, 1922-06-08
Newcastle to Sheridan.
His First Once

should look to the man who WAS
instrumental in the founding OF their
town for their first mayor, and 70
Mr. .Nondell. under protest, was elect
ed to his first office. A little later,
in the midst of his engrossing duties
in connection with the MANAGEMENT
of the minss. the extension Of the
railway northwest toward Sheridan,
drilling for oil with the first stand
lard rig ever erected in WIomia&. Aa
was nominated against his ovn mo-
test n state senator iron what vas
then Crook county. While he took
little part in the campaign he vas
elected and served - .aeeeptaAly
Through his first Sssnioa that at IL
following session Of 1898 10 va0
|eleetsd Prosidsat Of the state senate
and in the contest over the United
States senatorship that followed vas,
the latter part Of the session, the
party candidate for senator.
A Candidate fer Govesn@r Becomes
Oo0Ue0AaA
In 1894 Mr.. Mondell was q candi-
date for governor. and had an abund-
ance Of votes to secure his nomina-
ton. but At the last moment before
the nominations were &c be made an
agreement was entered into whereby
Mr.. Mondell was nominated to Con-
gress and W. A. Richards became the
nominee for governor.
Equipped for the Job
The young Congressman who had
never been east Of Chicago and whose
regular schooling was limited to a
few short winter terms OF country
school. nevertheless entered upon
his duties we'll equipped. He had
seen the practical workings Of the
land laws on the Iowa homestead
and through the entire west, and had
had a post graduate course in his
Wyoming experience. He knew
farming and stock raising from every
angle from experience and observa-
ton. He knew coal mining from
the standpoint of both the miner and
the operator. He knew all about the
oil land laws and much about the
conditions under which oil occurs in
Wyoming. He had had an unusual
ly broad. practical. general expert
ence In life. He knew the problems
Of labor because he had himself
labored in many fields. He knew
some at least. of the problems of
business through the various and i'm
portant business responsibilities he
had been charged with. In addition
he had been q great reader and a
student in many lines as opportunity
offered.
First Accomplishment
His early service in Congress at
once demonstrated his knowledge Of
conditions and his ability to ac-
complish results. The metal posts
with brass caps which are the mark
ers Of the geological survey are the
results Of n Of his first efforts in
Congress. They are now used on all
the surveys Uncle Sam makes. The
Department OF the Interior decided
that the mineral placer acts should
10 longer apply to oil lands, so there
was no law under which oil lands
could be held and taken, and Con-
gresham Mondell introduced the bin
under which oil lands were held and
patented for many years. In his
first cam paign through the state, he
had noted the need OF an agreement
with the Indians. and Of legislation
which would make possible the de-
velopment Of the Springs on the Big
Horn River within the Wind River
Indian Reservation. and he inaugu-
rated the movement that eventual
ly gave the state the mile square
containing the Big Horn Hot Springs,
and which led to the building Of
|T~hermopolis.
Free Silver and Defeat
In the midst of Mr.. Mondell's first
term came the Bryan Free Silver
campaign of 1896. in finch he was
defeated by a majority of less than
three hundred. At the close Of this
term Mr.. Mondeil returned to the
care Of his local interests in Wyom-
ing, but within a few months was
appointed Assistant Commissioner Of
the General Land Office at Washing
ton. in which capacity he served for
eighteen months.
Assistant Commissioner, General
Land Office
During his service as Assistant
Commissioner Mt. Mondell was not
only instrumental in increasing the
efficiency OF the Land Office service.
but largely through his influence the
office modified the policy of strict
construction which had characterized
the preceding Democratic admins
~tration of the office. and substituted
a policy of more liberal and equit-
able consideration OF the claims OF
settlers and entrymen. During thfs
service he was instrumental in secur-
ing the adoption In the Public Land
surveys OF the iron posts and mark
ers which had already, at his in
stance, been adopted by the Geo.
Illogical Survey.
Marries q Wyoming Girl