davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1908-03-25
Montana Matters In Congress.

WASHINGTON, March 2O.-Fletcher
Maddox, Of Great Falls, has been
rendered by the president the position
Of solicitor of the Internal revenue
bureau in the treasury department on
the recommend alton of the Montana
senators. The place pays . salary Of
a, 500 per year. A. B. Hayes, of Utah,
who has been solicitor OF the intern al
revenue bureau for several years, has
resigned.
The legislative, executive and
judicial senate bill increases the
salary OF the surveyor general OF
Montana from the house provision OF
81, 600 to $4,000 and the appropriation
for the clerks in the office from Oil 900
to S13, 900.
The senate committee on public
lands has ordered q favorable report
on bill to restore to the register OF
the land Office fees collected for can.
cellatious of land entries. Since
1892 fee of 81 has been collected on
such cancellations, and the fee under
the law was retained by the registers.
The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1908-03-25
Favor The Mondell 6ili.

WASHINGTON, March 10. - The
house committee on public lands has
agreed to report favorably the bill in
troduced BY Mr.. Mondell of Wyoming
to increas from l6O to 32O acres the
amount Of non.timbered. non-irrigat-
ed lands TAXA BILE under he homestead
act. The bill provides, however, that
continuous residence must be had on
the homestead for Eve consecutive
years and requires a certain amount
of cultiv alton of the soil.
The law governing ordinary home
stead entry on plots of 100 acres Is
not in any way changed by this bill
whose sole object Is to promote re.
clamation of semi arid lands by dry
farming in the states Of Colorado,
California, Idaho, Montana, Nevada,
North Dakota, Oregon, Utah, Wash
ington and Woming and the terri
tories of Arizona and New Mevico.
If the bill becomes a law many
millions Of acres of land will be made
subject to enlarged homestead entry.
The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1908-03-25
LEGISLATION IS NEEDED.
President Will Send Message To Con-
gress Requesting Action.

WASHINGTON, March 2l.--President
Roosevelt has determined on a legis-
lative program, the enactment of which
will be urged upon congress in spe.
cial message which he said today will
go in next week. Each of the measures
to be proposed involves perplexing
difficulties and each will have far.
reaching effect on business and eco.
nomic conditions of the country. The
program is the product of important
conferences, through which the presi-
dent has been put in possession of
views of all interests concerned. Like.
wise, the attitude of the leaders in
both branches of congress has been
made known. Its success depends 9
upon the combined effort which he be-
lieves can be brought to bear in be.
half Of the whole plan by those affect.
ed, especially by some one of its fea.
lures.
The program includes q declar alton
in favor of revision of the tariff in q
special session, to be held after March
1, 1909: an amendment to the Sherman
antitrust law so as to make important
concessions to com bin nations of both
labor and capital; limiting the powers
of certain courts in the use of injunc.
tion in labor disputes; passage of an
employers liability bill: passage OF
the Aldrich financial bill.
The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1908-03-25
BANDITS ARE MISSING.
Trial Of Alleged Train Robbers Post
poned Because Of Escape.

HELENA, March 23.-Judge Hunt
this morning, when the cases of G. E.
Mcdonald and George Frankhauser,
the escaped train robbers, we're called
for trial, ordered United States Mar.
shall Merrifeld to make q thorough
investig alton of the escape of the two
desperate bandits. The marshal was
directed by the court to investigate all
the facts relating to the escape and
lay the responsibility, If any devel-
oped by his investig alton, before the
United States district attorney.
The latter official is instructed to
ascertain if there has been any VIC.
lating Of the law on the part OF the
officers entrusted with the care OF the
prisoners. Judge Hunt then an.
nounced that the cases would be con-
tiuued until Thursday morning.
phase OF the question not raised
to date is uncertainty as to the gov
ernment's attitude toward Sheriff
Shoemaker. in whose charge the
prisoners we're at the time of the es-
cape,
When Harvey Logan, alias Kid
Curry, the noted bandit, escaped from
the sheriff at Nashville, Tenn, gov
ernment officials lost sight of the es.
cape and entered suit against the
sheriff for SIG, 900 for his part in the
affair. a jury gave the government
verdict for the full amount, which
the sheriff's bondsmen had to pay.
1t is said in Spokane that action of
similar nature will be taken against
the sheriff of Lewis and Clark county
and than the governmen. will insist
upon an example being made that oc.
currences Of this kind may not be re-
peated.
The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1908-03-25
Menaced 6y Floods.

