davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Little Falls weekly transcript., 1894-12-28
MINNESOTA PINE LANDS,
State Investigating Committee Re-
ports What 1t Learned to
.*. Gov. Nelson.
THERE WAS MUCH AMISS
According to Their View Of 1.esti-
m0ny.--Their Recommends
tiOns.

ST. PAUL, Dec. 22.-The report Of the
pine land investigation committee has
been filed with Governor Nelson. It is an
exhaustive document, covering some 200
typewritten pages and embraces 16 chap
ters, treating of the following subjects:
/. Sale of stumpage.
2. Sale of hardwood stumpage.
8. Mineral leases.
4. Approval of estimates and appraisals.
s. Duties of surveyors general.
6. State scalers.
Z. State auditors Office.
g. Estimates and appraisals.
9. Estimators and appraisers.
10. State treasurer.
II. Stumpage thieves.
10. Matthew Clark's relation to state
auditors Office.
13. Frauds; who is responsible.
H. Work of the committee. Its results.
Is. Financial statement.
16. Recommendations.
The vital features OF the report are here
with given:
Little Falls weekly transcript., 1894-12-28
CHAPTER 10.
RecOmmen datiOns.

We make the following recommends
tions, which we trust will meet your ap-
proval, and request that you will forward
them to the legislature with favorable
comments.
That there shall be but one surveyor
general for the state, who shall be ap-
pointed by the governor, to be paid sal
ary, and all fees turned into the state
treasury, and all necessary deputies and
employees be paid a reasonable salary; that
all deputy surveyors general shall be re-
quired to take oath and give bond con-
ditioned upon the faithful performance of
their duties: that the neglect of the sur
veyor general to report the failure of any
parties in complying with the provisions
Of the permit, or failure of the state
auditor to report the same to the attorney
general for prosecution, shall be punished
by heavy penalties. That the govern
or treasurer and land commissioner be
required TO meet as a commission for the
consideration Of the approval of estimates
and appraisals, and recommendations of
sale; that thov shall keep u record of such
meetings, and that no stumpage shall be
sold unless the same be recommended by
the gov, rnor and one other member of
said coHlm mission; that the governor have
a sufficient Rppropriat Oh to enable him to
properly invcs; iSate the correctness of
such estimates by sending an agen; of his
own to examine any of the lands proposed
to be sold. when, in his discretion, il may
be necessary to do SO; that all esti-
mates now in the state auditors
Office, upon which valid permits are
not now in force, be cancelled; that
the notice OF sale be published as at pres
~ent, and that it shall contain provision
that an official copy of the list of lands
from which the sale is to be made, will be
furnished to all applicants, by the state
auditor at any time after the compilation
Of said list; that there be but one sale each
year, to take place not later than Nov. IS;
that list Of the lands from which the
stumpage is to be sold shall be compiled
by the land commissioner at least thirty
days prior to the date of sale, and shall
thereafter be published at least once
a week for three successive weeks prior
to the sale; that no description
shall be added to such list
after that date, and no stumpage shall
be sold unless contained in said list; that
such list shall contain description of
each tract to be offered, together with the
official estimate of the amount of timber
thereon; that copies of such list shall be
furnished to any party applying for the
same, and III addition thereto copy shall
be conspicuously posted in the office of the
county auditor in each county in which
any lands therein described are situated.
That no permit shall be given to cover
more than two logging seasons, nor more
than one description of land, and no ex-
TON jharanf hall f,o
Iaa-e, and i. sepA.l..s 1oes mark sh..i. DC
Little Falls weekly transcript., 1894-12-28
CHAPTER 8.

