The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1892-10-28
THE BITBRS
ARE BITTEN.
A Republican Lie Nailed.
Mr.. Collins Quarry Filing Honest and
Proper, But He Lost.
Senator Power Used His Stolen Seat,
and Fixed the Law to His
Own Advantage.

the republican press of Montana hay,
been in tits of glee over a new SANDER OF
I. f. Collins. They danced about in
ecstacies of delight shouting in glazing
headlines. Caught in the act. II. +
Collins makes a futile attempt to steal
valuable school lands" He now wants
TO be honored with political p~refcrment
by the parents whose children he tried
to rob And so on al lib.
And what was the occasion Of all this
hullabaloo: Why. simply this. The
Benton River Press. Il miserable little
subsidized sheet that is booming a dis
lant city for the capital because its mas
ter hates Great Falls. printed scare
article the other day accusing Mr.. Col
Inns Of e~ndeavoring to file or ii school
section Of land in 1890 for a stone quar-
ry. 1t was so amusing to see the antics
OF the republican press over this new bit
of scandal that The TRIBUNE decided
TO let them enjoy themselves for a time
before saying anything on the subject.
Theirmouths were watering for anything
false and filthy concerning the democrat
ic candidate for governor. and they went
after this nice bit Of confectionery from
down the river like catfish after fresh
worms. 1t is said that liarrlson's little
organ-grinder in Helena found it so deli
cious that he actually gave up gum
chewing for several days and his glrth
increased materially.
Yesterday morning the Helena hide
pendent knocked the wind out of the
g grinder in the following fashion:
The facts are these: In December.
ls90, Ernest w. King, with T. f.. Collins,
+. ., Maclay, John Eenner and others,
applied to the local land office in Helena
10 make certain placer entries in section
IL, near Great Falls. At that time land
chiefly valuable for building purposes
was supposed to be Open for entry under
the mineral laws, as thousands of such
entries had been made. Before the land
office in Helena had rendered a decision
on the filing, the secretary Of the interior
made a decision in the case of Conlin VS..
Kelley. on January =, 1891, by which he
reversed all former rulings O. the land
office on hat matter. Under the secre-
tarys decision the local land office here
refused to receive the application of King
and others for patent to the land. There
VAS 10 investigation whatever by the
local land officers. They simply decided
that under the ruling of the secretary
tine entry could not be received. An ap-
peal was taken to the general land office
and the COMMISSIONS affirmed the action
Of the office here. under the decision of
the secretary. There was no further
apneal and nothing has been done since.
and the section passed to the state under
the organic act admitting Montana as a
state.
Commodore Power seems to have had
the better Of hon. L. r.. Coll MS The com
lLOdUre made application to enter under
tl~ mineral laws the ground out of which
the stone was taken for his building.
corner Sixth avenue and Main street.
His application was refused and on APP
peal 10 the general land office. the local
nere Was sustained. The commodore
Dided his time. and by virtue Of the seat
IN the United States senate that Blake
gave him, secured the passage of the act
Of Aug. !, 1852, under which his rejected
application can be allowed. Hon. II. T..
Collins. however, is shut out, as the land
ne wanted has passed to the state. That
part Of the act OF Aug. /, lS92. relating
to stone quarries. is "a follows:
An act to authorize the entry Of lands
chiefly valuable for building stone under
the placer mining law.
BE it enacted by the senate and house
IF representatives of the United States
Of America in congress assembled. That
any person authorized to enter lands I'M
der the mining laws of the United
may enter lands that are chiefly
valuable for stone under the provisions
Of the law in relation to placer mineral
Provided that lands reserved
for the benefit of the public schools or
donated to any state snail not be sub
ject to entry under this act.
In accordance with the act which let
in Commodore Power and cut out King
and Others. Acting Commissioner Stone.
the general land office, sent out the
following circular to registers and re-
WASHINGTON, ID. c., Oct. II, 1892.
Registers and Receivers, United States
Land Offices:
Gentlemen-Attached is a copy of the
act of congress of Aug. /, 1892, entitled.
An act to authorize the entry Of land
chiefly valuable for building stone un-
der the placer mining laws"
The first section OF said act extends
the mineral land law already existing SO
as to bring land chiefly valuable for
building stone within the provisions of
said law to the extent Of authorizing a
placer entry of such land. The proviso
10 said first section excludes lands re-
served for the benefit Of the public
school or donated to any state from entry
under the act.
In cases that may arise hereafter in
reference to any lands subject to entry
under the mining laws, you will be gov
erned by said act in admitting such en-
=. H. ..auor incfrtnnfinno Tor nrnnrl