St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-11-27

dams of the lower order They are a
brave, reckless set, and very happy with
the trigger The Canadian government
keepsa detachment of mounted police
with canoes at their command in the
neighborhood, and by their vigilance
prevent the smngglers bringing whisky
or American goods over the Canadian
border: but, of course, they cannot pre-
vent. the smuggling of merchandise
from Canada across the border into the
United States.
% Along North Dakota.
The North Dakota frontier is a little
better protected, but the force of men
employed in the duty is ridicuIously
small when the great area of country is
considered, and Is entirely inadequate
for the necessities of the case. The
bulk OF the smuggling done from Mani
tOba into the United States is carried on
upon the North Dakota frontier.
+ The officers on duty will tell you that
very little smuggling is done. Well.
: they are sincere iii that belief. Cana
1dian officers, however. and the Canadian
mounted police will tell different tale.
/, They know that many a lovely cargo,
the aggregate duty upon which would
1be very considerable drop in the
( bucket recently emptied by the late
sbillion dollar Congress, is hustled across
0the Dakota prairies after nightfall,
when the smuggiers know that the sol
jtary American patr0lman is at the
other end of his fifteen mile beat.
The first custom house in North Da-
kota, after you cross the Red River of
the North from Minnesota, is Pembina.
This is Il station on the branch of the
Northern Pacific railroad, which runs
between st. Paul and Winnipeg. The
custom house is at the railroad depot, a
few yards from the Canadian line. The
force at present consists of deputy
collector of customs, two assistants. all
immigration inspector and mounted
patroiman, vino rides west toward
Neche. Special Agents Stone and bay,
of the Chicago custom house force, are
also stationed there temporarily, look
ing out for opium and Cinnamon.
Every incoming train from Canada is
boarded at the.line by the officers, who
make an examination of the coaches
and the passengers baggage. Every
thing moves along smoothly at this
point. 1t is very seldom any one tries
10 smuggle right under the collectors
nose.
When cargo is to be run into the
United States the operators simply
leave the tain at some station north of
the line and drive around Pembina at
night, boarding the train again at one
of the lower stations the next day.
Over at Neche.
About seventeen miles due west of
Pembina is Neche. This station is on
the Great Northern railroad. & mile or
more below the Canadian line The
country between Neche and Pembna is
beautiful prairie, with numberless
trains crossing it from the Canadian
border To the lower countries. One OH
Ger patrols these seventeen miles of
SmugglerS' paradiSe-One lone man.
Jogging YEARLY along night and day,
trying to protect the revenues of a great
country from gang of ShTewd, encr-
getlc law breakers who have feet teams
and dozens OF men to watch and wait
and strike when the opportunity comes.
There are many settlers along the
route who not only advise their friends
OF the movements of the lone patrol
man, but who will lend friendly shelter
and = helping hand to hoist the cargo
into haymOw in case of dire necessity.
The next fifty-fiye miles to the west
ward is pretty much the same country
and conditions. From Neche to Wal
halla. distance of twenty miles. there
Is one mounted patrClman. From Wal
lialla to ElkwOod, twenty miles, one
mounted patrOlman. From Elkwooi to
St. Johns, fifteen miles, one mounted
patrolman. st. Johns is the terminus
Of one of the branch lines of the Great
Northern railway, and the patrolman
has 10 give considerable of his attention
to affairs Immediately in the neighbor-
hood of the station, which leaves tot
cradle field for the smugglerS Oh the
prairie.
Bottineau. thirty miles west, is also
the terminus of a branch of the Great
Northern. Bottineau is at the base OF
the Turtle mountains. Between Botti-
neau and St. Johns lies the hardest and
most dangerous country, yet the best
country for the smugglers. This sec
ton has long been 4 kind of Botany Bay,
where fugitiveS from Justice have con-
gregated ready to step across the line at
a moments notice. 10 while away the
time and make a living they have Ell
gagged in smuggling. doing nice little
business in that line, especially in han
ding prepared opium. which is the
most profitable cargo run.