Duties of Surveyor General and How Dis
charged.
The committee, after quoting the law
relating to the duties of the surveyor gen.
eral of logs and lumber, says that, al
though the duties are so plainly laid down
by the letter of the law as to admit of no
misconstruction, yet it finds from the
records in the offices and the testimony of
officials under oath, that the provisions Of
the law have been uniformly ignored and
that the state has suffered the loss Of
thousands of dollars thereby. The COM
mittee found that he reports were badly
mixed, and that le surveyor general,
when asked to explain one of them, stated
that he could not do it. The reports did
not show whether any thefts had been
committed or not. The testimony devel-
oped that the deputies relied entirely upon
the information furnished by the parties
hauling logs, and that the marks on the
logs had not usually" been examined
by the officials. Deputy Surveyor
General SinclaiD admitted as a witness
that during five years it had been a COM
mon practice where the mark had been
left off stumpage cut from state lands. He
further admitted that the state had no
protection against trespass as far as the
employees of the surveyor generals office
were concerned. Several scalers testified
that thes always took the word of lumber
men to ascertain whether the logs were
state logs are not. They received no in
structions from the Office of the surveyor
general.
AS conclusions, the committee finds that
"the surveyor general of the Fifth district
is in every way grossly incompetent and
untitled to fill the important office he now
holds. The committee reports that they
were hever able to find the surveyor gen.
eral in his Office, and were informed that
he was seldom at his Office. The commit
tee believes that unless honest, intelligent
citizens are appointed to these important
positions, the sooner the offices are abol-
ished the better it would be-.
Little Falls weekly transcript., 1894-12-28
CHAPTER 8.
State Scalers.

State scalers are persons appointed by
the surveyor general to scale timber cut
from state lands.
Speaking on this subject, the committee
finds that the practice of allowing en-
ployes of lumbermen to be appointed to
these positions is pernicious, and invites
bribery and dishonesty. The committee
suggests that the scalers should be ap-
pointed for their honesty, and their ten
ure of office depend solely on the character
of their work. Deputies are a necessity,
but should be required to give an ample
bond to the state, conditioned upon the
faithful discharge Of their duties, and q
law should be passed fixing so severe q
penalty for the making of false return
of timber cut from any tract of land that
none would dare to violate its provisions.
Little Falls weekly transcript., 1894-12-28
CHAPTER IL.
Matt Clarlk's Relation.

Chapter 10 is devoted to Matt Clark's
relation to the state auditors Office, the
committee scoring Clark, who had charge
of the stumpage record in the auditors
Office and had also a private land business.
The committee gives nine pages of testi-
mony, and adds that sin the judgment of
the committee, the foregoing statement of
facts, which is unimpeachable, coupled
with the testimony quoted, shows a la
mentable condition of affairs in the state
auditors office and a very low estimate on
the part of that official of what constitutes
the duty of the clerks in lis office to TIE
people OF the sIate.''
Little Falls weekly transcript., 1894-12-28
CHAPTER IL.
Stumpage Thieves.

1.-THE caption of this subject is a phrase
that, so far as the state of Minnesota is
concerned, should pass into history" says
the committee. What shall be said of the
stumpage thieves whose profession, whose
very instinct is child robbery and to whom
falsehood is a stimulant and perjury a
pastime? Some of these characters have
already been exposed, others will soon be
compelled to pass through like expert
ence in cases already in court and those
about to be commenced.
In the accomplishment of these thefts
these persons resort to various ways and
means. The first step is to impose upon
and to bribe the state estimators, and Sc
cure false estimates. Then all competi-
tion at the sale is stifled by the aid of
their confederates in these transactions,
who combine for that purpose, and the
section is purchased at one-quarter or one
third of its value. The next step is to see
the surveyor general and get one of their
own employees to scale the timber. Or, in
lieu thereof, some one who will keep his
''eyes and mouth closed" to everything
not seen on the landing. Then small
patch of timber, 40 acres will do, is pur-
chased adjoining the school section, the
party then proceeds to cut and haul from
both pieces of land at the same time lie
cuts 6,0O0, 900 feet from the school section
and 800, 900 from his own. The former is
reported as coming from his own land and
the latter amount is generously cretli,ri
to the state. The committee has not as
cortaiued yet the amount received by li!c
blind scaler for his share in the trans T.
but his tenure of Office depends upon t:.a
degree cf blindness. When we remember
that the insurance companies opruly
charged that the timber thieves in &c
prosecution of their nefariouS busiii,' )
were the cause Of the great fire hat sNc u
over Hinciley and the surrounding cnu',-
try, burning up some 600 people and Lii
lions Of dollars worth OF property; that n
setting fire to burn the cuttings for he
purpose o: covering up their tracks and
prevent the discovery of their crime, they
committed a still greater one, that Of
taking the lives of 800 men, women and
children, we are moved to say that during
our investigation we have had this mat
ter brought before us many times, and we
have the testimony of one witness who
swears positively that he was instructed
by prominent lumberman to go and set
fire to section from which he had stolen
100000 feet of logs and "make good job,
of it," We may add that three different
attempts We're made before the section
was satisfactorily burned.
Little Falls weekly transcript., 1894-12-28
CIsAPTER Il IL.
Traud-Wl,o In Re.ponsible9

