The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-04-13

ny inc GstAmQtOfs EmplOyo0 ~
the Government, and Then Poor
Lo Has Been Continually Getting
FurIough.
B. +. Hartshorn. Of Walker. county at
tornsy OF Cass county. was In the city
yesterday looking after some local affairs.
He was seen at the Merchants and said,
Il think the timber problem on the
Leech lake and neighboring reservations
IL In fair way to satisfactory settle
ment both to the Indians and the larger
lumber companies. All the government
est1mators have been furlougaed without
pay. and the work of estimating has been
wholly suspended. For nearly five years
the corps of estimators employed by the
government has cost the Indians over 500
per day. The Indians have protested tor
three years against continuing to bear the
burden of these high-priced estimators,
but this is practically II o first satisfaction
which they have received. The Indians
claim that they should not bs made to
support the government estirnators when
they received nothing in return, in tact
they are no nearer correct estimate of
the standing reservation pine today than
when the work was commenced. Now
that this drain has been removed from
the Indian treasury better feeling OK
lists on every hand. They have great
faith in Capt. H, r. .Iercer. the new
Indian agent, who Is doing everything in
his power to straighten out matters.
"A large payment is to be- made the
Indians within month or two. and this.
too Is being looked forward to by the
1,70O in the various tribes on the three reg
ervatiens
I haven't a doubt but the inquiry which
has been instituted by the secretary of
the interior into cutting of the dead and
down timber on the reservation will result
in the adoption Of the Menoninnie pauk
scale system of marketing logs. This
plan has been successfully worked in Wis
consin. and carried with 1t none of the
scandals which has marked the dealings
With the Indians in other states. The In
dams. under the Menomonfe plan, cut the
timber themselves and haul 1t to the MILL
and are paid an actual scale price after
the logs are sawed. Every one that is In
terested in seeing justice done thu In
OidiiS laVOTS tn1S pan, and capt. Mercer
had number of years experience with
the Indians at the La Point egency.
where 1t was in vogue and it was uni
formly successful. 1t Is evident from the
action of the interior department, In
shelving the estimators, that there will
be no sale Of reservation pine at public
sale. at least. not for some time to come.
This leads to the belief that some such
plan as the Menomonie will be adopted at
Leech lake, and 1t Is expected that an
order authorizing the change Will be re-
cefved almost any time by Capt. Mercer
THE interior department has ordered
that all timber operations on the reserva-
ton cease. Just what the status of the
men who have been cutting dead and
down this year is do not know, but the
investigation will probably result in the
logs all being scalesd up and paid for by
the operators t
Charles @. Hynds. Of Shakopee was in
the city yesterday.
Judson La Moure, of Pembina. was
among the guests at the Clarendon yes
terday.
Q. T. Ramsland, a general merchant at
Sacred Heart, was among the shoppers in
the city yesterday.
M. H. Temple, Of Blue Earth, member
OF the state prison board. was In town.