The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1885-10-22
TIMBER STEALING.

How Inscriptions Corporations Carry On
asystem of Robbery That Would Con-
sign g Private Individual to the Peniten-
tiary-Operations of the montana I'm
provement Company"
WASHINGTON, D. C. October 10
Commissioner Sparks, of the General
Office, has received the following report
in regard to the cutting of timber in the
Northwest:
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, GESERALl
LAND OFFICE,
RATHDRUM, IDAHO, October 3, 1885.
To Hon. Commissioner General Land Office:
SIR: / have the honor to report that have
completed the reports in the Northern Pa
chic Railroad Company and the Montana
Improvement Company timber trespass
cases, and herewith transmit eight reports,
making. with what 1 have already
transmitted, thirty one separate indict-
ments in all showing that these corpor-
atoms have caused to be cut from the pub
lie domain 100000 feet of lumber and
bridge timber; s9,74O railroad ties; I5,400,O00
shingles (6l,600 bundles; 32,O3j cords of
wood. and 10000 cedar posts. TO value
the lumber at $40 per l.OOO feet (Which
would be Il low figure), the railroad ties at
forty cents per tie. the wood at s. per cord,
the posts at $50 per l,OG9, and the shingles at
81 per 1000. or fifty cents bundle, would
amount to s s6IS'4o1. 81, This tte does d n0t
wood cut by the Northern Pacific Railroad
Company by Eddy Hammond Il Co, which
changed its firm name to the Montana I'm
provement Company" in July. lSSI, as 1
found il an absolute impOssibility to get
Witnesses to testify n those cases, or even
find pc sons of whom | could obtain any
thing like satisfactory information where
the depredations were committed, between
Rathdrum and Bearmouth. Montana, Is very
thinly settled, and the men who were en-
ployed on the contracts during the
constructor OF the Northern Pacific
railroad, have gone to parts unknown.
Owing to this, it has taken me much
longer to complete this investigation than
it otherwise should. ] was also hampered
by officers OF the Montana Improvement
Company, who appeared 10 expect an in
vestIgation and were terrifying their posi-
ton. The company have AGENTS along the
line enteayoring to suppress the facts OF
the Montana Improvement COmpanyS OPP
erations. The company is an INSCRIPTIONS
corporation, that VIII leave nothing undone
TO gain their point. | found that no rtH-
ance whatever could be placed on state
ments made by officers of the Montana I'm
provement Company.
have mailed you a copy in duplicate of
the contract between the Northern Pacific
Railroad and the Montana Improvement
Company. 1t was fu nished me by II. w.
Fairweather, of Sprague, Wyoming. an eX-
Division Superintendent of the Northern Pa
ci1c Ra lrOad Company.
Isignedl MI HALEY,
Special Timber Agent,
Rathdrum, Idaho Territory.
The contract referred to by Agent
Ildiey Ill Inc duOHe report ID ocINccu INC
Northern Pacific Railroad Company of
the first part, and the Montana Improve
ment Company Of the second part. 1t
binds the railroad company to Withdraw
ali of its timber lands from sale and
proposal, and gives tie Improvement
Company the exclusive right to cut
timber from the lands. In return for
the privilege, the Improvement Com
pany transfers to the railroad company
one thousand and one full shares
of its capital stock, of the value of ST.
900. 100, reservinc TO itself shares valued
a 1899, 900. The Improvement Company
agrees also 10 erect at Its own expense
all mills and furnish all plants necessary
for its business OF timber cutting.