Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1874-10-22
PROTECTING TIMBER LANDS.
The Facts In the Case-Lsrge balance In
Favor Of Republican Adminissration-Lett er
From Ex Gov. Wsshbnrn.
MADISON. October Is.

EDITORS STATE JOURNAL In the
Madison Democrat of the 29th ult. |
read statement in regard to the man.
agement of the timber lands within
the limits of the St. Croix land grant,
highly laudatory of the Reform adj
ministration, and derogatory to its pre-
decessor. Though | knew it to be
entirely inexact in relation to the late
administration, did not feel called
upon to notice it, nor should now,
had | not observed that the substance
of the article had been widely copied
outside of the state, and though the
Democrat, the next day, confessed to
slight error OF S35, S96.3s, | have
not seen any credit for it given else
where, and as late as the 10Th inst
the Democrat copied from the Detroit
Free Press statement that the Re.
publican administration had collected
but $1e, 900 in 1878, when the junior
editor had in his pocket a letter from
the State Treasurer, in the words and
figures as follows:
STATE OF WISCONSIN,
IkkASUkkh OfFlCkS mADA5VNf oepL. ~. AofF-
DHAH SIR:-Aliow me TO make few remarks, TO
the communication in this mornings Democrat, re-
lating to the penalties collected from trespasses on
the ct. Croix Lake Superior Railroad Land Grant
tract:
The penalties collected by former State
Agent, Sam. Hartman, during fiscal year
1878 ............ IS sol o.
In addition thereto remittance Dec 80 1878 5000 90
Total cash 49,. ......- ... .........s "a, s9l "a
And surrendered notes for collection, given
In settlement for trespass penalties. ma
turing mostly IN March, Jr and July.
1874. amounting in the aggregate to
$50 896 So.
Amount collected ON said notes up to the
present date ....s Fl 1891 90
One note due July. 1874. for $3.50 66, was
protested for non payment, and legal pro.
ceedings instituted 10 enforce its pay
| And Of another note for.............$ ,07O 90
| There was paid on account....-...." $40 IS 542 IS
Leaving balance outstanding ~ 527 65--
Harriman. ......... ......... ......s 45. 4S5 20
Notes in process of aw................... S,799 sc
Note outstanding 527 GO
| s55,752 90
The penalties collected through the Agency of Mr..
John W. Bashford alone amounted to $SS $50 3d. dur
ing period OF about months only, and all
ceVed In deposit certificates of responsible banks,
payable on the Both of December proxime while the
notes received in settlement by Mr., Hartman mostly
Of notes given by the trespassers
| lsigned] FERD. KUEHN,
State Treasurer.
To Robt. NJ. Bashford, ESQ, editor Daily Democrat
City.
From the above it will be seen that
not one dollar has yet reached the
State Treasury since the advent oil
the Reformers, and that whatever
sums have been collected are now in
the hands of certain Minnesota bank
ers, drawing no interest and not pay
able until December S0th. On the
other hand it is shown that Gen. Har-
riman collected in 1873, not $4,000
as stated, but $55,752. 1t is true that
in making sales of logs, and to obtain
the best price, he was compelled to
take notes on short time, for
$50, s96.38; but they were all Endorsed
and certified to by bankers at Still
water to be good, and all drew 10 per
cent. interest. OF this $21, 99l.9 80
has already been paid, and the note OF
$8,799.66 is perfectly good, as the
Treasurer informs me; the parties de
Ginning to pay only for the reason that
Gen. Hartman, as they say, made
them give note for more than the
logs were worth.
1t will be seen from an examination
of the accounts of Gen. Hartman in
the executive Office, for 1873, that all
the large trespassers were compelled
to buy in their logs at SIS OIL per thous-
and, the state running them up to So:
while | see it stated that the trespass.
ers got away with the present agent
for 81.
To sum the matter up, then, so far
as the years 1878 and IA are concern.
ed, being the years in question, the
account stands thus:
| Collected by Gen. Hartman in 1878, and
in the tate Treasury ..............$ Dc 425 q
Balance in process of collection .......... 1897 q
$55,752 s.
I CONTRA.
| Collected by Reform agents in 1874, from
14000, 600 feet of logs ............. So 500 81
| Cash paid into the State Treasury ............
Assuming that the $38,59O.58 now
in the hands of the Saltwater bankers
is paid, and the account stands thus:
Collected by Hartman in IS 752 Sc
Collected by Reform agents...... $500 IS
Balance in favor of Hartman leI 81
1t Is claimed that there is $4,000
in process of adjustment by the present
agent. When that reaches the State
Treasury will be time enough to claim
credit for it. Hopes are held out for
Ia l. IL.