Fergus County Democrat. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1904-1919, 1912-03-19
SUBJECT OF GREAT NORTHERN
DIVISION POINT is THRESHED
OUT SATURDAY NIGHT.
ASK BIG PRICE FOR LAND
Two Thousand Dollars Per Acre Is
Valuation Placed on Property BY
Some of Owners--Railroad Com.
mittee Will Circulate Subscription
List This Week-Further Action
Soon.

Fully two hundred citizens of Lew.
lstown gathered at the Judith Club
rooms last Saturday evening for the
purpose of receiving the report of the
railroad committee of the Commercial
club on the subject of the Great Nor.
thern shops. Owing to the fact that
the stores do not close until 8 o'clock
on Saturday evenings, the meeting was
not called to order until after that
hour.
President Reynolds, Of the CONNER.
cial club presided, and first called UP.
on John ID. Waite, chairman OF the
railroad committee, for a statement
as to the exact situation. Mr.. Waite
prefaced his remarks by briefly re.
counting the steps which have been
taken by the Commercial club and the
railroad company since the subject
was first broached about a year ago
He then read the letter which was
received last Tuesday from Mr.. l.. c,
Gilman, assistant to President Hill, OF
the Great Northern, which is as fol-
lows:
st. Paul, Mimi, March 4, 1912.
Mr. John ID. Waite,
Lewistown Commercial Club,
Lewistown, Montana
My Dear Sir:
nrknnwI aI nj ~ latf
yourself and other members of the
Railroad Committee of the Lewistown
Commercial club, OF date Of February
10th, and beg to thank you for tho
expressions therein contained. At the
time | wrote you on December 1st last
our plans had not sufficiently matured
to enable me to state just what our
requirements at LeWistown would be.
However, ! may now say that we can,
consistently with our own interests.
establish a divisional point at Lewis.
town. There has been considerable
discussion between ourselves and var.
ious citizens Of LewistoWn at different
times, the effect Of which was that
your people would be willing to donate
such additional property as we need
for our purposes in establishing a di-
visional point if we would agree to
establish it at LeWistown. II this Ia
the position of the citizens OF Lewis.
town, l would be very glad to instruct
our representatives there to take the
matter up with you, and in order that
it may be accomplished speedily / am
having a map sent you showing the
additional property required
You will understand that | am not
putting the matter in the form of a
demand. or even of request, but 1t
having been stated to me that your
citizens were willing to give this much
aid to our enterprise, thought you
should be advised officially of our posi-.
tion. l assure you we appreciate the
suggestion made very much, and our
local representatives will at once con-
fer with you fully as to what our re.
quirements are. Yours very truly,
l.. G. GILMAN,
Assistant to the President.
MR.. J.. w. HILL.
MIR. JAS. II. MILLER.
Owners Of the Land.
Mr.. Waite then stated that the land
sought to be acquired by the citizens
for the purpose OF giving 1t to the
railroad company comprises approx.
mately "a acres. The portion nearest
town belongs to the heirs Of the late
John Crowley. Below that comes
tract belonging to Marion Burke and
used as milk ranch and beyond that
tract is the remainder desired, which
belongs to Crowley brothers.
One Of the Crowley brothers is
absent from the city and the other
brother said he could not name a price
until the other had returned. Marion
Burke stated to the railroad commit
tee that he is not yet in position to
make price on his land. Mrs. John
Crowley placed price Of $1,000 per
acre on her land.
Expression Of Opinion.
After making this general state
ment, Mr.. Waite sat down and Presi.
dent Reynolds asked for full and
free discussion. Mr.. SimonsOn, of the
electric light company, for the pur-
pose of getting the question before the
meeting for discussion in its proper
form, made motion that the railroad
proceed to circulate a SUBJ
scriptiOn list to determine how much
money can be raised. This motion
was seconded and the president called
upon the members of the railroad COM
mittee. A. w. Stoddard spoke first
and expressed the conviction that the
(C0ntinf1o6 nn uaWn 1Al