The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1894-12-22
HOW MUCH is TRUE,
An Account of a Little Loose Trans.
action Which Would Appear That
the People of Neihart Have Been
SLvo,lJol

l the People of Neihart Have Been
S~kyoodled.
, In March of 1885, an an alteration
arose between the NJ. C.. railway and the
Red Bird people over the title to IA GER
tam piece of ground located just east of
the railroad station in the town of Nei-
hart. The railroad wanted the ground
as a ~rlght-of-way for IA side track. The
Red Bird people demanded money which
the railroad company would not pay.
The latter declined to receive any more
freight to or from Neihaet, and sum-
marlly took off their train service until
the matter might be adjusted. 1t fell
to the Neihart people to pay for this
ground.
j.. l.. Neihart was mayor at that time.
A meeting of business men was called.
and committees appointed to solicit
money. The amount required was S.
500.
Tho HERALD does not say that the
Red Bird people received $4,000 for their
ground. 1t has no authentic statement
as to what was done with the money,
but $4,000 was the amount required to
secure the questioned right-of-way.
There was more ground demanded at
this time, viz: A strip off the Nellie L.,
owned by Dan Condor and Pat Sweeney
of Neihart, and there were $4,000 sub
scribed by the railroad company, making
a total of $1,000 which changed hands
at this time, but the particulars concern
ing our people cover nc more than the
$4,000 and the sixty foot strip.
The ground then owned by the Red
Bird, consisting of twenty-eight lots,
Qots 36-4G inclusive in block 9, and lots
22-4O, in block s. The railroad COM
pany did not want all the ground, but
they did ask for a clear title to a strip
OF ground which took forty feet off the
end of each lot. This peculiar division
of the ground was not agreeable to the
Red Bird owners, they refusing to sell
any ground unless the lots as plated be
purchased entire. When, then, the peo-
pie of Neihart had bought the ground
and had satisfied the claim of the rail
road company, it was plain to be seen
that the contributors to the purchasing
fund would be left in possession of the
remaining go feet of each of twenty
eight lots (after deciding forty feet off
the end of each to the railroad company
1t was so represented by the soliciting
comittees. 1t was so understood by
every subscriber. Each man gave to
this fund with the full assurance that he
should have an interest in the remaining
sixty foot strip.
The money was raised. At the First
National bank in the town of Neihart it
was paid over to those to whom it was
due. Dan Smith received a part of it as
agreed for the Red Bird. Dan Condor
and Pat Sweeney, we are told, got some
of the money, in payment of another
plat OF ground on the Nellie H., which
was also demanded by the railroad com
pany.
Gold 7. Curtis was then cashier of the
aforesaid bank. The deeds were made
out and the railroad was made happy.
Train service was resumed, and had it
not been for the sixty foot strip on the
Red Bird the question might never again
have arisen. But what was to be done
with this ground? Evidently it belonged
to the subscribers to the purchasing fund.
a meeting was called, where were pres
ent a large majority of the subscribers.
The subject was thoroughly discussed
and it was finally decided to deed it to
Gold I. Curtis, trustee. Judge Gray
was empowered to draw UP the neces-
airy papers, he subsequently making out
a deed to Gold T. Curtis, or to Gold r.
Curtis, trustee, he doesn't know which,
and the same was conveyed according to
the law.
Time after time the HERALD has re-
ferred to this transaction, tried to get a
meeting of the holders, to propose means
of appropriation or disposal of the same.
Nobody knew or seemed TO care any
thing about it.
Finally a letter was dropped from this
office to the courteous clerk and recorder
of Meagher county asking what had
been done with the ground. Return
mail brought the following letter:
WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, Montana,
Dec. IA, 1894.
To +. X. ABBOTT, Esq,
NEIHART, Montana.
In reply to yours of 18th inst. will
say: That | find on record deed from
Neihart TOWNSHIP company to Gold r.
Curtis, trustee, conveying lots SO to 46
inclusive in block 8, and lots 22 to 40
inclusive in block s, in Red Bird add.
Deed is dated Mar. 3, 1892.
This same property was conveyed to
n