The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1903-12-18
QUESTION OF MUCH LOCAL IN
TEREsT REVIVED.
BOTH JUST AND NECESSARY
Commercial Committee Appeals to
Representative Dixon for Intro
duction of Desired Measure.

With the receipt of the news OF
the introduction of the Dixon bill for
opening the Grow reservation local
interest is revived in the matter OF
the creation of an additional land dis
trict in the eastern part of the state,
with a land office in Billings.
1t will be remembered that at the
last regular session of congress a
bill for such a district was intro
duced in the senate by Senator Glib
son, but he could not muster votes
enough and it was defeated. AS the
bill opening the reservation also fail
ed of passage the matter was permit
ted to drop. Now, however, that anoth-
er effort is making to secure cession
Of the Indian lands, and with appar-
ent good prospects of success, the at
tempt to secure a land office for this
city will be renewed and the Montana
delegation will be asked to do all in
it's power to make the attempt sue
cessful. H""..
Making First Move.
AS a preliminary move in the d.
rection Henry White, secretary of the
commercial committee of the Billings
club, has decided to write a letter
to Mr.. Dixon urging him to follow up
his bill for opening the reserve with
another for a new land district and
the establishment of a land office in
this city. He will be asked to frame
the bill so as to include in the pro-
posed district practically all the same
territory that was covered by the
Gibson bill. Under that measure the
Billings land district, as it was styled,
embraced all of Yellowstone and Car
bon, the east half of Sweet Grass and
portions of Fergus, Meagher and
Rosebud counties, an area now divid-
ed between the Bozeman, Judith and
Miles City land districts.
What the Map Shows.
Reference to the map will show
that Billings is almost the exact cen
ter of the proposed district and that
it's creation would be a convenience
to the settlers who have taken up
land within it's limits. Even as now
apportioned, the bulk of what may
be called available public land on
which filings must be made in the
Bozeman Office is contained in Yellow
stone county. To this should be added
the lands that will become subject
to entry when the reservation is open
ed-for it will be opened sometime
and the aggregate will be the largest
of any area embraced within a single
district in the state.
II formed, the new district will cut
the deepest into the Bozeman district,
but this will still leave a large terri
tory subject to entry there. Only
a very small portion of the Judith and
Miles City districts will be taken.
Hardship on Settlers.
AS apportioned at present many
settlers who are required to make
their filings in the Judith district
must come south to Billings, thence
west over the Northern Pacific to
Townsend and thence north again to
L~ewistown, involving a journey of sew
eral days and a cost of time and
money that very many can i'll afford.
This applies to the settlers to the
north and in the southern limit of
that district. Many who must file at
Bozeman have to travel fully as far
and be as long making the trip. By
creating the Billings district all this
would be done way with and the
hardships complained of will cease.
1t is an actual fact that the furthest
point in the proposed district is near
er to Billings than Bozeman, while
it is also a fact that the nearest point
to that place in Carbon and the east
half OF Sweet Grass is nearer to Bill
ings; hence the convenience the new
district would prove to the settlers
in that section.
All this will be duly set forth to
Nh. Dixon and impressed upon him.
All Should Help.
In order that nothing may be left
undone calculated to help the matter
along it has been suggested that the
commercial committee should not be
depended upon alone, but that every.
body urn in and assist. Many have