The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1888-02-03

uUC8tlVtlAVlO " -
case TO show fraud committed by itself
it's agents. The amount of such
presumable lands in Montana aggregate
of acres. The attention Of Mon
tapa to the danger that threatened was
called by Mr.. Thomas g. Merrill In . letter
to the Helena Independent, dated Jan. 9th,
and succeeded on Jan. 9th by 3 telegram to
the Secretary Of the Interior by the Helena
Board of Trade, calling attention to specific
cases where the surveys returned IS "agri-
cultural" covered in one township $4,000
acres of land, nearly oil of which was min
eral, and on which there were 200 quartz
locations. It also alleged "the same in great
measure may be said Of oil Northern Pacific
land grants IN the railroad limits in the
mountainous regions of Montana" and
asked that patents to the Northern Pacific be
withheld for 60 days, until proven that all
mountainous lands of Montana are more
valuable for mineral than agricultural pur-
poses. To this the following answer was
returned:
WASHINGTON, d. c., Jan. Z, 1888.
To A. j. Davidson, Pres't Helena Board Of
Trade:
No patents of the kind referred to are
being issued, aud the question as to the ne
cessity of non mineral afidavits by the COM
pany is pending before the Department, no
action will be taken until that question 1s
decided, aud no patents will be issued with
in sixty DAYS. In the meantime any proof
that you have to offer will be fully con.
sidered. L.. Y. LAMAR
The press had taken note of the matter,
and it was published in the Independent or
Herald that q convention would be called In
Helena to take action. but the question sud
denly died ont of the capital papers, and the
presumption remained With those outside
that the exigency was not SC great or the
facts so threatening Is had been indicated,
until the following card appeared:
HELENA, Mont, Jan. 25.-After consulta.
ton with mapy prominent citizens who are
interested in the development of the resour-
ces Of Montana, and who desire that her
mineral lands shall be left open for explora-
ton to all citizens, We have been requested
to issue q call for . convention representing
all who are similarly interested.
We therefore hereby request all who desire
to see our mineral lands reserved to our citi'
zens, to meet in caucus In the various cities,
towns and mining camps, and select dele
gates to attend Z convention TO be held 1t
the city of Helene on February Z, 1855, tor
the purpose of taking necessary steps to en-
able us to procure and furnish to the Presi-
dent of the United States, Congress, and the
Secretary of the Interior, such proofs Is will
induce action by Congre, g AMI the Depart.
ment, preventing a large share OF our noun
tainous mineral lands from becoming the
property of any railroad corporation.
(Signed)
THOMAS CRUISE, Helena.
r. b. WALLACE, Butte.
A. J. DAVIDSON, Helena.
L. N. SAITH, Elkhorn.
HENRY KLEIN, Helena.
j. o. BRIsCoE, Helena.
j. w. CARPENTER, Jay Gould.
CHARLES R1NDA. Helena. =.""m"
Us. HARRIS, Helena.
A. M. EsLER, Helena.
j. NJ. d. GREEN, Boulder.
r. II. k~LEINsCHMIDT, Helena.
l.. RoTw1Tr, White Sulphur Springs.
THOMAS G. MERRILL, Helena.
The names above gave assurance that the
situation demanded immediate attention,
and citizens Of Deer Lodge At once sent
County Surveyor H. B. Davis't Helena to
INSPECT the plats and field notes Of surveys
in this county fled IN the Surveyor Generals
| Office, and the status of the Northern Pacific
applications in the Land Office. Mr.. Davis
returned Tuesday evening, aud his report
more than confirms the dangerthat menaces.
In brief, he finds that almost tie entire
mountainous districts of Deer Lodge county
surveyed to the present time have been re.
turned with field notes indicating they are
"non mineral" Where mineral claims were
located prior to the surveys, they are drafted
on the maps, and the railroad company has
not made application for them. There have
also been marked in since many mineral
patented claims; but aside from these, ever
down to 10 acre fractions bordering on them.
the railroad company has, through its Land
Commissioner, made its selections and paid
the land Office fees therefor, rs shown below
The following affidavit relates 10 "List 49,
for 1,143,O95 acres of land, which covers the
greater portion of surveyed sections In Deel
Lodge county, and is one Of three lists ap
piled for At the helena land Office:
STATE OF MINNESOTA, 90 ~
COUNTY OF RAMSEY,
/, Chas. B. Lamborn, being duly sworn
depose and say that I am the Land Commits
sioner of the Northern Pacific Railroad Com
pany ; that the foregoing list of lands, which
I hereby select, is = correct list Of . portion
Of the pnblic lands claimed by the said
Northern Pacific Railroad Company As enur
ing to said company to aid In the construc
ton of . railroad and telegraph line from
Lake Superior to Puget Sound, on the Pacific
coast, by the northern route, for which
grant Of lands was made by the act Of Con
gress approved July 2, 1864, and the join
Resolution approved May 81, 1870; that tn,
said lands are vacant, unappropriated, and
are not inteldicted mineral or reserved lands
and are of the character contemplated by thu
grant, being within the limits of forty mile
On each side of the line of route.
(Signed) CHAs. B. LAMBoRN.
Sworn and subscribed before me this 9tl
day Of November, 1886. ---
Notary Public
The above is filed in the U. s. Land Office
Helena. The list of lands so selected va
on Nov. o, 1886, certified to by the Registe
- Dan>2-n. - TYV-. a-~- -I-n~~l