The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-04-28
IN BILLINGS.
A Crow Council Soon to BE Held-Better
Results Expected.

Results Expected.
Special Correspondence of the Standard.
Billings, April 26.--James H. McNee-
ly, one of the commission now treating
with the Crow Indians for the cession
to the government of portion of their
reservation, spent a few days in town
this week. Mr.. McNeely says that
general council will be held with the
Crows as early next month as possible,
when it hoped that they will be found
in more complaisant mood than they
exhibited at the council held last Octo-
Der On that occasion the Crows abso-
lutely refused to sell any of their land
until the government paid them the
large arrears of money due them. Since
that time several payments have been
made TO the Crows, one payment
amounting to $4,000, and another vii!
be made in May, so that the Indian
heart will be good" and the commits
sion may be able to accomplish their
mission. The desire of the commits
sioners is to purchase about 10OO.0 900
acres of land extending from the yell
lowstone river to a base line few
miles north OF Fort Custer; also about
100000 acres adjoining the Wyoming
line on the south and east of the Big
Horn river. AS there are only about
1000 bucks, squaws and papooses II
the Crow tribe, and after the proposed
CetSlOn tn6fe "Oulu Ne lell dDpul &.pp",-
900 acres, there would undoubtedly be
ample land remaining for furnishing
subsistence to the Crows, especially as
many of them are learning to farm
and are becoming comparatively veal
thy in stock. The portion to be restored
to the public domain contains much
arabic land of as fine quality as the
best in the state, and when opened to
settlement it will attract the attention
of the land hungry"
Since the opening Of spring there has
been an awakening of interest in Bill
lings real estate, and number OF small
transactions have taken place. The
most important deal so far is the pur-
chase by State Senator GruWell of
three lots on Montana avenue. the prin-
cipal business street, for $4,000. The
senator will proceed to erect three
story building. 50X130, on two of the
lots, which adjoin Representative Lose
| Ramps big store. The remaining lot is
occupied by the only remaining frame
building in the business portion of the
| street, and the senator will be unable
| to build until after the expiration of the
| lease of the premises, which will expire
next year. 1t is his present intention
/ to erect a fine building on this lot also.
Mr.. Gruwen sold about $4,000 worth of
| sheep last fall.
The Billings Gazette entered upon It's
| 18th volume last Tuesday, and is APP
! parently destined to a long life. Its
| proprietor, Major Becker, is not giving
| his personal attention to the business
| of the paper, as he has all his time &C.
| cupied with the duties of his office as
| United States Indian agent with the
| Crows. The Gazette was founded by
| the Standards townsman, Postmaster
| Alex Devine, in conjunction with j. D
| Matheson and c. S. McFarlin, and five
| hours after it was founded the entire
| plant was destroyed by fire, with tbs
| exception of a small job press and 8
case of type. Nothing daunted Mr.
| Devine and his partners commence
| the publication of a daily the Afternoon
after the fire, and continued it for sew
eral years.
C. M. Rair has gone to Seattle on :
business trip to meet his partner, l.. +.
Miller. the inventor of the Klondik
thawing machine, in which Mr.. Bal
and Mr.. Thomas Linton of this cit,
are part owners They have 10 of thes'
| machines at work in the Klondike, ant
they are reported to be doing good worl
| in thawing the frozen placer ground
and are bringing in a good income Il
/ the owners of the patent. Messrs. Bal
| and Linton will leave next month 70
| a second visit to the gold fields of tn
| frozen North.