The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1903-09-29
9ncnl ue,us Gtents.

observed COlfax day last Tues
day evening with banquet, pro-
gram and dance.
The Poverty Social given at
the church last Friday evening
was well attended. Numerous
fines were imposed by the com
mittee on inspection.
See how the honest rancher packs
His spuds up for town.
This is the top row of his sacks
o o o O o o o o o
And this is lower down,
oooooOoooOooooooOoOoooo
R. N. Hull and Sheriff E.
G. Chamberlain departed on last
Tuesday morning for Seafoam,
where Mr.. Hull owns an interest
In the Mt. King mine. They ex-
pect to be absent two weeks.
Mrs. w. W. West has sold the
Metropolitan lodging house and
will give up possession on the
first of the month, when she will
make a visit to her daughter,
Mrs. DIR. Pyle, in San Francisco.
-Pocatello Advance.
VIM. Buster has full car load
of celebrated Oregon apples or
dered which will arrive next
month. Those who are in need
of apples will do well to wait
until the arrival of his shipment.
Besides extra quality apples he
will sell them at bedrock prices.
The opening exercises of the
Annual Convention of the Sover-
eign Grand Lodge of Odd Eel
lows. began at Baltimore. Md,
on Monday morning. Sept. 81.
The annual report of the Grand
Sire and Commander III Chief.
John B. Goodwin. which was
read, shows the order to be in a
flourishing condition. The total
membership is 1929. $50 and the
total revenue S11, 553, 905. an in
crease of S771, ,343 over the pre-
ceeding year. The relief expend-
ed in 1902 was S3. 1913, 220.
W. A. Richards, Commissioner
of the General Land Office, has
rendered decision to the effect
that large area of alleged min
eral lands in Shoshone county.
Idaho, is non mineral. The case
is that of the Northern Pacific
railroad protesting against the
classification of mineral lands
made by the mineral land com
mission. A great part of it has
been considered mineral in char
acter for the past 10 years. and
many mineral claims of worth
have been located in the district,
but this decision of the land Off
ce, unless reversed. will invali-
date all mining locations that
have been made on odd-number-
ed sections. The decision has
caused a sensation, and iEdigna-
ton is rife.
The territory affected by the
decision consists of 81 townships,
containing an area of more than
80 square miles, or 80, 900 acres
living south of Wallace in the
CRur d'Alene mining region
The lands were classified as min
eral bv a commission composed
of ex- Governor Black. of Utah
Colonel Ryan, of Rathdrum, anC
State Senator Davis, of Idaho
who visited this district for thai
purpose in 1899, 1900 and 1901,
The hearing of the Northern
Pacific company's protest wa.
held at Ceur d'Alene last Dec
ember. and United States Distric
Attorney Cozier, of Moscow, ap
peared on behalf of the govern
ment. 1t is alleged that Coziel
agreed to the evidence produces
by the railroad company without
attempting to protest. and tina
the three years work of the gov
ernment land commission was re
versed by witnesses of the rail
road, who swore to the non-min
eral character of the land.
If the present decision of tn,
general land office is not revers
ed the Northern Pacific compan,
will get every odd-numbereC
section involved and person
owning valuable mining claims
thereon, whether quartz or plac
er, will Oe compelled TO purchas
the same from the railroad com
pany or forfeit their rights.
This is another case where th'
corporations, aided by govern
ment officials, are endeavoring t
steal the property of the poor
/ Many mines are located, on th'
land in question, and producing
mineral. and because the big cor
poration desires to rob the min