Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-10-08
HUNTING LUMBER THIEVES.
The Finest Timber in the Country Is Rapid
lyBeing stolen-GovernmentD Detective.

ly Being gStolen-Government Detective.
Put on the Trail Have Failed to Land
the Robbers.
John D. Hunsinger is the name of 6
wealthy timberman from the Northwest
and was one of party of lumbermen WIZ
came into the city yesterday from what wa:
formerly known as the "pine country
section of this State. A DISPATCH re.
porter happened to be on the
same train and overheard a portion
of the conversation engaged in by the gentle
man. His curiosity was aroused somewhat
when he heard Mr. Hunsinger remark some
thing about timber thieves. Volumes have
been written about almost every other
brand of thieves, and most people have an
intimate acquaintance with one kind or ar
other but a timber thief seemed to be a
monstrositv that had not vet gained a
wide reputation. Bent on knowing some
thing about the curious individual with
Samsonian strength sufficient to steal and
remove huge trees from the forest, the re-
porter interrupted the conversation long
enough to ask Mr.. Hunsinger to explain a
timber thief.
'What is timber thief" he repeated.
''The question has often been asked, and
even the United States Government does
not appear 10 know one when it sees him.
The West and Northwest have been full of
them for years, and yet no other class of
offenders against the Government have gone
SO entirely mwhipped by justice.
''The moonshiner has his day in court. So
has the cOunterteiter, but the timber thief
never gets there. The timber thief is gen.
orally man of high social and public con-
nectiOns. He does a wholesale business
The largest and finest trees in the public
domain fall under his ak and are hauled
away by him. 1t seems incredible to the
fastener that such work as cutting down
and hauling away great forest trees could be
continued long without detection. The
difference is simply one of isolation.
''In all parts of the Northwest there are
vast forests upon which there never has
been timber claim entered or perfected.
In those forests the finest trees in the world
grow. Thousands of them are far away
from any road. There are miles of unbroken
forests far removed from any public high
way, and in these the robberies are perpe-
trated. Walking through one of these for
ests the observer will come upon great
stumps, several feet in diameter which are
so many accusing witnesses against timber
thieves. Every one of them has been the
prop of great tree, which, cut down and
worked into merchantable shapes, has
been made source Of great profit to the
depredatOrs.
'The Government has always exhibited a
great solicitude for the protection and pres
ervation of these forest properties. It has
been the aim to retain them for the benefit
Of actual settlers, but the work has been one
Of surpas,i ,ing difficulty. Timber stealing is
as common as ever. In fact, larger num-
Der of new cut stumps can be found now
than ever before in the memory of the old
est inhabitant
SIN view of the continued and growing
depredations, United States Marshal Pink
ham not long ago entered upon a systematic
search. Thus far it has apparently
resulted in nothing. The coun-
try has been full of special tim
Der agents who have been travelling
through the woods and losing their way,
but none of them have ever caught any-
body in the act, or if they had they have
never said anything about it. Four or five
special agents have been sent out from
Washington, men skilled in the art of de-
tecting; and it was supposed, after they ar
rived, that it would not be long until some
body is bagged"
Mr. Hunsinger spent yesterday afternoon
with well-known lumber dealer in Allie
gheny, and left last night for New York
from whence he will sail in few DAYS for
a European tour.