, 1874-02-09
MINNESOTA,
The Indian Pine Sales.
What tho Legislative Investigation Com.
mittse Will learn.
The Legislature and the Railroads.


will bo thorough ono iu respect to bringing out
facts which Secretary Delano's Commission Of
Inquiry most cai'e!ully nvoidod Happening to
know pretty thoroughly what facts can be aacer-
tafnod, think n,hy aafoly anticipate ovonts 50,
FIR US to say that N1r. Donhey'B Committee will
lenrn, with regard to tho sale OF tie Lcoch Lake
pines to Mr. A. H.Wilder
First-T1,at on Commissioner Smiths own
showing tho salo OF tho whole was not ut all
necessary, bocauso tho rillagors' pine could haya
been sold by itself, and Is, alone, worth moro
per Thousand than tho contract-prlcc. (Smith
rested the defouso of tho Balo on tho assortion
that tlle'PillaRers wero needy, md their pino
could not bo sold by itsolf.)
Seoond-That the. sale was not only mado
without cousont Of tho Indians; but without
their knowledge; aud that mono Of tho soveral
bhnds Interested woro informed Of tho Halo
having been mado until aftor it's completion BY
Wilder's first payment being made, which was sir
months or moro after tho execution Of the con-
trnct. tho same sccrecy being observed In koop-
ing tho aR1e from knowledge Of the public gen-
| orally.
| 1htrd-Th II tho Halo had not bcen made
| before tho public know that 10 largo and desrn,
bio a property WIS to bo purchased, there would
| havo bebna sharp competition for 1t, out Of
| been Obtained.
Fourth-Ihat tho contract.prico is not ono1
half the present yaluo Of tho atumpage, nod
more than one.fourth ito prospective yaluo With
FUh-That, while tho contract pro-
fesses to be basod upon III cstin,ata
TINT tho merchnntnblc' piEe It con-
yoya will not much exceed 0Oo0, ono feot,!
tho real quantity, according to tue. opinion Of
| beet-informcd EXPERTS Is not los8 than 0D,000,-
600 feot, and may amount to as much US 1906
900, 900 feet.
sirth-1!hat. il tho atnupago had been prop.
orly advertised for sae, and sold iu lots to suit
| no faster than money WAS needed for Tho In-
diana much largor price per thousand foct would
have been obtained, and tho growth Of small
timber, and prospective increase in value Of
dinnH. |
seue,,th-That the contract is so loose
in it's terms as to be liable to con-
atructions which would include large bodtes
Of timber on Governments lands outside
to Mr.. Wilder, without money or price, ono-third
Of tho merchantablo pite, and which wonld give
to him in porpotuity thoright tooccupy tito land,
aud cut away its growth 80 long as it produces
EigaM-That The contract. giving to its tartns
is unusually liberal 10 tho purchaser.
above aes an % no tSu pt ho vii
discover evidences of fraud in tho transaction.
Mr. Wider's character MS n straightforward but
| vigorous businesg-man, and M honorable
man, would preclude tho idca that ho would
conceive any gronB fraud, eyon> aa d mems to
obtaining this Immense PROPERTY. And, if there
could bo, within his knowledge, my form Of
bribery about tho matter, his shrowtncss aud
prudence must hayo been sadly at fault it hn-
man ingenuity cau loyiAo why to discover it,
| without resort to tile old-timo process Of rack
aud thumbscrows
| RAILROAD .AtFA,ns
| intcreBt both Houses, and haVe called ont
~11f f1F $a1t f1u
than any other aubject. llr. Coggswell l,us 60
cured hiH Committee Of Conference as to rail-
transportation, through which 10 hopes to
unite Iowa, Wisconsin,, and Minnesota in undor-
taking to regulate 1aiway-traitie Oh both local
and intcr-Stato lines.
Mr.. Donnoliy hay started IN inquiry. which he
hopes will 80 far ondanger tho *titlo OF tho
Winona Il st. Peter Road to 100000 acros Of it's
promise with tho Stale and consont to logisla-
| tive regulation; tho inquiry being founded on
tho fact that tho Company did mt ask that it
! should, and tho Legislature therefore neglected
| to, authorize the Governor to convey tho lands,
| as has boon done, to tho Company.
The Railroad Commissioner has boon sustained
BY Attornoy-U Uenoral Wilson III his claim that tho
| WiMoha H. st. petor: Company owes $4,000
ing the Attorney Genoral's estimates md tho
lattor tho Nuilroad Colnmissiouor's). This clam
is based as follows Tho Legislature, somo
years ago, by law required tho Wiuona l. st.
| L0L0E CoW(lAAf 10 uu Ctllalu Lullpb, A1lu NY LuG
saino law granted Il IN abatement Of taxes Tho
| Company resisted the requirements, but accopt-
| cd tho donalion. nnd paiu a reduced tax accord
ipg]y, although It succeeded ln having tho law
| judcialiy pronounced unconstitutional mud voia.
Tho claim il for the difference between tic taxes
| paid undor TINT law md the 8 per gent upon
oarnings which would have otherwise been col-
| leotod.
cd, which ask removal Of tho land grant fol
tho st. Paul &' Pncie extonslon-lines Ona
| PROPOSES to renew the grant for tho benefit Of
its present holders. The othor proposes that
declared, aud that the renewal shall bc in tho
State. In pursuance Of this second proposition,
| Company has been o1ganizod within q few
days under the Goncral' incorporation law 1T
tho State, which calls itself tho Western Rail-
road Company. Of Minnesota, aud declares ita
pllrposo, III part, to DO to build aud opernte a
| railroad from Bauk Rapids to nrainord, +. r.
Delano; Of this oityt who tried last year to
obtain possession Of that r'art Of tho extensions
liles by purchase Of st. Paul l. Pacific stock, ia
at tlo head of tho now Company.
Iloro are 80 many and yaried propositions,
looking to Legislative restraint upon freight
rateH and passongor-fnros, concerning dlacrLl-
nations personal privileges, and special con-
tracts, and with regard to all manner Ut com.
| plAints against ralway-management TINT it
would bo uHoloaa to evon n1ontion them until
t1olr projectors lave arrived at homo agreomcnt
which will give promise Of anything being aone:
to clear tho fold for action By q constitutional
amendment; and that Mr. Wilkinson proposes,
| by ono sweeping enactment. to declare void Oh
contracts which relieve carriers from any com.
.non-law liability, mud also to dceluso receiving
md delivering carriers within tho State liable
for, loss or damage to shippers or conalgncca
| within tho State, though tue same may hayo oo-
| cured upon other but connecting liuea. o.
| "A domuro citizen Of Portland was walking
down town ono morning last week. whom Htran,