davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1897-12-15
County Debt Decreased.

The annual statement of county
finances which appears in this issue,
will be gratifying to every taxpayer.
The most important showing is in the
reduction of the county debt. Deem
Der LIST, 1896, the net debt of the
county, as it appeared on the report
then made. was SOL ,905.77 while
this year it appears as SS0,6O5.47, a
decrease of $2l 10000 {. As has been
said before in these columns the fist
day of December Is an inopportune
time for the annual report to be
made, especially when the last day
for the payment of taxes before the IL
per cent. penalty goes into effect, does
not occur until one week later,
When q merchant makes statement
OF his and liabilities he as
suredly includes in his list of re
sources the amounts owing to hin
on account. So should the county
clerk be allowed to include in his
statement of the county's resources
the amount owing on taxes ant
Clerk Perkins has done SO this veal
In a note which appears at the clos,
of his report. This note shows thai
there was owing the county on taxes
the first day Of this month about
$4,000, which, added to the column
of resources, would reduce the ne
debt to about $47 900. The total ex
penditures for the last year were lesi
by $2,S7S.79 than those of the pre-
ceding year and Sc, 165.42 less thar
those of the year ending Decembel
LIST, 1895.
Such reductions are the result o
the careful policy Of the commission
ers wo retired from Office the 9th day
of November last. We have before
said that they might well be proud
of their record and IN pleased to sex
that the figures submitted by the
Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1897-12-15

to be published In a paper printed at
Lewistown, should appear. AS this
was in contradiction OF the depart
ment's request, their attention was
al once called to the action OF Regis
ter Hilger and considerable CORES
pondence ensued. not only between
the department and Register Hilger,
but with other parties. Register
Hilger commended that the depart
ments rulings WEI that the register
had absolute power in the matter of
publication of final proof notices
and, we were informed, a letter to
that effect was secured from the de-
partment by Congressman Hartman.
But the pressure upon Register Hill
ger was strong" TO use his own
term, and he gained the Consent
of the department to allow the set
tier to choose which paper he pre-
ferred to publish his notice of final
proof. The letter from the Depart
ment, mind, was not a reversal of
their position as regarded the TACT
| that the register had full power in
| the premises nor OF their decisionsin
the Missoula case, for in the latter
case the Missoula register had desig-
mated the Muscular In pursuance of
the request of the department and
the department had merely upheld
the registers right to say where the
publication should be made.
And, SO, Register Hilger effected q
compromise with the department,
which we presume, will hold good
until Republicans succeed the pres.
ent officials of the Lewistown land
Office when it will be "a horse q
another color" With a change o
administration is it expected tina,
the precepts will be Republican from
the date of the filing upon a piece o
land to the issue of the paten'
thereon.
This attempt to form a preceden'
for the division of patronage is al
heroic effort by our contemporar,
to retain a portion of the bushes
when h terms of the present incum
bents have expired. They did no
suggest this plan during the frs
year of Cleveland's administration
oh, no. Nor did they take this posi-
} ton until within the past month.
Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1897-12-15
The Great Falls Leader lays claim

The Great Falls Leader lays claim
to a portion of the credit for secur-
a reversal Of the departments action
in regard to the mail service to
Lewistown and the promised estab-
lishment Of a direct line and shorter
schedule. Our contempory claims
no more than is it's due and we feel
sure the citizens of Lewistown APP
preciate it's efforts. But merely
because a better sci vice is assured
after July LIST next year, 1t is hoped
our influential co-laborer will not
quit the field, but will be alert to
conditions OF the present and assist
in the departments obliging the
present contractor to transport the
mails on schedule time. Simply be
cause we will receive mails regularly
after July LIST, 1898, is no reason,
why, with the slightest furry oil
snow, we should go without mails
for a week now.
Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1897-12-15
Sheriff Waite's Overcharges.

