The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1889-10-19
RICH MINES IN PERIL
Harrison's Administration Called Down
BY Prominent Republicans Of Butte.
An Important Meesing Mold by b beard
OF Trade Last Night-Te,egr .ms
sent Tn WashiagtoH Regard
ing Mineral Lands.


Special tO the Standard. |
BUTTE, Oct. 1s.-The Butte hoard of
trade had AN important and well attended
meeting tonight, Ia take action To pre-
vent the Northern Pacific railway COM
pany from obtaining patents to the Nom
tana mineral LANDS. Delegates from Deer
Lodge and jefferson counties were also
present tc u united plan of
action. Lee Mantle opened the meeting
by rcading the telegram received a. few
days ago from Mr.. Merrill at Washington
stating that there was danger OF the pat
ents issuing at once. Mr.. Mantle said n
year ago tho Montana Mineral conven-
ton met and protested against the North
ern Pacific ompany being given
Maps a%d data Had % %s.S for .s"%ii:
ern Pacific had sought possess
sion of thousands OF acres of the most val
uabic mineral lands of Montana. A. a
the authorities in the land office at WASH
inRton struck out whole townships of the
new men in control Of affairs at Wash
ington, il seems that the policy of holding
in check the Northern and Central Pacific
doned and mineral wealth of the
territory Ia to be given ovcr to
patents had been advcrscd by the Northern
Pacific company I'm Deer Lodge county.
The affair has assumed u serious shape,
and the prompt action OF every one inter
cstcd in Montana il necessary. IL the
Northern Pacific company can adverse
the other counties in the state. Al the
mineral convention last year the Northern
Pacific people said they did not wish To
been proved false. The question now
interests every one i'm Montana, and
tcrested. Immediate and united action Is
necessary.
Lawyer O'Bannon ~ Deer Lodge said "a
mass of protests had been sent to WASH
nRto n year ago. II had n desired effect
upon the authorities at that time. But
Imtinns had been piecon-hoied and ig-
nored. The department OF the interior
last year adopted "a policy in reference tn
tect the people of this state from the
grasping corporations. That policy has
hSmiu TsTssis%, h TSs wise by y. sns Grs.sn n;
the former administration have been set
aside by the new officers and corporations
years ago the Central Pacific company
asked for the issuance of patents tn Ger
tain iands. These were granted. but
were afterwards reversed, IA il was found
that these were mineral lands. So il was
decided tn require railway companies to
obtaining patents. They must now do AS
private individuals are compelled to do,
hut the railroad poopl. contend that
im~dividnnl-. The man,a.ncmt "af
the Central Pacific visited Secretary No
fetal to rule i'm favor of the railroads, and
a. IA result during the past few days pat
ents have been issued i'm favor of the Cen
trail Pacific to enormous quantities of val
uable mineral lands. This has been done
for the Central Pacific. and it may be
done any hour for the Northern Pacific.
Mr.. said he il - good cpub-
lictn. but he would not vote for any man
who works for the Northern Pacific. for
that company il Montana's greatest enc
my. In the. mineral convention last year
the Northern Pacific protested that they
did not want to get possession of
Montana minerals and yet they paid last
year of the taxes upon the
mineral lands of the Champion district
and have filed adverse claims tn most of
the Orc Elmo mining district. The North
ern Pacific company claim that the gov
give any more definite proof OF the non
mineral character of lands than the re-
port OF deputy surveyors. In 1874 j. Page
townships back of walkerville. He ran
his lines over the very mouths OF mining
non-mineral and called il all mointair
timber lands. Now he Northern Pa.
citic says we cant 60 behind the
port. The regulations required that al
mineral lands he declared such by the
over the mineral lands u the railroad /,
to be adopted, in the Ori Elmo district
alone il will cause . loss Of two million
men will bs robbed and ruined. All min
erals except coal and iron are excepted in
railr"ad land grants and only odd sec
William Facer from Garrison said tina
"a meeting of about Sd miners and citizen,
of his. section had been bel,
and n vigorous protest entered a3ains
the mineral grants tai rail
roads. II this policy /,
adopted il will give half the mines to ths
Northern Pacific. The railroad run,
through and cuts OFT two-thirls of tn.
Augusta, one-third of the Lille. two-thirdL
of the Champion and 10 lot of such mines
as the Phoenix, Gospel Mountain, Silve
Consolidated, etc. This property is bein,
ruined by the uncertainty as to title. Tel
days ago stock that was at 80 dropped &
. 10 owing to this difficulty. Mr.. Faccr say
he OWNS 5000 hotel which he finds ~ al
railway land. Property in that camp IN
deprecated fully S5OO.OOO i'm the past tel
days, and IL absolute patents are granite
To the Northern Pacific il will mean
: loss of S2.UD,UO To that camp.
1 Mr.. o'Bannon said all lands i'm tia
county of Silver Bow have been return.-
as mineral lands and therefore arr. saf
from the railroads. Pages survey ON.
Ia within about two miles north of til
Alice.
, Mr.. &. w. Gootiale asked IL the Ian
! Office at Washington had sufficient dat
r in hand to form an Intelligent opinion.
{ Mr.. o'Bannon replied that full partic,
lars were sent ON last year. but had bsc
: lost i'm the shuttle in the transfer of off
r GERS.
. Mr.. Ray said ne nurrcxl with wrh.t Ia