The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1876-01-27
SAVE OUR TIMBER LANDS.
HOW THEY ARE PLUNDERED BY OFF,
CIAL CONNIvANCE.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 16.

to look after the tlmDeT tnlefeS ou tue
lands reserved by the Government fol
naval purposes has caused great deal o.
uneasiness in certain quarters here, as II
no doubt has by this time at 7ariou;
points in Florida, Alabama, and the Other
States in which these lands are located
and if the committee discharge their duty
fearlessly, system of robbery equal tt
anything yet developed under the pres
ent Administration will be brought tt
light.
The act of Congress by which these
lands were reserved for Government pur'
poses was passed in 1881, and provides
for the punishment of offenders who cut
destroy, or remove live oak or other tim.
Der. This law, however, has been a dead
letter so far as the provision relating to
timber thieves is concerned, although ev.
idence of robbery and the names of the
culprits have repeatedly been furnished
the Government
These naval reserved lands are located
in Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi,
Louisiana, and Texas, and were selected
by commissioners appointed at different
times for that purpose. They are covered
with the finest quality of red cedar, vel
low pine, and live oak to be found in the
country, and were selected for this very
reason.
The largest of these reservations are
located in Florida, and in consequence Of
the facility with which timber can be
shipped from the Gulf coast and the neg
lect of government officials, or else their
completely with the rascals, the depra-
dations there are by far the most exten-
sive. In Volusia county, near Mosquito
Inlet, at Silver Spring, on the Hillsboro,
Suwanee and Withalcootchie rivers, on
Pease creek, and St. Andrews, Chocta-
watchie, Santa Rosa, Escambia, East,
and PeruIdo bays, are reservations Of the
finest timber to be found in the South,
which is rapidly disappearing under
the lawless axe of the timber thieves.
The depredators confne their largest
operations to the valuable red cedar trees
in the Gulf sections, and it is estimated
that the quantity stolen in single year,
if cut and sold by the Government, would
pay for the expense of caring for these
lands for many years. Large quantities
of this wood are sold to the different pen
Gil manufacturers in this country, while
thousands of feet are annually exported
to Germany, France, and England, as
these establishments have agents at regu-
lar points on the coast, who are ready to
purchase from any seller.
The yellow woods on the reservations
are rendered worthless by the turpentine
gatherers, who box the pine trees for the
sap, continuing the process until the
trees are often scarifed to height OF
fifteen feet, drawing all the life out Of
them.
Depredations are also carried on over
the Government lands open to settlement.
The robbers hire negroes, at good wages,
use them to locate homesteads upon pine
timbered land, they paying the necessary
fees at the Land Office, and then, under
pretence of improvement, cut down the
trees for lumber, or box them for turpen-
tine, or both. After one locality is ex-
hausted new place is selected, generally
on some heavily timbered stream, whence
transportation to the mill is easy and
entries arc made under new names.
The lands reserved for naval purposes
and known as "naval reserved timber
lands" are under the charge of the Navy
Department, the Bureau of Construction
and Repair having special supervision.
Those along the Gulf coast are supposed
to be looked after by the naval construc-
tor on duty at the Pensacola Navy Yard,
but they get no attention whatever from
him. The agents who are paid TO look
out for these lands are charged with being
in league with the thieves, and from the
fact that the business of carrying off the
timber is carried on with impunity it is
pretty good evidence that the charge is
not groundless. Some three years ago
one agent who was too honest to allow
himself to be used by the rascals made a
thorough inspection Of the reservations,
and found large quantities of timber cut
ready for shipment, full reports ofwhich,
with the names of the depredators, were
sent to the Navy Department, as may be
seen by reference to the records. Moth
ing, however, was done about it, and the
thieves were not only encouraged in their
nefarious business, but they finally sue
ceeded in having the honest agent re-
moved.
Capt. J. G. Trebiger, U. S. n, was
detailed by the Navy Department to ex-
anime these lands, and he made an ex-
haustive and thorough report after COM
pletiug his labors, recommending the
abandonment by the Favy department Of
the worthless and the appointment Of
competent and honest agents to take care
of the most valuable of these lands, but
no heed was paid to his recommends
ton.
An agent located at Pensacola was at
one time removed for himself being en-.
gagged in plundering the Government OF
this timber. A salary of 81 200 per an
mum, a house, all the land he desired to
cultivate, orange grove, and boat and
boatment to attend him, were not enough
to minister to his pleasures, so he decided
to have yacht, and in very short time
his friends were invited to sail in the Lit
tie Silas, which was constructed of Gov
ernment timber and materials from the
navy yard, and afterward used for carry
ing stolen timber from various points to
Pensacola for sale and shipment.
For the past two years the Navy De-
partment have appointed as agents to
look after these lands number of igno-
rant negroes, most of whom can scarcely
read or write, and not one ofwhom could
find surveyors mark in the woods to
locate section, range, or township; and
if one of them did succeed in overhaul
ing tresspassers he would notdare arrest OF
prosecute them. These worthy represen-
tatiyes of Secor Robson receive from
$500 to 81, 900 per annum, and do moth
ing but protect the thieves.-M Y
Sun.
The Ass AND THE HORSE IDENTICAL
The following extract is from the
charge to jury by judge Guild of Ten
nessee:
"Our Supreme Court has very properly
adjudged that the exemption laws made
s., hoho1f IF noor narSnpc Qho11 ha liner