Fergus County Democrat. [volume], February 07, 1905, Image 1

About Fergus County Democrat. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1904-1919

Image provided by: Montana Historical Society; Helena, MT

                
Fergus County Democrat.
Vol. I. No. 26
LEWISTOWN, FERGUS COUNTY, MONTANA, TUESDAY, FEB. 7, 1905.
Price 5 Cents.
WILL ORGANIZE
PHONE COMPANY
Lewistown, Billings and Helena Busi
ness Men and Fergus County
Stockmen Interested.
FROM LEWISTOWN TO BILLINGS
The New Company Will Have Control
of Through Line, With Numer
ous Local Lines.
The articles of incorporation of the
Lewistown & Billings Telephone Co.
were tiled with the county recorder of
this county yesterday. The work of
organizing the company has been in
progress but a short time, business
men of this city being at the head of
the enterprise, but no difficulty was
experienced in gettingsutticient money
subscribed to assure the building and
maintenance of a first-class line be
tween Lewistown and Billings, with a
large number of shorter lines con
nected with the main line.
The new company has among Hi
stockholders some of the finrm'K'
kings of the state, and noC i; g >, r
be omitted to make the syst . , in
best that can be deviled. r ie .».■
line will go as dii > el i •. --su '
this city to B' r ., . a..- -
of the best pci:i t\y * ■, cwo
places 1 > 0 ! ■ , Uie main
M' r'i> i >! usselsliell or
*• •i"iatvi:' w, Musselshell
*■' l .M: . all be connected
*'■ 1 v. , and a great many of
filers and stockgrowers of
^willow and Musselshell coun
signitied their willingness to
t dependent lines to their
iV and a number of them are
dels tn the new company,
.n line will be not less than
long, and there will speedily
' ' 1 ■... 1 i from 50 to 100 miles of lateral
mpany will buy their phones
and will therefore not be
i in any way with the Bell
ephu s system. It is the desire of
nr company to do all they can to
i the installation of phones
lJ t.*v ockmen and ranchers who
!';■ i leniently connect with the
to 1 '
es of the new company's
>laced at $100 each. Sixty»
vie or $6,500, of stock have al
i • 1 > subscribed, as follows :
i lger, $500; George M.Stone,
i- urge J. Bach, $1,000: P. B.
• ■ lings, $1,000; Handel Bros.,
$500; B. F. Lepper, Flat
10; James Wilson, Flatwil
H. F. Clement, Musselshell,
is B. Thompson, Highfield,
■. W. King, Bozeman, $500;
Iruse, Helena, $500. Over
tional has been promised,
; 6 is needed to complete and
y equip the line,
awing directors have been
serve for three months, or
air successors are elected:
Bach, P. B. Moss, Thomas
,vid Hilger, E. O. Busenburg,
. Stone and Fred W. Handel,
.e intention to begin work at
he erection of the lines. The
ce will be in this city. Offl
hr M. v company will be chosen
f the stockholders soon
a- , i this city.
WMf RCIAL IS SOLD.
N** ! ; ake Charge Of The
^ /jovfi Commercial Es
ubment.
1 c s
pan. oh -
unde ■In
wl • vei
here ftoi be
wn Commercial Com
■ tui ads last Saturday and,
cles of incorporation
d on that date will
wn as the Ross Mer
cant-iic « jn Uiv e. F. Ross, G. M.
Welptou and , r. Zeigler have taken
over l b • :>Cj o) - t j ie ojq company and
have i, i/.t . .j uew company with
aconiM ,iur. , j30)000>
® ' ■' 5 $26,000 worth of
t' ie s " f ev. company, G. M.
Web , rt h and J. H. Zeit
l er ' ss will be the man
ager m.ceee n Mr> j T Andrus
who ->•' *-!■> j,,, a g emeu t for almost
two . k ip-to-date stock of
groce >*• h. . ^ added t 0 the stock
of diy go. is, :l)e n's furnishings and
the s'on turn _,,j j u to a general mer
chaudi •••.■..shment. Messrs. Ross,
Welpton and Reitler are all young,
wide awake, practical business men
and will undoubtedly make an entire
success of the new venture.
Mr. Andrus, the retiring manager
of the Commercial company, will
probably leave for the east as soon as
he can get his business affairs in this
city properly arranged. He has sev
eral good openings in view and will
look around a while before locating.
