Fergus County Democrat. [volume], March 21, 1905, Image 1

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

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Fergus County Democrat.
Vol, I. No. 32
LEWISTOWN, FERGUS COUNTY, MONTANA, TUESDAY, MARCH 21, 1905.
Price 5 Cents.
STARTS SUIT
FOR DAMAGES
Joseph
Birsh Alleges That Neglig
ence and Carlessness of Electric
Company Causing Injury.
ASKS FOR FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS
Piaintiff Came in Contact With a
Live Wire While Working on the
r New Bank Building.
Joseph Birsh last Saturday filed a
five thousand dollar damage suit
against the Citilen's Electric Com'
pany for injuries received the thirty
first of last August, due, he alleges, to
t,he negligence of the company.
In his complaint the plaintiff states
that he was at the time of his injury,
working as a hod carrier and mason's
helper in the new building being
greeted for the Bank of Fergus county
/on the corner of Main street and
Third avenue. In immediate prosim
ity to the rear of the building, the
Citizens' Electric company had elec
tric wires strung. It is further al
leged that though the company was
aware that workmen on the building
had to work close to the wires, the
fvires were not sufficiently insulated
to make them harmless. That a high
and dangerous current of electricity
was turnhd on the wires on the morn
ing of Angust 31st of last year and
that while the plaintiff was perform
ing his duties as hod carrier and mas
on's helper, he came in contact with
one of the wires and that as a result
of its insufficient insulation, he re
ceived a severe shock which caused
him great injury. His left wrist was
so badly burned and blistered that it
has since been useless to him. That
he was knocked from the building to
the ground, a distance of twenty feet,
and sustained broken a rib and a
dislocation of the left shoulder.
As a result of this dislocation, lie
has since been unable to perform his
work as a hod carrier and mason's
helper. It is further alleged that the
company or its agents or servants
knew of the dangerous condition of
the wire and were negligent in failing
to sufficiently insulate it. That the
defendent paid $150 for medical at
tendance during his illness caused by
the injury and for that reason, the
court is asked to grant him damages
in the sum of $5,150. Smith & Boggs
are the attorneys for Birsh.
THE TOWN OF KENDALL.
Some of the Happenings During the
Past Week in That Busy Camp.
While returning from an extended
trip to the Upper Juditn, the Demo
crat representative stopped over night
in Kendall. There is no use in dis
puting the fact that the little min
ing camp in the Mocassin is the best
town for its size in the county and
the merchants are handling a large
amount of trade for this time of the
year. Both of the large cyanide
plants are running to their full capac
ity and a considerable amount of de
velopmentwork is being done through
out the district by small property
owners and prospectors.
In a social way it is a lively camp:
dances and parties of all descriptions
make life interesting ior the young
people living in the camp and vicin
ity. On Friday night last, a masq
uerade ball was held, which for a gen
eral all around good time beat any
thing that has ever happened in the
camp. The attendance was large and
•' ] ia d it not been for the fact that the
doorkeeper was suffering from a spec
ies of trance owing to the startling
variety of some 1 of the costumes, 1
large amount of ' 'the root of all evil'
would have been accumulated. Prizes
" W ere given to the couples who showed
the most originality anti! the best taste
in the art of dressing. \Miss Nellie
Searles and W. N. (SkinnyKWareham
carried "awVt'he priz'e for ohginMt7 ,
v ^ ,
Miss Searles was dressed as Buffalo
Bill, but it was not necessary for the
lady to do any roping for partners and
several narrow escapes occureifl during
the rush to secure dances. Mr\ Ware
ham represented a Mexican cowpucher
and the couple fully earned the prize
by the unique and original character
of their costumes. Charles Beiqson
0 . ______- ., . . .
and wife secured the prize for beitfg
t,he best dressed couple on the floor.
The dance was given as a benefit to
Mrs. Thompson.
The population of the town is in
creasing with great regularity and
during the past week the census tak
ers' report was increased by two in
fantile but healthy citizens. A fine
young lady arrived at the house of
Mr. and Mrs. Wedlock, while a boy
was born to Hank Swears and wife.
Mrs. Sitzer and Miss Sitzer, mother
and sister of Mrs. Swears, are visiting
at the Swears residence and will re
main for some time.
The musical part of Kendall is forg
ing to the front and a fourteen piece
band lias been organized in the camp
which will give the band at the
county seat a hard run for supremacy.
