The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-12-09
THE ANTE LOGS.
The Government Agent Gives His version
Of the seizures.

The Government Agent Gives His version
of the seizures.
A REPRESENTATIVE OF the DEMooRAr called on
MIR. Garter, the special agent Of the Interior De-
psrtment, who has been entrusted with all the
seizures CT timber made In this country, at his
instigation, and had with him an interview In
which the following statements were made by
him. MIR. Garter had read the editorial In Sat.
urday's DEMOCRAT, and, eince he eontradicts In
many particulars the facts upon which that ar
ice Was based. we deem IL but just TO afford hin,
the opportunity Of public statement.
Reporter you ever represent TO the Int
rior Department. that you had seized 10000 logs
on the Amte2
COL, Uarter-t never represented that had
seized Ave logs or any number. My attention
WAS drawn to that country by letter to the In
terror Department from one OF Its most protni-
nent citizens, which had been referred y, me.
Under the process agsinst that parish have
seized less than 1000 logs, az the returns will
show, and several hundred thousand feet OF lum.
Der.
R-How many deputy marslsls and keepers
have you In charge OF these seizures, and at
what pay
Dol. G.--There is but one deputy arshal
what his pay is dent know. as he sraws his pay
from the IN srsbal, There are two or three keep.
ere. allowed from two dollars TO two dollars and
half a day. out Of which they have to pay fot
their own board.
Rim whose hands were these logs seized7
Dol. U.-I have read the editorial In the DEMO
GRAFT OF Saturday. based, no doubt, on the state
ment Of MIR. spief. tprefer, in answer, to refei
you TO the returns and inventories on file Ia the
United States Marsbals office. From these you
will discover who are the claimants, II any, ol
the property seized. II will be seen that very
email proportion was seized In the hands Of the
persons referred TO In the DEMocRAF's edi, eria
they were In almost every instance found III the
possession Of mill owners or timber contractors
This ie a mere statement OF the facts. The gov
eminent would have no right to discriminate be.
tween the rich and poor in making these Hez
ures oil are supposed to stand alike before the
law.
Rep.--The title to this land Ia disputed. Are
your instructions positive under these cireum
| stances
Col. U.-The legal title lie In The government
You must remember that the attention Of the
government w8s drawn to the spoliation Of these
lands by = citizen, whose letter was merely re-
| ferred to me. II was az much the duty OF the
government TO protect theee lands from epoa
| time. But for that matter the government con.
tends that theRe seizures have not been made on
| lands comprehended in the Houma grant. In my
| letter of instructions the Commissioner Of the
| General Land Office writes. 'Tbe general un-
Outstanding Of this Office is that these settlers
are upon land which 1t has been held does not
belong within the Houms grant, and which will
| be disposed OF by Me United Htstes.'
Furthermore, wish TO call your attention to
one important view of the subject. In oil my
| seizures | have not attempted to Cypress ANY
class Of peraons the seizures, though, have
principally affected the mill men and log con.
tractors, who reap ell the profits Of these spuls.
lions. n have injured the poor chopper, ii has
| been TO say to him that he must stop depredatne
on the public lands My instructions are clear NJ
| to what my duty is. | am ordered to stop depre-
daticns on the public lands OF these States. which
belong TO the people OF the whole country Ii
| accomplishing this duty have almost nvsriably
| encountered men who have amassed fortunes II
| the timber and lumber trade. Il is these per
| sons who misrepresent my mission, and who srt
trying to enlist public sympathy,