THIS most interesting caption is started
by the follor ring languages: "A noticea-
BILE fact in the investigation conducted by
this committee has asserted itself at every
period of the work, viz, that every step
taken, every corner turned, every leaf un-
folded, has revealed new md unexpected
corruption, at times startling in it's de-
pravity, until we may we'll believe that
our investig ,tions have only disturbed the
slime that covers the pool of rottenness. :"
AS an instance, the committee cited the
alleged payment of $912 alleged. to have
been made by Auditor Braden on the last
day of his term of Office to one j. McGillis,
fer scaling logs, which in fact was never
paid to that gentleman. 1t was discov-
cred that the signature on the back of the
voucher was a forgery. The committee
further states that there was nothing less
than conspiracy to defraud the state out
of this amount and that Matt Clark re-
ceived this warrant a1dsdepoJited in the
bank to the credit of his wife
Other cases are cited, and Mr.. Clark 8
testimony is partially quoted, and proves
beyond question the shadipess Of the trans
actions. The committee believes that
enough fraud and corruption in the audi
tors office has been discovered to warrant
a closer and further investigation into the
matter. In conclusion the committee says;
IF the state auditor himself is to Use the
state funds for the purpose Of payi & a
favorite clerk $500 for worthless slip of
paper, if the clerks in the employ of he
state can, by such nefarious schemes,
palm off upon the state such rubbish and
then put their hands into the treasury and
abstract the money therefor, or if the
clerks of the state or private parties can
by acting in concert, rob the stave with
impunity and no one be punished for it,,
then may the honest law abiding citizens
of Minnesota hang their heads in shame,
and say to the general government: "rake
back the school fund you gave us, we ha, @
no manhood to protect it." This matter
should be sifted to the dregs, the guilty
parties, whoever they may be, compelled
to refund their ill-gotten gains. and, if
possible, sent to the penitentiary, where
they properly belong"
Little Falls weekly transcript., 1894-12-28
MODERN WOODMEN.
State Convention of the Order to Occur at
st. Paul This Week.

State Convention of the Order to Occur at
st. Paul This Week.
ST. PAUL, Deo 24.-The Modern
Woodmen of Minnesota will hold their
annual meeting in St. Paul Wednesday
and Thursday of this week, with head
quarters at the Windsor hotel There
will be 100 delegates. State officers
will be. elected. There has been a net
increase of 1900 in the Minnesota
membership during the year. Action
will be had on legislation this winter
affecting beneficiary funds of the
Woodmen, Workmen and sim
liar societies. The state law of
1885 held that life. insurance
funds received from those societies
could not be attached for debts, but
Judge Canty of the Minnesota supreme
! court has just decided that this pro-
vision is unconstitutional, so an effort
will be made to secure the cooperation
Of the fraternal organizations in having
the state exempt $1,000 from attach
ment. T..
Little Falls weekly transcript., 1894-12-28
CHAPTER 7.
State Auditors Onlce.

