The daily gazette., 1877-12-05
GovERNMENT i TIMBER RAvAGRs

GOVERNMENT TIMBER RAVAGRS
Cheerful tidinRs of "al quiet 30 far"
come up from Pascagoula though the
deadlock there between the county
Sheriff and the United States Marshal
for the possession of the replevied
logs still holds fast. Col. Carter
thinks that the crisis is over, and that,
with the marines from New Orleans
near the scene of hostilities at Gritfin's
Mill, the lsmhermen will yield with
out bloodshedl
This Mississippi case is only one of
many in which millions of dollars
worth Of logs have been carried off
from Government lands, owing to the
corruption OF the incapacity of the
Washington authorities and their un-
derllngs. When, through the weak
ness, reckless, or crime of its guard
ians, other GoveTnmet property is de-
stroyed-as when public building is
burned or valuable ship is wrecked
tine people are startled into thought
fulness by tho glaring disaster, but
this loss of timber, being silent,
steady stripping of value from the
Governments largest item of tangible
property-the public lands-receive 8
little attention. Few people suspect
the extent of the loss, and no investi-
cation of its causes is made by Con-
gress,
Nevertheless, official testimony shows
that in Minnesota alone upward of sixty
million feet of white pine logs have been
| cut and removed from the vacant public
lands, which, at the average of five dol
lars per thousand feet, would give to-
tai value of more than three hundred
thousand dollars. When, at length
| public indignation was aroused-for The
depredators could easily undersell theil
rivals, having their raw material free
the facts were so clear that, out of TWEEN
ty>nine civil suits recently brought a
st. Paul against the trespassers, the Gov
ernment got verdicts in nineteen whil,
the other ten are still pending, and will
no doubt, go the same way. The twenty
five criminal suits have resulted in SOM
convictions Or pleas of guilty, and in
continuance of the remainder. Man
other suits are in preparation, while nc
few depredators have fastened to max
voluntary restitutions. These cases cor
cerned existing logs in the booms. Th
character of the millowners and other
engaged in this business shows ths
plundering public lands had come to b
F an extensive and almost respectable Gu.
tom. In Arizona, also, vast amounts {
timber are taken from the public lane
to make charcoal for furnaces. AS tC
: the Government timber of the Gu
States, the depredations upon it al
enormous, and have been going on ft
many years.
l These results suggest how the nomin;
v guardians Of the public property hay
been, in these modern days, dischargir
their trusts. Commissioner Williamsc
of the Land Office thinks that Congre
might do we'll to authorize the summal
seizure of timber stolen from the publ
lands, so as to avoid the roundabout pr
cess of the courts; and also that Coz
Il gress, taught by past experience, shou
u specially provide for the care and custoC
1t of timber lands not adapted to agricu
n ture, and for the gradual sale of the til
= Der, as well as for renewing the growtl
y and for apptalsing and selling such Ian
= as it may be best to sell. That sol
ii legislation on the subject is need
seems to be clear, as hitherto the pub
- timber lands have been simply scenes
oi promiscuous pillage.