Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1910-01-04
UP TO The CITY. TO
take UP The LEASE
SECRETARY BALlINGER SAYS
SIBLEY ISLAND LEASE MUST
BE DISPOSED OF.
city Dads Will See Whit Sort OF
proposition Uncle Sam Has tc
Make,

Make,
The board Of city commissioners
held it's regular meeting last even.
ing, all members being preesnt ex-
cepting Commissioner jackson, who
is still out cf the city.
Health Commissioner Smyth replied
to the commission regarding its res
olution that he investigate the mat
ter of the destrability Of the hospitals
installing Il needed ambulance ser
vice for the carrying of patients to the
hospitals from the trains instead OF
on drays or in hacks, in effect that
the city had no authority to compel
the hospitals to do this; that private
parties might install some SUN SER
vice or that the city itself could do
so, charging the ho:pita!s for each
time tho ambulance was used, The
matter was referred to the city at
tolmey.
The following communication was
received from Secrettry Of the Inter-
ior Ballinger:
Department OF THE INTERIOR
Washington, Dec. 30.
The Mayor and City Council, Bis
marck, North Dakota.
Sirs: The act of June II, 1896
go Stat. 1850, provides as follows:
The the City of Bismarck in tho
State of North Dakota, by and thru
its regular city council, shall have
authority to use, upon lease from the
government by the secretary of the
interior, Sibley Island, an island in
the Missouri river near the said City
of Bismarck. for a public park, pro-
vided that nothing herein contained
shall be construed to authorize he
telling of timber ON said island for
sale or consumption, nor shall any
timber be cut save for the purpose of
improving or beautifying the grounds.
By letter ''P" Of April 5, 1905, the
acting commissioner of the general
land Office, invited your attention to
said act and stated that said Office de-
sired to know whether your city had
ever taken any steps in it's council
looking to the perfecting of said lease,
whether any would be taken in the
future, and if not, whether thee city
desired to waive any claim it might
have under the statute.
By letter "B" OF April 5, 1905, the
commissioner OF the general land of.
flee addressed your mayor request
ing that at as early date as prai2tica-
BILE you advise said Office as to whet1nc
er or not the city of Bismarck desir-
ed to secure lease of said island and
as to what steps have been taken to
protect the timber thereon, and he
was advised that should no response
be received within reasonable time
it would be regarded as waiver OF
the right of the city to the benefits
conferred by tihe act, and that the
matter would be reported to the de-
partment for such action as may be
deemed appropriate in the premises.
Said letters were written in view OF
the fact that it was reported that
parties were removing timber from
the island and that apparently no
steps had been taken by our city to
prevent the same.
1t does not appear that you made
any reply to either of the letters
addressed to you, above mentioned.
You are hereby notified that have
this day reported the matter to con-
gress, recommend ding the repeal of
that part of the act of June II, 1896,
above quoted, in order that the land
may be thrown open for disposition
under the acts Of August %, 1894
Us Stat. 491,) and April %, 1904 (33
Stat. 3O6)-the land being situate in
the abandoned Fort abraham Lin
coin military reservation. I am COM
PEELED to take this action on account
OF the inactivity Of the city of Bis
marck in awaiting itself Of the use of
the island as a park. am sending
you notice, however, in order to at
ford another opportunity to apply fro
lease while the act remains unre-
pealed.
Very respectfully,
r. A. BALL4NGER,