St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-11-23
That Order OF Maj. Sparks.
Special to the Globe.

Special to the Globe.
WASHINGTON. Nov. 21.-Those protests
from Montana miners have not been re-
ceved by Secretary Lamar. The whole
turmoil has been charged against the
Northern Pacific road. The exact scope of
the recent land recommendations was that
Secretary Lamar advised Attorney General
Garland to institute suits in three classes of
cases. First, where the Montana Improve
ment company had cut timber on all sec
tons, instead of alternate sections of I'M
surveyed lands within the grant to the
Northern Pacific road, this to be a suit in
equity for an accounting. Second, where
timber had been cut on unsurveyed lands
outside of the grant, and non-mineral.
Third. when timber had been cut on unsur-
veyed mineral land and transported beyond
the mining regions. The latter cases are
to be criminal suits and for damages. Com
missioner Sparks to-day signed a recom
mendation to Secretary Lamar asking him
TO advise the attorney general to institute
suits against parties who have unlawfully
inclOsed public lands in the West. Special
agents have sent in numerous reports. One
of them recommends that the president use
armed force, if necessary. Letters from
citizens are still coming in and one received
yesterday from al eXmember of congress
details frauds committed in Cook county,
Wyoming. The writer says that some of
thelpeOple in securing entries have used cow
boys to take up land and after securing
registration have taken land themselves.
Another letter from the agent in the same
section declares that he believes 80 per cent.
of the land entries made there are fraudu-
lent. The alleged frauds while extending
all over the West are said to be more gen.
orally practiced in the Northwest according
to the commissioners best information and
his annual report will show that between
IS and 95 per cent. of the land entries
made are fraudulent.
THE CRUSADE AGAINST SPARKS.
Land Commissioner Sparks clearly per-
ceives the crusade which timber appropri-
ators and fraudulent land sharks will or
ganize against him this winter 1t is to be
war TO the knife and the knife to the hilt
He will hew to the line. One of the methods
sedulously employed to cripple the eff
cheney of the Office is to attack the integ
ritv of those who closely surround the COM
missioner and upon whom great trust is
necessarily imposed. An instance occurred
to-day, which at first blush might have
been construed 10 indicate obstruction to
official procedure by the clerks. A man at
vheyenne, ". T.. had fled a claim upon
ueS~t land and then relinquished it.
AiIotiSr party desiring to enter wished
c .sLe,0n Of the prior claim. The mat
tel was loi- delayed. and upon an attor-
HeS ; llquirF't was found that chief of
ulFlSloli li MAJ. oi,ered the clerks to go slow
IN III t Gahcelilllg Tohptary accomplishments.
III IiliS PARTICULAR Gao the facts were clear
anu no FRAUD involved. and the delay was
lndeTenslole, but there is rs ground for any
ciamor. In most eases the gotqrn1nent's in
1erestS can only be Subserved l., close in
VeStgation of ACCOMPLISHMENTS. 1t is a cnm.
mon practice TO file a claim. stick law
boards III the ground. a single on ton and
call 1t an occupation OF the land. Then a
land shark gets REIMBURSEMENT. and soma
man who desires to enter bona fde up,n
the land is told that he can buy the reIiI-
quiShment for $500. Reports of snacisr
agents show that there is a regular business.
conducted in the fraudulent filing of claims
and sale Of ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
MONTANA MINERS PROTESTS.
The heralded protests from the Montana
miners against the alleged order concerning
the telling of timber from mineral lands,
have not arrived. As matter of fact.
there has been a great hubbub without
sufficient prOvocatiOn. What has been
constantly commented upon as an order has
as the head and front of its offending this:
The special agents reported that the Mon
tana Improvement company had been cut
ting immense quantities of lumber for COM
mercial purposes. The land commissioner
sent a recommendation. in the routine
course of his duties, to Secretary Lamar
advising that the latter request the attorney
general to institute suit against this com
many for ifs danra1otiOnS