Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1878-03-06

denv, but that all lumber shipped from The South
ern ports was from United States lands is asserted
| to he false.
Upon examination of the records of the General
Land Office, it will be found mat, IN October, loto
Commissioner Williamson, with the consent of the
Secretary of the Interior, appointed an agent TO
go to NJ Inne Sofa who was instructed to co operate
| and consult with the infermer, and detect and re-
port a II cases of Iespass which might come under
| hi, observation. About six months elapsed and
| the new reg ime came into power. The Commls-
sioper not being satisfied with the result of the
investigation in Minnesota, sent another agent,
who was more successful IN his operations 1hls
man went into the field, saw the tresPas~es com
mitted, sscertained that the lands from which the
trees were cut the properly OF the govern
ment and caused then to De surveyed, and re-
ported each OF trespass in"detail, giving the
name of the trespasser, the legal SUBDIVISION OF
land passed upon, and the names oil tue Wit
n csses to the cutting and removing of timber, and
then instituted suits of replevln. AS the logs ar
rived al the various boOms at NJ nnesota and Sui
water they were seized. After the suits had been
decided in favor of the government the logs were
appraised, ami sold at their appraised value, III
most cases TO the very men who had cut them.
In all the criminal salts, verdict was re ndered
10 favor of the Government. but IN no case was
the punshment had in accordance with the stat
ute under which the suits were Instituted. lhe
Judges recognized the injustice on the part OF tue
Secretary Of the Interior OF prosecuting persons
for an act which the Government Tor upwards OF
twenty five years had virtually consented 10, ana
which by instructions to It's officers, had allowed
to be compromised in every case, sometimes by
the payment of stumpage varying IRON % cents
to SO pei 900 feet, or the alternative OF entering
the lands from which the timber had been cut.
SO the Judges, instead of enforcing the statute,
punished the trespassers by nominal hne OF Slo
and torly-eight houIs' imprisonment. This, 1t Is
said did not please the secretary OF the lntei-
or.
Is is asserted that, had the agents sent South
gone understsndingy to work, and made their
cases before entering suits and making seizures,
they might have deserved the thanks of the com
munty for 1t Is as much to the interest of the
honest umberman AS 1t is that OF the Govern
ment to aid In putting an end to trespasslng on
public lands. man who buys his logs cannot
compete with one who steals them.
A gentleman just arrived from Montana de-
scribes in most iorcible terms the injustice, IN
many instances amounting to severe and prolong-
ed suffering and misery, caused by the action OF
the Interior Department by the timber seizures IN
that distant Territory. The reports Of this gen
tleman show that the speech of Senator Blame
on Thursday, quoting the minutes furnished him
by the Territorial delegate in Congress, under
stated rather than otherwise, the oppression re-
sulting from the ill-consldered action oil the Sec
Ietary of the Interior 10 the premises.
The agent of the luterIor Department in Flor
ida for the seizure OF logs alleged to have been
cut upon Government land is j. c. Hester, whose
employ ment during Gen. Grants administi alton
made him notolous.-SPecidt to tie Tribune.