The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1889-10-18
CANADIAN THIEVES,
Great Depredations Upon Timber
Lands Along the Border in
Minnesota.
Millions Of Feet Of Logs Stolen
From Land Belonging to the
Government.

once, has determined to prevent any further
depredadons upon the timber lands of North
ern Minnesota by the Canadian thieves along
the border. This matter was brought prom
taently before him by = report Of J.
& Wallace, made last June It Duluth. but
which has Just reached the Commissioners.
The report was first made to Senator Davis
and by him forwarded to Secretary Window.
HI. Window turned the matter over to the
interior department.. and after many days it
finally reached the commission. Mr.. Wallace
took the place of Special Agent Nan Of
Duluth. who was sick, and went along
The Northern border last winter and
sprfug. Nsff's district extends west only to
where the Little Fork river empties into
Rainy river The great depredattons are far
ther west, and the farther west Wallace went
the greater Expectations he found. He took
possession of q large amount Of property
that had been stolen by The Canadians The
logs he sold to Hughes Co. at an average
price Of Sc per thousand feet. The Cana
dams bring their outfits across the border
and boldly cut the timber Oh the Indian
lands wherever they can find it. Forty miles
above the mouth of the Big Fork there is
very extensive and wastetul trespass which
has been going on for the past five years
There are cabins and stables where the
thieves carry on the
PnLAoIN0 WITHOUT INTERRUPTION
About one and half miles below Manitoba
rapids on Rainy river there is q saw mill on
the Canadian side and anpther ready to move
across to the American side. Near Pine river
on the American side ID boom two miles
long, which will hold 4fty million feet of
logs. The timber for this boom was all cut
I'm the American forests from Indian lands
There has also been an immense amount of
cord wood cut and sold to the twenty-five
= steamers on Rainy river. Four more steanl-
. ers are being built Along Rainy river. on
: the Canadian side, there are nine saw mills
p supplied from the American forests, two ele-
" vators. one Touring mll and other indus
= tries. A lock is being constructed at
St Francis. the head of navigation,
which will allow all boats to
get into Rainy river. There are
fine agricultural lands along Rainy river All
land on the Canadian tide is taken, but
nothing can be done onI the American side
until the Indian title is extinguished The
lumber taken from the American side and
appropriated by the Canadian thieves
amounts to millions of 1et There are also
many rum holes run by Canadians on the
American side, and the Indians are furnished
M the liq uor they can psF for. There is also
. whisky distillery hid Away in the woods.
The Canadian Indians come across the Dor
der and get all the whisky they want On
the Canadian side there dre large number
OF officers, but none on 1.-THE American side.
4x: Wallace recommend the appointment
OF special agent Of be treasury depart
neut who shall be statiohed in that vicinity
and put stop to the delfedations, and also
RUN OUT THE WHIskY vENDERs
Accompanying Mr.. Watace's report is an
endorsement signed by hahy Duluth citi-
gems. asking his appointment as special
agent of the treasury. As the timber
depredations come under the land Office
regulations Il 70 whole mater was referred to
Commissioned Croft and Chief Young, Of
the timber depreciation division. The COM
missioner, speaking OF thl matter. said that
he was determined to put stop to the
pulagtng OF the forests, hndit was finally
decided to appoint Mr. Wallace rs special
agent OF the laid office ard instruct him to
prevent. as far hs possible any further steal
ing. When co3gress NEE il it is hoped some
action may be taken looking to the disposal
OF the lands, or at least secure appropria-
tons sufficient to allow the government
to station men on the southern
border to prevent any further depredatons
Mr. Wallace will be instructed to at once pro-
coed to the section where the thieves have
been at work and confscate all logs that
have been cut The matter of selling whis-
Ky 70 the Indians has been referred to the
Indian bureau, and 1t is probable that spe-
cial agent Of that bureau will be sent to the
northern Minnesota boundary to stop that
part Of the Cansiian traffic The officials of
the land Office recognize the fact that at
present 1t is almost impossible to prevent
thieves from cutting the timber when such q
wide belt of Indan unsettled lands lie be-
tween American civilization and the borCiere
bat m agent will be stationed there pending
congregational acton.
AN CDC An TMDnDn Hyrr, sI,I