The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1927-05-20

EhAAo 0CCh DuS Licenses
Twenty-fOur cases were SET nv the
montana supreme court for argument
beginning June 1. The court will hear
three cases a day.
Among those to be argued June 1 is
the action through which it is sought to
determine the righ of a member of theJ
state legislature to hold other public of
nee. Two members Of the 1927 legisla-
Cure are now so employed, Grant Reed
member from Broadwater, serving as
auoltor OF the Montana railroad commits
sion, and Glen T. Davis, last sessions
speaker, serving as supervisor of the COM
missions gasoline inspection division.
Ihe action was brought by julius Bar
ney, a Helena, county taxpayer. as a test
case, TO determine the right of Reed to
draw salary from the state as the rail-
road commissions auditor. The district
court upheld the attorney generals con-
tent1on that the position is not a civil
ot1ce within the meaning of the consti-
tuition and that Reed is not barred he
cause of his membership in the legisla-
ture.
The court also has on this
the appeal Of Jay WEIGH, convicted of
Killing John Billstrom in a cabin in the
1925. He was found guilty of second
degree murder.
To permit the state railroad commits
StOh W IendplllCaCe ICS finances, crippled
when an appropriation of the last lepis-
Iature to reimburse the commission for
expenses incident to oil and gas inspec-
ton was directed into other channels.
the state board Of examiners has author
1zed a readJustment Of salaries within
the department.
Eleven thousand dollars intended TO
repay the commission for expenses of adj
ministering the oil inspection work i'm
posed by the 1925 legislature and to con-
tlnue the work for the remainder Of the
present fiscal years was appropriated by
the 1927 session for the oil and gas divi-
sion of the commission. Attorney Cen
eral Foot ruled that, without express au-
thor1ty, the board of examiners was DOW
erless TO transfer part OF the fun to re-
1mburse other funds Of the commission
The board now has granted permission
TO the railroad commission to drop five
employees OF other divisions and place
them on the staff Of the oil and gas divi-
lsion for May and June.
h it is not contemplated that this
shift will reimburse the other commits
sion funds completely for the amount
used prior to the appropriation, it will, it
is understood, relieve the railroad COM
mission of the necessity for mourning an
overdraft in one department While it has
ample funds in another.
: Montana's state land board has re-
newed an oil n gas lease, which dur
1AS CIS 1dSJ lO-nOnGn period brought
into the state treasury 1915, O56.98 in
royalty, according to figures compiled by
l. M. Brandjord, register Of state lands
The lease, belonging to George F.. Stan
nard, was renewed for a Swear period
starting July IL, 1927, according to the
l law of 1927 relating to such leases.
Six or the large oil companies Of the
state operate under this one lease Of 48C
acres, which is located in the very hear
OF the Kevin-Sunburst field. They are
\ Y = nHnnfnnn nI TkI D3a. an
pany, Tri-State Oil company, BarmaC
S company, Wyomont Producing n Rein.
ing company and the Security Oils, Ltd
The state board also granted renewa,
E the lease Of j. N. Carlson of Kalispell
: for a 5-year period. This lease cover;
l approximately 400 acres.
L. L. Buford and w. S. Buford, Of vir.
? ginia City, executors Of the estate of G
! H. Buford, deceased, have filed applica.
! ton with the Montana railroad commits.
sion for a certificate to operate motor
bus service between Alder, Virginia CITY
e and Ennis.
Missoula Creamery, Inc, a quarter-mil
e lion dollar concern, has filed it's tncOr'
poration papers with the secretary O.
e state. Its present organizers are J.. M
i Keith of Missoula, r. A. Goodhue o.
v Spokane, n E. j. Gilmartin of Grea
: Falls.
The state public service commission
has made its first deposit with the stat
treasurer of funds from the new gasoline
a inspection law. The amount was $147
representing licenses for sales stations a
n 81 each, and 81 for each additional gaso
b line pump.
Rates and services of the Midwest Ma
tural Gas company will reserve attention
Is of the Montana commission May IS. TIL
commission has set a hearing on tina
date at Glendive, following a report o
it's auditor.