The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-04-04

anti-scalping bill is practically dead.
one report says:
"A considerable portion of the indebt-
edness incurred on account of the anti
scalpinS bill remains unpaid. None of
the railroads has exactly repudiated the
assessment made against it, but many
nave not had either the time nor the in
chnatlon to forward their vouchers.
several railroads have given notice that
they will not make further contributions
TO secure the passage of the anti-scalp-
ing law No public statement has been
made of the amount of money expended
by the railroads in the hope of getting
the last congress to enact law prohib-
ting any but authorized agents of rail-
roads from selling railroad tickets
1T is very doubtful whether such con-
certed action of the railroads in the
matter can be secured again. Some of
the strongest Western roads have made
deals with scalpers since the adjourn
ment of congress, while other roads Sc
cretly maintained their business re'a-
lions with brokers during all the agita-
ton over an anti-scalping bill. Some of
the railroads will not do anything to get
an anti-scalping law passed, for the
simple reason that they care more for
the dollars they can get through brok-
ers than they do for anything else.
Other roads will do nothing, because
they are of the opinion that the supreme
court of the United States would de-
clare unconstitutional an anti-scalping
law if passed. The anti-scalping law
passed by the state of New York was
declared unconstitutional by the court
of appeals, the highest legal tribunal of
the state"
A legislative committee appointed to
Investigate to what extent free railroad
Gals of Nebraska has reported that
many state officials, including secretary
of state and attorney general, habitual-
ly ride on passes. but they could not
find that these officials, with the eXcep-
ton of the oil inspector, charged the
state mileage for their free trips. Testi-
mony was reported showing that John
f. Cornell, the auditor of public ac-
counts, had during the past two years,
for the use of himself, friends and rela-
tives, transportation aggregating in
value the sum of $4,000; that special
trains have been furnished in some in
stances to officials without charge for
the use of themselves, their friends, and
families; that the accommodations fur
nished We're all that any person could
desire, not only for travel in Nebraska.
but also in South Dakota; and that the
trips taken were not on business con-
ure-junket trips.
The Southern Pacific fell down again
yesterday with a big passenger haul
from the coast. This is getting to be
an old story with this road. II will be
remembered that a delayal in their
train prevented THE Sign of the Cross"
company from playing the first night
Of their recent engagement in this
city. This time their belated service
is at the expense and Inconvenience Of
the Ellis Opera company, which. due to
arrive at Ogden early yesterday morn
ing, did not reach that city until after
o'clock last evening. and the company
used this as an excuse for canceling it's
date here. OF course. it is probable
that the delay was unavoidable, but the
story is such a chestnut that the line
has become a target for criticism
throughout the whole country. What
blessing it will be when Uncle Col
lis has competitor, not placed at
disadvantage from the mileage stand
point, from this region to the coast.
The land department of the Union Pa
cific railroad has just completed one of
the largest deals of recent years, by
which it sells $4,000 acres of land east
of Fort Steele. Wyo.. to Cosgrove Bros,
sheep men. The purchasers of this land
also leased from the railroad company
81 $50 acres of land in the same vicinity.
F. c. Miller, also a sheepman, has pur
chased 5000 acres north of. Fort Steele
and leased 10000 acres in the same vi
cinity. Negotiations are also pending
with a number of other large sheep
rasers for the sale of other large tracts
in this part of Wyoming. If the sales
are completed it will result in practice
ally turning this section OF the state
over to the sheepmen.
Rinahart Rinehart.