The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1903-01-16
GUARDIANSHIP OF IRRIGATION
COMMITTEE VACANT.
MONDEL May BE SELECTED
Wyoming's Representative Well Quail.
flied to Fill the Position-BilI
Concerning Use of Timber.

Washington, Jan. l3.-The death of
Representative Tongue leaves a
vacancy at the head of the committee
on irrigation of arid lands and it is
believed that Speaker Henderson will
assign Frank w. Mondell of Wyoming
to the craftsmanship of this important
committee. Congressman w. A. Reed
er of Kansas is the ranking member
of the committee on irrigation, but
as he now has a Craftsmanship, being
chairman of the committee on mile
Age, it is believed General Henderson
will jump him and assign Mondell,
who stands next on the committee
list.
Frank Mondell is particularly we'll
equipped to head this committee.
First, he comes from the west, is thor
oughly familiar with all land mat
tiers and has given special attention
to irrigation matters. Before enter
ing congress Mr.. Mondell was assist
ant commissioner Of the general land
office and in that position learned a
great deal regarding administrative
features appertaining to the general
land laws of the country.
Measure on Use Of Timber.
Representative Mondell today intro
duced a bill amending the existing
law relative to the use of timber
from public lands by settlers. Mr..
Mondell, in explaining his bill today,
;said:- The bill is intended to take
the place of a mass of legislation
somewhat conflicting and largely OBJ
solete in relation to the free use OF
timber taken from public lands by
settlers, miners and ~prospectors and
the sale of timber from public lands
for purposes of development, and to
enact in lieu of such legislation a sim
pie and concise measure which clear
ly defines the rights of settlers and
prospectors in the free use of timber
on the public domain and makes lib
eral provision for such use.
"My bill also provides for the sale
of timber from public lands in cases
where the secretary of the interior
decides that such sale is necessary for
the development of the region and not
detrimental to the forests. The ne
cessity of a provision of this kind has
been made very apparent by a decl-
sion rendered by the secretary of the
interior to the effect that the law I'M
der which the department has been
making sales from public lands did
not authorize such sales. My bill
does not in any way interfere with or
modify the provisions Of the law pro-
yiding for the sale of public timber
lands under the law known as the tim
Der and stone act"
Warren Leaves for West.
Senator Warren left here this al
terneon for Kansas City, where he
will preside al the annual meeting OF
E liz A\dlIOl1ol
ton, of which he is president.
Hon. George T. Beck, recent demo
cratic candidate for governor of Wyo-
ming, is here. While in the east he
will attend the directors meeting OF
the Cody Canal company. He called
at the postofice department to have
Frank Hoeckel of Cheyenne given the
place in the railway mail service held
by his brother, Ed Hoeckel, killed last
week while in the discharge of his
duty on the Cheyenne and Pocatello
run.
Stopping Spread of Disease.
Senator Warren, from the commit
tee on agriculture, today presented a
favorable report on the house bill en-
larging the power of the secretary OF
agriculture in preventing the spread
of infectious and contagious diseases
of live stock. The bill authorizes the
secretary to establish rules and regu-
lations concerning the transportation
of live stock in the United States and
to foreign countries, as he may deem
necessary to prevent the spread OF
disease. The house bill is amend
ed so as to provide for the infiiction
Of a penalty on persons, companies OF
corporations violating the act, of a
fine of 500 to 5000 Or Imprisonment
for not more than n year.