The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1890-02-20
DEER LODGE IN LINE
Ringing Resolutions Against the Threat
enod Grab.
One Thousand Mineral Claims in the
County Which Ask Protectior
Against the Railroads
Grasp.

DEER Lodge. Feb. ~. Pursuant tn
notice "a meeting of ths. Mineral Land
association of the State of Montana was
held tonight AT the court house at TAD
o'clock To listen lo an address from Thus.
&. Merrill, of Helena, and to further
strengthen the organization. All the rep
.roscntativc business and mining men
Of Deer Lodge w.r, present, with many
from Champion and other mining D ,ints
in the county. Prominent among the
mining men present were Capt. j. IL.
Mills, n. ID. Mitchell. J. y. Fox. WIN.
Facer, T.. e.. Mills, VIM. r. STANLEY. &. ID.
Kenyon. h. G. Reed, Tho-. StraI,g aud
Moses Menard. The meeting was called
tn order 10y DIR. A. n. Mitchell, president
OF the association and w. n. Tripps.t was
appointed secretary. ThereiIon MIR.
Merrill was introduced and in,uau his
Address by reading the published
letter of homas r. Oaks, president
of the Northern Pacific Railroad, company,
which claimed that the railroad c"Inpany
the railroad grant,. which wore not known
to contain minerals at the ti'n., of the sur
vcy. An attorney of the Northern Pacific
claimed, in his argument hs.fore the de-
partuIento f the interior. that thu railroad
company was entitled tn all lands in which
minerals wcrs. not discovered prior tai
july ., is.ii, the date at the. grant. There
were no quartz mines discovered IN Mon
tana at that date. The decisions of Judges
Sawyer and Ficlis were To the effect that
the grant To- the railroad took effect at
once. that L., the railroad scl,..t-
q IIlt' All aS M tS StTNNyttIs iEtt tfte
title goes back to the time of the grant.
This would give the company about two
million acres 81 the mineral lands of
Montana alrssitly selected lands generally
worthless for any purpose except Tor min
erals.
In Deer Lodge county alone, by "A close
estimate. there are at icnst ZOO claims of
mineral properties located upon railroad
SECTIONS and not yet patented. MIR. Mcr-
impending Ia the private ownership in
these properties. tina the railroad conn
pany Was urging the issue of patents for
these. lands and il this calamity il tn In,
prevented tine people must act and ACT al
once. "Thc decisions Of the courts,'' he
said, s'sss.m to bc against us and therefore
th.. proper remedy is To apply to- congrrss
asking for legislation requiring that the
railroad company bc required tn make
proof of the Uon-iniueraI character of the
lands at the time the patents ISSUE"
After the address of Mr.. Merrill tho as
so.iatipn was ad.irrsst.i by Capt. :. Il.
Owens, j. ". Fox and o.. Ii. O'Bannon.
Many persons subscribed for stock in the
association. The following resolutions
were adopted 10y the association:
WHEREAS. The Northern i,atif" iisiil,"td
"l,l,,n patents 10 al'ou, o.ss,.ss, arrss Of the gold,
silver. copper and head hearing mineral lands al
lii. :"t Of congress giving Them their grant; ana,
haMsi m ri,,,.,ss 10 ' y Sy e "is.s.s 81 ,I ai". / nr "i,..i l,: ai.s
E,mi office At iieirna III" odd numbered section.
roUniy. embracing more than "a Thousand mining
pror"I,i.s discovered and recorded Int not yct
Mms.rH-, T. M %la,.n,s I. .nsSs lands
.s.aiiy take ali These mining rao,@riirs iro"
their ~rigbiful "wncrs. Nav be IL therefor"
81 this raiiroad company Z" acquire title i" these
mountainous mineral lands, incii.iing, al, the
ihcsr IaIen7> IL. issued I" this .%n,a,s,ny il w"uid
any an ' ssa,e e, ar ,csrii ""sr"f and ii lie ' sri.,,'s, ".l., "ai",
that could l"s-i'i! hriaii the citizens II N"i-
tula.
I.c~olrod. That IL is the duty Of every citizen t.
an ,,irh 1>,;st ~ .nerS NAY u, .,.,t L"w'r NE