Arizona weekly citizen., 1883-05-05
DESTRUCTION OF TIMBER ON GOVERNMENT
 TANDG IN ARrZONA

The Prescott Journal says; General NJ. T. Thomas, connected with the rail road company, writes c. the Alhrquer- que Review card regarding Tbe cuttins and sale of timber iu this county, which places the question in quite n different light from what is generally underst od by our citizens. He says: The lanas from which Mir E E. Aver cuts the timoer, are railroad lands, which nave been earned by the A. e P. k. K. com pany through the construction and ae- ceptance of its road. Mir. Aver buys and pays for the timber. The Mexican Central railroad company pays NIT. Aver for it, and pays the freight over the A. x P. and A. T. tS $. F. roads. The mat ter has been reported to tine govern ment, investigated and fully understood and approved"
 From what We have heard about the cutting and shipping of timber from along the llne of the Atlantic and Pacific railroad, there are several "dltf- erent lights" in which thIs timber ques tion can be shown up. General Thomas has shown 1t up in one light Several newspapers have shown it mp ill another light; but there Is still another light, which We have every reason to believe IS the true light, which SO far as we know las not been shown up; 1t is as follows: Under the laws of the United States or the rulings of the Secretary of the Interior, rail roads have been allowed t0 cut timber upon government lands, for the con struction of their roads. The Atlantic and Pacific which owns alternate sec tions of land for 20 miles each side of the TO d, have ostensibly availed them selves of this privilege, and cut what timbe- they needed in the construction of their road from government land, and saved their own timber for future use or sale to those who would pa. cash for it This is technical right which the rail road company have taken advantage of; but VI, have heard that the railroad company has not confined itself to this right but to A certain extent has allowed Mr. l.. E. Aver & Co to use this techni- cal right of the company t. cover up his tracks where timber has been cut and removed from government land by alleging that the timber was cut for the construction of the Atlantic and Pacific railroad, when in reality it was shipped to the Mexican Central railroad and used in the construction of that road. We should like to hear from Gen. Thomas, Aver x Co. upon this question.
 We are aware of the fact that the mat ter has been reported upon to the Com missioner of the Land Office, but did not know that the Commissioner fully understood and approved" of the des- truction of timber on government land by Aver X Co. and others who have saw-mills along the line of the road. We have heard that M-. Aver Is a man of great influence at Washington that he is backed mp by some of the leading pol lticians of the west who "leg for him in Washington and who will not permit timber agents to come "nosiug around" prying into the affairs of Mir. F. F.. Aver & Co. We have also heard that MT. Aver was very free and independ- ent man up in the timber country, and that ne has no patience with timber agents, and desires to be severely let alone. and allowed to manage bis affairs in his own way. We hardly think this alleged political influence will serve Mr. Aver in the present emergency; nor do we believe that the Commissioner of the C.,-----i 1---..s' --s,- ssli,si,l -t.-.t his eyes and allow this wholesale de struction of Government timber to go on.