, 1900-02-15
NOTES

posed colonization of the Big Horn
basin by Mormons. A.. o. Woodruff,
Byron Sessions and Charles WEIGH
were appointed to visit the Big Horn
country and look it owe prior to the
immigration OF Mormon colonists, who
will TO- in as soon as spring opens
up.
Last Thursday an unsuccessful at
tempt was made by unknown persons
10 steal a band of 25O sheep, owned by
Cosgrfff Brothers, and ranging in the
vicinity of Browns canon. The herder
was awakened during the night by
strange noises and getting up fired his
revolver in the air. The e morning
the band of sheep had disappeared and
on the ground We're the tracks of two
horses. The sheriff was notified and
search resulted in the finding of the
sheep near the Williams ranch, twelve
miles away.
While pushing a tunnel through Bad
ger mountain, Wyoming, on the ALI
ance-Guernsey line, n few days ago, an
immense bed of decomposed granite, or
gravel, was struck. The gravel is sim
liar to that taken from Sherman hill,
which has proven so valuable as bal
last. The workmen We're ordered to
quit n the road will probably be run
around the gravel beds. so as to pre-
serve them for use. If the gravel is as
good as is believed now, 1t will be used
extensively In ballasting the line from
Alliance to Guernsey and on across the
state to Salt Lake. From present in
dlcatlons there is an i~neXhaustible sup
ply.
The Union Pacific has again demon
strated its ability to handle big trains.
A week ago n engine hauled eighty
eight cars, representing 1888 tons,
Cheyenne to Sidney, Nebraska, but on
the 9Th engine 1901 hauled ninety-siN
cars of o a in one train, Cheyenne TO
Sidney. The tonnage was 3.942, or 300
tons more than was hauled In the first
train. These big trains, which proba-
bly, have no equal In size on any road,
nave bee dubbed the "Buckingham
Specials" Mr.. Buckingham is master
of transportation on the Union Pacific
and is known all owe the Dad as Car
Haul Ed" because of his efforts to
make big hauls with certain power.
Natural gas has been struck in the
well being drilled in the Brennan basin.
near Douglas, by the Wyoming Valley
OIL Company. When the oil sane was
tapped the event was heralded by a
roaring in the well, followed by such
an o%utpouring of gas that it was neces-
sary to Immediately draw the fires in
the drilling engines. The gas makes
n fame fifteen feet high when lighted.
The works have been shut down for n
few days. While 1t Is possible that oil
in paying quantity may be found in
this first sand, II is probable that the
drill must go down another 800 feet TO
the second sand, where the main oil
reservoir is believed to be. Indications
are that hi Wyoming Valley company
will ave n flowing well in II few
weeks.
From $4,000 to 100000 Will he eX-
pended the coming year by the Bell
Telephone Company in extending its
Wyoming lines. Eight or ten gangs of
men numbering from twenty-five IL
thirty each will be- employed construct
ing the new lines. Telephone com,
munication will he established with
Colorado. Utah. Idaho, Montana and
Washington. one line will 90 from
Laramie through North park, down the
Platte river to Saratoga and north to
Fort Steele. A continental line is also
contemplated of which the Wyoming
section will form a part, which Will
give Cheyenne people n chance to talk
with parties at various points across
the entire country.
1t has been arranged to hold the
meeting of he governors of the arid
and semi-arid states and territories,
which was called for Salt Lake and
twice postponed in Washington, Dis
trict of Columbia, February DIST. The
governors of all states II territories
are expected in Washington on thai
date as a committee to arrange for the
celebration of the location Of the ma
tfnpoI oarItnI AZ ~ ahtn1tnn and nftat
this matter has been disposed of the
western governors will hold n special
meeting to discuss arid lands, their pro
posed cession by the general govern.
ment to the states, the question of their
ina disposition, and anything relat
ing to the subject. Governor Richards
says OF the proposed meeting: What
the outcome of this meeting will be- !
do not venture to predict, and l do not
care to push by W views to the front
But the matter Is one of grent Import
ance to Wyoming, for Ii leasing and
operation of government lands has
been the means of bringing n good deal
of money into the state, and into clrcu
latiun. The sheepmen. however, ap
pear TO prefer n free range and protect
ed wool, while the cattlemen prefer the
cession of arid lands to the states,
which means a division into districts
for leasing for pasture purposes
Sheepmen do not like restricted ranges
My idea Is to secure such action as will
he to the best interest of all concerned
and the progress of the state, and | be
lieve the cesslon of the government
lands to the several states will on the
whole prove most beneficial
The details of n gigantic Mormon
colonization scheme have come TO light
which will add 10000 to the population
of Wyoming this year. The visit of
Governor Richards and Secretary OF
Slate Chatteron to Salt Lake Monday
was for the purpose of comforting with
Apostle Woodruff and other men prom
lDent in Mormon church circles rela-
tive to n colony of Mormons settling
In the Big Horn basin In northern Wyo-
ming. As 1t Is necessary TO make con
tracts with the state for lands, irriga,
ton II water rights, the Mormon
leaders appointed n committee of -four.
teen II started them to the Big Horn
basin to inspect the country, select