To the State Auditor-the land commits
sioner. as he is called-says the committee,
we should look for the protection of the
states interests; for an honest adminstra-
tion Of the laws and a proper appreciation
of the great responsibilities placed npon
him. 1t is here more than in any other
department, that we should have the
right to expect that condition of affairs
that marks the faithful, intelligent SER
want, the honest man.
On the contrary, we are compelled to
say that it is here we find the most palpa-
BILE neglect of duty; the least regard for
the welfare of the states interests; the
most careless and unsystematic conduct
of the business of the state, and the great
est display of either objectionable ignor-
ance Of the duties of the office under the
law, or downright official dishonesty.
1t is in justice to all concerned that the
committee says that this state of affairs is
confined to no particular period in the his
tory of the state auditors Office, but, so
far as the committee have been able to
determine, has been uniform and uninter-
rupted for many years.
''Nlatthew Clark s relations to the au-
ditor's office, we believe, shows y condi-
tion Of affairs to which your part ocular at
tention should be called, and which, if not
punishable by law at the present time,
should be taken up by you in your mes
sage to the Legislature and the passage of
a law recommended to punish the COM
mission of such otfenses in the future.
We believe, through the failure of Mr..
Biermanu to comprehend the situation,
Clark has been allowed to retain his situa-
tion in the auditors office as vantage
point to the furtherance of his own real
estate business. Mr.. Biermann continued
him in office for four years, knowing all
the time that he was there for the purpose
of gaining information to enable him to
make money. The committee have seen
no indication, however slight, and do not
believe that Mr.. Biermann was directly or
indirectly interested in Clark's specula-
tions, or that he received any pecuniary
benefits therefrom. The committee be-
ieves that Biermann has not been I'M
posed upon, and, as a proof, cite the ap:
pointment of one Vastly as state ap-
praiser, who was totally unfit for the
position, and even so after serving four
years.
The committee further declares that the
appointment of a s, umpage clerk is neither
necessary nor authorized by law, and
should be discontinued at once.
Little Falls weekly transcript., 1894-12-28
CHAPTER o.
State Appraisers and Estimators.
committee


Speaking of these important officers the
committee says that instead of finding
them to be men noted for their honesty
and efficiency. the reverse has been found
to- be the case. And this condition of al
fairs has been the rule in the auditors
office for years. The committee finds
little to commend in the work of these
men, and much to condemn, and is of the
opinion that they are aids to timber
thieves rather than protectors Of the
states interests.
The committee believe that cstimators
should be required to take oath of Office
and give bond for the faithful perform
ance of their duties, and also that a law
should be passed making it crime to re-
turn false estimates and appraisals Of
timber growing on state lands, punishable
by long imprisonment in the states
prison.
Little Falls weekly transcript., 1894-12-28
WHO WILL WIN?
Fioht For the United States
Senatorship Is Decidedly
Interesting.
Mr.. C0MsT0CK'S CANDIDACY.
Feeling Exists, He Says, That
the Country Should Get
the Plum.

ST.. PAUL. Dec. 24.-The politicians,
members of the legislature and candi-
dates for speaker have cleared out of
town and gone home to hang up their
Christmas stockings. The last subject
discussed before going, and it was dis
cussed vigorously and with a knowing
air, was the announcement OF Mr..
Comstock that he was a candidate for
the United States senate. Some said
the announcement was surprise,
while others had long considered him a
candidate, to be trotted out at the right
time. There is story started that
Mr.. Comstock's coming out will bring
out several other candidates from
southern and western counties.
What Comstock Says About 1t.
The Minneapolis Journal interviewed
Mr.. Comstock, and he said:
"After looking the field over, am
satisfied that there is room for another
candidate and have decided to enter
the senatorial contest. am not fight
ing auy other candidate, but have.
entered the race believing my chances
Of success to be as good as those of any
other man. do not claim that either
the state or the Republican party owes
me anything.
Il expect a hearty support from
Northern Minnesota-in fact, my
strongest support. The outlook is now
very encouraging for me. find a gen-
eral feeling that the senator should
come from outside of the cities, and I
concluded to take the field. I have no
fight to make against Mr.. Washburn.
I do not enter the race as any ones
catspaw, but shall do my best to win,
and believe I can"
Comstock will open headquarters at
the Merchants, and Sabin is also there,
while Washburn has large quarters at
the Windsor hotel. Gibbs and Van
SAINT also have quarters at the Windsor,
likewise Dan Shell, and after Christ
mas day the battles will be under full
swing at each headquarters.
Little Falls weekly transcript., 1894-12-28
CHAPTER 3.
Leasing Mineral Lands

