The Dupuyer acantha. [volume] (Dupuyer, Mont.) 1894-1904, 1896-04-09
The Colonel is "Nutty."

interest," 10 reSlueHIS Oh NOrlDeFn |
Montana.
What protends to result in in
ternational complications will be
the result of an investigating trip
Of Col. John l.. Root to the Canad
ian border next week. After
voluminous correspondence with
the government officials, as special
agent of the general land office for
Montana, Col. Root, armed with
Information that comes 10 him
direct from Collector of Customs
David G. Browne, of FIT. Benton,
will proceed to investigate the
timber piracy practiced by the
residents of the Canadian boundary
on the American side of the line
In conversation with q Miner re
porter at the McDermott hotel
yesterday, Colonel Root said
"Next week I will take a flying
trip to the Canadian boundary.
From what have learned and the
little I know positively about the
situation, there seems no reason
able doubt but the Canadians are
cutting and have cut an immense
area of tim Der off the American
side of the line. There is not so
much that is surprising in this as
to the intent and purpose of few
people as there is in the fact that
the aggressors are but the servants
of higher power. The positive
fact that tie timber is being cut
has been confirmed in numerous
ways, and the only way to stop
the depredations is to proceed
right, and that means complica>
tions that cannot well help but
lead to international issues.
At this point Colonel Root
showed The Miner reporter toe
correspondence that had been car
ried on between him, his subs
agents and the general land office
at Washington, and with the sec
retary of the interior.
"The only way to handle this
problem, continued Colonel Root,
"is to go there prepared with
arms and men to defend the righ is
of the people Of the United States.
My first trip, which will make
next week, will be from here TO
Great Falls, thence over the Ca
madam Pacific to Sweet Grass, on
the Canadian border | have a
letter of introduction to Captain
Mcpherson of the Canadian
mounted police. will make an
in partial investigation, and if !
find the reports are true I will re-
turn and equip such an expedition
as will learn the truth or get
, killed."
Colonel Root then showed The
Miner reporter a map or plat, pre-
pared by the United States gov
ernment, showing the townships
| along the Canadian border. on the
, American side, covering a distance
of over 300 miles, running from
Sweet Grass IN Teton county, tc
Whitlach in Choteau county. Gov,
ering all this distance it is said arc
: positively claimed that timber in
= large quantities has been cut from
Uncle Sans domain by Canadiar
, subjects.
"To me this matter seems to bt
; progressing to point where, after
: the surveyors, and those of tht
: Canadian government, will have
made their reports, an interna
tlonal issue involving life and prop
erty will be at stake" said Coione
Root. CIT presents feature
quite unparalleled in history as tC
e persons and events. I was born il
= in Columbia, South Carolina
4 was raised there, entered the con
:, federate army from there anC
L fought, as thought, right through
a the war of the rebellion Ehe res
:, is matter of history. removed Il
+ Mississippi and received my ap
q pointment to my present otficia
position from that state. To G.
{ now to the Canadian boundary OF
d an issue that might ultimatel,
make England and America at log
gerhe ads-not that a bit OF confis
Gated tim Der would do it, but un
" der the existence of STRAINED rela
J tlonships-an event of greater
is Importance thal the sequence of
A circumstance. | leave next wee
Il for the north, and / am going pre-
pared to take care of the interest
Of the united States, of which | an
IL an agent in it's welfare. The futuc
)r will have to be told,
e In view of the fact that, cXcer
E. in the Sweet Grass hills. there
'e not enough timber in the countr
r above described to make respect
S able camp fire, the Colonel wi
o. probably have ''serious trouble
o. in keeping the Canadians fro
ne carrying it away Really, "
T think the Colonel has been lOadin
ne The Miner, or he is putting up
~ gigantic job on the government.