dollars each, per annum. And as in duty bound, your memo Resolved. That our delegate in congress be respectfully requested to bring the subject of this memorial to the immediate attention of congress, and use all honorable means to bring about the asked for appropriation. Approved, December 10, 1869. Memorial. CHAPTER 95. A MEMORIAL AND JOINT RESOLUTION TO CONGRESS ASKING AN To the Senate and House of Representatives of the Your memorialists, the legislative assembly of the territory of Wyoming, would respectfully represent; that there is no suitable building within this territory, wherein to detain persons under charge of serious crimes, or confine those under the sentence of the courts; that in consequence, the administration of justice is much retarded, and persons disposed to commit crimes do not feel that restraint that would ensue from a knowledge that the officers of the law were possessed of the means of their detention. That when Potentiary persons are sentenced by the court to penitentiary impris onment, said persons have to be transported to Detroit, in the state of Michigan, at great expense to this territory, as well as to the United States; that Laramie city, on the Laramic plains, a large and fertile area of tillable land, well watered and of healthful climate, is well adapted for the location of a penitentiary within this territory; that said Laramie is situated on the Union Pacific railroad, and is convenient to the territories of Utah, Idaho and Montana, should those territories need to transport prisoners for safe keeping or punishment; and your memorialists would pray that a sum not less than sixty thousand do lars be appropriated and set aside for the erection of a penitentiary at said Laramie city. Your memorialists, referring to the act of congress setting aside certain internal revenue for internal improvements in the territories, would further state that, during a large portion of the year eighteen hundred and sixty-seven, the whole of eighteen hundred and sixtyeight, and the greater portion of the year eighteen hundred and sixty-nine, the internal revenue of the territory of Wyoming went to the credit of the territory of Dakota, and that said revenue was largely in excess of that collected from what is now the territory of Dakota, and your memorialists would respectfully request that in the apportionment of the internal revenue for improvements as aforesaid, that the territory of Wyoming be allowed the full benefit of all she has contributed to the national treasury. That your honorable bodies will assist her in so doing by the erection of a penitentiary as aforesaid, thus relieving her of heavy expense. And your memorialists will ever pray. Be it resolved, That the secretary of the territory be requested to forward this memorial to the Hon. S. F. Nuckolls, our delegate in congress, and that he be instructed. to present the same to congress and use his best endeavors to procure the appropriation prayed for. Approved December 8, 1869. Location. Ap portionment Resolution. CHAPTER 96. MEMORIAL, To the Honorable the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States: We, your memorialists, the legislative assembly of the territory of Wyoming, respectfully call the attention of your honorable bodies to the fact, that the internal revenue department of the United States is collecting revenue duties from persons in this territory, who are living daily exposed, as to their persons and property, to the attacks of hostile indians, and who have no other protection than their own vigilance and bravery; that the internal revenue officers are themselves Memorial. Hostile Indians. Protection. afraid to collect such revenue in person by reason of the danger from said indians; and your memorialists, believing that if your honoroble bodies were cognizant of these facts, that you would agree with us, that the government of the United States does not wish to tax any of its citizens for its support, without affording, adequate protection to their lives and property in return, therefore pray: That all internal revenue collections made in this territory, and not already appropriated for other territorial objects, be ordered to be paid to the governor of this territory, to be by him used in payment of volunteer troops who may be called into the field to serve against hostile indians: And for this your memorialists as in duty bound will ever pray. Memorial rolaing to crime. CHAPTER 97. MEMORIAL. To the Honorable W. W. Belknap, Secretary of War: Your memorialists, the legislature of the territory of Wyoming, respectfully represent the following facts as bearing upon the question of crime in the northwestern and western portions of the territory. First, A section of country some miles in extent, commencing some one hundred and ten miles north-easterly from Bryan station, upon the Union Pacific railroad, is a newly discovered mining camp, known by the general name of "Sweetwater," one portion of which, called "Miner's Delight," discovered and possessed in 1867, lies within and directly along the southern portion of the Shoshone reservation, set apart by treaty made, with this tribe by General Sherman and his colleagues, ratified February 15th, 1869. Second, In and around this region have congregated many of the outlaws of our common country, and crime, such as murder, robbery and larceny, is of constant occurrence, committed in said mines, both in and out of said reservation, criminals are arrested by the sheriff and marshal, and large numbers, as many as twenty at a time, are held for trial in said county. Third, Neither the government, or the county, have a prison or place of any kind, in which to confine criminals. The commandants of Fort Bridger, and the summer camp in the Papo-Agie valley, in said Shoshone reservation, have received, during the past three months, six persons, severally charged with murder and robbery, and held them to aid the law officers of the government, but these military officers refuse to make general jails and prisons of guard houses outside of military offenses, special cases only receiving attention. Fourth, About the twenty-fifth day of May last, this Territory of Wyoming was organized by the qualification of the judicial officers under the organic act, and hence, the counties have no efficient organization, having had no legislation in that behalf. No prisen. Organization. Fifth, The country has no fund or legal means of No fuada creating one until this legislature shall provide ways and means for this as well as other counties, and for at least eight months yet, it will be impossible to levy or collect sufficient moneys with which to pay the expense attending the punishment of criminals in this portion of the territory. Owing to the storms that prevail from January to May, business is partially suspended, business men are absent, and the collection of a tax is simply impossible. Sixth, The officers of the law are compelled to find buildings as best they can, for those charged with crime, and guard such buildings night and day, with double guards, and subsist such prisoners, whether they have offended against the federal or territorial laws; said Shoshone reservation is within said Carter county. The expense to this county of holding prisoners is so heavy that it will be a severe burthen upon the people of this portion of the territory, unless relief be granted; not only this, but escapes cannot be avoided, and he who has robbed, again goes forth, more determined than before, to repeat and ply his nefarious calling. Therefore, be it Escapes Resolution. Resolved, by the Council, the House concurring, That the honorable secretary of war be, and he hereby is earnestly, but respectfully requested to aid the people of this county and portion of Wyoming territory, by ordering the commandant of this department to provide forthwith a place or places, either at Fort Steele or Bridger in which the prisoners held for trial in the western or northwestern portion of this territory may be received, imprisoned and subsisted at the expense and charge of the war department until ways and means can be provided by legislation, and we ask that immediate action may be had in order to relieve the officers of the law and an over taxed people, and thereby aid the courts in punishing crime. Memorial. Change of head quarters. CHAPTER 98. MEMORIAL. To the Honorable W. W. Belknap, Secretary of War: Your memorialists, the legislative assembly of the territory of Wyoming, would most respectfully but earnestly request that the headquarters of this military district be removed from its present location at Omaha to some suitable point in this territory. Your memorialists would respectfully represent, that in their opinion there is no necessity for any military establishment at the city of Omaha, nor that any troops should be stationed there for the protection of its inhabitants or the inhabitants of the adjacent cities. On behalf of the people of Wyoming we would ask that there be troops sent immediately for the protection of our defenseless settlements. Further, your memorialists are fully of the opinion that the nearer the headquarters of this military district are to the field of active operations against the hostile Indians, so much the more effective will such movements be. And in thus expressing their views, your memorialists have only stated what will result, if acted upon, in a great saving to the government, and at the same time render all future military operations in this territory |