This subject receives passing notice. In
many cases lands covered by these leases
contain a large quantity of valuable tim
Der, which, under the present system, is
either entirely lost to the state or disposed
of ut a price little short of a voluntary
gift.
Under the mineral lease system the state
is powcrless to prevent it's being robbed of
all the timber on the land. Besides a
species Of blackmail is being fostercd un-
der it, allowing any one to make out q
minor lease, even if no mineral exists, just
to compel some one to buy him off in or
der TO secure the stumpage.
Little Falls weekly transcript., 1894-12-28
Total
.S157,2S4 Is


In addition to these tables there are sew
enteen suits under way, in which the
evidence is well worked up and the
amount involved in these are in the aggre-
gate sos, ,076.44. This will bring the grand
total of money recovered to the state, by
virtue of the Investigations to the figure
of $393, ,094.S5
As a result of the committees work
many who have been notorious timber
thieves all their lives have commenced to
make true reports. In stopping the sale
of hardwood timber the committee has
rendered the state a service which will
amply compensate it for all money paid
ont in the work Of prosecuting the inves-
LEGATIONS. The committee further finds
that the robbery has extended into every
nook and corner of the state, not barring
territory where townships are supposedly
still untouched.
Little Falls weekly transcript., 1894-12-28
BRADSTREET'S REVIEW.
Unreasonable Weather in Many Localities
Check to Business.


New YORK, Dec. 24.-Bradstreet's
Review says: The volume of trade
continues small, as expected from evi-
dence of shrinkage within the month.
Unusually mild, unreasonable weather
continues to check distribution of coal,
heavy clothing, shoes and rubber goods
in the Northwest. South and through.
out the Central, Western and Eastern
states, although at larger cities the
favorable reports as to holiday goods
and specialties at retail are for the
great part the outcome of bright, mild
weather.
Improvement in prices is recorded in
only a few leading lines-wheat, cop
per and lower grades of shoes, which
have long sold at depressed figures.
There are nine important staples which
are steady or irm-leather, hides, lum.
ber, live hogs, coffee, naval stores, cot
ton and pig iron. When one considers
the list of staples for which
The Weeks Quotations arc Lower.
it is found nearly equal to those in
which advances and steadiness in price
are given. Cotton goods are weaker,
and sales Of moment are made only at
concessions.
Business in wool is dull still and will
continue so until after Jan. l, when the
tariff provisions go into effect.
Jobbers and other wholesalers "a a
rule report commercial travellers off the
road and that little is doing except to
take account of stock. The outlook for
trade after the holidays is fair, although
larger Chicago dealers report stocks on
hand larger than expected, except
among jewelers. who have unexpectedly
enjoyed q ls..Ty ..-:...aaa.
Little Falls weekly transcript., 1894-12-28
CHAPTE r q.
Estimates md Appraisals.

+ After quoting the law and giving de-
tailed statement of some, witnesses, the
committee finds that the work of estinlat-
ing and appraising of state timber has
been done in :. manner which is practically
Little Falls weekly transcript., 1894-12-28
CHAPTER IA.

Results of the Work of the Committee.
AS result of the work of the commit
tee the state is gamer by very large sum
Of money. The following cash was al
ready collected:
Staple, &y.Mulvey. 1926 90
Il. II. Foley. y....................... 1..NO 60
*,!N,3.G 20
In addition there are now suits pe.lding
in the courts as follows:
Itasca Lumber Co.. 4 suits, ag-
gre1sating 80, 3J4 IS
Sheviin, Ca1bcnter Co., 2 suits,
;,@yrtgating 80. -. ........... 47,59S 0S
S. keynolds, l suit, aggregating 3,CoJ 90
L. IL. Shealin, suit, aggregat-
ing 2e,2s1 %
+. G. Webber, suit, aggregat-
ing. Observation-Disclosures. 1,14O 10
Powers & DWyer, suit, aggre-
III 4U,UUU w
Little Falls weekly transcript., 1894-12-28
NJ. J. MCGRATH.
c.. F. STAPLES.
S. w. LEAVITT.
A, Y. EATON.
I 4 JACOBSON

Mr.. Donnelly adds on his own account
that law should be passed forbidding the
sale of pine because of being in danger of
fire and recommends that the state should
absolutely refuse to permit any private
party to purchase the stumpage of its
pine land under any and all circum-
Stances