The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-03-31
PREPARING FOR WORK
Members of the Mineral Land Com
mission Arranging Things.
BEGIN IN THE BITTER ROOT
Frank Leonard, One of the Board.
Thinks That the Missoula Dis
trict VIII Ee Classified
Within Three Months.

Missoula. March 30.-The members of
the mineral land commission are maxi
ing preparations for their season
work and they will probably be in the
field before the end of this week. The
work will probably begin this year in
the Bitter Root valley, where there are
few townships of railroad surveyed
land near the terminus of the Bitter
Root branch railroad. This will require
but short time and the commission-
ers viii then proceed to the Flathead
valley, where they will complete the
classification of lands in the Kalispell
district.
In speaking to-day of the work of the
commission this season, Mr. Leonard
said to Standard reporter:
Il think that. in less than three
months. we will have completed the
classification of all the surveyed land
in the Missoula district. All that is left
now is the land in the Bitter Root val
ley and six or eight townships near
Philipsburg, together with the Kals-
pell district and a small area in the
northwest corner of Beaverhead county.
/ think that we will be able to examine
and classify this land in two months,
certainly in three.
Then will come the unsurveyed land
and here we are confronted by a seri-
Gus difficulty. We are required to clas-
railroad grant. but the government
makes no provision for doing the work
In order to have the classification of
this land of any value, the description
must be so exact that there can be no
chance for dispute when locators and
homesteaders come upon the land. To
describe the land by natural monu-
ments would not be satisfactory and it
will be necessary to have some lines es-
tablished. of course, the best way
would be for the government to send
surveying party with us. We have
made application for this, but the de-
partment has refused to lend any aid
in the matter. How we shall proceed
in this matter. we have not yet deter
mined. 1t has been suggested that we
extend township lines so as TO cover
the land i'm question, but no decision
will be reached until we have conferred
with the commissioners of other dis
tricts and with the state commission
ers. 1t is a matter of grave import
ance and one that the people should
take interest in.
THE first of the contests which have
been filed against our classifications of
last season will come up tomorrow in
the land office. There has been a very
important ruling made in regard to
these contests, which the people of the
state should thoroughly understand.
The government has withdrawn as a
party to any contests and IL devolves
upon the people to defend their land
rights unaided by the government. |
Where the railroad company contests |
any of the classifications, the settlers
upon the land will be required TO under
take the defense. Miners and prospee-
tors who are interested must likewise |
appear personally for the protection of |
their rights. There is another unfortun- |
ate feature about these contests. The |
law makes no provision for hearing |
these cases anywhere except here in |
This will work a great hard !
ship upon the people along the Great |
Northern line. in Flathead county, in |
case they are called upon to defend |
their land. Ii will involve an enormous |
ilroad fares, witness fees |
and expenses and other necessary out
lays-that could in large measure be
avoided if there were only some pro-
vision for the taking of testimony in
the vicinity of the land involved. |
of this kind ought to be
done"