He is a thorough business man and
has made many friends in this city
during his residence here who regret
to see him and his estimate wife leave
this city.
GENERAL BELL'S REPORT
Says the Military Recognizes no
Law, Civil or Social.
Denver, Feb. 2.—"Military neces
sity recognizes no law, either civil or
social," says Adjutant General Sher
man Bell, of this state in his biennial
report made today. Reporting as to
the use of troops in the mining camps
during the last two years of Governor
Peabody's administration, the adju
tant general uses the following lang
uage:
"As military commander, the au
thority and dignity of the state of
Colorado were at all times upheld
and asserted, in seeking to ameliorate
a condition of dynamite, murder and
assassination, under the guise of
labor, that was intolerable.
"Autocratic in name and specula
tive in its incorporated trusts; not
''•he unionism recognized to associate
■tli working improvement in the
,■ edition of the honest working peo
ple of the state, their wives and fami
lies' betterment, but tireeating social
ists and anarchists, fanned by an un
American press the whole outfit will
some day cause lawmakers to both
suppress and banish beyond the state
line, 6uch action becoming a 'citizen
necessity' by the lawmakers, and ne
cessity for the protection and welfare
for the individual who labors lot
wages; whom individually and collec
tively I have the highestand regard
for, as well as for their happiness and
prosperity."
FIXING RATES A HARD JOB.
Railroad Man Says Government Has
a Difficult Task.
Missoula, Feb. 4.—Vice President
J. M. Hannaford, of the Northern Pa
cific railroad, who has been making
a tour of the western divisions, ex
pressed himself today as opposed to
the interstate commerce commission
being given power to regulate rates.
He said:
"Forgetting whatever interest I may
have in the railroads and looking at
it from an impartial standpoint, it is
hard for me to see how a commission
at Washington, D. C., can justly name
the rates in all parts of the country,
thousands of miles away. Gather any
number of men there at Washington,
from any walk in life, and they cer
tainly can not be better at making
rates than the railroad men who have
made it a special study, and for that
matter their life work. I have spent
about 30 years in the railroad busi
ness, and I assure you \,hat 1 do not
want to be on a commission with
such a job ahead of me.
"Every section of the country will
be appealing to the commission on
real or imaginary grievances; and it
is only natural that there would be
friction between the commission and
the traffic managers instead of the
harmony which should exist.
"As a railroad man, I am interested
only in making rates along our line,
and I let the fellow in Texas or New
Mexico make rates foi the patrons
along his road. What makes a big
difference upon our rates has no bear
ing upon him.
"A certain amount of monev has
to be earned by every railroad. It
must make the operating expenses of
the whole road and ought to give a
fair return on the capital invested.
Hundreds of miles of our 5,000 miles
of track do not pay operating expen
ses. Every honest traffic manager
must so adjust the rates that the traf
fic which can best afford to make up
the losses does so, and afterward to
reduce those rates as fast as condi
tions will warrant. I am opposed to
all secret discrimination and rebates,
and every railroad man is. There
are none in this section, because the
competition is not keen enough and
the Great Northern officials are as
anxious to keep out of the hands of
receivers as we are."
Don't forget that Surprenant, the
sign writer, is doing business at the
old stand.
NO GAMBLING
IN LEWISTOWN
All Games of Chance Are Closed Ip
Without Any Difficulty-Much
Speculation Rife.
C0RNEILL FIGHTS THE ORDINANCE
Will Make a Test Case of the Bond
Question-All Other Saloons
Give the Bond.
Lewistown is now a closed town as
on the first of the month all houses in
which gambling games were conducted
quietly boxed up their chips covered
up their layouts and prepared to wait
for something "to turn up" before
opening again, if they ever are per
mitted to open. There was no trouble
at all over the closing of the games
as all the men who conducted the
games closed up voluntarily. The
gambling fraternity take a rather
discouraging view of the situation
ank say that Lewistown is a "dead
one" so far as their business is con
cerned.
The city struck a snag in their
efforts to enforce the new license ordi
nance. It was thought that all the
saloons would give the bond but
George Corneill not only refused to
give the bond but says that he will
tight the ordinance to the last ditch.
He was refused a liquor license and
when he opened up Saturday, a war
rant for his arrest was issued, lie
went before Police Magistrate Mae
Gowan, his case was set for Monday
and was immediately permitted to go
with but a nominal bond.
