The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-08-27
The RAILROADS. OFFER.
Commodore Power Gives HIS Views
on the Montana Mineral Land
Matter.
The Northern Pao!do Would
Take Lieu LANDS TOR
Those Lost.
II offered 70 Dismiss All Lawsuits n
the Proposition Was
Taken Up.

In an interview At his residence last evs.
ming Commodore Power spoke Of Commits
sioner Maginnis' interview in The INDE-
PENDENT Of Aug. "a, regarding this mineral
land question. The commissioners stated
In his interview: mi. Power, how-
svsr. and the delegation from Idaho
aftsrwatd went in for the com-
promise rendered by the Northern Pacific
people, to inereAss the indemnity lands BY
including the even sections. which 10 oil the
railroad people now ask" In reply to an
inquiry a. to what explanation hs had TO
make to this statement, CommodoFe Power
said: "Mr. McNsught, counsel for the
Northern Pacific Kailtoad company. stated
at a meeting composed OF the Idaho dele
cation and q part Of the Montana delega-
ton. that the railroad company was wiling
10 give up the mineral lands in Nontans
and Idaho, and take in lieu thereof lands
| within the idemnity. which 10 100 miles
wide, and in that way settle this vsxed
question. after wards, at the beginning
of the year, wrote to Mr.. McNauRht askinR
II the company would be willing to give
mn the. mineral lands in the
state OF Montana, and take in lien thereof
other lands within the grant in place. n
within the indemnity belt. He answered.
after some consultation and delibsration
with the bondhoiders of the road, that they
would take lands within the indemnity in
lien OF the mineral lands, and stated fur
Their that they would dismiss the Barden
case and all lawsuits now pending, pro-
vided this proposition was accepted and
acted upon The question OF taking the
lands within the indemnity in lieu Of The
mineral lands as to the odd and even Soc
tions was not definitely settled in tho cor
le%spondence. but I afterwat DIS saw Mr..
Cakes in Washington, and ne stated 70 ne
| ling to exhaust the odd sections within the
grant in place and indemnity before they
would call for any land IN the even SOC
tions. This appeared to- me . reasonable
proposition. as it did to the Idaho delega-
ton. az / understand il.
ITO 20 a little more in detail and explain
the question I quote from the correspond
ence between Mr. McNauRht and myself.
On Feb. II. 1892, wrote him regarding an
%impromptu gatherin in Senator shoup's
committt . room, when MI. Mcknight asked,
Do you want to give us land in lieu OF the
to wait until the decision in the Barden
case and then decide2, l asked him to put
the above proposition in writing, stating 1t
squarely and plainly. and that would take
hold Of the matter and give him = definite
answer. April Is Mr.. McNaught replied
saying tho company wouldaccept the modi-
fcation as to the states from which in
demnity for lost mineral lands should be
taken. Mr.. Cakes instructed him to say
that while the board of directors had not
passed upon the question, he had no doubt
but they would approve 2 bill which would
authorize the company to take indemnity
for the lands classified AZ mineral ftom any
, public lands within the limits of the com-
pany's grant to which no adverse rights
or claims have attached or exist at
the date of the company's making
mean BY this that, in making the selec-
tions, the company shall not be confined to
odd numbered sections, 40 it is now by the
original grant. There is not enough public
land within the odd numbered sections to
enable the company to obtain the full COM
eral d You understand by this, of
course, that the company il not asking for
this. but is willing to aocede to the ie-
quest to the people Of Montana and Idaho.
The Ca rying out of this plan will not in
crease the c~ompany's land grant a single
tain as valuable land as the mineral land
which it proposed to release under this
arrangement and all We ask is the right to
select al amount of acreage equal to that
which may be classified az mineral lands.''
II replied to Mr.. McNaught under date
Of Ap il IA acknowledging the receipt OF
the Shoup bill and saving. you have left
only one proposition out that was acceded
to. as ! understand it, at the meeting. This
was that your company would first, in tax
ing lands in lieu OF mineral, exhaust all the
odd sections within the grant and the in
demnity limits; then. if not sufficient tc
replace, to tnko it from the even sections.
This will give you oil the land required in
my opinion, taking very little from the
even sections. 4 \ y believe the senate
committee on public lands will accede tc
whit the representatives Of the states OF
Idaho and Montana request, provided they
are unanimous. The amendments sug.
gested by Mr.. Dixon to appoint q commits
tho Northern Pacific rail, DAD. commencing
at Bozeman. inclusive Of Helena. Missoula,
and the Coeur d Alenes. have been agreed tc
by both the Idaho n Montana delegations
at q meeting during the frat OF the week.
would request those interested to con.
sult with Mr.. E. w. Toole and Judge
Knowles, who are thoroughly posted on thil
question, and nsk their opinion if IL woulC
not be advisable to accept the proposition
made BY the railroad company. and in that
way free our mineral lands and dispose OF
all lawsuits and further expense in thii
great question that interests Montana t.
the fullest extent. l believe they will stat,
plainly that If Montana should gain tn,
suit from the railroad company that til,
railroad company would be then entitled t
the lands. which is all they ask now. lhi
being tho case. as q business man viewinI
this question from all sides. ! don't see viii
the people of Montana should not urge 1
settlement on this basis.