The Holly chieftain., 1904-05-06
STATE CAPITAL NOTES
seecher Island Battlefield.

Colorado, VIII be set aside by the gov
e.2ment for park purposes. This land.
on which there is now a wooden
monument. will be cared for by the
Beecher Island Battle and Memorial
Association. Trees have already been
planted on the site, and every effort
is being made to beautify the historic
ground on which General Forsyth and
his band of gallant scouts made their
determined and successful stand
against Roman Nose in 1868.
Unfortunately. however. the memo
rial association does not control the
entire battlefield. More than half the
historic island is owned by the state of
Colorado, and is leased for farming
purposes. A barb-wire fence extends
close to the spot where the gallant
Lieut.. Beecher fell, and where Roman
Nose was shot from his horse. Such
condition of affairs reflects seriously
on the state of Colorado. The few
acres on the lower half of the island
should be made over to the memorial
association. thus giving the public this
entire battlefield.
Beecher Island is the scene of the
most desperate fight in American his
tory. Cyrus Townsend Brady in re-
cent article on the battle, places it
second to the Alamo as an exhibition
of American pluck. cOolness and skill
But where the brave fighters of the
Alamo were eventually overcome and
slain, it must be remembered that the
Beecher island fighters, though be
leaguered for nine days on this little
island, with nearly 1000 savages sur
rounding them, and making repeated
charges, killed the leader of the OPP
posing forces and hello out until rescue
arrived.
To many this battle-ground is of
more interest than the Custer battle
ground, and there is no doubt that in
time to come Beecher island will be
visited by thousands of Americans.
glad to look upon the place where such
heroism was displayed.
1t rests with the state of Colorado
to do all in its power to preserve this
battle-ground, where the bones of sew
eral of the Beecher island fighters
still rest, and whose story must thrill
Americans as long as pride in Ameri-
can heroism endures. At the earliest
opportunity the remainder of this land
should be placed in the proper hands.
Representative Bonynge's work has
made it practically certain that Con
RADIO should do its loyal part-Denver
Republican.
Prominent in the mineral display
from Colorado at tne Worlds Fair will
be radium- bearing ores and extrac-
tions. These are now being prepared
at the State Bureau of Mines and will
be forwarded soon. Accompanying
the ores will be photographs taken by
the use of radium, and altogether the
display is calculated to awaken much
interest.
With brief announcement and
sharp rap of his well-worked gavel.
President pro tenn Frye adjourned the
Senate sine die at 2 p. m. April 2Sth,
the hour fixed by resolution of the two
houses of Congress. The occurrence
was devoid of unusual incident. and
the final close of the session was but
slightly different from the end of an
ordinary days sitting. The work of
the session had been concluded before
the final word was said, SO that nei-
ther rush nor confusion marked the
end
Two appointments to Office were an
nounced by Governor Peabody before
starting for ST. Louis. Mrs C. p Daw-
son of Canon City, in accordance with
a recommendation of the Colorado Fed
Grafton of Woman's Clubs, has been
appointed member of the Colorado
travelling library. to fill vacancy
caused by the resignation of Mrs. w.
S. Peabody of Denver W. H. Thomas
of Boulder. where he is county super
intendent of schools, was appointed as
a member of the State Normal Exam
lining board
Favorable reports were authorized
by the House committee on patents on
the Mann bill amending the patent
laws by authorizing the issuance of
patents on the formulas of proprietary
remedies instead of on the manufac-
tured articles, and the Tawney bill re-
quiring affidavits to be filed with copy
right applications stating the place
where the type for the publication was
set. No copyrights to be issued on
works not printed in this country The
penalty for misstatement in the afii-
davit is fixed at $1,000.
Evidence of the early completion of
the Denver mint is found in the re-
Gently posted announcement of the
Civil Service commission in the fed
eral building of examination TO be held
on May 18th for eligibies TO fill posi-
tions as medalist and diemaker in the
Philadelphia mint, where all the dies
for Uncle Sans various mints are
made and repaired. When the coinage
department of the new local mint is
read for operation in July 1905, more
assistants Wal be necessary in the die
making department of the institution
at Philadelphia.
The United States civil service COM
mission has issued an announcement of
an examination of annlicants for nnsi-