Space forbids an extended reply
this week to the charges against
Sheriff Waite made by Examiner
Marony in his report, which appears
on the first page, and further atten-
ton will be made to the matter next
week. But in brief:
Sheriff Waite was elected in h
fall of 1894 and took Office the first
Monday of January 1895, and during
his term, in accordance with the
constitution, acted under the laws
in force at the time of his election.
Concerning items /, III, III, Nv, and
VT is true that in these cases
Sheriff Waite charged IS cents per
day for the board of each prisoner
in his keeping, while he had previous
ly charged but 60 cents. Such ad-
ditional charge was made after con
sultation with the commissioners
General Haskell and upon thefurther
authority of a prominent state Of
fetal who was conversant with these
matters; under authority of section
1905 of the Political code and the an
notations thereto, and also with the
knowledge that other sheriffs in the
state were charging 70 cents by the
same authority.
Concerning Item Wilt Is true that
herein Mr.. Waite charged S4S.45 ex
cessive, but upon learning of the ex
cess charged, such amount was, in
June, refunded to the county.
Concerning items VII, VIII, anG
IX-As before noted Sheriff Waite
during his first term in office, actet
under the provisions of the law o
1850, which was in force when he wal
elected and such law allowing
sheriff 20 cents per mile for eacl
Tertiary, insane asylum or reform
school, and Is cents per mile for tn
accompanying officer going and com
ing, his charge of 20 cents was In &C
cordance with law and the opinion
of the attorney general now Oh fill
lin Clerk once.
Concerning Item N,-In this cas-
Mr.. Marony claims Sheriff Waite ha
no authority for taking an extr
officer I'm transporting John Curtis t
the asylum. John Curtis was vic
} emily insane, and Sheriff Waite too
. his deputy, w. A. Waite, with hil
+ upon the advice of the Judge of til
district court and the county con
missioners. In this connection
v might also be added that in sever
s instances of transportation of insaI
persons under Sheriff Deaton, tw
officers accompanied the patient j
each case.
Such i'm brief, are the facts in col
nection with the "overcharges"
> Sheriff Waite, as alleged by NJ
Marony, and they leave that pref
: diced official not one leg to stand o
Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1897-12-15
The Presidents Message.

A synopsis of the presidents mes
week, though it arrived too late to
admit of comment in that issue.
The first annual state paper of Presi-
dent Mckinley will rank as one of
the most able which has animated
from the nations chief executive.
The president omitted from his mes
sage the tedious reports OF the
several departments and submitted
them separately, however, indorsing
many OF the suggestions made by his
cabinet officers.
Naturally the two subjects of
principal interest were the currency
and the Cuban war. Upon these the
president left no doubt of his position.
AS regards the currency he favors
that as greenbacks are presented at
the treasury department or sub
treasures for redemption in gold
that these greenbacks be held and
not paid out but in exchange for
gold, thus putting a stop to the
| ClloiCSo Nhoih ioPoSitioh oy
which the brokers have been able to
use the treasury department to their
personal ends. This method will re-
suit in no contraction OF the ur-
rency, for it is merely an exchange,
not the purchase of ~greenbacks and
subsequently destroying them,
against which there has been SO
much opposition expressed. He also
recommends that the national banks
be allowed TO issue notes to the full
value of bonds deposited and
they be required to redeem their
notes in gold if such demand be
made, thus increasing the volume OF
currency and obliging the banks to
bear the burden OF maintaining all
money at a par with gold. These
recommendations seem very reason
able and have already been endorsed
by the prominent newspapers of the
country, including several of the
free-silver faith.
President McKinley's Cuban policy
is firm but conservative. He calls
attention to the facts that Spain has
recalled the murderer Weyler and
substituted a commander whose
reputation for humane methods ID
well known. That the policy o
preventing the planting of crops ant
obliging all of the inhabitants of tn,
islands to live in the towns, an OrdeI
: which resulted in terrible sufferin,
/ and much disease, has been absolute
ly reversed and that not a singh
American citizen is now imprisoned
) on the island. All this has been &C
complished since the president as
sumed the reins of government an,
he believes it but just that inasmucl
as Spain has thus far acceded to GU
demands and has also proclaime,
t autOmny for Cuba, that we shoul,
withhold aggressive action until i
t has been proven that Spain is eithe
: ~insincere, or that the new policy vii
s fail In putting a stop to the hostili
: ties.
Upon the civil service the presiden
. takes no backward step and hi
words prove that that great reform
( Is safe in his keeping.
i Altogether the message Is marke,
with conservatism, utterly Lacking
E in the bombast which characterize,
his predecessors u%tterances and ha
; won great praise from the nations
lawmakers.
Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1897-12-15
Concerning Land Notices.

