The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-03-14
TOWNSHIP CASE
FOUR YEARS old
FORT BUFORD LITIGATION AGAIN
BEFORE A COMMISSIONERS.
Effort to Have the Town on the Line,
So that Whisky Could Be Sold on
the Montana Side, Thwarted by the
Great Men Tx
pect to Win Against Mercer.
Special to The journal.

Fargo, N. D., March 14.-Colonel G. "A.
Lounsberry, special examiner left last
evening for Williston to become a witness
for the occupants at the hearing Of the
Buford townsite case before United States
Commissioner Brownson. The case has
hung fire about four years, and during
that time various attempts have been
made to change the townsite at Buford to
the Montana line. At one time Ice Great
Northern sunk q we'll on the line in an at
tempt to secure water that was free from
alkali and spent $4,000 unsuccessfully
The company gave the proposition up and
as far as the railroad is concerned Buford
effort to have the town on the line so
that whisky could be sold on the Montana
side. The Great Northern was not after
that kind OF a place and its disapproval is
a black eye for the proposition.
The Buford towns:te is government land
and when the entry which was allowed
more than year ago. is adjusted to the
public surveys the occupants will obtain
title to their lots on payment Of their pro-
portion of the expenses Of entry, includ-
ing the townsite survey and costs growing
out Of the litigation.
John Mercer, who went to Buford as q
soldier thirty years ago and was custodian
Of the buildings, first under the war and
after under the interior departments, is
protesting against the townsite entry,
claiming the right to make homestead
entry, embracing the land on which his
buildings and others sold by the Minot
landoffice people, stand. The townsite peo-
pie say the act opening the reservation
gives them the right to obtain title and
there Is no other law under which titles
can be secured. So far the general land
office has sustained their contention and
the present hearing is to give Mercer a
chance to present his claims and to adjust
the lines Of the townsite to the public sur
vey. s.
The townsite people have a paper, edited
by w. R. Mumby, who has made hard
fight for four years and feels confident OF
winning.
Independents Elevator Men.
The meeting of the independent grair
elevator men in Fargo to form state as.
ISOLATION was not success, as the CHIEF
promoters of the plan were unavoidable
detained. The proposition to establish in.
dependent or farmers elevators is meeting
with approval and many are being estab
lished over the state. O. G. Major, former
mid-road candidate for governor, is thu
organizer and arranged for the erection O
a large number this summer The farm
ers' companies seem satisfied with thei
own local organizations, however, and ap
Wilson and ex-Mayor Johnson with tn,
chances In favor OF the last named. TIL,
withdrawal Of Wilson Is regarded as NOR,
favorable to Wall than Johnson for tn
friends of Mayor Sweet were back of Will
son and the majority Of them would neve
support johnson under any circumstances
Twenty candidates were initiated by tn
Elks.-In the basket ball games between
the girls Of the Fargo high school an,
| those Of the Valley City high, the latte
won and the Fargo college boys were agail
/ fIyf he "a h ohS
! Street Railway Developments.
| Fargoans are beginning to have renewe
faith in the street railway proposition. Re
cent developments are the passage Of tn
bill introduced by Congressman Spaldin
for bridge across the Red river and tn
arrival here Of more steel rails. The com
pany first proposed the erection Of it's owl
power house, but a proposition has bee,
submitted by a local concern to furnis
power that Is so favorable that it's accept
ance is probable.
| It has been learned that John Halverser
who committed suicide few miles mort
of Fargo last week by drinking liniment
has wife and son living at Kirkhogar
MINI. The jury brought in a verdict {
suicide, tho many think Halvorsen dram
the liniment to wind up a long debauc
and had no suicidal intent.
parently take little interest in the stat
association. -.
! c. E. Wilson, whose petition for nomina
ton as a mayoralty candidate had bee
largely signed, has decided not to ente
the race. It was thought there would b
a hot three cornered fight between Wal