A subscription list was circulated in
order to get money for supplies and
instruments and $250.00 was collected
without the least trouble. Andy
Mullen, late of Belt, will act as leader
of the organization.
IS HUMILIATED
AND DISGRACED
Kuropatkin, Russia's Once Honored
and Famous General is Stripped
of all Authority.
HIS REPUTATION GONE GLIMMERING
Smarting Under the Defeat the Czar
Heaps Humiliation Upon a
Great Man.
St. Petersburg, March 18, 1:50 a. m.
—Decided anxiety is felt regarding
the fate of the Manchurian army un
der its new commander, no news of
military developments during the last
three days having been received. The
only dispatches from the front are the
brief announcements yesterday that
General Linevitch had assumed com
mand, and that Kuropatkin was de
parting for St. Petersburg, disposing
of a rumor that Kuropatkin had com
mitted suicide, and the Associated
Press Changtufu dispatc li filed the
morning of March 16, and written at
tiie station of Kaiyuan, which was
then held by the Russians. In this
correspondent's opinion no pause in
the Japanese advance is probable for
some time. The Russians are losing
heavily in the rear guard nations, and
.lapanesejjcolumns are reported to be
pushing northward as fast as possible
to complete the enveloping movement
of the Russians.
General Liuevitch will have a con
siderable accession of fresh troops in
a day or two' the fourth European
corps being now at Harbin and depart
ing southward. Military officers de
clare tliattherejat General Linevitcli's
disposal in Manchuria, 268,000 men
and it is believed that this force will
be sufficient to cause the Japanese to
exercise greater caution in their pur
suit.
WHY STATION WAS CHANGED.
President Harlow Says Land Owners
Did Not Keep Their Contract.
Helena, Mont., March 5, '05.
Editor Democrat.
Lewistown, Montana.
Dear Sir:
Referring to the article in
your last issue, criticising the man
agement of the Montana Railroad for
changing the location of Straw Sta
tion let me say:
Before the Montana Railroad was
constructed, we made a definite agree
ment with the owners of the land at
Straw, for a eertrin tract at a certain
price for townsite purposes. Town
site facilities are almost as important
to a railroad as station grounds.
Depending upon this contract, we
located our station, built a side track,
section houses, etc. When we called
upon the land owners to fulfill their
parts of the contract, they declined
to do so. I thereupon notified every
body who seemed to be interested in
that particular location, that the sta
tion would likely be moved. We let
the matter drift for nearly a year,
when we decided that something defi
nite would have to be done, and as
the owners of the land persisted in
1 1 ' efUSa ( l wit f h the con :
front mnvpn tno sfotinn to n nnmf
tract, moved the station to a point
where we could get the necessary fa
cilities. Railroad companies are not
interested in the real estate features
of a small townsite, except insofar as
they are necessary to the economical
operation ojf the railroad. We keep
our agreements and we want other
people to keep theirs. The preset sit
,uation is brought about bv the failure
^ 6 . / „ , .
to keep an agreement to sell land,
not to give it away,
Richard A. Harlow,
President.
RICH SECTION Of
FERGUS COUNTY
Fine Agricultural Country in the
Vicinity of Philbrook on the
Upper Judith.
QUANTITIES OF NIGH GRADE WOOL
Some Magnificent Sheep Ranches
Are Located in That Rich Sec
tion of the County.
:
Some of the most thoroughly im
proved ranches and farms in the
county are situated in the immedi
ate vicinity of Philbrook on the up
per Judith. The river bottom widens
at this point and excellent bottom
lands are thus formed.
A fair example of what the hay
growth amounts to, is the John Duf
fleld ranch where 300 tons of heavy
bluejoint and meadow hay are cut
yearly and where with the necessary
amount of irrigation in the neighbor
hood of 700 tons could be raised.
Mr. Duffield is turning his attention
to the raising of thoroughbred cattle
and has a small herd of very well bred
Galloways as a starter. This prop
erty consists of 1700 acres and was
until lately known as the home of
the "circle dot" horses, though of
late years Mr. Duffield has disposed of
his horse herd and turned his atten
tion to the breeding of mules and has
raised some magnificent animals in
that line.
