The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1893-03-27
1 lisseali Opinion Of Tho Action ol
Higgins and ClaPk.
NO FRAUD WAS COMMITTED
Officers OF the MIssoula Land Ossics
State That the Applications
We're Regular-A Vast
Enterprise.

lenged to produce evidence OF the alleged
fraud, IL has signally failed to produce An
iota Of evidence to substantiate its asssr.
tions and the general people in Aissoula
and Ravalli counties, who have more ut
stake in this controversy than any other
section Of the state, are beginning to 10.
gard the bittor fight now being waeed
against the continuance Of those permits
as nothing more or less than the result Of
q personal spite hold against these lum.
bering companies by Messrs. Higgins and
Clark.
II is certain that NO Irregularities exist
In the land ofhce In this city, In connec.
tion with the issuance OF tho psrmits In
Missoula land once, and Robert Fisher,
register. on being interviewed on the sub.
tect, say, iu substance, that they know
nothing about any frauds having been
pcrpetrated by any one who has applied
for permission to cut timber upon the
public domain; that the proceedings In
all applications made By tho companies
In question were regular; that publication
was made In the newspapers as required
By law; and that proofs Of such publica-
ton were on fiie In tho land oflice here,
but have recently been sent ON to Wash.
ingtou. In reference to the manner In
which the alleged frauds could have boon
perpetrated, tho gentlemen have this to
say:
1--WE know Of no foundation whatever
for such charges. The perrnissions to cut
timber granted to these companies could
not have becn obtained except by proceed.
ing In the regular manner. and from the
fact that these permits were granted ~
per application Il stands TO reason that tho
law was complied with, even In The least
important particular"
Il further appears that the returning Of
tho permits for the correction Of . few
clerical errors that appeared In the same
b . matter Of frequent ocoursucs. In this
report tho government 70 very particular.
Errors In drawing up papers In ordinary
transactions, which are easily remedied,
are often allowed to remain a. OF no vital
Importance, must bo rcctified at the re-
csiving once, In government aifairs. and
transmitted to the general ofiice At WASH
ington for approval or rejection, and. u
appearing that there were some errors In
the applications made to cut timber by
companies named, the same had to be 10.
turned to Washington for correction.
Regarding the tims for which permits Of
this nature may be granted, II 10 . fact
that there u no definitely specified time.
They may b granted for ono year, they
may bs for . longer period, the time al
lotted depending entirely upon circum-
stances. Receiver Catlin, in this connsc.
tion, says:
at IL not to be presumed that $4,000
plant will b erected simply for ths privil-
ege Of cutting timber for one year, neither
10 Il to be presumed that any capital
would be invested In an enterprise were it
known that such Was to bs the strict letter
Of the law. Neither docs the application
| for, nor the permit to cut timber specify
absolutely the time for; ON the con.
trary, the act Of congress specially pro-
vides that tho secretary may grant
special permission In special cases." So
far as advertising the application 10
concerned, . glance at the files Of the Mis-
souiian, the Deer Lodge Nesc Novthspesf and
| the Helena Journal will readily convince
| the doubter that the advertisements ap-
pcared as required by law. In my judR-
ment the grounds for fraud arc bascless
and far fetched and would never have
| originated but for the porsons named aud
| for the motives stated. While, of course,
| the agitation may to some extent incon.
venience the large millers, even possibly
| to the extent Of temporarily closing down
the mills. but this 10 not probable, am
satisfied that eventually the permits will
bs allowed to prevail as originally
granted"
This should be evidence enough to sat.
| isfy my reasonable person that, 10 far as
the Bitter Root Development company and
tho Big BlAckfoot Milling company are
concerned, no Irregularities havo been
practiccd or even attempted, in the appli-
cations to cut timber upon public lands In
Montana.
In order that the vastness Of those lun,.
bcring enterprises and tho importancs
they bear, financially and commercially,
| to this section OF the state, may bo gen.
orally understood, . STANDARD reporter
called on o gentlemen in this city who ID
prominently connected with tho Big
Blackfoot Milling company for the pur'
pose Of laying before tho public some
facts and figures relating to this enter
prise.
what quantity Of timber" Was asked
'.has been cut by tho Big Blackfoot com.
pany in the last throe Year,, and also dur.
ing the past wintery'
| There were cut III. 1867 sos feet during
the years 1880. 1891 apd 1892, and IS. 1851 or
feet last winter"
"How many mills docs your company
operate. where are they situated and what
| il the amount Of capital invcsted?"
1--WE own and operate four mill. situated
at Bonner, Silver Thorn. Mckean's and
near Victor. and have invested In ths
ncishborhood of $4,000"
"What Is the capacity Of these mills ?''
"From $4,000 to 1900 feet daily"
"What nature Of work is turned out q,
these mills?'
"Rough lumber. lath, sashes and doors,
mantlcs. inside and outside finish Of all
kinds. bar fixtures, etc."
"How many men are employed at these