The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1888-05-19

Il G.. s. Parks, has homestead in the
Iron River region and he recently ac-
CURED the highly interesting Information
that some vandal has, during the past
winter, gone into the land with ax an
saw and cut off no less than 200, 900 feet
Of choice pine, besides wastinga consider
able more. Mr.. Erickson was inter view
ed by the writer during the week and IN
regard to the outrage that gentleman
said: 81 will begin with the beginning
and tell you the whole story and then
you will understand itmore readily: On
the seventeenth OF November, 1888, /
pre-empted the southeast quarter OF
section thirty-one in townsh. 70, ty-fou-
and range thirty-five and took up
residence thereon. / remained on the
land two years during which time built
a shanty, equipped it and cultivated
part OF the land az required by law and
then made application to the land office
for the purchase OF the tract; a reply
soon came from the receiver at the land
Office, who, in gentlemanly manner, IN
formed me that could not enter the
land because ofthe then existing difficulty
growing out OF the dispute over the On
tonagon & Brule railroad land grant, it
being embraced in lands within the limits
of that much mooted grant then in con-
troverse. Knowing that held the first
claim concluded TO bide my time and
waite until the dispute was settled, still
continuing, however, TO maintain my
residence upon said lands, by making
frequent and protracted visits. j was
over there last fall and found ever ything
in apple-pie order and was making pre-
partitions TO pay my spring visit, when
iellow-it was about a month ago
came To town and told me that an Iron
River man, friend OF mine, had sent
him here to tell me that parties had cut
pine ON my lands. dropped every thing
then on hand and FASTENED TO Iron River
and onto my claim some miles distant
and found that the man told the truth
The next move made was to ascertain
who the guilty parties were and as n re-
suit of numerous inquiries learned that
"A man by the name Of Thomas Sargent
had sold the pine on tine stump To his
brother VIM. Sargent, upon representa-
ton that he had homesteaded the land
and that soon thereafter he disappeared
and il is said he now fingers in Canada
and unless am away off on my guess he
had better stay there, for awhile any
way. Thinking perhaps this first men
toned Sargent had 10y some means home
steaded the tract j at once wrote Ca
Receiver Byines, of the Marquette office
and learned that no filings whatever,
other than mine, had been made, then
went on with my Investigations and
learned that VIM. Sargent, who cut the
pine and banked il on Iron river. lie
then sold To George Hubbard, ofMenom.
inee who soon made n deal with T.. j.
Barnard, n gentleman representing the
Detroit Lumber Co., very wealthy con.
Germ. When wentup there ] found that
the logs were the last lot in the river and
could have stopped them, but came 10
the conclusion that il would be just as
we'll to let them go down, inasmuch as
that they could not possibly get away
from me before got ready to act. Sar
gent, Jennings 4 Gilkey, Oconto lumber
men, drove the Iron river and Sheriff
Mclean told me that he had ordered
them not TO allow the logs 20 go down
but IL seems that they needed not the
order, for the logs are now in the boom
at the mouth Of the Menominee. What
course will / pursue, you ask2 Well
that is question that cannot readily
answer Just now. One thing, the lands
in TINT grant have been declared forfeited
and am anxious to complete my home
stead filings, and will endeavcr TO make
some sort Of "A settlement with the parties
who now claim the logs; II they will not
settle | will attach the logs in the boom
and that will most likely bring on a law
suit. Ky all common right the logs are
my property and / am determined to
fight for them just so long as there Is any
possible opening for me TO do 80, and
think that in the end | viii come out
ahead. I think IL clear steal on the
part OF the original operators; IL GER
tainIy looks that way, because Thomas
sargent had no right wha tever to sell the
stumpagc even IL he had homesteaded.
The parties who cut the logs wasted
about one quarter Of the product-took
tbe cream There vet remains about
10000 feet OF pine on the land Mr..
Er;cksno IA A sturdv Young man and