One notable fact in connection with
this section is that owing to the con
traction of the rauge a number of the
smaller stockmen, those who cannot
run their herd to advantage without
the use of the free range, are desir
ous of selling out and would do so at
a reasonable figure. As the result of
this move there is no doubt but that
a few years will see this section and
other farming sections in the hands of
the farmer and small mixed rancher.
Clarence M. Goodell owns a fine
piece of property close to Philbrook,
which years of intelligent cultivation
have made it a highly improved stock
ranch. Mr. Goodell has had consider
able success in the raising of horses
and has turned out some of the best
samples of horse flesh in the county.
The ranch consists of in the neighbor
hood of 3,000 acre of which the greater
part is suitable for any kind of farm
ing. A magnificent crop of hay is
harvested and alfalfa is raised with
first class results: two, and in places
three crops are cut. Mr. Godell raises
all kinds of mixed stock and owing to
his excellent pasture attains first
class results. On the home ranch at
Philbrook is one of the most up-to
date collection of ranch buildings in
the county and it is here that an at
tempt has been made to grow fruit
trees which has been attended with
some success.
The Goodell ranch is famed for its
white faced cattle which have almost
reached perfection by a careful system
of breeding and handling.
At present Philbrook is in the cen
ter of a sheep raising district. In the
early days the cattle industry thrived
in the vicinity until the sange herds
were moved north to the open coun
try. Many will remember the times
when the "12" cattle were held on this
side of the river and E. J. Morrison ran
his cattle outfit at Philbrook. In
those times the towu was a busy
trading point and experienced a sea
son of prosperity which lasted for sev
eral years. Though at present the
town is extremely quiet, it is a cer
tainty that with the rich farmlands
surrounding it that Philbrook will
again become prosperous.
There is considerable open country
toward Indian creek and to the east
also on lower sage creek where sheep
are still ranged. While cattle are still
found scattered throughout the coun
try, yet the larger outfits run their
stock toward the badlands during the
the summer months and feed a large
portion of them during the winter at
the home ranch. Among the sheep
ranches in the vicinity of Philbrook is
the Porter ranch operated by John
and Charlie Porter. Joseph Gal
lagher owns considerable land in this
vicinity and carries on mixed ranching
with considerable success. Mr. Gal-;
lagher lias aptly illustrated what can
be accomplished by hard work and an
and
intelligent operation ou farm
ranch lands in this section.
The bottom lands in this district is
even richer than that nearer the
mountains and all kinds of garden
growth is raised. During late years
some effort has been made to grow
small fruits which has met with very
pronounced success. Crab apples,
plums, several varieties of eating ap
ples have been picked in small quan
tities while currants, strawberries and
tomatoes are a heavy yield on some of
the river farms. J. A. Jellison raises
more currants than he knows what to
do with and also has a first class straw
berry crop. From thirty-five to forty
bushels of grain can be raised to the
acre and it must be taken into con
sideration that very little of the land
Is thoroughly cultivated, little atten
tion having been paid to the scatter
ing of manure or fertilizers in order to
enrich the soil. The entire district
will compare favorably witli any farm
ing section in the northern portion of
the United States, which fact is thor
oughly demonstrated by the excellent
results of the scant farming operations
liiterto conducted. The strip of land
further down the river is designated
as Pleasant Valley is a well watered
and extremely fertile district situated
in a sheltered locality where some
first class crops, both of hay and grain
are harvested. While this entire
section is fairly well settled, yet the
intending settler or homeseeker can
purchase a farm or ranch on very
reasonable terms, thougli it is well to
remember the fact that the richer
homestead lands which could be filed
on are all taken up. The raising of
winter wheaton the hitherto dispised
benchlands has proved to be very suc
cessful and even a number of the
owners of the largei stock ranches are
conducting experiments in that. line.
The country is yet in its infancy in
the matter of irrigation and though
there is a heavy natural fall from the
plentiful water supply of the Belt
mountains, no effort has been made to
irrigate the fertile benchlands which
could be reached from such a source.
The soil on the benchlands toward
the mountains is naturally rich and
with cultivation would undoubtedly
raise winter wheat, while with irriga
tion would produce any kind of a crop
desired.
One of the prettiest stock districts
in the county is the region embraced
in the north slop( of the Belt, moun
tains. It extends Horn the east side
of the upper Judith to the headwat
ers of Ross's Fork and from thence to
the Judith river, where it empties in
to the Missouri.
