The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-06-10
BUTTE News.
/ NAN md A SHOTGUN
oombination That Stopped Work
ON the New Sewer.
MAS AN ABLE ARGUMENT
Lnrssa occupiss . Bit OF Government
Lona Acrous ~ 0srUee and Wants
Monoy DoGnro the Sewer Can
- Laid Through II.

A big man with a mean looking shot
gun put . short stop yesterday to the
work on the new sewer which the city
has decided to build on Jackson street.
In the western part of town. Yesterday
Contractor John Ryan. who does the
work for Z. o. Dugan q Co. started in
at the corner of Washington and Por-
phyry street to dig the new west side
sewer system. A large force of men was
put to work and the line was mapped
out as far west as jackson street. At
jackson street the sewer turns north to
Galena- But the street at the corner OF
Jackson and Porphyry is fenced in for
a depth of bout 40 feet. extending the
width Of the street. and inside the fence
there is a hole. a hoist and shaft. a little
cabin. a big man and a shotgun.
This fence is not going down and
the sewer is not going over my land un-
I'll the city pays me- declared the big
man. whose name is Larsen. and the
shotgun seconded the motion.
"All right. boss" said Mr.. Ryan. ITS
the city's fight. not mine. I might turn
a few guns loose myself, but l guess I'll
let the city settle with you"
Just as you say said Larsen. II
don't want any trouble. but l am going
to have o IL n sewer goes over
my land. l don't van to shoot you,
but I'll AXE a hot at the city IL they
try to force a way over my land without
my consent. I've got a demijohn in
s.de."
So Ryan went in to see the demijohn
under a flag of truce and found II a good
thing to look at and said he was glad
he had a contract for work i'm
such a pleasant locality. He ked the
demijohn better than he did the shot
gun. Then Ryan started off down to
IN city hall to see the city engineer and
the mayor, blu both of these officials
had gone out to the water reservoir. so
Mr.. Ryan proceeded with the work of
digging the sewer between Washington
and jackson streets and let the fence
go for the present.
The little patch of ground which Is
fenced in across jackson street has a
curious history. II lies just west OF the
old townsite and is owned by the Unit
ed States of America and is subject to
mineral location. North of this little
fraction In the Stevens claim. which has
became civilized and respectable. West
Of il Is the Stanislaus. which was pat
ented N street space dedicated to the
city years ago. East ana SOUTH OF III IL
the Zaroba. which is also civilized and
built up. But the little fraction. though
some neglect Of long ago. still belongs
to the United States Of America instead
of to the city Of Butte and that is why
Ii has become an obstruction which has
blocked Jackson street as a thorough
fare n will make much trouble before
the sewer system Is completed.
The ground has been jumped and To-
Gated many times, but was never pat
ented. Even IL the present locators are
settled with by the city. other locators
can jump the land and make more
trouble until the government gives the
land to the city. A few years ago the
city's street gang went out there. took
down the fence. filled up the shaft hole
and thus opened up jackson street 10
Porphyry. Locations continued to be
made. but no trouble resulted, as the
thoroughfare vas not interfered with.
A hole was dug for a fire clay location
and there is now a shaft about 40 feet
in depth on a quartz location. a wind
lass s~urmounting the shaft. There Is a
good sized dump. but no signs of ore.
Last fall a cabin was moved onto the
fraction and a fence built around the
property. This closed up jackson
streets entrance into Porphyry and IL
has been closed ever since. Mr.. Larsen
occupies the cabin and his possession
has not been interfered with.
The contemplated sewer i'm its course
up Jackson street from Porphyry would
cut under a corner of the cabin. Mr..
Larsen proposed that the city shall pay
for the privilege of running through his
little patch and that's the way the mat
ter stands.