Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-03-13
LUMBERlNG ON INDIAN LANDS.
senator Chandler Calls AtlentiOm 70
Alleged Extensive Illegal Operations
., On. the ChipPeWa Reservation.

Senator Chandler, chairman OF the committee on
Indian traders, has transmitted a letter to the
secretary OF the Interior, inclosng draft OF the
resolution adopted by the committee asking that
the Secretarys attention be specially called the
testimony showing that extensive numbering Ope-
rations are now being carried on upon the Chip
pewa reservations under contracts not yet ap-
proved by the commissioner OF Indian Affairs by
large gangs OF lumbermen who are not Indians
and suggesting to the Secretary that 1t is advisa
BILE that orders should be given by telegraph to
stop Immediately the cutting down OF any more
trees until further orders from the Department
1t appears from the evidence, says the senator
that the Chippewa Indians to whom lands were
allotted In severalty, are first allowed TO cut and
sell the timber thereon under plan recommended
by Special Agent Durfee and Commissioner Price
Certain rigid provisions to regulate the business
were adopted. The contracts by their terms were
not TO be valid until approved by the Commits
sioner; the Indians were to cut and haul the tim
Der and deliver 1t FOR a fixed price, and were not
TO be allow ed to sell stumpage; three-fourths only
OF the lot OF each Indian was to be cleared: the
work in all cases was to be done by Indians
The safeguards OF the system, continues Mr.
Chandler, appear, however, to have been entirely
broken down. The evidence taken by the commit
tee shows that none OF the timber contracts have
been approved by the Commissioner but that
nevertheless all the contracts have gone into Ope-
ration; that II Is the custom for the purchasers
the timber from the Indians to guarantee that the
latter shall realize a f1xed amount as stumpage;
that the rule that only three-fOurths OF each lot
snail be cut over is disregarded and substantially
all the trees leed, and that the purchasers Of
the timber doing their own numbering employ
white Inen.
The foregoing condensed summary of the case,
as IL now appears TO the committee, leads TO this
general result, that plan originally designed to
benefit the Indian has been perverted into sys-
TEN under which greedy contractors have rushed
upon the reservation and have already absolutely
denuded the linest timber tracts and are stripping
the aliotments so rapidly that it is probably that
within two or three years the pine lumber OF the
q
thereafter the temporary and deluSve prosperity
OF the Indians Will cease and the Government Will
be asked for appropriations for their support In
less the testimony taken can be shown to be er-
roneous there has been the grossest maladmInis-
tration on the part OF the local United States off,
Gals in charge OF the Chippewa reservations.
III upon inquiry the facts should appear to you
substantially above stated the letter continues
sit is not doubted that you Will gladly adopt the
suggestion OF the committee and cause orders to
be given by telegraph TO stop the cutting OF any
more trees upon the reservations" II due to tho
kins. TO say that he has, on oath before the COM
m1ttee disclaimed the possession OF any knowl-
edge until very recently Of any OF the Injurious
facts above recited except that he admits that he
knew that the cutting OF timber had been al
lowed to begin when the contracts were signed
and nd. before the approval Of IT. the Commissloner.
tracts he AYERS began before he took ofiice."
A sleeper Dashed to Pieces.
FEARFUL ACCIDENT ON THE ERIE RoAD-oNK PERSON
KILLED AND MANY INJURED.
A special from Bradford, Pa, to the Philadelphia
Press, says: Train ), the Chicago express bound
West, over the Erie railroad, jumped the track at
the Scio, n. T., depot about 4 O'Clock Sunday
morning. The sleeping cars were badly wrecked
One woman killed, and several other persons badly
injured The woman who was killed was Mrs. X.
X. BrOnner, OF Louisville Ky. The train was hf
teen minutes behind time, and Engineer Youngs
was running at high rate OF speed, to make up.
below SctO caused the head drivers OF the loco
motive TO jump the rails. The trucks on the
tender also Jumped the track but the three baggage
and the day coaches kept the track and passed
over safely. There were two sleepers on the train
and. reversing the usual order OF accidents the
heavy cars received the brunt OF the shock. The
lett the rails ana one OF the corners OF the car was
torn oul by coming in contact with carload OF
on the siding. A portion OF the side OF the car
The rails were slippery, and the air brakes failed
to work promptly, SO that the train ran about q
fourth or a mile before 1t was stopped, with the
head sleeper still safely hooked on TO the ladies'
coach. The sleeping car Cicero, however which
contained eighteen passengers, the conductor and
porter, Walter Clark, was completely wrecked.
house, and dashed with terrible speed into q
corner OF the tankh0use, dem0liShtng both It and
the car. The entire left-hand side OF the Cicero
bleeding. were hurled into the ditcn, and buried
under mass of debris, blankets, mattresseA
bricks and mortar. Mrs Br0nner was so badly In
out OF the wreck -Four or 1ve other passengers ara
SO badly injured that they will probably die. The
depot platform was Ripped up It's entire length,
@ overturned. 1T borders on the miracuious.s said
traveller, "that any OF the passengers In the
sleeper Cicero were saved"
SENATOR INaAILs BAD LUcK-The establishment
OF the Haskell Printing Company was destroyed
BY nre &C Atchis0n, Kan, Saturday night The
building which was owned by senator In0ail.