Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1909-12-04
idaho Homestead Committee
Recommends Return of 1000
Acres to Settlers.
CONTEST FILED BY CITIZEN
Oregon Judge to Hear Barber Cases
Boise Once More TO be Placed
On Main Line.
lsnccinl correspondence.l

the state DohIu " lhilu S"ihih'7'''it-
crs. The report. which was made up
from volumes OF evidence taken in the
investigation OF the claims OF the set
Tiers. recommends the REIMBURSEMENT
10 the settlers OF Z 900 acres OF land
n the Marble Creek country township
"a north, range 2 and 8 easD In
shoshone county. The lands so relin-
ouished are valued at about 100000.
This report was submitted IN eccor-
dance with an act of the last session
OF the legislature creating the COM
mission and providing that the state
land board should relinquish all tracts
10 the settlers rs recommended by the
commission. The commission consists
of State Land Commissioner George
A. Day, state Senator A. L. Frehafer
of Washington county, and State Re-
presentative T.. NJ. Harris. of Fremont
county. The report of the commission
Is unanimous.
This case has boen in almost con-
stant agitation for number of years:
but the states rights to the land were
affirmed by the secretary of the
Interior about two years ago.
The claims of the entrymen. who
squattcd on the land, were based on
the allegation that the register and
office failed to make a notation of
the states application for withdrawal
on the records and plats in that Of
flee, and that subsequently they went
70 the land and made settlement IN
good faith
Alleging that great injustice had
been done. the settlers carried the is
sue into politics which resulted In the
passage OF a resolution by the leGisla-
TOD "a n
for bona nde homesteaders, and 1t
MAS this sentiment. It appears. that
10 a great extent governed the mem
bcrs of the commission in passing
upon the claims. Both political par
ties during the last campaign inSert-
ed in their platforms a resolution fav-
orlng the careful consideration OF the
claims OF these settlers. looking to
their relief. ~ i-'-- -.
The investigation OF this committee
was conducted at Ferrell. kootenai
county, during the months of August
andiSeptember. Settlers were examined
with reference to each claim. The
members of the commission personally
visited. they claim, each and every
tract for which an application for re-
linquishment had been made, for tho
purpose of reviewing the Improvement.
All these things were taken into con-
SlutTdllO1 III I1lt iNPpAt ~
the state land board. which, owing TO
Its volumlnouscharactcr hssrequired
many months In preparation.
Thirteen claimants were allowed
their full claims: 10 were allowed
partial alotments. 120. so or 40 acres,
and 16 claims were entirely. rejected.
The commission seemed desirous of
compensatine the settlers for their
time OF residence upon the land and
their actual expenditures in improving
the same
Immediately following the filing of
this report William Balderston. local
register OF the United States land Of
flee as private citizen filed a con-
test in the supreme court challenging
the states right to relinquish these
lands Public opinion is greatly divid-
cd over the question, The case. there
fore, seems far from being ended.
BARBER CASES TO BE TRIED.
Following the Nranglc between coun-
pei over a date on which demurrer
and motion to quaSh the indictments
against James T. Barber and Sumner
G. Moon. Judge Dietrich of the United
States district court announced the
other day that Judge Bean of the Ore
gon federal judicial district would hear
the case. It will be remembered that
Judge Bean presided IN the civil action
against the Barber Lumber company,
holding against the oonfIscation OF 3d.
20 acres of timber lands in the Boise
basin by the government. on the
grounds Of fraud. and that the charges
made by the Encouragement were
unsupported. Judge Bean Will come
10 Bolso on the -Sth.
BLOW GIVEN, TAX SYSTEM.
In ian r,lalo-. .-z.z-At., A-, H..
.ny u1e supreme court, in the case of
The First National bank OF We.ser
against Washington county, q blow
was dealt the system OF assessment and
.dxation now In vogue in this state.
unaer which property IS assessed at
ohiy about so per cent. and in some
,ases 10 per cent, OF It's real value.
ana 10 regulate this rSLte of taxation
,ne assessors or the state have gotten
INTO the habit of meeting in convention
tdcn year and going over these ques-
eohs and passing resolutions and
huopcng measures for action. which,
according 10 this opinion of the higher
court, Is without authority of law.
property must be assessed at its full
valuation, says the court.
INCREASED PRICES.
, mere went into effect this week iu
inns city pure milk ordinance, un-
e'r inc provisions OF which all milk
"cdlsrs in Boise hereafter Will be COM
leneu To deliver milk ia sealed glass
pottics. The new ordinance also pro-
s,ues rigorous, rpoasufes regarding
e'eSn'lness, per cent OF butter rat In
MIX and tuberculosis in cattle As
q consequence Of thIs new enactment
,ne .n price of milk has risen this week
cents In price. being now $3.50 per
nionth Tor one quart a day. where for
merry the price was 80.
Meat has also talsen 4 jump In price
tne last week, especially beef The
butchers say thar owing to the ad-
sanced prlc6 or hay and grain, beef
81 .attle cost now from 50 TO 80 more than
,hey did year ago. Butter Is bring
ing 40 cents per pound and eggs 10
cents dozen.
ON MAIN LINE AGAIN.
Again Boise is being fiattcred with
main line" talk. Every little breeze
gems TO fan the blaze The Eoise
otatesman says 1t has authority Tor the
tatcment that new survey has just
zen completed. with the exception of a
wv miles. which places Boise on the
main line Of the Oregon Short Line
,niroad. According to this report a
oeouble track system VIII be run from
socatello TO HUNTINGTON divert{nQ from