The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-05-28
BUSINESS opP.,RTryIrIEs.
THE PUBLIC TIMBER LANDS

he PUBLIC TIMBER LANDS.
WHOLESALE pEpREDATroNs on TIE PROPERTY
or THE oovEHNMENT--AN ENTIRE CoMMU-
NIFTY ENGAGED IN THE BusINEss-EFFoaTs
or THE INTERIOR DEPARTMENT TO PREVENT
IT.
WASHINGTON d. c., May q, 1877.
Tho recent operations Of tho government against
dcpredaors upon the public timber lands in Minnesota
and more recently Louisiana, have attracted consd
cradle attention to tho subject and will doubtless lead
TO legislation NJ the session OF Congress that will
enable the department encctually to break up the
present wholesale punderug Of tho public timber
lands
THE LOUISIANA RoBBERIEs
Tho Information obtained by tho General Land ONCE
in regard to the Cacasicu district OF Louisiana, where
last weeks extensive made is to tho CT
feet that the entire community occupying the region
which extends from the Sabine River within about
six miles OF the Cacasieu River, and north and south
about fifty miles, is engaged, directly Indirectly
tho timber trade with full knowledge that ninety per
cent or more Of the timber Is unlawfully cut from
lands belonging 10 the government Tho population is
said TO BIO constantly receiving largo acccssions OF
fugitvcs from JUSTICE who seek sccuslon IN this sec.
tion
OFFICIALS IN THE BUSINESS
lH0 ucputtuout Is tnut TUG SOuuty JuuGc
Is mill owner, who, not himself engaged In cut
ting government timber, encourages such dcprcda-
tions by purchasing logs and that his son. the Sheriff.
s among the operators In fact tho Judge the shcr-
ID and the jurics OF this rcgion all represented to
be alike participants IN this branch OF domestic In.
dustry."
CHARACTER OF LANDS.
The lands have but little value as.do from the timber
growing on them; and, as a general thing, the same
may DO said OF tho pine lands In Minnesota Wisconsin
ana Michigan, from which the government timber is
being Illegally removed
In January last. in a communication addressed TO
the Secretary Of tho In terror Commissioner William
son. OF the General Land ONCE invited the secretrys
attention to the subject Of deprcdations upon the tim
bcr lands Of the United States, and gave a detailed
statement Of the attempts that had been made sup
press H. He also made suggestions moro pracli-
cable modes to put end TO this wholesale system Of
robbery by which whole communities were deriving
their support The communication remained unan.
swerod until April, when Secretary schurz expressed
his approval Of the suggestions and promised his
operation in carrying them far the limited
means at the disposal Of the department would permit
EFFORTS OF THE GOVERNMENT.
In his communication Commissioner Williamson
states that, by the records OF the Land Office. ap.
pears the first by tho department in regard
the number of dcpredations was by the appointment
OF what were called timber agents. No appropriations
wcro made paym but they instructed
that their compensation aud expenses would DO paid
from the proceeds Of their agencies " sufficient for
that purpose and not tho residue out of the judi
ciary fund. Their duties wcrc TO obtain and furnish
IN ormation to the United States District Attorney
Marshal and those officers wore advised OF the ap.
pointment Of tho timber agents and the duties ex-
pcctci OF them In January, 1884 the Land once
notified of tho action Of the Secretary IN the APP
pointment OF these agents and tho instructions Ia
them, and the subject was then committed to the Com
missioner Of the Land once us inc public officer
most properly chargeable Herewith. Tho Commits
Issued crculars to these lumber agents
tour in numbcr-two IN Michigan, one in Wisconsin
and IN I0wa--lnforming thcm that beyond the
strucons gwen tncm already they could seize and sell
timber cut from the public land independently OF the
In December. 1885, the system changed, and the
duties OF timber agents were imposed upon the regis
and OF the local land districts Under
this arrangement there has been show OF effort to
suppress icprcdations, and from time TO time, COM
sent Of tho Secretary OF tho Interior, bavo
been made with parties who had cut timber
upon tho public lands, generally upon tho conditions
OF entry Of tho land upon which the timber cut
payment Of nifty cents per 1000 feet together with the
payment Of all expenses incurred in making the sez.
urcs subsequently 70 reasonable stumpagc accoru-
ing 10 the value oil the timber cut, at mini-
mum OF less than $3.50 per 900 iect and
COSTS was xcd as the basis com PROMISE, VIII CHI
has the general instruction for years past
that the whole practice had come TO be collection
for stumpage. and there rcason to believe that most
4
MONEY EXPENDED AND RECEIVED
Since 1872 annual appropriations have been made
sum has been bu. 81, 900 each year. Oui Of tins
agents depuycd by receivers and registers have been
paid since 1856 the total amount oil money deposited
IN tho Treasury account OF timber respasscs Ii
sl9g993 So and the total amount paid out for services
and expenses during the same period IS $i5, GA 16
leaving balance net to the United states, II appro
pria,ion had boon made, Of s15i,373 "A. The comms
sioner says:-
There not sufficient evidence in tho possession Of this
office {, ona0Io accurate statement TIL sub ect o
trespass the public timber but is vol known tha
along The Gulf 81 exico IN the pine region Of Lake 81
% o ass aeesf T
ong ana dane the cusaing ana remov, o. tm a from
been supplied With timber cut ro@ the public and.
Cuba and Central America In the mining districts vr
for and os
ties has into tho usual channel OF the timber trad
o n's Ri III. loss as
Than the value Of .hs timber on 'o acres d goo,
s the timber act actually Gu, and taken
PROPOSITION or rnE COMMISSIONER.
In view OF tho unsatisfactory results Of all efNor
thus lar the proposition OF the Commissioner 10 dis
continue the system aud employ special agents wa
special agents be borpc The books oil the Land Once
clerks or employees, and detailed for special duty
undcr instructions from and 10 report TO The Commits
soner who Will report TO tho Secretary when the evi
dcncc furnished by these agents in his opinion, war
rants the institution oil legal procednes and that
agent 50 employed be empowered to make any com
promise with offenders.
VALUE or LUMBER sEizEp.
Under this new arrangement Notwithstanding th'
fact that but very limited means were at the dispose
OF the department Tor the purpose, seizures OF tmhe
have been made In Minnesota aud LOUISIANA within
TWO NOUNS the vaiuc OF wnlcn assresa.es more tna
the preceding twenty years The Commissioner be
ieves that with proper Appropriation the wholcsa
plundcrng can 10 stopped and many millions OF dol
lars saved to the government
A DISHONEST CLERK.