Here it is where the larger sheep
outfits of the upper basin run their
outfits with the success which is so
prevalent in that section of the county.
The forest reserves prevent the fenc
ing of the foothills and there is yet
considerable open range toward the
mountains on which run big herds of
cattle and horses, while the sheep
range is fully occupied by the many
bands belonging to the large outfits
'located in that section.
Antelope and Buffalo creeks, the
waters of Ross's fork and inumerable
springs furnish water for stock while
the beef and mutton which fetched
the highest price in last season's mar
ket were fattened on the rich range in
that region. On the southwestern
portion of this range the Waite &
Morse sheep are run on the range ad
jacent to Waite creea while on Ante
lope and Buffalo creel's, the J. S. Phil
lips and F. R. Warren ranches are lo
cated. Toward Ross's fork, Thomas
Nicholson and Patrick Nihill run sev
eral fine bands of sheep while the
ranch of J. C. Ilauck, is located but a
short distance from the fork. The
stock in this district is in good shape
this spring and considerable hay will
be carried over by all these outfits
owing to the mildness of the winter.
This section of the count ry contrib
utes a large amount of wool and in
the neighliorhood of 325,000 pounds
are shipped from there each season.
The wool is high grade in character
and invariably fetches a good price;
in fact all the clips in the Basin are
eagerly sought after by the buyers
owing to their superior quality. The
average sheep will shear seven pounds
while in some cases eight pounds is
secured per head from extra fine
bands. It is an ideal stock and agri
cultural country and is rapidly forg
ing to the front.
Notice.
Any and all persons are hereby no
tified to remove all their improve
! merits from the n J of the sei of sec 33,
■ tp 13 n, r 15 e, which is a portion of
my homestead, within 30 days or for
! feit same. a. T. Goodsceed.
First publication Feb. 28—4t
SPECIAL MEETING
CITY COUNCIL
Mayor Symmes Appoints Judges and
Clerks of Election to Take
Place in April.
CARNEGIE RECEIVES THANKS
City Council and Mayor Pass Reso
lution Extending Thanks to Iron
Magnate for Library.
A special meeting of the city coun
ell was held on Saturday night for the
purpose of making the appointments
of judges and clerks of the coming
city election. The following appoint
ments were made:
First ward—Judges: A. Hopkins,
Samuel Phillips and O. W. Belden;
Clerks: Alex. Lehman, E. O. Buscn
burg, Phil Chase and B. Anderson.
Second ward—Judges: John S. Ho
vis, E. W. Norton and Walter Knight;
Clerks: Bail Noble, Ed Wright, C. B.
Jammu and F. S. Ackley.
Third ward—Judges: G. A. Parrott,
Phil Laux and J. E. Lane; Clerks:
Morris Sloan, Donald Fowler, Ed.
Brassey and Henry Shea.
The matter of the deed from llobt.
Jackson to the city for the right of
way and reservoir site was referred to
the city attorney so that he could com
pare the title deeds with the original
contract. As soon as investigation
proves satisfactory a warrant will lie
drawn for the amount mentioned in
the contract.
It was decided to place the matter
of franchise for the Citizens' Electric
Co., Judith Milling Company and the
Lewistown Billings Telephone Co., Ini
fore the citizens at the coming elec
tion.
Owing to a numbei of complaints
the city attorney was instructed to
look into the matter of alleged nuis
ance in the shape of an ice pond on
the west side which is under the con
trol of Frank Mushner.
Mayor Symmes appointed Geo. I).
Bradbury to act on all committees in
in which a vacancy occurred owing to
his appointment to the position of
mayor.
Jas. M. Croft was appointed to act
in the capacity of assistant registry
agent preceeding t he coming munici
pal election.
A proposed ordinance for the annu
al appropriations to the city lunds
was read by the clerk and referred to
the finance committee with instruc
tions to report at the next meeting of
the council.
WHISKY GULCH MAY PAY IN FULL.
Judge G. M. Nelson is in Mountains
Investigating Affairs of Mines.
There is every possibility that, the
indebtedness of the Montana Mines
Co., contracted at Win-,key Gulch,
will Ik: paid in full and the outlook at
present is better than it has been
since the missing of the first pay day.