Several of the Democratic papers
about the state have recently con-
tanned comments upon the action OF
Register Hilger, of the Lewistown
office in issuing an order by
which each settler is granted the
privilege of selecting the paper in
which he desires his notice of land
proof to appear. Since this matter
is open for general discussion it is
well that the public be fully informed
of the circumstances which led to
the issue of that order by Mr.. Hilger.
Our Popocratic contemporary last
week quoted a lengthy editorial on
the subject from the Butte Miner
CDem.) and in recommending said: "In
this matter the Miner uneqivocally
endorses the position of the Demo-
crat, which, under the present man.
agement, has always advocated the
sentiments set forth In the above
article"
A careful perusal of the Democrat
prior to Nov. 10 and since the pres
ent proprietor was installed, fails to
reveal a single sentence where the
plan adopted by Mr.. Hilger has been
upheld or even suggested. His re-
cent conversion to this view is merely
because the terms of the present land
officials are about to expire and their
successors will be Republicans, and
he therefore hopes to have Register
UI:1-o-s- n.s. h.~x,a N nronndnvf
and the proofs be continued to be
| divided under the administration of
| the Republican officials. But he is
doomed to disappointment.
To thoroughly understand the
facts in connection with this matter
it is necessary to go back to about
| March 18th of this year when Regis
| ter Hilger received a letter from the
general land office requesting him
that 'in all cases where official mott
tices eminating from your Office are
required by law or department regu-
lations to be given to a newspaper
published in Lewistown, that you
should designate the FERGUS COUNTY
n npIs do ShC PdPCA III III SUM
publications shall appear" A SINH.
lar letter was received by the regis.
ter of each land office within this
state and likely by all those in the
country, the name of the Republican
paper at such other cities or towns
being substituted. Immediately
after the receipt of this letter Regis
ter Hilger notified this office tina
thereafter all land proofs would b,
published in the ARGUS and it wal
so ordered from April LIST to July lst
The departments request wa
obeyed by all registers within thi
state except at Missoula, who for
time continued to divide the patron
age. About July LIST a test case wa
made by the Democratic paper a
Missoula and the department re
Ijected a proof because the applican
refused to have it published in tn
Missoulian, thus sustaining thei
previous request" and since tina
time the Missoulian has received. al
proof notices eminating from tn
Missoula Office.
A lew days prior to July LIST Regis
] ter Hilger changed front and again
designated the Democrat as tn
paper in which all notices required
Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1897-12-15
STATE ~
Items Of Special Interest Clipped from Our
Exchanges.

Great Falls Leader: Lewis
Stockett, superintendent and mana
ger of the Sand Coulee Coal company.
said yesterday that everything was
in readiness to begin the construction
of the tipple, power house and the
like at the new camp in Cottonwood
Coulee. Just the minute that the
road ia completed the work will
start and be pushed through to an
end. Mr.. Stockett predicts for the
new camp a future which will be
greater than was ever that of Sand
Coulee.
Chinook Opinion: Nonresident
stock men are advised that the
ranges adjacent to Chinook are now
practically free from snow. The
coulee are still full of snow and water
but the feed on the hills is uncovered
and cattle are radidly filling up and
regaining lost strength. The month
of November was an exceptionally
severe n and the break up in the
weather came none o soon.
Husbandman: County Commits
sioner Geo. Moore recently sold his
herd of 21S head of cattle to be de-
~livered April LIST, for $25 per head.
The herd consists of SO old cattle,
13O yearling and 35 calves. Allcalves
that drop between this and the first
of January to be counted. The pur.
chasers were Wyoming parties.
Anaconda Standards: Herman
Richter, a prominent German-Amer
lean citizen of Helena, sent a bullet
crashing through his brain las,
night He shot himself while in
buggy returning from East Helena
His lifeless body was found in tn,
> bottom of the conveyance when tn
; horse returned home. The pisto
{ with which he had killed himself la.
beside him. I~ll-health, combinet
: with financial troubles, is supposed
4 to have caused the act. The Helen,
brewery in which he was intereste'
! was attached yesterday and it
e supposed this preyed on his mind
Richter was AZ years old and ha'
I been a resident of Montana 30 years
River Press: A cattle deal of larg
: proportions was made in this cit
today, Messrs. Chas. E. Duer and L
G. Browne purchasing the Jas. Nj
Dewitt interest in the Bar Eleve
Cattle company. 1t is understood
that Mr.. McDevitt owned a two
:, fifths interest In the property of tn
concern, for which he il said to hay
received the equivalent of $25, 900.
ri Bozeman Chronicle: The bushes
8 of gathering up dogs for the Alask
service goes on a pace. At Bozema
8 a dealer is quietly at work gatherin
up all the big, serviceable dogs /
can find. He has an order for 2;
which he can readily fill. In fact 81
dogs could be gathered up at Boz
4 man without showing a marke
y diminution. The n good thin
y about this Klondike stampede
"A that while but few of our people a
u going, it will rid US of many dogs.
VI River Press: W. NJ. Morelan'
who was one of Broadwater & NJ
Namara's employees some years ag'
. is among the recent arrivals from ii
east. He has been with Cody
"Wild West" show in the capacity
~ rough rider and has toured b pril
cipal cities of Europe and the easter
part of the United States. He co
% templates going into the cattle bus
o. ness in northern Montana.
Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1897-12-15
MaronY Reports.

