion has crowded out
the public land bill, and it is not probable
that there will be any new legislation this
year. The same may also be said with
reference to the admission OF new states.
There are all kinds of predictions in
reference to the adjournment Of congress,
but none Of the guessing fixes the date
earlier than the goth of July, and reliable
authorities state that they should not be
surprised if it extended into the middle of
August.
A good story reached me the other day
through the post office authorities of the
troubles of Wyoming postmaster. One
S~paulding has been the mail distributor at
Dixon, Carbon county, since 1888, and
bears a good reputation as an officer.
Some time ago he went out to a claim
belonging to him, to spend the necessary
time there, leaving his office in charge of
a deputy by the name of Darling. When
he returned to assume the responsibilities
attached to his office he found hat Mr..
Darling had, during his absence, learned
how many points possession had, and
therefore closed the doors against Mr..
Spaulding. The latter made complaint to
the postal authorities here, and an in
order the mail and office fixtures were re-
moved to a building about a quarter of a
mile distant. The owner of the building
in which the post Office had been located
for five years also owned the land lying
between the old and new offices, and
therefore had control of the road leading
to the new place. He stood in" with
Darling and put a barbcd wire fence
across the road, thus preventing the mail
from being delivered. Spaulding had
been authorized by the inspector
to protect his office if necessary
with a shot gum, but found the order un-
a~vailing in this sort Of warfare. The
mail contractor refusing to deliver the