The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-11-04
THEIR WORK CUT OFF
Winters Chilling Blast Will Suspend
Mineral Land Operations.
LAMOREAUX is MISTAKEN
Good News for Settlers on the In
uemnity StrIp-How the Railroad
Lands Have Been Classified
Commissioners Talk.

Cnalrman w. v. Tompklns anu
Frank M. Leonard of the United
States mineral land commission for the
Missoula district were in Anaconda
last evening on their way back to
Missoula after spending the day in
Butte. The smelters were the object
of interest to Mr.. Tompkins, whose
home is in Prescott, Ark, and they
enjoyed a trip through them.
The commissioners told in a very en-
pertaining way of the work which they
have been doing during the summer
in classifying the lands round about
Missoula as mineral or agricultural in
character. Practically they have been
prospecting without making any loca-
tions, only determining the character
of the land. To do this. however. they
have carried a complete prospecting
outfit, kept an eye out for float, sam
pied all lodges that seemed to be min
eral bearing and looked into the pros
pect holes which they found In their
travels across the country, which will
traverse every township in the Mis-
soula land istrict before the work is
completed. The trip is made by over
land Journeys with packing outfits,
sometimes involving much mountain
climbing and again gliding down swift
flowing rivers in pitching, tossing ca
noes. With pick and pan they have
tested the ground they crossed and
thereby are able to make an intelligent
report to the government. On this re-
port the many disputes between the
Northern Pacific railroad and settlers
and miners will be decided by the in
terror department hereafter. The COM
mission for the Missoula district is
composed of Chairman Tompkins of
Prescott. Ark. Frank NJ. Leonard of
Libby. Mont. and Col William Harri-
son of Georgia.
I'VE received a circular from the de-
partment yesterday" said Chairman
Tompkins, which will tighten our la
bors very much and will also be good
news to many settlers in Montana.
The circular is to the effect that we
are to exclude from our examination
all lands which are situated in the
indemnity strip, which lays between
the 50-mile line and the 60-mile limit
from the line of the railroad, on which
settlers have filed up to this time. For
some reason or other the company has
never laid claim to any property in
this strip 10 miles wide and therefore
all titles can be perfected at the land
office, there being no danger of an ad-
verse claim from the railroad.
"A bit of history might make this
Northern Pacific railroad was made
July 2, 1864. This gave them the right
TO select each odd numbered section
of land within 40 miles each way from
the line of road. excepting land which
was mineral In character. In lieu of
the mineral sections the road was
given the right to select lands within
so miles each way from their track,
these lands being known as indemnity
lands, because they were to indemnify
the road for losses sustained by the re-
tention Of the mineral lands. May 81,
1870. congress extended the line 10 miles
and gave the railroad the right to in
demnity lands between the 50-mile line
and the 60-mile line. This latter strip
Is that which the company has never
claimed and therefore the settlers who
have, I believe. taken up all the land
which Is valuable for agriculture, will
not be compelled to buy them Of the
railroad and can get their titles clear
from Uncle Sam.
I'VE have just concluded our report
upon lands along the Missoula river
between Nine Mile and Missoula, and
go next to territory that can be
reached only from Spokane. so that 1t
will be several days before we are
again in the field.
with six weeks more of weather
such as we have been having we would
be able to complete our task, but that
Is more than we can expect from the
indulgent weather clerk. The present
change indicates that snow will soon
cover the hillsides which will render ii
impossible for US to work intelligently.
We will therefore soon suspend opera
tons until next spring, probably to
some time about the middle of March.
The intention of the law Is evidently
to this effect since it provides that we
zl1a1l ynr-r nat he, lrx
each year. which is construed to pro-
vide for inciement weather.
Commissioner Lamoreaux has either
been misquoted or else is very badly
mistaken in his interview which was
published recently when he said that
this examination OF the lands is costing
at the rate OF % cents per acre. The
Missoula district contains more mac
cessible sections, there are greater dis
tanceS to travel and more obstacles to
overcome than in any other district
along the line of the road. For instance
in the Helena district. there is the
Prickly Pear valley. and well known
mineral districts which can be CLASH
fed at once. In the Bozeman district
there is the Gallatin valley which can
be named as agricultural township
after township by simply driving over
II. But in the Missoula district there
are many miles of mountainous coun-
try and valleys unexplored and unde-
velOped. In our last report we report
ed upon 100000 acres of land, and the
total expense is less than 81. 900. When
we have completed the work the cost
In this district, the most expensive in
Montana at least, the cost per acre will
not average more than two and one
half or three cents.
I'VE are now working without pay,
but expect. as Hon. Charles s. Hart
man said in your paper Sunday morn
ing, that our salaries and expenses will
be paid by an item IN the general de-
ficiency bill and are not worried BY the
fact that the original appropriation Is
exhausted. The federal judges have TO
walt for their pay and we can wait for
ours.
I'VE have been made 10 feel an along
however that the department Is not in