Judge G. M. Nelson, who is a heavy
stockholder and one of the prominent
officials in trie company, arrived
Lewistown last Saturday and on Sun
day morning went to Whisky Gulch
and Gilt Edge in order to thoroughly
investigate the affairs of the company
at that place. While in Lewistown,
Judge Nelson made the statement
tnat the company would pay its in
debtedness in full and if after
thorough investigation the property
would warrant such action that ope
rations would again lie resumed.
GARNEILLITES WANT A CHANGE.
Petition the Railroad Company to
Change Name of Ubet Station.
Helena, Mont., March 15, '05.
To Whom it May Concern:
When the Montana Railroad located
the station now known as Ubet, there
seemed to be a diversity of opinion as
to what its name should be. It was
our desire to preserve the old geo
graphical name, and at the same time
to conform os nearly as possible to the
wishes of the people who were inter
ested. The name of "Chet" had been
on the map of Montana since about
1SK2, and had liecome identified with
the Judith Gap. We made numerous
inquiries and decided that the name
Ubet would be more satisfactory to a
majority of those interested. The
name was therfor adopted.
We have recently received a peti
tion. urging us to change the name of
the station to "Garnelll." From this
company's standpoint there is no ob
ject ion to the change. We do nob
care to retain a name that is not sat
isfactory, but having the former con
troversy in view, it seems only fair
that an opportunity should lie given
to the other side, so to speak, to be
heard. Nothing will lie done for
thirty days, at least, and the under
signed would be very glad to hear
from anyone who has any reasons to
urge against the proposed change,
Very truly,
Richard A. Harlow.
President
ELECTION TO BE
ON PARTY LINES
Political Parties will Not Fuse in
any Manner During the Com
ing Election.
MASS MEETING IN SECOND WARD
Walter Knight Unanimously Nomi
nated at Large Meeting of
City Voters.
The Democratic primaries were held
on Saturday without any friction
worth mentioning, though I 11 the
third ward two tickets were in the
field, in the second ward Walter
Knight was nominated for alderman
unanimously. The delegates from the
several wards to the convention were
as follows:
First ward M. 11. Deaton, James
Dougherty, Henry Benner, Frank
Pick, W. W. Kimball, J. A. Weaver,
Ed. Martin, M. 1. Burke, David lin
ger, Matt Webber.
Second ward M. I). Kimball, Frank
Moshner, Walter Knight, A. J. John
son, A. Dahl, F. Tullock, A. Mansell,
J. A. Strong, L-1*. Slater, John Munz.
Third ward N. J. Littlejohn, .John
Laux, J. E. Lane, A. M. Sloan, L. W.
Butler, Tom Stout, John Foster, E.
C. Bryant, F. J. Ilazen, II. L. De
Kalb.
It seems that the Republican choice
for mayor Is W. D. Symmes, while
the possibilities for appointive offices
are on thedark horse order at present.
The political hangers on of the party
are doing considerable outpost duty,
but with what satisfaction to the
party is only known to the inmost
bunch of the inner circle. There is
absolut ely no slate to the democratic
party and the issue of the convention
is absolutely in the hands of the dele
gates from the people. John Laux
and N. J. Littlejohn are among the
possibilities for the mayorallty nomi
nation on t he democratic ticket.
ROD AND GUN CLUB
Meeting To Be Held This Week By
Nimrods Of Lewistown
A movement is on foot to organize
a rod and gun club in Lewistown for
the purpose of creating an Interest in
the preservation of fish and game and
seeing that the game laws are strictly
adhered to. Trap shooting contests
will be held under the auspices of the
organization and the general purposes
of a rod and gun club will be followed.
Sam Weaver and Frank Ware were
among the first to propose the form
ing of the organization and a large
number of the disciples of l^imrod
have already ranged shemselves under
their banner with tqe result that a
sufficient amount of interest lias been
aroused to justify the holding of a
meeting for the purpose of organiz
ing. The club, when in full running
order will undoubtedly be of great
benefit to the county in the way of
stopping the violation of the game
laws, attending to the trout fisheries
and generally acting as a curb upon
those who kill game and fish in an
unsportsmanlike manner.
As Nimrod's disciples are always
among the best of good fellows, it is
conceded that the social side of the
organization will leave nothing to be
desired.
It is thought by some oj the gentle
men already interested that the fair
grounds may be used for trap shooting
purposes. The enterprise is one which
deseves the financial and moral sup
port of the community and the opin
ion is that the "Lewistown Rod and
Gun Club" will be an entire success^.