Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1888-05-05
THE AND
What the Association Has Accomplished
in Their Defense From the Norths,rn
Pacific. and What is to be Done.

what the Association Has Accomplished
IN Their Defense From the Northern
Pacific. and What is to be Done
I.G. Merrill arrived in town yesterday
rom Helena. Seen by a reporter, he a
asked as to the condition of thu work of
the Montana Mineral Land Association in
reference to the contested patents to the
Northern Pacific. In reply, Mr. Merrill
stated that over eleven hundred affidavits
are now in the hands OF the Land Depart
ment officials at Washington containing
proof as to the mineral character Of the
mountain lands within the Northern Paci-
nc land grant, extending from Livingston
on the east to the western boundary OF the
Territory Most of it. he says, is specific as
to the value Of the lands for mineral pur-
poses over any other. He believes that
matters are in condition and proof sufi-
cient to place before Congress TO obtain the
legislation necessary. THE Northern Pa
cifc," said he, fought to be required.t TO
FURNISH THE SAME EVIDENCE
before patents are issued to them for any
part of their land grant in those sections
0A01 nOutQ 10 IO4utIGu vi VA inoittdEdit
namely, that there are no veins or deposits
of minerals or placers in the sections al
lotted to them. We desire that the patents
issued to them should expressly and in
specific terms reserve all minerals except
coal and ron In case veins or deposits OF
ore are found, it should be specified that
access can be granted to prospectors to GO
on the land and develop the same, and the
right to prospect on the land for ore should
be specifically reserved. The land grant
covers about 8, 900, 900 acres in this Sec
tion OF Montana. About a million have
been certified for patents on which are
THOUSANDS OF UNPArENTED CLAIMS.
Every year sees a greater amount OF dis
'cevery going on, and if the Northern Pa
ciic should receive the patents they are ap-
plying for the claim owners would nave to
apply to the road for their right to con-
tinue working them"
What do you think of the remark made
by Delegate Toole the other day that the
road would be better off to allow these
mineral lands to become the property OF
miners and thus increase their business in
calculably beyond what it would amount
to if the title were vested in the road2n
"That is SO to a certain extent. But
the road is aiming for is possession of
the mineral lands. Mr.. Cakes may say |
what he likes, but it would not take many |
Granite Mountains or Drum Luminous to
vastly exceed the profit OF having the mines
worked by Others
What do you think of the suggestion in |
The MINER some time ago that the Gov
eminent
ISSUE TO THE
4
company for the value of these lands esti-
mated as Government land at SIPS per
acre
II would be perfectly satisfied with such
IN arrangement, but doubt very much that
the Government would consent to it,"
"Have you forwarded anything to the
besides those afidavits you
"Yes. / have had prepared n for
complete and large maps of the
district to the President, the Secre-
rotary of the Interior, the Commissioner of
the Land Office, Delegate Toole. and to the
.hairmen of the Senate and House Com
on Territories and Mines and Min
ing"
"How have the collections been?
.sWell we have only collected about a
couple of Thousand out the fifteen thou
sand determined upon. The work has
been
CONFINED WITHIN THE MEANS
hand. We can't incur anyindebtedness
and are limited by the small collections we
made. There should be enough money
TO send a man to Washington thoroughly
,onversant with our demands and able to
the matter before the committees. OF
course Mr.. Toole understands the situation
out he has his hands full with Territorial
and our association cannot afford
10 let the matter depend upon it's being
upon it's merits. Not that the
york has been sighted at all. Everything
las been done that can be done and /
Ihould not be surprised if the President
Congressional attention to the