The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1885-10-16
Mop,ap. Improvemen, companv.


WASHINGTON, Oct. l2.-The following
letter has just been received by Commits.
sioner Sparks:
GENERAL LAND OFFICE.
RATHDRUM, Idaho, Oct. 8, 1885. !
To the Hon. Commissioner Of the General
Land Office Sir: | have the honor to re-
port that / have completed reports In the
Northern Pacific railroad company and Mon,
tana improvement company timber trespass
cases, and herewith transmit eight reports,
making, with what have already transmit
ted, 81 separate indictments In all, showing
that these corporations have caused TO be
cut from the public domain Al, 100 900 feet
Of lumber aud bridge timber, 81, 744 railroad
ties, 100000 shingles, (61 600 bunches),
32,035, 900 cords Of wood and 10000 cedar
posts. Value the lumber At $40 per 1000
feet, (Which would be below the fgure), the
railroad ties 1t 10 cents per tie, the wood at
So per cord, the posts 1t $50 per 1000, and
the shingles at So per 1000, or 80 cents .
bunch, and It would amount TO $6l3 400.
This does not represent oil the ties and wood
cut for the Northern Pacific railroad COM
pany by Eddy, Hammond & Co., which firm
changed its name into the Montana I'm
provsnent Company in July, 1888. found
It an absolute imposslb!lity to get witnesses
to testify In those cases, or even TO find per-
sons from whom ] could obtain anyt hing
like satisfactory information; where the
lav ami - IN
Rathdrum, Idaho, and Bearmouth, Montana,
10 very thinly settled, and the men who were
employed en- contracts during the construc-
ton Of the Northern Pacific railroad have
gone 70 parts unknown.
Owing TO this, 1t has taken me much lon-
ger TO complete this investigation than 1t
otherwise should. was hampered by off,
Gers Of the Montana Improvement Com
pany, who appeared to expect m investiga-
ton, and were fortifying their position. The
company had agents along the line endeav-
oring 10 suppress the facts OF the Montana
Improvement Company's operations. The
company 10 an INSCRIPTIONS corporation
that will leave nothing undone to gain their
point. I found that no reliance whatever
could be placed on the statements made by
the officers Of the Montana Improvement
Company. have mailed you copy In du-
plicsle Of the contract between the Northern
Pacific Railway Company and the Montana
Improvement Company. II was furnished
me by II. w. Fairveaiher, an ex-Division
Superintendent Of the Northern Pacific rail-
way. have The homer to be your obedient
servant, N. j. HALEY,
Special Timber Agent.
The contract referred 10 BY Agent Haley
In the above report IL between the Northern
Pacific railroad Of the first part and the
Montana Improvement Co. Of the second
part. II binds the railroad company TO
withdraw Gil liz timber lands from sale or
disposal, and gives the Improvement Com
psny the exclusive right TO cut timber from
the lands. In return for this privilege the
Improvement company transfers 10 the rail-
road company 1901 fall paid shares Of Ito
capital stock, Of the value Of 81, 600, 100, re-
serving u itself shares valued 1t S999. 900.
The Improvement company also agrees TO
erect Of It's osn expense oil mills, and fur
nish oil the plant necsssary for lie businees
og timber cutting.