The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1892-01-30
SANDERS LAND DISTRICT BILL.
The full text of Col. Sanders land

The full text of Col. Sanders land
Office bill appears elsewhere in this issue
Of the TRIBUNE. Provision is made for
the establishment Of two new land dis
tricts in the state with offices at Dillon
and at Fort Benton. A glance at the
designated boundaries Of the Fort Ben
ton or northern district reveals a plot
whereby the immense land Office bust
ness of this city and vicinity shall al
ways be retained by Helena. If the bill
become a law Great Falls will be AS com
pletely shut out from obtaining "A land
Office as she is now evidently shut out
from the favors or smiles of Sanders and
Power There will be no hope for her.
All of her people, with those from Bar
ker and Neihart, will be compelled to go
to Helena to transact their land business.
1t is a very cunningly devised measure,
gotten up not so much in the interest Of
Fort Benton as it is in the interest of
Helena. In a word. it is IA Helena bill
whereby that city seeks to profit at the
expense of it's more prosperous neigh
bors.
Mr.. Sanders fixed the Dillon land dis
trict all right. That is done for the pur-
pose Of tying Dixon's hands. He wanted
to get in his work in western Choteau
county and Great Falls and Neihart and
Barker, and in intermediate points
where the lands are about all surveyed
and from whence a prosperous land
Office business may be expected during
the next few years. And the way he at
tempts to do it is this: Great Falls is
not included in the Fort Benton land
district, but the south boundary line Of
that district is laid upon the north
boundary line of this city and passing on
westward twelve miles it strikes the
Montana meridian which it follows north
to the Canadian line. thus leaving Great
Falls Just outside the breast-works. as it
were, but within the grasp of Helena.
No greater outrage was ever attempt
g | on the people of northern Montana.
since Clagget turned over this whole
great north country to the Indians as a
reservation than Mr.. Sanders proposes to
perpetrate upon them by his outrageous
bill. 1t is a direct insult to the people
Of Great Falls and contiguous territory.
1t is an insult to the intelligence Of the
people in the proposed new district.
Fort Benton, already within % miles of
{. land district, is designated as the sup
posed business center Of "a territory
which more than equals the combined
of Massachusetts,. Connect
cut, Rhode Island, Delaware and
New Jersey. One boundary line is
purposely brought up against Great
Falls, and it's citizens thus notified they
need not look for a land Office during all
time to come. Mr.. Sanders fealty to
Helena's interests, and his jealous watch.
of those of the Northern Pacific,
find expression in his bill. The latter
corporation claims no lands in the pro-
posed Fort Benton land district. Will
Mr.. Dixon see to it that Mr.. Sanders
bill be SO amended in the house as to
provide for the establishment of Il land
district embracing the western half of
.hoteau county and all of Cascade, with
the land office at Great Falls: Such a
bill would be in the line of the interests
Of all parties more directly Interested.