The case was called yesterday after
noon and IIuntoon, Worden & Smith,
the attorneys for Corneill. entered a
demurrer to the complaint. Police
Magistrate MacGowan took the de
murrer under advisement until today
at 2 o'clock. It is proposed to attack
the constitutionality of the bond
which the citv requires under the new
ordinance. An amendment was made
to the ordinance at the regular coun
cil meeting last night and City
Attorney DeKalb states that he is
ready to go to the higher courts on the
proposition. He will dismiss the old
complaint against Corneill this after
nood and tile another immediately
afterwards.
DRY LAND FARMING
Professor Linfield Wants $1,000 for
Some Experiments.
Helena, Feb. 2.—DirectorF. B. Lin
field, of the agricultural experiment
station at Bozeman, is in the city for
the purpose of enlisting the interests
of the legislature In the project that
he expects will be of very material
benefit to the farmers of the state.
Professor Linfield has just returned
from Bismarck, where he attended
the sessions of the North Dakota irri
gation congress, and where he was in
conference with Elwood Mead of the
irrigation division of the office of ex
periment stations, United States de
partment of agriculture, and Thomas
Cooper, land commissioner of the
Northwest Pacific Railway company.
His visit to Helena at this time is
the outcome of this conference.
"The most important matter dis
cussed at our conference," Prof. Lin
field said today, "was the question of
conducting experiments in dry land
farming in Montana. Mr. Cooper, on
behalf of the Northern Pacific, prof
fered to turn over to the experiment
station the sum of $3,000 to be devot
ed to these experiments, provided the
government and the state would each
contribute $1,000 to this fund.
"The federal agricultural depart
ment will place the $1,000 asked at
our disposal, and I am here to go be
fore the committee on appropriations
to endeavor to have the state of Mon
tana give its share to the fund.
"The plan, as far as it has been
worked out, is to have these experi
ments conducted at a number of
points, near Helena, near Dillion
and at several points on the Northern
Pacific, between Helena and the
North Dakota line. The entire re
sponsibility for the work will be placed
in the hands of the Montana agricul
tural experiment station, and the
money of the railroad people and of
the government will be placed in our
hands as soon as the state of Montana I
appropriates this state's share.
"Our plan is to go out to the farm
of some practical farmer and there
conduct the experiments, having him
devote his whole time to the work
under the direction of the station.
We want to experiment on the upper
bench lands where water is not avail
able, and thus ascertain just what
crops are best adapted to these lands
and the best methods of handling
them.
"1 am taking the matter up with
tne Great Northern people in the hope
of enlisting their co-operation in experi
ments of like character in the north
ern part of the state. In fact, we al
reach' have some work in the vicinity
of Great Falls under consideration.
And along the Milk river we are con
templating experiments for the grow
ing of some 25 varities of alfalfa for
the purpose of determining tne vari
ety that is beast adapted to the cli
mate and conditions in that part of
the state.
"We are not asking much from the
legislature, and In vew of the fact
that the contemplated experiments
should prove of great benefit to the
state, it seems that the legislature
should meet the government and the
railway company in the proposition."
REPUBLICAN GRAFTER GUILTY
Cal Bridgeman, Former Indian Agent,
Guilty of Charging False Claims.
Helena, Feb. 4.—After being out
nearly 24 hours the jury in the Morris
L. Bridgeman case brought in a ver
dict finding the defendant guilty on
10 counts and not guilty on the re
maing 28. The counts in the indict
ment charging false claims for oats
and cord wood are included in the
"not guilty" counts.
Judge Hunt announced that he
would take up the case further on
next Wednesday. Lawyer Rodgers,
for the defense, announced that he
would make a motion for a new t rial
and arrest of judgment. Major
Bridgeman was allowed his liberty on
bonds previously furnished.
The counts on which Bridgeman,
who v..•j/'onurly agent of the Fort
Belknap reservation, is found guilty
included the making of false claims
to the government for 14,000 feet of
lumber. The penalty attached to the
crime is from 1 to five years in the
penitentiary and a tine of from $1,000
to $5,000, or both.
OSTEOPATH VACCINATION ILLEGAL
Decision of the Local Board of Health
Sustained by Attorney General.
There has been considerable dis
cussion in this county as well as in
other counties throughout the state
regarding the legality of vaccination
certificates given by osteopaths. The
local board of health ordered all school
children attending the Lewistown
schools to be vaccinated. In a few
instances the vaccination was per
formed by an osteopath and when
sucli certificates appeared the board
of health refused to accept them, hold
ing the osteopathic certificate to be il
legal.
