The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-01-26
UNCLE SAM WILL TRY AN INTER-
EsTING EXPERIMENT In NORTH
ERN WISCONSIN.
WILL PUT REDS TO LOGGING.
LA POINTE INDIANS WILL CUT
THEIR OWN TIMBER FOR
MARKET.
the Reservation Near Ash
land.

Special to the Globe.
ASHLAND, Wis, Jan. 25.-Capt.
Scott, head of La F'ointe Indian agency,
which includes the reservations in
Northern Wisconsin and Minnesota. is
about to try an experiment with the
government wards and at the same
time take Uncle Sam into the logging
business. Capt. Scott today received
instructions from Washington to start
the Indians on Red Cliff reservation at
work cutting logs. There is on this
reservation about $500, 600 worth Of tim
Der, and the government has had under
consideration several plans to cut the
timber, but none were adopted, and
finally the government has decided to
go into partnership with the Indians
in the logging business. Capt. Scott has
been notified that sum Of money has
been placed at his disposal to pay all
Of the expenses of this winters opera
tons. Under direction Of Chief Buffalo
Head, Of the tribe, several logging
camps will be started at once, and
work will be done by the Indians Capt.
Scott will pay all expenses Of labor and
food, and next spring, when the logs
are ready to be RATED, they will be
sold, and after the government is re-
imbursed for the money advanced, the
remainder will be divided among mem
bers Of the tribe. The operations will
be continued next winter until all the
pine is cut. The spectacle Of seeing a
logging camp operated by Indians, with
Indian wOOdsmen, will be unusual, and
this experiment Of the government to
induce their idle wards in this tribe to
become industrious laborers will be
watched with interest. Capt. Scott, U.
S. A, is the new agent who has taken
charge here. He came direct from his
cavalry command, which is located in
Yellowstone park.
Special Land Agent Parks returned
this morning from Washington where
he has been making his report to the
secretary Of the interior Of estimates
on Red Lake reservation. Mr.. Parks,
with Inspector Wright and five esti-
matters, completed a report Of the tim
Der on ninety forties Of the Red Lake
reservation. Mr.. Parks says the eSti-
mates Of the corps Of estimaters were
far below the actual amount of timber
on these forties, the difference means
g. couple Of hundred thousand dollars
to the Indians. He says that the lum-
bermen who bought timber on these
forties had made previous estimates Of
their own, and where the estimate Of
government corps was about the same
as the amount found by Parks and
Wright such forties had not been
bought from the government, thus
showing that the purchasers only
bought these forties where the govern
ment estimate was much below the
actual amount as estimated by their
own woodsmen. Mr.. Parks spent all
one afternoon explaining the situation
to Secretary Francis, and he says that
the whole matter will be settled be-
fore this administration goes out Of
office. He says the interior depart
ment has not fully decided what course
to pursue as it realizes that most Of
the purchases were made in good faith,
and the government is really to blame
in having a corps Of incompetent est1-
matters.