Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1910-02-09
WATER pow
Err WITNESSES
TESTIFY AS TO VALUE OF LANDS
OVERLOOKED BY COM
PANY.
Expert Testimony Closed on Part OF
Defendant.

The Washington Water Power
company completed its introduction
\ Of expert testimony in the overflow
ease yesterday and is now introduc-
ing testimony Of farmers and others
to establish the value OF the lands
overlooked in the St. Joe and Occur
d'Alene river valleys.
When the government presented
its side of the case many witnesses
were introduced to show the value
of the land known as the Indian res
erYation, and to testify as to the
value of the land owned by the in
terVenors who claimed damages
against the defending company. The
action of the defense now is to coun-
teract this testimony, after show
ing the condition of the land through
the agency of expert testimony.
Grant Vess of Standpoint, butch
er, testified that he had lived at
Rathdrum 10 years and in the Pa
louise country for the earlier part
of his life after he was 9 years old.
He made his first trip through the
st. Joe river regiol in 1885, on a
hunting and fishing trip.
Later he made frequent trips into
the country looking at cattle and at
one time remembered to have seen
about 200 head feeding along in the
marsh ground, but none were of good
quality, The ground was too soft
and miry for him 20 ride his horse
into 1t.
Attorneys in Word War.
Mr.. Lange, for the government.
was cross-examining the witness and
after an answer from tine witness
that he did not know the informa-
ton desired, Mr.. LANCE added:
I'm fact, don't think the witness
knows anything about the country,
either"
Attorney Post sprang to his feet.
"He is an honest witness and not
like some of yours that say section
so and so, and go into details of de-
scription.''
Attorneys Dixon and Lange at
once voiced objection to such a
speech entering the record and the
Register ruled both remarks out of
the record of the case.
81 except to my remarks going
out" protested Attorney Post.
rs it not all right il both go
out?" asked Register Batting. mo.
want the secretary of the interior
to know just what kind of an inves-
tigation is being made for the gov
eminent in this case" Mr.. Post ad-
ded, and the remarks remained in
the record.
NJ. d. Wright on Stand.
NJ. D. Wright of this city, a well
known lumberman and contractor,
was called as a witness.
Since 1872, Mr.. Wright said. he
had travelled over the region in con-
troversy several times each year,
either on business of cutting timber
for ties or on hunting trips. The
Mullan trail was questioned as to
locality by the attorneys for the
government in the cross-examination
of the preceding witness and its To-
cation was asked of Mr.. Wright. He
had gone over the trail in 1877 as a
guide for General William t. Sher-
man. his son, Tom. General Cole and
Captain Bacon and others of the
party. When Attorney Post attempt
ed to go farther into the details of
the trip Attorney Dixon objected and
suggested that Mr.. Post have a talk
with the witness after adjournment"
Mr.. Wright testified to the
swampy condition of the land and
that the crop was OF coarse grass
and that the hay that had been cut,
fn.~sR-..a - - -.