The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-07-21
CLAIMS PIXIES PEAK.
MOST REMARKABLE CLAIM EVER FILED
AT WASHINGTON.
DIR. Lewis Lived on the Summit of the
Peak For Three Years-He Now Wants
tbs Government to Issue a Homestead
Patent to Him.

Peak For Three Years-He Now Wants
tbs Government to Issue a Homestead
Patent to Him.
DIR. Albert G.. Lewis, mayor of Man.
itou, Colo, will go TO Washington
shortly to lay claim to the top of Pixies
Peak. With him W, ee corps of the
best known land am title lawyers in
the country, who will attempt to pre-
vail upon the supreme court to ac-
knowledge Lewis as the rightful owner
of the south half of the southwest
fourth, and the south half of the south
east fourth of section z, township IA,
range 68 west in FL Paso county, Colo,
which land is and comprises the whole
summit of the famous mountain.
The claim is based upon filing made
by Lewis under date of Feb. 2, 1889,
when at the Pueblo land Office he filed
an old soldiers declaratory statement
upon the land in question. This filing
was made Immediately after President
Cleveland's proclamation transferring
the entire mountain from the war de-
partment to the department of the inte-
rior. Lewis will go to Washington load
ed down with his affidavits of promi-
nent citizens of FL Paso county who
will testify to his having legally taken
possession of a quarter section on the
very top of the mountain, and to his
having lived upon it the required length
of time and made the necessary i'm
proyements stipulated by law for the
% ot, OI1 col III Sc hn,pacfnaA
The doctor will attempt to prove that
he settled upon the land i'll good faith
while it was yet part of the public
domain, and that he had established his
ownership to 100 acres there before the
peak was converted by the government
into a timber reservation.
This is the most astounding claim
ever made at the government land office.
If DR.. Lewis is successful, it will put
him at once in possession of property
worth almost fabulous sums of money.
1t will give him control of the most ia.
nous mountain peak in the world. 1t
would place at his mercy the tens of
thousands of tourists and sightseers
who make the top Of Pixies peak the
objective point of their wanderings,
and who annually give up their little
quota of s. each just to ride the nine
miles to its summit. He would have at
his mercy the capital invested in the
cog road, and could, if he so chose, levy
exorbitant taxes for franchises and
rights of every kind. The property to
which he lays claim bears the distinc-
ton of being the highest piece of ground
ever settled upon for homestead purpose
in the United States.
AT its highest point it is Ia, 10 feet
above the level of the sea and is per-
petually white with snow. No desert
was ever more barren of vegetation.
The place is wholly unfit for human
habitation, and yet DR.. Lewis made his
home there winter and summer for over
three years and now claims as his re-
ward government title to a strip Of
land, or rock-for Pixies peak is a
solid mass of granite-a quarter of a
mile wide and mile long, extending
directly over the summit of the peak.
The disputed point in the controversy
is as to whether President Cleveland S
proclamation actually and legally trans
ferred the land from the war depart
ment to the interior department. At
torney Miller, who served in the gov
ernment land office under Harrison,
| held that it did, as have several other
prominent land and title lawyers.
Henry N. Copp, author of "Copp's Pub
| lie Land Laws" upon which the gov
eminent bases all decisions in land mat
tiers, after thorough investigation of
DR.. Lewis claims at the general land
Office at Washington wrote in part as
follows concerning the information he
I had gained there: 1T was also stated
hat settlers in good faith on these lands
would be protected, and be permitted to
make filings or entries when the land is
surveyed and opened to the public.
] would therefore advise you to continue
your residence and improvements, and
there can be little doubt Of your obtain
ing title to the land you occupy. p"
Mr.. Copp is still one Of the lawyers in
the case.
The story of the Doctors occupation
of the peak is an interesting one and
contains much history of value concern
ing the entire mountain. During the
latter part of Cleveland first term and
for some time previous to the abandon
ment of Pixies peak as signal station
it was known by the signal officers on
the peak that the station was soon to be
done away with. Enquirer.
i G..lA