Weekly journal-miner., 1922-02-08
Head of Black Canyons Chief Mining Property Dislikes Yav- apai Roads; Political Customs of Publication are Discussed.

What is a road? When is it: Where? How?
 What constitutes the shortest line of communication?'
 These and number of other ques- tions, including Why is demo- cratic newspaper were asked and some Of them were answered in the course Of a hearing yesterday on a protest against the patenting of claims of the Howard Copper com pany, situated near Rumble Bee, with Alex L. Jones, United States com missioner, sitting as the court of first resort. ..
 Mir. Jones held his nearing, which was for the purpose oi determining questions on the protest that will be decided by the general land office, in the upper superior court room. He needed the space.
 According to the contention of J. s. Johnson and Nellie Murphy, who protested the issuance of the patents, the Howard Copper company pub lished notices covering intention to patent, in Phoenix weekly pub1ica- ton that IS rather better known for its political discussions than as a means of reaching litigants with legal notices. This, in the view of the protestants, who were represented by Robert F. Morrison and Emmett T. Morrison, did not constitute legal publication, and the war was on.
 One of the important and extreme ly earnest witnesses was H. O. How ard, head of the company, who was represented by Anderson, Gale X Nilsson. NIT. Howard was on the stand when the. vehement and at times almost belligerent testimony concerning roads was brought out.
 It was with sigh of relief, he said, that he got out of the mountains and encountered the splendid, easily passable and fast road from Canon to Phoenix. That was one reason, he said, why Phoenix was the point of nearest communication for the com- pany All light supplies were brought ur from Phoenix by automobile; only the heavier machinery was delivered by rail at Turkey siding. So Bumble Bee, from which point trail has been built to the Howard, is really the shipping point for the mine, and tkc mine, said Mr. Howard, is "mak- ing" Rumble Bee.
 Warren F. Day, assistant post master here, was one of the morning witnesses. He said that all United States mail for the Black Canyon district was carried through Prescott, as the easiest means of approach to that entire district is by way of this city
 Fred Cromwell, city ticket agent for the Santa Fe was the veteran railroader to testify for the protest ants. He said that the only railroad to the country all around and about the Howard, was by way of Prescott. Anyone wishing to travel by choo-choo to the Howard would be obliged to pass through Prescott, he said. Of course these facts are well known to Prescott people, but the record in this case is to be read by folks in Washington, who do not know the lay of the land.
 The matter of newspaper circula- ton came up in the forenoon. J. w.. Milnes, editor of the Journal-Miner, as one very well qualified to discuss this important subject, was ques- toned by Mir. Morrison. He did not believe that the Phoenix weekly had the immense circulation it claimed to have in the Black Canyon country, which, 1t should be noted, Is part of enlightened Yavapai county, where good reading is demanded. The Journal-Aliner. he said, had right smart of readers in that district. In fact if the designation of journals for the publication pf patent notices were based strictly on amount and quality of circulation, the Journal-Miner would win by Six lengths. How
 Have you published any land of flee legals during l92O?" Mir Milnes was asked. The contest centers about the events of that year.
 No, sir"
 "In 1ol9?"
 Nor that year"
 I918?"
 Not during any of the Wilson ad- replied the witness, and there was an appreciative ripple in the courtroom.
 It was brought out that in times If distrHss deuocratic ueWspaDers