The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1903-08-18
TAKES HAND IN A
BITTER LAND WAR
Federal Government Reopens
Lily Park Case.
SALT LAKERS INTERESTED
POSSIBLE BLooDsHED AvERTED
BY DECISION.
SALT LAKERS INTERESTED

Uncle Sam has decided to take hand
in the war between the Lily Park
Stock Growers association, organized
by Salt Lake men. and group Of set
tiers and alleged claim-jHmpers in
Routt county, Colorado The contest
has been so bitter that for some time
blOOdshed has on occasions been inn
minent. The fight IS FOR possession of
between 1000 and 1000 acres of fine
ranch land. The interior department
has now concluded to open the case
and hear testimony on the subject,
thus temporarily avertinE the prospect
of physical hostilities.
The news Of this decision came yes
terda,- in a letter 20 =. w. Senior, at
torney for Wells. Fargo & Co, from
Washington attorneys. In his decision
the commissioner of the land office
says:
Upon consideration of the protest it
is the opinion Of this Office that "A suf-
ficient basis of facts is alleged to sup
port the allegation of willful fraud en-
tered by the protestants against the
entries herein last described; and. fur
Their, that certain rights and equities
are presented for adjudication; and
that to enable the record to be pro-
duced in regular and orderly form 4
hearing as prayed for should be grant
ed.
1T is, therefore. ordered that you
issue notice upon the protest affidavit,
which is herewith returned. to be made
part of said record. and set date for
such hearing as shall be most cOnven-
lent for all parties thereto, and there
after proceed in regular manner as pre-
scribed in the rules of practice now
in force, and in due time report"
The order is addressed to the COM
missioner at GlenwOOd Springs. where
it is expected there will be a hearing in
a short time.
Founded by G. NJ. Scott.
The story Of the case goes back
about twenty years. George NJ. Scott
Of Salt Lake and others were attracted
by the richness of the lands i'm Lily
park. near the junction of the Bear and
Snake rivers. in Routt county, Colo
RADIO. approximately 100 miles north
west of Rifle. They bought up land
from settlers already on it and from the
state, and spent about $4,000 or i'm
prOvementS. The Lily Park Stock
Growers association was organized
and Incorporated under the laws OF
Utah. The ranch was stocked with
cattle and thoroughly equipped. A
loan Of $4,000 was afterward negoti-
ated from Wells, Fargo & Co, and a
mortgage. on the ranch given. The
bank fOreclOsed and took the ranch.
A little over a year ago James s.
Barnes, foreman Of the ranch, discOV-
cred that no government monument as
a basis for surveys could be found. 1t
developed that the surveyor having the
contract had turned in a plat without
actually going over the ground. Con-
sequently there was d question whether
the descriptions in the United States
patents covered the ground which had
been occupied Three surveyors re-
ported that there was no way of tell
ing accurately the location of the land
from the descriptions. but Preston
King, the county surveyor. made a plat
which threw the company's lands out
on the mountains and left the fertile
improved valleys open for entry.
Land is Jumped.
According to the state law. this sur
vey was official. and Barnes, with a
number of others, filed on the company
been constant strife. which at times
looked like actual warfare. Barnes and
his aides took possession. throwing out
the company's agent, and they still
hold armed possession Efforts to dis
lodge them by diplomatic negotiations
have failed, and so far force has not
been used. The present development
will throw the burden of enforcing the
decision on the United States govern
ment.