PITTsBURG, March l9.-Wi:h sur.
prising suddenness another flood of the
rivers is being experienced in Pitts.
burg and vicinity. According to the
weather bureau. possible stage OF
33 feet is expected early tomorrow.
Should 33 feet of water be reached, it
will lack but 81 feet of the great flood
of March Is, last.
Although the food may not be as
serious as scheduled it will be attend.
ed by enormous loss, some of which
has already been inflicted. Thousa sands
OF cellars and the first floors of hund-
reds of homes in the lowlands are
Hooded: muddy water is flowing
through scores of industrial plants,
and it is estima ated that at least $4,000
employees will be unable to work to-
morrow.
The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1908-03-25
Threatened With Assassination

CHICAGO, March 10. - 1t bee anne
known yesterday that sens aiional let
ters threatening uoyel and h!deous
form of assassination have been re.
ceived lately by Mayor Bus=e and Chief
Schuetler. The letters inclo,ed doz.
en- or more small steel points. They
were smooth, bright aud sharp.
The writer said he was one of a
number OF persons banded together to
kill the mayor and .tner officials. A
revolver, he said, aad been construct.
ed to shoot cartridges composed OF
steel points, samples of which were in.
closed. The shooting would be noise.
less and the steel points, the writer
said. were dipped in deadly poison and
could be sho, into the system of the
intended victim and death would ensue
at once.
The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1908-03-25
For Second Desert Entries.

WASHINGTON, NJ arch 2O.-Sena ator
Dixon called up in the senate and
secured the passage today of bill
previously passed by the house pro.
viding for second desert land entries.
The bill, which now goes to the presi-
dent for sign ature, provides that any
person who has made q desert entry,
but from any cause has lost, forfeited
or abandoned it, shall be entitled to
the benefits of the desert land law as
though the former entry had not been
made; the act not to apply. however,
to any person whose former entry was
assigned. in whole or in part, or can
celled for fraud, or who relinquished
former entry for valuable considera-
ton.
The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1908-03-25
Wealth From Western Farms.

OMAHA, March 23.-The statistic al
bureau Of the Union Pacific passen-
ger department has Issued a statement
complied from government reports
showing the value OF farm products
in IL states west of tae Mississippi in
1907 to have been billion and ninety
one million dollars.
Corn leads in production, being
valued at nearly halt billion dol.
lars. Winter wheat is next, being
valued at two hundred million dollars,
and domestic hay was valued at only
two million dollars, Rye, oats, bar.
ley and potatoe. follow in order.
The report is compared with the
The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1908-03-25
ORCHARD IS SENTENCED.
Judge Wood Expresses Opinion That
His Testimony Was True.

CALDWELL, Ida, March lS.-Judge
Fremont Wood today sentenced Harry
Orchard to be hanged May Is, but
accompanied the sentence with a rec.
0mmendation to the state board OF
pardons for Communication of sentence
without indicating the degree of com.
mutation. He directed Orch ards at.
torney to prepare and present a peti.
tion for pardon or commutation.
He based the recommendation upon
a long legal decision quoting authori.
ties, holding that an equitable righ,
exists on the part of confessing &C.
complice telling the whole truth, and
declared he believed Orchard told the
full and exact truth; that the men
Orchard implicated would yet receive
punishment.
He said the acquittal of Haywood
and Pettibone is not inconsistent with
his declar alton, as the verdicts do not
signify that Haywood and Pettibone
are innocent, but that the state failed
to present enough legal evidence aside
from the confession to warrant a con-
viction.
Judge Wood expressed the belief
that Orchards life should be spared
as sufficient corrobor ative evidence
would yet be found to bring to pun
ishment those associated with him in
the commission of his crimes.
AS the Judge spoke Orchard broke
down and wept for the first time.
Orchard asked permission to make a
statement. He said he wanted to add
that he made his confession without
hope of earthly reward or without
promise OF immunity.
The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1908-03-25
A TARIFF COMMISSION.
Wisconsin Senator Introduces a Bill
That Affects Trusts.