The report of State Examiner
Marony will be found in another
column, having been received by the
county commissioners last week.
The examiner, in his introduction,
refers to the first report made by him
and which was withdrawn upon the
demand of the interested parties who
went to Helena in August and called
the attention of the governor and
the examiner to the utterly false
charges made by that prejudiced Of
ficer. While the examiner says the
governor refused to act and in this he
is correct, nevertheless the TACT that
Marony withdrew his obnoxious re-
port and in his second report omit
ted a greater part of the charges
that those charges made in his first
report were without foundation.
His last report is very tame. the
only charges of consequence being
those against Sheriff Waite in his
bills for boarding prisoners and
mileage for the transportation of
prisoners, and even in this case the
examiner relieves Sheriff Waite of
any intention OF overcharge, If such
was done, by saying Mr.. Waite has
expressed his Willingness to refund
any amounts which he has wrong
fully received. But the allegations
against Sheriff Waite cannot be sub
Stimulated and a brief reply
thereto is made elsewhere in this
issue.
Mr.. Marony can hardly beexpected
to submit a report free from COM
ment about the printing contract,
for the action of this papers repre-
sentative in showing up at Helena
his base attempt to blackmail the
publisher, did not leave with Mr.
Marony a feeling of cordiality
However, his remarks on the subject
of the printing contract are wholly
gratuitOus. The matter of letting
the printing contract is left by law
with the commissioners whose judg
ment is not subject to review by tn,
: examiner, it being none of his bust
ness. In going out of his way tt
? comment upon the matter he haI
: merely evidenced his partisanshil
: and in no way injured the contract
. or. He does not attempt to sustain
his opinion by the presentation @
any figures or citing of references, a
e he originally did, his witnesses hav
ing turned against him when con
fronted with his use of their names
D We learn that the report submitte,
by the examiner in August last wi,
k shortly appear in print, when tn
n taxpayers will have opportunity
e should they desire it, of comparin
the two documents. The last repor
was an evident disappointment t
the few in this county who desired
e campaign document and the publ
O cation OF both reports will hardl
n reflect credit upon Mr.. Marony, for
the charges made by him in Angus
J. were not false why did he omit thel
Of in his November report?
r.. Taxpayers should clip his repor
which is published in this issue, an
/, when they see quotations from "E,
aminer Marony's report" be SUI
that the quotations are from tt
document (which is now submitte
by him and not from the blackmai
ing effort of August last, which NJ
Marony was forced to withdraw.
Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1897-12-15
Telephone Poles Wanted.