Dr. H. H. Wilson, chairman of the
local board, applied to the state board
to health for enlightenment on the
point and the matter was referred 'o
Attorney General Galen for an opin
ion, who practically sustains the de
cision of the local health authorities.
Where the law requires vaccination
osteopathic certificates will not be
recognized in this state. Such is the
opinion sent to Dr. Thomas E. Tuttle,
secretary of the stale board of health.
It is as follows:
"I am in receipt of your letter of the
3rd enclosing letter of Dr. H. H. Wil
son, county health officer of Fergus
county. You make request for the
opinion of this office as to whether
vaccination performed by osteopaths,
or persons other than regularly qual
ified and licensed physicians, is a suf
ficient compliance with the law.
"In answer to this question I will
say: The rules and regulations pro
scribed by the county board of health
govern. The law of 1901 provides:
'It is the duty of the board of health
of each county to establish for the
county or any part thereof, such rea
sonable sanitary rules and regulations
as may be necessary to prevent the
outbreak of infectious or contagious
diseases. Any person failing or refus
ing to comply with or obey the rules
and regulations is guilty of a misde
meanor.'
"Therefore vaccinations and vacci
nation certificates must be made as
prescribed by the rules and regulla
tions of the county board of health.
Yours respectfully,
"ALBERT J. GALEN,
"Attorney General."
CITY THANKS
MR. CARNEGIE
Suitable Resolutions Passed at the
Regular Monthly Meeting Held
Last Evening.
SUPT. GOSS RESIGNS HIS JOB
New Arrangements Made for the Con
duct of the Water System-Much
Business Transacted.
The city council met in regular
monthly meeting last night. There
was a great deal of business to come
before the body, but it was pushed
through at a rapid rate and by lo:30
everything was completed.
The reports of city officers were first
taken up. The report of the city
treasurer allowed the following funds
on hand: General, $3,113.09; lire,
$491.46; library, $2,009.01; sinking,
$2,951.52. Fund* overdrawn: Read,
$129.23; water and sewerage bond,
$2,281.18; water works, $325.52.
The city marshal's report showed:
Fines Imposed, $172.50; fines collected,
$157.50.
Street commissioner's report : Ex
penditures, $105.65.
Superintendent of water works' re
port: Rents collected, $209.70; rents
due, $447.50.
The bonds of Moran & Wallace, Mc
Donnell & Kimball, l'. C. Weydert,
Damns Taillon and Frazer & Rainier
were approved.
The resignation of F. F. Goss, su
perintendent of oily water works, was
filed, accepted and a vote of thanks
for efficient service voted to the retir
ing officer. In the future the city
clerk will collect the water rents, and
J. O. Ilelsing was appointed engineer
at the pumping station at a salary of
$80 a month.
A reslut Ion by which the city agrees
to raise at least $1,000 a year for
the maintenance of a city library and
to secure a site for a library building
was passed, and a copy, duly engrossed,
will be sent to Mr. Andrew Carnegie,
who recently expressed his willingness
to donate $10,000 to the city for the
purpose of constructing a library
building. A committee was also ap
pointed to draw up suitable resolu
tions of tuanks on behalf of the city
and forward same to Mr. Carnegie.
An ordinance amending no. 40
relating to bonds to lie given by
liquor dealers was read and passed.
The petition of E' J. Christie to be
permitted to take certain additions
to the building known us the "Fad"
buildihg was referred to the building
committee. The report of otto Was
mansdorff, inspector of the new city
hall, was red, approved and the city
accepted the building.
The petition of the Judith Basin
Milling company for a right of way
for a railway track up to Moln street
wrs referred to the street and alley
committee. A special meeting will
be called to receive the report of this
committee and act upon the petition.
The city engineer was ordered to
prepare plans for a bridge across
Spring creek on Brassy street.
It was decided that the vacancy
in the board of alderman, caused by
the promotion of alderman Symines
to the marolity chair be not filled at
this time but the vacancy be filled at
the regular city election.
The purchasing cirnmittee were
ordered to purchase certain supplies
for the city pump.
The matter of getting a survey for a
pipe line from the big spring was re
ferred to the sewerage committee
with instructions to report at the spe
cial meeting. The usual grist of
bills were allowed and orderad paid.
