The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-12-27
DOUBLE His CRUISERS
NOT JOSEPH CHAMBERLAIN, BUT
AUDITOR DUNN is so
TO Do
TREsPAss ON STATE LANDS

pass on State Pine Lands Has
Led the Land Commissioners to
Double the Present Force in the
Interest of Better Protection of
State Property.
State Auditor Dunn has received an I'M
usual number of complaints for tres
passes upon state lands in the northern
part of the state, within the last few
days, and to properly protect the states
pine lands he will double the present
staff of cruisers after Jan. 1. Reports
are received weekly from the cruisers
now in the woods, which indicate that too
much vigilance cannot be exercised in
this direction, as the state has a great
amount at stake, and with several hun
dred contractors cutting logs in and all
around school sections, the state is liable
to sustain very great loss in this direc-
ton unless these lands are closely watch
ed. Mr.. Dunn stated yesterday that it
was very expensive keeping large force
of men in the woods, and would be a
heavy drain upon his appropriation, but
1t was very necessary that the states
pine be fully protected.
Former State Senator w. s. Dedon,
who Is at present chief Of the staff Of
estimators and cruisers, left yesterday
for the woods. Mr.. Dedon, in discussing
the last trip which he took through St.
Louis county, says:
We examined nearly all the state lands
between township 81 and the Canadian
boundary west to the east line of Itasca
county. This country has hardly any good
pine for lumber it being all of a young,
scrubby, knotty variety, The streams all
run north to Canada. The country is
very rocky, a. large portion being trap
rock Lodges, on which, in many places,
a good stand of timber is growing,
which seems almost mystery when YOU
see how little soil there is on and among
the rocks. We found many tracts that
mad been burnt over several years ago
There the timber was tumbled In every
direction, and nothing but ridges and
lodges under it. A large number of fires
burned In this section In 1894 but not over
ten sections in any one place, and in some
cases not over forty or eighty. There is
evidence OF some very extensive fires
many years ago. There has been a very
hot fire in towns 63 and 81 west, from
range Il to %. I don't know how much
ranges 20 and q. This fire occurred about
forty years ago, and killed nearly all
the timber. Since then aspen and birch.
and In some places young pine, have come
up, and are making a brave struggle for
life among the rocks We also found
evidences Of fires where the timber Is
over 100 years old. I saw no place where
man could make a farm unless 1t was
IN marshes, by draining. Aside from the
timber, L@see no value in this country
except to set 1t apart for game to roam
over, Moose and deer can live there if
nres do not drive them away.
+ The lakes are all beautiful, and have
many rocky. islands, with more or less
timber On all of them In many cases the
/ rocks are almost perpendicular from the
waters edge up to ten, seventy-ave. and
even hundred feet, with trees on them.
All these lakes are well supplied with
flsh. The moose, deer and CARIBOU are
getting less every year, even up here"