WASHINGTON, March 20.-If q bill
for the creation Of q tariff commission
which was introduced today by Sena.
tor LsFollette should become law it
would be competent for the commis.
sion and the president acting together
to suspend any tariff schedule and put
on the free list any article upon which
there was such com bination as would
control production or prices either in
the United States or in any foreign
market.
The bill provides for the appoint.
ment of q commission of nine men,
bers, one from each judicial circuit OF
the union, and no one of which will
be . member of congress. Not more
than five are to be members of any
one political party.
One is to be skilled in mauufactur.
ing, another in agriculture, another
in imports, another a representative
of labor, next a lawyer, skilled in
tariff laws; the next an expert in tariff
and reciprocity, one in the knowledge
OF production and accounting, another
who has made a study Of foreign mar.
kets and the last IAN eminent ecouo-
mist"
The members are to receive q salary
OF $40, 900 and after the first IL years
of the existence of the commission
each of the members is to be appoint.
ed for ten years. The first appoint.
ments are arranged to termin ate SO
that new member should be appoint.
ed every year.
The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1908-03-25
Rate Law Knocked Out.

WASHINGTON, March 23.-The sue
preme court of the United States TO-
day denied the petition Of attorney
Edward Toung of Minnesota, for .
writ Of habeas corpus in the case In
which he 10 held for contempt of court
by the United States circuit court of
Minnesota because he refused to abide
by an injuuctinon issued by that court
forbidding him taking any action
looking to the enforcement of the
maximum rate railroad law.
The court at the same time pro-
uounced invalid the Minnesota law
regulating both freight and passenger
rates. The opinion was announced by
Justice Peckham, who held the MINI.
esota law to be unconstitutiona al on
its face because of the enormous
pen alties imposed for disobedience to
The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1908-03-25
MINERAL LAND FRAUDS.
Northern Pacific Selections In Mon.
tana Will Be Investigated.

HELENA, March 19.-Upon state
ments made to President Roosevelt by
a special committee from the Montana a
Mine Owners association concerning
the alleged fraudulent classification by
the commission appointed under the
Mckinley regime in relation to the
mineral lands of the Northern Pacific
railroad, the president has instructed
Secretary of the Interior Garfield to
make thorough investig alton of the
charges.
J. A. Rowaud, who was chairman
of the committee which called at the
White house, said tonight that Secre-
tary Garfield assured him that a com.
mission will be appointed to conduct
an investigation during the coming
summer at some central point in the
state. Sixty instances of alleged
frauds were presented to the federal
authorities, and on his return to Hell.
ena today Mr.. Rowand found % other
cases.
The law under which the classi6ca a.
tions were made was passed by con.
gress about ten years ago. Montana
and Idaho we're laid off into four dis.
tricts, three in Montana and one in
Idaho, aud three commissioners were
appointed for each district to make
classi6cations. The appoiutees were
political and it is charged that the
commissioners were not sufficiently
expert in the business and that the
Northern Pacific proflted by the classi.
fications. Charges have been made
that worthless land was classified as
mineral so that it would not fall to
the Northern Pacific allotment and
that the timber lands were classified
as agricultural. The law says the To-
cation of q mining claim shall be
prima facie evidence that the land is
mineral, but it is contended in the
charges laid before the secretary of
the interior that the law was ignored
in that respect.
About II, 100000 acres of land have
already been classified and about
6OO,00 acres still remain to be CLASH
fed.
The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1908-03-25
BANDITS BREAK JAIL.
Two Alleged Train Robbers Escape
From Helena Prison.