WILL GO AFTER BEEF TRUST.
Government Officials Say They Will
Push Proceedings.
Washington, Jan. 31.—It can be
said by authority that unless the cor
poral ions constituting the alleged
"lieef trust" shall heed the injunction
made permanent yesterday by the de
cision of the supreme court of the
United States, the government shall
institute proceedings against the indi
vidual members of the corporations
to enforce the decision of the court.
The proceedings will be under the
criminal law, If suclican be instituted.
The minds of the president Jand the
members of his cabinet are 'made up
fully on the question.
They have determined that the "beef
trust ' shall obey the law, and now
that the highest court in the land
has upheld the hands of the adminis
t ration, it is said they will permit no
further ••dilly dallying" with the sub
ject.
All the memliers of the cabinet
were present at the meeting except
Secretary Ilay and Wilson, the former
st ill being confined to his home by a
severe cold.
Again the president emphasized his
interest in the arbitration treaties
pending before the senate, lie holds
that the opponents of the treaties are
proceeding on wrong premises in main
taining that they may he used by
foreign countries as a basis for action
against certain of the southern states
I" the collection of old claims.
Some department matt ers were con
sidered at the meeting, the most im
portant of which was the action of
Postmaster General Wynne in noti
fying John G. Capers, Republican
national committeeman of South
Carolina, that postmasters In that
state will lie dismissed from the service
if In (lie future they, pay the expenses
of delegates to political conventions.
1 he action ol the postmaster general
was approved of by the president and
his cabinet. In principle the declara
tion of Mr. Wynne will apply to all
other states where such methods are
practiced.
ALL POLAND ON A STRIKE.
Over Four Hundred Thousand Work
men Lay Down Tools.
Berlin, Feb. 4.—The Lokal Anzelg
er'K Kailowllz, Prussia, correspondent
Hays (lie advent of refugees from Rus
sian Roland is assuming large dimen
sions, and that every In-coming train
is crowded, mostly with women and
children. All German lowns near tho
tionlier are lilted with refugees.
The strikes in Russian Poland, tho
correspondent says, are still spread
ing, affecting the entire industrial reg
ion from Sosnovice to Venica on the
Austrian frontier. Polish news papers
estimate the total number of strikers
at 400,000.
i he I .oka! Anzelger's Warsaw cor
respondent says:
At Lodz today during the funeral of
15 victims of the recent troubles a
fight between workmen and the mlli
tary broke out, two of the latter being
killed anil 15 wounded.
Serious labor disturbances are an
nounced from Sielce, Russian Poland,
and Lublin, 60 miles southeast of War
saw.
Relief From Employers.
St. Petersburg, Feb. 4.—A meeting
of manufacturers lias decided to peti
tion Minister of Finance Kokovsoff to
consider the workmen's demands in
consultation with representatives of
the employes and employers. All the
Russian manufacturers have further
decided to discuss the minor grievan
ces with the men, and have also re
solved not to impose fines or penalties
or discriminate against the strikers,
and to raise a fund for the victims
of January 22. The manufacturers fin
ally resolved that the agitation among
the workmen was not a labor hut a
national movement, and that there
fore they are not justified in the pay
mont of wages during the strike; but
that in view of the distress among
the workmen the latter will be given
relief.
Resolutions of Respect.
Whereas, It lias pleased the Supreme
Guardian and Ruler of the Universe
to take from our midst our beloved
and esteemed brother, Andrew Ferris,
of Lewistown, Montana; and,
Whereas, By his untimely demise
Lewistown Aerie, No. 374, lias been
bereft of a faithful brother and es
timable gentleman, who was only to
be known to tie respected; and,
Whereas, By his death we are re
minded of the uncertainty of life.
Tiierefore, Be it Resolved, That we,
the members of Lewistown Aerie, No.
374, F. O. E., in general council as
sembled, extend to the bereaved fam
ily our sincere and heartfelt sym
pathy in this their hour of sorrow.
And be it further
Resolved, That our charter be ap
propriately draped with the sign of
mourning. That these resolutions be
spread upon the minutes of our aerie,
a copy be sent to tho bereaved mother
and sister of the deceased, and a simi
lar copy be sent to the local press for
publication.
Respectfully submitted.
Guo. WILSON,
M. D. Kimball,
E. L. Skinnkk,
Committee.