Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1881-07-26
MINNEAPOLIS Pine SHARKS.
How They Have Stolen and Continue to
Steal from the Pine Lands in the Red
Lake yalley-The Way the Game Is

Especial Correspondence st. Paul Globe
GRAND FORKS, July 10, 18Sl.-Situated as
we are at the mouth of tie Red Lake river,
we have been the unwilling witnesses of the
third great steal of pine timber which has
just been consummated by the floating of the
booty, lover one and one-half million feet)
past our city and down the Red river to Win
nipeg. We say the unwilling witnesses, be-
cause to witness the accomplishment of
crime which you are powerless to prevent,
cannot help but be distasteful 70 honest, law
abiding people. We call it the accomplish
ment of q crime, simply because there is not
an acre of surveyed pine land tributary to Red
Lake river, so that every tree cut was either
stolen from government land or from the
Indian reservation about Red Lake
That such steal as this should
be accomplished under the very
face and eyes of the vigllant, and the capable
United States marshal for the State of Mime
sofa shows to what an exact science the art of
timber thieving has been reduced by the thieves
who boast of MINNEAPOLIS as their home, and
their dependencies throughout the State.
The vast pine forests in and about Red Lake
seem to have been located by providence ad-
jacent to the fertile lands of the Red River val
ley, for the purpose of enabling its settlement,
and ever since immigration has tended that
way there has been an earnest, united and con-
slant appeal to our general government to
permit it to be used by the people inhabiting
the valley. Congress has been petitioned
again and again, and our members and Sena.
tors urged to act in the matter. But all the
time, the gang of timber thieves, who have
their grip upon the pine lands of the State
have been steadfastly at work to defeat any
such object. They came to the front at frs,
when DR.. Stewart, during his single term in
Congress, had worked the matter up anc
seemed likely to accomplish the desired re-
suit. That settled his fate, and the ring de-
cided at once to beat him. Casting about for
An available and subserviant tool, one of their
own number, one who was an interested par
ty was found, and forcing aside the honest,
and faithful servitor of the people. they rode
rough shod over the district, and at any cost
secured his election. Now good bye to any
meddling with any matter in his district un-
sanctioned or unapproved by him. Dead and
worse than useless are all petitions and ap
peals. What member or Senator 30 bold as
to interfere In matter which our member
from the Minnesota forests objected to.
Having thus removed the danger they dread
ed, viz: the supply of cheap lumber to thu
Red River valley and the cutting off of vast
field for the sale of their own products at a
monopoly fgure-this delectable gang next
turn their attention towards reimbursing
themselves for their lavish campaign expenses
No doubt from his familiarity with the lower
country "hlm that was once on time in a
hell of fix" was intrusted with the manage
ment of the scheme, and under his discreet
manipulation an immense float of the splendid
pine timber of the Red Lake country found it's
way down the.river and over the line where
th1ch ccc nil nhorc har he
historic announcement of his situation. Once
past the national boundary and seizure was
impossible and the gang could snap their fin
gers at the officers, with the gold in their
pockets from the sale of the logs to
fight the government. Sixty-fve thousand
dollars was the amount of restitution asked
by the government, which, though doubtless
far less than the amount stolen, was too
much to be thought of for moment, and so
he that was in hell of fix for a second
time, with the air of a martyr and the as
sition, who was much indebted to the gang
for his position, secured settlement with tn
department for the sum of $4,000.
So neat and profitable a business must moi
be abandoned, and so the past few days, a.
was said at the commencement, has witnessed
the accomplishment of another timber steal.
What we, the pople of Grand Forks and the
citizens of the Red River valley, want to know
is. how long shall this dis
reputable gang, who overrun the State,
of Minnesota, and Illustrate and corrupt legis-
lation, be permitted to steal from our nation
al government that which we are anxious and
willing to buy. and sell it to our Canadian
neighbors without being brought to book for
it. We stand here and look at the forest gil
ants float by, and are powerless to either pre-
vent the crime or to punish the thieves. Is
there no method of prevention for this legal
lied stealing? Must each successive season
see the millions which are SO much needed by
our own people, and which they are prevented
from buying, float down to the people across
the line, and the felony be compounded and
the thieves escape? We ask as simple mat
ter of justice that our protest be recorded be-
fore the public by you, sir, through the col
umns of the GLOBE against this infamous
business, and shall beg leave to call public at
tention to the matter again very soon.
GRAND FORKS CITIZENS.
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