The undersigned will receive sealed
bids for h delivery OF 1250 telephone
poles, to be % feet in length and not
less than 8 inches in diameter at the
butt and not less than 4 inches In di-
ameter at the top, all to be sound,
dry, fir poles, clear of bark, and to
be delivered at the following places:
$50 delivered at Lewistown, 500 de-
livered at Knapp's ranch on Warm
Spring creek; $50 delivered at the
ranch, Deer creek; 250 de-
livered at any point on Dog creek be-
tween the Hilger and w. H. Fergus
ranches.
All bids must specify the point OF
delivery. all poles to be delivered on
OF before April l, 1898.
The undersigned reserves the right
to reject any and all bids, which
must be presented on or before Janu-
airy Is, 1897. DAVID HILGER.
Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1897-12-15
CATTLE AND SHEEP SHIPMENTS.
Falling OH In Sheep But Q Gain In Cattle
Shipments From Montana Central Points.
(Great Falls Tribune.l


The stock shipping season from
Montana Central points closed a few
days ago, about six weeks later
than i'm any previous year, and the
figures secured of the seasons ship
ments are quite surprising in several
respects.
They show a considerable increase
in the number of cattle shipped, de-
spite the fact that many owners,
who formerly shipped from Montana
Central points, this year shipped
from Galata and other stations on
the main line.
Another noticeable feature is the
fact that Fort Benton is no longer
the principal cattle shipping station,
have been surpassed by Big Sandy;
but this is accounted for by the fact
that Mcnamara & NARROW this year
shipped from Big Sandy a large mum.
Der of cattle which they had driven
from Custer county.
The shipments of sheep show q
large decrease. This is due to the
fact that there were less sheep in the
state and partly to the fact that
many thousands of sheep which
range in this section were driven tC
Malta and other eastern stations fol
loading.
Last year 1889 cars of stock wer,
shippedfrom Montana Central points
this year., 1,497 cars.
The following shows this year,
cattle shipments from the severa
Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1897-12-15

The Helena Independent, which
made such a noble fight for the
Chandler anti-gambling law at the
last session, now offers $50 reward
for information which will lead to
the arrest and conviction OF anyone
violating that law in the city OF
Helena. The Independent believes
that the law is being disregarded in
the capital city and is willing to pay
q few hundred dollars to prove its
point.
Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1897-12-15

County Attorney Lyter of Cascade
county, has rendered an opinion
holding that divorced persons may
remarry at any time. 1t would
seem that experience would deter a
man from doing a thing like that the
second time, regardless of any law
ON the subject.
Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1897-12-15
Helena is to have another bank, 1,

Helena is to have another bank, 1t
is reported. The promoter is Repre-
sentative Ramsey of Gallatin county
and his principal associates are said
to be Hon. w. A. Clark and Henry
Filing of Virginia City. We trust
they will not loan the Independent
more than $780, 900 to begin with,
else their fate may be h same as
the lamented First National.
Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1897-12-15

william Henry OFT, alias Mustang
Bill" says that he used Ayers Hair
Vigor for nearly five years, and owes
to it his splendid hair, of which he is
Justly proud. Mr.. OFT has ridden
the plains for twenty-five years, and
is well known in Wyoming and the
Northwest.
Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1897-12-15

Hannis Taylor, ex-minister to
Spain, Is out in a column interview
criticising the presidents Cuban
policy, as revealed in his message.
Minister Taylor began his anti
Spanish crusade with some degree
of conservatism, but we fear the ef-
feet of criticism has been to drive
him into a frenzy and he should not
be held entirely responsible for what
no snvG
Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1897-12-15

The Populists are ravenous for the
position in the supreme court made
vacant by the death Of Justice Buch.
AS pie-hunters the Pops hold cards
and spades over any other class.
Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1897-12-15

county clerk SO abundantly bear out
that statement. II the present board
can retire from office with as good a
record, they, too, can recall their
services to Fergus county, with a
feeling of satisfaction.
Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1897-12-15

The Nebraska state board oftrans-
%portation has ordered that the car
load rate on cattle shipped through
that state be replaced for the rate
per hundred established by the rail
road companies during the past
seasOn
Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1897-12-15
|! G. A. r.

All members of James A. Shields
Post, G. A. r., are earnestly request
ed to meet at the Post room on the
last day Of this month as important
business must be transacted.
BY ORDER OF THE COMMANDER.
Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1897-12-15

The bulls have control OF the
product is selling as high as $l.O9.
The farmer Is more to be envied
these days than the Klondyke miner.