HELENA, March 2l.-The boldest
and most successful jsilbreak th At has
ever been pulled OF in Helena took
place this morning when Charles Nc.
Donald and George Frankh auser,
charged with having held up q Great
Northern train 1t Rondo, in Flathead
county. last September, and securing
90. 900, cut their way out Of jail.
Within 30 minutes after their escape q
posse was in pursuit but no news of
the capture of the men has been re.
ceived.
How the men got away is . mystery
to the Jail officers. The cells Of both
were searched every day and this was
done Friday. During the afternoon
Of that day their lawyers were with
them two or three hours and they had
no reason to suspect their clients had
. desperate plan in view.
The escape was one of the ueatest
ever put through in q Montana Jail.
Four sets of steel were sawed through
The men who we're confined in separ ate
cells, removed from other prisoners,
with two empty cells between them,
not only sawed of the bars of their
cells but they also sawed . bar in an
inner corridor, which allowed them to
get to window. 1t also was iron
barred, and they sawed one OF the
bars and got out into the Jail yard.
Once there, it was not q difficult mat.
ter to get over q fence aud into an al.
ley and then disappear.
SPOKANE, March %. - Crooked
work by someone on the outside in
effecting the release of Mcdonald and
Frankhauser, alleged train robbers,
who broke Jail at Helena Saturd ay, /,
is openly charged by Spokane de-
tectives and railway officials. That
Mcdonald and Frankhauser had
agreed to plead guilty and return 500.
600 of the plunder they obtained when
they robbed the Oriental Limited on
the Great North avn railway on
Septem brr II, 1907, is the statement
made to-day by c.,y and Great North.
ern detectives. AT conference
several days ago between the prisoners
and Special Agent J. F. Delaney ot
the Great Northcrn ia the Helena Jail
1t is asserted tina, the above proposal
was made by McDona!d and his com.
panIon TO the special agent. The
latter laid the matter before the rail
way conpauy's detectives aud of.
,;a.-
The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1908-03-25
Men Fight For Work.

CLEVELAND, March 20.-Three hun.
dred men, driven to desperation by
hunger, again fought for jobs at the
Guy ahoga plant of the American Steel
& Wire company early today. Yes.
terday man was fatally shot in a
riot. The police had been warned
and several were on the ground. They
clubbed the men to keep order. 1t
was ouly with the utmost effort th at
another riot was prevented.
The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1908-03-25
Low Tourist Rates.

CHICAGO, March 2O-Travel to and
from California and the entire Pacific
coast will be cheaper this summer
than ever before during an entire
season. After a stormy session OF
the Trans. Continental Passenger as.
socia.ion yesterday the Harriman
lines and the Santa t'e gave indepen,
dent notices that they would put in
summer tourist rates to the Pacific
coast. effective between June and DC.
tober.
The notice came after al attempt on
the part CT the Great Northern ar
The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1908-03-25
RATES ARE TOO HIGH.
Important Hearing Held BY Montana
Railroad Commission.

HELENA, March 1s. = The state
board OF railroad commissioners is
holding meeting today in the house
chamber st the capitol for the purpose
Of considering distance tariffs for the
carriage Of freight under all the ten
classes, the same to be applicable to
oil railroads within the STAGE Of Mon
tana. The board regards this -
among the most important meetings
since its organization a. every person
in the state is more or less directly
interested.
The meeting was called to order by
Chairman B. T. Stanton, who stated
that the commission had taken the In.
ttiative in the matter, not as result Of
formal compla aints filed with board,
but because investiga alton had shown
that it appears rates are very much
higher in Montana than in many ad-
joining or sister states. MIR. Stanton
requested Rate Clerk Tong to read
the comparisons for various distances.
On straight distance tariffs, the clerk
read from his compilations, showing
that as compared with the following
states, the percentage In Montana was
higher in the percentage indicated by
the figures:
South Dakota 1921; North Dakota
81; Wisconsin 52.3; Minnesota 52.4;
Iowa $50. In Washington the rates
are the same as in Montana.
Mr.. Donnelly then addressed the
commission in behalf of the Northern
Pacific and Great Northern roads. He
declared that a comparison Of rates
in Montana and those in the prairie
states was manifestly unfair, and gave
history of how tariffs were made
and the circumstances which enter
thereinto. He said there were two
tariffs in Montana, both of which had
been put in effect in October, 1906.
One is a straight distance tariff and
the other q distributing tariff, that
jobbers and wholesalers might meet
eastern and western competition.
In Washington, after a full and
elaborate hearing iby that commits
sion, Mr.. Donnelly said, rates we're
agreed upon, which are identical with
those in effect here. Physical condi.
tions considered, the railroads might
we'll exact even higher rates in Mon.
tana than in Washington, helaverred.
Vice President Hannaford was
sworn and took the stand shortly be.
fore the noon recess. When his ex-
animation was concluded in the after.
noon, I. Parker Veazey, representing
the Great Northern, addressed the
commission with the request that the
hearing be postponed, saying it was
a most inopportune time, with bust.
ness conditions what they are, to think
of changing tariffs at present.
The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1908-03-25
A Roaring Well MISERY.

