Idaho news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1887-1891, 1888-01-21
A GIGANTIC STEAL.
Perpetrated by "a Foreign syndicate ia
sac Eged Wood District.

New York special; The Herald TINS
morning prints three column letter
from Eureka. Cal, in regard to a
gigantic timber land steal. The cores
pondent states that foreign syndicate
is operating in the red wood district, OF
which Eureka is the center, and that 1T
has gobhled up "a, 600 acres Of the finest
red wood forest in the world. The cor
respondent says: "0f all the numerous
robberies of the government OF the
United States, which have disgraced the
western and Pacific slope states during
the past two decades, no one has pos
sessed the monumental earmarks OF un-
blushing fraud to more startling de-
gree than the one to be related, For
rugged picturesqueneSs of roguery the
California Red Wood company's rob
berry is unique. lie then goes on 70
tell how the California Red Wood COM
pany was organized in Edinburgh III
1888. The directors were Sir George
Warrender, Bart; t. ID. /. Blythe, esq,
Edinburgh; Thomas Nelson, esq, Edin-
burgh; Patrick Sterling, ESQ.,, hippen-
dayie; William John Menzie, Edin-
hurgh and H. Bruce johnson, Edin-
bur@h. "Fhese gentlemen" says the
article, ''who supplied on controlled the
capital, had power to add to their NUM-
her six other directors, according to
discretion. James ID. Walker an Eng.
lishman of San Francisco, was chosen
president. Charles III. King, of san
Francisco, and David Evans, OF
Eureka, were created general man
ayers. A number of notorious
land sharks were hired by the
company and sent to Eureka, and they
soon had plans perfected for a great
land fraud. The headquarters of the
gang was in back room of the tough
gin shop of Gordon Barnum, n local
sport, whose establishment was the re-
SORT of the rough floating population Of
the Pacific slopes new seaport. Three
blocks away from Barnum's saloon was
located the United States land office.
The area of land sought by the conspr-
ators was so vast that small army OF
men was required to go through the
forms of entering required by the law.
1t was necessary to obtain 400 persons
who were willing to aid in fraud know
ingly or unconsciously through. igno-
rance of the meaning Of the statement
each would be called on to make. Some
were fixed by the Red Wood company
at the maximum price OF $50. For that
paltry sum men were to be called ON to
go to the land office and make u state
ment that the land they entered under
the beneficent and literally generous
laws of Uncle Sam was for their indl-
vidual use and occupancy. As soon as
the entry was made the men were es-
corted to the headquarters of the syndi-
cate, where the land was transferred to
the 'canny Scotchmen.' Thus it was
that the chapter OF crime was completed
and the raid on $4,000 acres of growing
timber, among the most valuable i'll the
world, was finally consummated.
Bills In Congress.
WASHINGTON, Jan. Ex-senator Plumb
introduced bill declaring forfeited all
lands, except right-of-way, granted to any
state to aid in the construction OF railroad
opposite to and continuous with the uncom-.
pleted portion Of any such railroad for the
benefit Of which lands have heretofore been
granted. The forfeited lands are declared
open to settlement under the homestead
laws only.
Senator Stewart offered an amendment 10
the bill providing for the investment OF GER
tain funds in the treasury. II provides that
any rerson may deposit ut any mint or
assay Office gold or silver bullion aud re-
ceive certificates therefore. The price to be
paid for gold bullion is fixed ut 81 for Is
and s-IO grains 0-10 fine, while the price
for silver is to be fixed BY the secretary OF
the treasury on the LIST aud 18th OF each
month, at an average for the price OF silver
in the New York market during the pre-
ceding fifteen days, provided, that the
price shall not exceed an ounce Of gold for
10 ounces of the same fineness. Tne ceFti-
feates are TO be in denominations Of not
less than two nor more than one thousand
dollars, and are to be legal tenders, re-
deemable at any treasury or sub-treasury
The bullion received il TO be melted bars.
No more gJld or silver certificates are to be
issued, and these coming into the treasury
are to be cancelled. NOgold or silver is to
be coined, except to meet obligations ex-
pressly made payable in coin, and to meet
actual wants for silver currency among the
people. The silver coinage act is repealed