The Dillon tribune., 1885-10-17

THE TIMBER TROUBLES.

THE TIMBER TROUBLES.
Report of the Special Agent in the Nom
tana Cases.
WASHINGTON, October I,.-The follow.
ing letter has just been received BY Com
missioner Sparks:
GENERAL LAND OFFICE,
Rathdrun, Idaho, Oct. sd, 1885.
Hon. Commissioner General Land Office:
SIR:-1 have the honor to report that
have completed the reports on the North.
ern Pacific Railroad Company and the
Montana Improvement Company timber
trespass cases, and herewith transmit eight
reports, making, with what have already
transmitted, 81 separate indictments in all,
showing that these corporations have
caused to be cut from the public domain
l,54s,1oo,ooo feet Of lumber and bridge
timber. S47,44o railroad ties, 1s,+ooyooo
shingles 5000 bunches), s,,o3s co,ds OF
wood and 10000 cedar posts. The value
Of the timber at $40 per 1000 feet, which,
would be a low figure, railroad ties at .1oc.
per tic, the wood at S3 per cord, posts at
$50 per 1000, and shingles at $, per 1000,
or fifty cents bunch, would amount to
$613,4o,.
This does not represent all the ties and
wood cut for the Northern Pacific Railway
Company by Eddy, Hammond Il Co., which
changed its name into the "Montana I...-
provement Company" in July, 1883, as |
found it an absolute impossibility to get
witnesses to testify in those cases, or even
to find persons Of whom l could obtain
anything like satisfactory information.
Where the depredations were committed
between Rathdrum, Idaho, and Bear,nouth,
Montana, it Is very thinly settled, and men
who were employed on contracts during
the construction of the Northern Pacific
Railway have gone to parts unknown.
Owing to this it has taken me much longer
to complete this investigation than it other
wise should. was hampered by officers
Of the Montana Improvement Company,
who appeared to expect an investigation
and were fortifying their positions. The
company had agents along :he line who
endeavored to Suppress the facts Of the
Montana improvement Company's opera
tions. The company is an unscrupulous
corporation that will leave nothing undone
TO gain their point. found that no re-
lance could be placed on statements made
by the officers of the Montana Improve
ment Company. have mailed you a copy
in duplicate OF contract between the North
ern Pacific Railway Company and the
Montana Improvement Company. 1t was
furnished me by II. w. Fairwcather, an ex.
division superintendent Of the Northern
Pacific Railway. have the honor to be,
Your obedient servant,
! NJ. J. HALEY,
Special Timber Agent.
The contract referred to BY Agent Haley
in the above report is between the North
ern Pacific Railroad of the first part and
the Montana Improvement Company OF
the second part. 1t binds the railway com :
pany to withdraw all Of its timber lands.
from sale or disposal and gives the I'M
provement Company exclusive right to cut
timber from the lands. In return for the
privilege the Improvement Company trans
! iers to the railroad company I,lo1 full
. paid shares OF its capital stock of the value
Of $1,ooo,ooo, reserving to itself shares
voued at $999,9oo. The Improvement
Company also agrees to erect at its own
y expense all the mills and to furnish all tho
plants necessary for its business Of timber
cuttinu.