The Helena independent., 1893-07-02
lUMBEaMEh AFTER II.
A Protest From Flathsad County
About Selections Of State
Lands
The Settlers Don't Want tho State
to Take Them UP In
Bulk
They wont Minnesota and wisconsin
Lumbermen TO Get In and Help
EurnIsh . Revenue.

Hon. Lyman Lo,ing. who represented
Missoula county in tho Legislative lass
winter, appeared before the state board OF
land commissioners Yesterday which held
session In the executive Office. Mr. LorinR
appeared ON behalf Of number Of citizens
Of Flathead county. His misston Was TO
u 20 tho board 10 reconsider IT. action
whereby Il proposes 10 make large .selec-
tions Of lands Ia that county under shs
congressional grants for school pufposes.
1ustead Of making selections in bulk the
,eopls whom Mr.. Loring represents want
the selections made BY tho board 90 shat y
will secure a quarter In each soctlon, anu
not reserve whole townships. IL SIS we'll
known in Flnthead county that Minnssoss
and Wisconsin men are endeavorinR 20 Sc
cure possession OF the rich timber lands IN
that county, and there seems to bs sent'-
meut among some OF the inhabitants there
TO old them. Mr.. Loring presented
. resolution which recites that u was
adopted a. mass meeting held in FlntheAd
county on June % last. The resolution
saws there are largo bodies OF fino timber
In the Kootenai, the York. Tobacco plains.
North and South Fork of the Flathend and
swan river, and goes on to say that we
belieye IL is unfair and unjust to take 40
much as 15O. 900 aorcs in the new county OF
Flathead. for il must be obvious thas NO
other county in tha state has been called
upon to contribute SO large IN amount. ana
We would beg you to remember that this y
a new county recently organized and start
ing out with heavy burden OF debt inner
itel from the mother comfy. ana that sne
needs revenue. We are certain II the land
il taken 40 now proposed, that 1t wilI Os
r,c ont while before the lands cnn be sold
wen en- at tho minimum price, provided by
law governing tho sale Of said lnnds. Our
county will therefore be deprived OF much
taxable property ard the state VIII not
lie benefited. We also desire TO remind
Won that should you adher, to your prossns
plnn roads to and through the Ian ds thus
sold will be unknown and schools will be
unheard Of" The resolution Rsks that the
tate selections be not made in compact
form but by ieseyving one-auArtee OF e1on
section as the surveys are mads ans &
tended thus over all parts OF the county.
and that il six or seven townships arc se-
i. q cd in a body it will create q reservation
ut once useless and unprohtaDie.
The resolution aleo says that "the framere
Of the con stitution of the state recognized
the wisdom of many subdivisions OF Sohoo!
lands and therefore PROVIDED ior tne sale OF
nlternato five acie tracts of these lands near
towns with view OF enhancing the value
OF the unsold portlons.'' The tesolution
then suys that If the state board
Of land commissioners should decide
to make their selections on the
saltwater and White Fish rivers north OF
Kalispell that the country will be depopu-
lated and every saw mill at or near Kniis-
dell will be cloaed down. The resolution i
signed hy the following persons: y. y
Duncan. c. L. Conrad. B. D. Hatehsr, J. e.
Scribner. j.. M. Logan, w. N. Noffainger,
F. Laneerman. ]. W. Moore. Lyman Lor-
ing, H. w. Hoideman. :,
After hearing Mr.. LorinR the board tool
no action further than to instruct Acting
Gov. Botkin to write to Gov. Rickards te
ASCERTAIN what. if any. alterations could bs
made in tho understanding had with the in
terror department relative to the lands II
question without prejudice to the state
Ihis understanding is the one recsntly at.
rived at by which Secretary Hoke Smitl
ruled that the state should make it, owl
selections.