BELo1T. Wis, March l9.-The
roaring we'll on the Charles Lathers
farm, northeast of Beioit, sounds from
which preceded the San Francisco dis.
aster, is again emitting rumbling
noises and strong wind from its
cavernous depths. L, is asserted tn at
this we'll began roaring a few weeks
before the San Francisco earthquake
and ceased at exactly the hour of the
quake,
The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1908-03-25

citizen OF this old college town. The
famous statesman today enters upon
his seventy-second year, having been
born on March Is, 1887.
Scores of prominent people. includ.
ing many members of the Princeton
faculty, today called at the Cleveland
family home. Westlands, to pay their
respects to the aged man who has now
become known a. the Usage Of
Princeton.
The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1908-03-25

the Northern Pacific to prevent sum.
mer tourist rates from being made,
these roads arguing that . minimum
basis OF two cents q mile would be
better for the railroads. The rates to
the coast will be about $3.50 cheaper
than last year. From Chicago the
rate for the round trip to all coast
points between San Diego on the south
and Vancouver on the north will be
S72.5O.
The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1908-03-25

HELENA, March l9.-Little Stone, a
member Of the Flathead tribe, was
brought TO Helena today and lodged
in Jail to await trial on the charge of
murder. He is said to have killed
Alexander Plouf, another member of
the tribe. His victim had killed Chief
Louis, and Little Stone, a relative Of
Louis. stabbed Plout to death.
The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1908-03-25
Historical Society

previous year and indicates an in
crease of Is per cent in value Of crops
and this increase is credited to irri-
CATION. Nearly I've million acres
were under cultiv alton and the aver
age value Of crops per acre is given
at o12.66.
Iowa ranks first in corn, oats aud
potatoes, Kansas In wheat, and Me-
brssks fret In rye.
The report shows an increase In
livestock of 250 per cent since 1870.
The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1908-03-25
Grover Celebrates Birthday.

PRINCETON, n. j., March lS.-This
: great day in Princeton. 1t is the
birthday anniversary of Grover
Cleveland, the only living ex.presi.
Of the United States, who for many
years has beer the most distinguished
The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1908-03-25
Washington News Notes.

WASHINGTON, March Ex-senator
Smoot of Utah, has introduced in the
senate the enlarged homestead bill, in
identical form as the one introduced
in the house by Representative Mon.
dell OF Wyoming.
A delegation OF Crow Indians ar.
rived here today and will be given a
hearing next week by the senate com.
mittee on Indian affairs. The Crows
have several grievances, among which
is the fact that so far they have not
received any money due them for the
cession of part of their reservation
or surveys, etc. The Indians will also
be heard on plan for the establish.
ment on the reservation of great
horse breeding ranch for army horses
The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1908-03-25

LEWISTOWN, March 2l.-J. Fisher,
who had for some years made a living
by trapping bounty animals, commit
ted suicide today in local saloon by
taking strychuine. Fisher was forty
years of age and unm arried, bat had
relatives in the county.
Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1908-12-04
Wood

HICKORY WOOD CO.-2OO6 Wes, Sixth Street. Old phone 1896. Nev phone 206. All kinds of stove WOOL and blocks. All orders given promu, atteuuon. Wood delivered to any part of city. Yours for service.
Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1908-12-04
Veterinary

DRS. IIOSKINS & CAMERON-Suc, cegsors 10 Drs. Watson & Mason Office at 211 East Barraque Old phone 1150. eNw phone 330.
 Wood