The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1907-11-20
MONTANA BRIEFLETS.
SHORT ITEMS OF NEWS FROM
ALL OVER THE STATE.
What Has Happened in Montana Dur.
ing the Past Few Days.

HELENA, Nov. 14.-Register John
Z. Schmit, of the state land board,
yesterday received notice of the ap-
proval by the government Of the states
patent on 6, 40S acres of school iudem.
nifty lands. These lands were selected
five, six and seven years ago by the
state in lieu of lands which were taken
from the state by the government for
Indian reservations, forest reserva.
ton and other purposes.
LIVINGSTON, Nov. 13.-One of the
most disastrous fires in the history of
Livingston occurred last night when
the west side school, erected in 1892,
was completely cleaned out by fire.
The flames were discovered about 1O:4O
p. M, and within five minutes they
were breaking through the roof. The
fire is supposed to have started in the
furnace room. The insurance is S12, 600
and it would cost twice that much to
erect the sam building today.
HELENA, Nov. 13.-Judge Hunt con.
vened the fall term of the federal court
today and made the announcement tn at
he expected the term would continue
until April. He will summon a grand
jury December 2 for the purpose of
inquiring into the cases coming up
from United States commissioners
since last June. There are about
twenty-five cases pending, including
two on the charge of murder. A trial
jury will be called in about two weeks.
BILLINGS, Nov. 15.-Four Cheyenne
Indian boys were instantly killed yes
terda y near Birely, Mont, fifty miles
from here, by the explosion of a key
of giant powder, which they had stolen
from the workmen employed on the
government reclamation project near
there. They had been watching the
men use the powder, and when a
chance vas offered, stole the key,
which they attempted to discharge,
being blown to atoms.
M1ssoULA, Nov. 15.-Shelton Nc
CLAIM, aged Sc years, n of the we'll.
known and highly.respected residents
of the Bitter Root valley and an old
timer Of Western Montana, died sud-
denly at Lolo yesterday evening of
heart failure. Mr.. McClain was en-.
gagged in directing the loading of a
car of apples when he was seized with
an attack of heart failure and expired
before help or medical aid could be
summoned.
BUTTE, Nov. l5.-Detective j. S..
Delaney, in the employ of the Great
Northern Railway company, is in
Butte working on the evidence to be
used in the trial of Charles Mcdonald
and George Van Hauser, prisoners in
the kalispell Jail, charged with the
$780, 600 robbery of the overland limited
at Rondo, Mont, Sept. II last. 1t
was this pair who threw money so
carelessly about Butte after the rob-
berry, and by pursuing the same tao.
tics later in Bonner's Ferry, Idaho,
brought about their own arrest a few
days after in Spokane.
BILLINGS, Nov. l5.-Reports from
the big tunnel of the Billings 4 North
ern railroad, ii miles vest of Billings
which has been in course of construc-
ton for several months, are to the eff
feet the bore is almost finished. The
length of the tunnel is nearly $500
feet, and 1t was driven through a
solid rock cliff which stands between
the Yellowstone valley and the Lake
Basin country. Work has proceeded
SO far that it is now possible to walk
through the tunnel, and the finishing
touches are now being put On.
MlsSoULA, Nov. l6.-The work of
classifying and a%ppraising the lands
of the Flathead Indian reservation by
the commission appointed for that
purpose will commence Monday. The
commission was organized about ten
days ago, but owing to the fact that
Major Rankin, the alloting agent, had
not the maps and plats prepared the
commissioners were obliged to wait
for a few days.
BozEMAN, Nov. l6.-E. w. kir 9
and Charles S. Hartman have return.
ed from the West G ALI basin, where
they went to investigate the gold dig.
gings near Michener's. They washed
half a dozen wheelbarrows of dirt and
got 20 cents worth Of gold. Although
neither OF the gentlemen will say very
much abont their trip. there is every
reason to believe the diggings are no,
very rich, or else they did not have 8
very good claim to work upon.
ANACONDA, Nov. l6.-Postmas,e,
Errett has received a telegram from
First Assistant Postmaster General