Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1897-12-08

Friday last the Kenneth house Oh
the L. j. ranch, fifteen miles from
town, occupied by j. III. Magallo1
and family, was destroyed by fire
with all it's contents. Mr.. Magallor
and family were at the barn, som,
distance from the hou e, preparing
to take a sleigh ride, when the flames
were noticed and before the hous,
could he reached it was so envelope6
in flames that practically nothing
could De saved. The house was old
and was lined with cloth, this, NJ
doubt, being responsible for the speed
with which the flames consumed
their prey. MIR. Magallon valued his
furniture and personal effects, includ.
ing money, at $500 and the house
was worth at least $500. There was
no insurance.
Eddie, aged twelve years, the
eldest child of Mr.. aud Mrs. David
Hilger, died Wednesday evening OF
last week of diptheria. following his
sister, Agnes, i'm but four days. The
loss of a second child in SO short a
time was a terrible blow to the par
ents and friends and the sad news
was received by the people with IN
usual expressions of sympathy. The
family OF our children, two boys and
two girls, il now reduced to half
that number and the Hilger family is
II a household. The remains were
taken to the family burying ground
at the William Fergus ranch Thurs
day and laid to rest at the side of
the sister. The two children which
were spared are well and it is be-
lieved b ravages of the contagion
are at an end in that family and the
community. Last week the Hilger
home was connected with the land
office by telephone and rigid quaran-
tine of the house has been observed.
H. Louther, ofthe Mortified Ranch
Co, on the Musselshell, is going into
the Alaskan stage business, accord
ing to the Great Falls correspondent
of the Standard. The Standard
said: III. Louther, an Englishman
and a nephew of Lord Lonsdale, ac-
companied by j. b. Heifen of Billings,
left here last evening for Fort Ed
monitor, Canada, where they pro-
pose establishing in the early spring
a fast stage line to Dawson City, a
distance of about LOO miles, by a
new route. While here the gentle
men purchased 600 horses from Cap
tain Couch of the Sunnyside ranch
and engaged the services of his fore.
ton of superintendent and general
manager of the new company. Re.
garding the new route neither gen,
tleman would say further than that
in part it would follow the Mckenzie
river. At various points along the
road stage stations. stables and the
like for a relay of horses will be es.
tablished, and the trip it is said, will
be made in less than 20 days. The
gentlemen claim to represent an En-.
glish corporation with plenty of cap.
ital.
The annual report of the county
clerk and recorder, covering the re
ceipts and expenditures of thecounty
for the past year, and statement o.
the county's financial condition. was
completed yesterday and will appear
in full in these columns next week
With all the hue and cry which has
been made on the subject of county
expenses, this report, like the on'
made on the first of December, 1896
shows a reduction in the running eX
penses of the county from those o
the previous year, the expenses o
the year ending December, 1897, be
ing $2,S7S.79 less than that of tn,
year ending December LIST, 1896. UpoI
the first of this month the outstand
ing warrants amounted to SIS, 706. 10
being less by $6,5S1. 05 than thos,
outstanding December LIST, 1896. Blu
the best showing is in the decrease
of county Indebtedness. Though tn
report is made a few days befor,
taxes become delinquent and on thil
account an unfair report, neverthe
less this years figures may be fairl.
. compared with those of last year a
in both years the report was mad
upon the same relative date. DE
cember LIST, 1896, the annual repor
, showed a net indebtedness of tn
, county Of $lO1 ,9O5.77 and this yea
!, the figure il reduced to $S0,605.47,
, decrease of S21 ,3OO.30 in n year
+ And, be it remembered, that this de
crease took place under the admins
tration of II. o. Wareham, A. W
Bower and c. NJ. GoOdell, for tn
new board had nothing whatever t.
do with the bills contracted prior t.
/ nacamhpr lot Further nrnmaD nj