The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1907-02-15
E xE r1v E
Latest Big Land Fraud.


Following extensive investigations
by officers Of the interior department
the department of justice has charged
large number of New York and New
Jersey people with making dummy en-
tries of valuable coal lands to the ex-
tent of 10000 acres in the Big Horn
basin Of Wyoming, The Northwest
ern Coal Mining company, New Jer-
sey corporation, capitalized at 100000,
and the Owl Greek company, incorpo-
rated in South Dakota, both doing
business in Wyoming, are the concerns
whose operations have been made the
subject of Investigations. Behind these
! companies Is said to stand a big rail-
road system that was DESTROYS of OBJ
tanning the land alleged to have been
entered and subsequently patented in
violation of law. The Hartman and
Gould roads are mentioned, as we'll as
the Chicago. Burlington and Quincy.
| The Burlington is now building
| branch from it's main line to that part
Of the Big Horn basin where the lands
| alleged to have been obtained through
fraud are situated.
New Santo Domingo Treaty.
1t was learned at the state depart
ment Feb 4 by cable from Santo Do
| mingo City that our minister, Thom-
as G. Dawson, and representative OF
the Dominican government had signed
treaty to be substituted for the pres
| ent one, which has never been con
firmed by the senate. The new treaty
Is simpler in form and provides for
continuance of the modus vivendi uu-
der which for a year and a half the
Dominican customs have been collect
ed by American agents, chief of whom
is George II. Cotton. So far the diver
sion of 90 per cent of these duties has
placed $2,300,000 to the credit of SantO
Domingo in the National City bank of
New York. At this rate it is estimated
that the entire Dominican debt will be
wiped out in ten or twelve years. but
If the treaty is ratified there will be q
bond issue of $20000,000 on fifty years
time.
Federal Shipbulding Costly.
A statement issued by Secretary of
the Navy Metcalf dealing with the con-
struction of the battleships Connecticut
and Louisiana, the former by the gov
eminent navy yard at Brooklyn and
the latter by the Newport News Ship
building company, shows that the gov
eminent built ship cost $3.50, 425 more
than the private built one. The cost of
the Connecticut was $G,340,247 and of
the Louisiana $5,9SO,S22.
divers Canal Company.
The Panama Construction company,
which William j. Oliver, the Knox
vile (Tenn) contractor, has organized
at New York to support his bid for the
government contract to build the Par.
anna canal, has chosen for its president
John y. Mcdonald, the man who SUI
lperintended the construction Of the
New York subway. Mr.. Oliver himself
is be first vice president and general
manager Il. G. Stevens does not ap-
pear as officer or contractor, although
he Is the financier behind the enter
prise. The capital stock Of the com
pany is 10000 shares Of 500 each, and
the cash in hand is $1,50O,O0O. Nine
contracting engineers have become in
lcorporators, each of whom has large
force of men and experts at his dis
posal George j. Brennan Of Washing
ton and Robert Russell of Lynchburg,
Va, will share with Mr.. Oliver the
actual supervision OF construction,
while the Pierce Brothers will have
charge of the masonry. Patrick II.
Walsh will look after the excavating.
William H. Sayre and John II. Gerrish
will see to the dredging.
Roosevelt Sustains Hitchcock.
In letter the president has approved
the policy OF Secretary Of the Interior
Hitchcock relative to the withdrawal
Of coal, Oil and gas lands in the Indian
Territory to prevent their falling into
the hands of certain monopolistlc cor
porations This comes in response to
The recent talk of certain senators, who
proposed to impeach Secretary Hitch
rock.
President Praises Davis.
In letter to Secretary Metcalf the
president, referring to the report OF
Admiral Evans in commentator Of the
sourse Of Admiral Davis at Kingston.
expresses hearty approval of all that
Davis did during the earthquake panic
At the jamaican capital. saying that he
upheld the best traditions Of our navy
In thus rendering distinguished serv-
zee to humanity"