The River Falls times. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1894-1933, 1899-01-03
WASHINGTON CHAT

Land Commissioners Hermann Says
that the timber which has been estl-
mated on I4eech lake and Cass lake
will be put up for sale about May H.
The timber to be sold is located on ten
townships within transport reserva-
tions. and the amount to be dlSposeu
of will be made public at an carry
date.
The Land Commissioner has practi-
cally come to the conclusion that the
dead-and-down operations on the In
diam reservations will come to an END
after the work of the coming season
Trouble has constantly arisen since
the beginning of these operations, anu
while it claimed by the officials that
the result has been fairly satisfactory
as far as the Indians are concerned, IL
is deemed wise to discontinue the work
after the present season.
1t is not probable that the proposed
visit of representatives of the various
bands of Chippewas will alters the de-
termination of the officials. alrh0ugh
the views of the Indians will receive
attention. 1t is not improbable that
the Menomonie plan. which has been
conducted with so signal success by
the Indians in Wisconsin, will be
adopted in the future, as this system IS
very much in favor with some of the
officials of the department.
The report of the condition of the
national banks of Minnesota, exclu-
sive of the Twin Cities. has been made
public. Compared with the previous
statement in September. it shows in
creased individual deposits and the
average reserve, while a Shrinkage is
noted i'm loans and discounts. Individ-
ual deposits in the current statement
aggregate ST., 2S06, against S16,-
948,SS1 in September, while the aver
age reserve has increased from 31.12
per cent to 36.03. Loans and discounts
in September were $f4,624, 175 and
S14,230,7 07 in the current report. The
present holdings of coin aggregate
$953.77S, an increase of more than
$4,000 since September.
Land Commissioner Herman denies
that a reduction is to be made of the
corps of estimators. The information
that a number of the estimators
would be dismissed was based Jon a
communication from the commissioner
to member of the Minnesota delega-
ton who recommended one of his con-
stituents for a place on the Seelye
corps. The commissioner says the
contents of the letter were overlooked,
and that there was nc intention to re-
duce the corps, as there were sufficient
funds to cover all expenses until
March 1, when it is expected congress
will have made provision for the next
year.
Protests have been received here
from Minnesota and other Northwest
ern states against the Cromwell bill,
recently presented in the house. The
bill provides that owners of logs float
ing in streams shall be required to pay
to persons picking up such logs at the
rate of So per thousand feet. Lumber
men claim that the passage of such a
measure would be a hardship on them,
as it would require the employment of
q large number of men, thus entailing
considerable outlay. 1t is probable
that if the bill comes up it will be de-
feated. Northwestern members gen
orally are opposed to the measure.
The officials of the Indian office are
worried over the failure of the house
to adopt the provision of the Indian
appropriation bill providing for the
employment of an assistant to the ar
Chitect of the Indian Office. The WORK
of this branch Of the office has been
seriously hampered for some years for
want of help, and with the increased
number of buildings planned from
year to year, the school plans have not
received the attention required. The
Indian commissioner says that a pro
vision should be incorporated in the
legislative bill providing an assistant
to the architect, and probably one adj
ditional draughtsnan
The Indian commissioner ridicules
the idea Of another Indian outbreak in
Minnesota, rumors of which appear in
the newspapers which come here. The
commissioner says he has letters from
well Informed persons on the reserva-
tinO stating that there are no indica-
lions of further trouble