The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-04-23
0hlcial Order Establishing One at
Missoula and Another at
Lewiston.
Appointments for the Helena Land
OMce Soon to be
Made.
DUH Day in Neutrality-suspicious. Eleo.
ton Of senators-soulfulP Poem Read
In the House,

WA1H1N0ToN, April Z&.-tSpeCaal.l-Tho
commissioner Of the general land Office has
issued formal notices Of the recent act Of
congress, creating two new land districts in
Montana, with land Offices ut Missoula and
Lewiston. It is thought at the department
Of the interior that the offices will not be
opened for month at least. II will require
two or three weeks at least for the new Of
ficers to qualify and receive their necessary
material from the department. The ap-
pointments have not been made yet nor
have any recommendations been made,
though candidates are numerous. T.ere are
1t least IL applicants for the four positions,
two receivers and two registers, and recon-
mendations will probably be made before
May l. The receiver and register for the
Helena district will probably be appointed
within a week. The most prominent oan-
didates for these positions are 8. A. Swig-
gett. of Jefferson county, for register, and
George Bourquin, Of Butte, for receiver.
Representative Wilson this morning ap-
peared before the house COMMITTEES ON
military affairs and explained the bill
granting the right-of-way to the Portland
Il Puget Sound railway across certain lands
reserved for Notifications. There are .
number of such tracts along the proposed
route of this road which would interfere
with its building. The bills for the right
of-way across the Puyallup Indian rsserva-
ton in Washington have been referred to
Wilson with instructions to report and the
report to include amendments which will
necessitate the appointment Of commis-
sion to settle existing difficulties.
Mr.. Wilson was in consultation with the
superintendent of the railway mail service
to-day with reference to the establishment
Of another route for Oregon and Washing
ton. At present there are eleven districts
in the country, and Wilson wants another
for the Pacific northwest.
The house commerce committee to-day
decided to report favorably Wilson's bill
for lighthouse on Gray's harbor; also the
senate bill for a new customs district, to
comprise the state of Washington. Wilson
argued for both bills, and explained that
the opposition to the customs bill from
Oregon had been withdrawn. II is under
stood that Oregon now wants to still retain
Gray's harbor in the Portland district.
The postoffice department is considering
bids for mail carrying under the adver.
tisement of February l, last, for ''miscella-
neous contracts.' These miscellaneous
contracts include all routes other than by
rail which have been established since
September Is, of last year, in all states west
of the Mississippi river except Minnesota,
Iowa and Missouri, which come in.another
classification. The greater part of the con-
tracts to be awarded on Monday are in the
two Dakotas, Montana, Idaho and WASH
inoton whero chanuea have haen mora
numerous than in any other part of the
country since October last. The new con-
tracts will take effect on July 1,.with the
entire list of star route contracts for the
states west of the Mississippi river. The
total number of contracts to 90 into effect
then for four years number $500, about
1,8OO of which are in the four new states and
Idaho.