The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-07-14
DEVISED FOR RASCAIS
WAS THE SYSTEM WHICH PER-
MITS NUMBERING OF "DEAD
AND DOWN"
GEN. ANDREWS VISIT TO CAss

States Senator's and congressman
Should BE Held Accountable.
Gen. c. c. Andrews, state fire warden,
has just returned from trip to Cass
Lake, and in view of the recent conteu-
ton regarding that vicinity and the fact
that Gen. Andrews has previously shown
marked interest in the natural advan-
tages of that portion of the state an ex-
preston of his views regarding the pres
ent conditions will be generally interest
ing. To representative of the G l o b
Gen. Andrews expressed himself yester-
day as follows:
Last August I visited Cass Lake and
found to my surprise and delight on it's
south shore such an ideal pine forest, as
with the remarkable clean and attractive
sandy beach, formed one of the most
beautiful spots for a health and summer
resort that could be imagined. gave
to the press some account of it at the
time. Later a joint committee of the
state medical societies made visit
there, and through the Influence Of
committee of women's clubs the legisla-
ture memoralized the president to post
pone for two years the sale Of the land
so that the state of Minnesota if it
should deem 1t eXpedient, buy the same
for park. Judge Of my surprise and in
dignation then to find, as I did, on Wis
1t1ng the same spot again on Tuesday
last, that a dozen or more acres of this
beautiful forest were numbered and cut
over this last winter on the fraudulent
pretense of its being dead and down tim
ber.' The tops and branches of the tree
slashings, as they are called, are now
lying there endangering the rest of the
forest in the event Of dry weather. Not
withstanding this terrible injury and dis
1igurmcnt, the forest is not ruined for a
park
But last May fires were set on its
eastern side, the traces of which cover
quite an area, and are done for the pur-
pose, as is generally believed, of making
preteXt for another contract the coming
winter TO lumber it as dead and down
timber This sad and wicked despoil-
ment Of one of the most beautiful pieces
of scenery Minnesota possesses was per-
petrated under the fraudulent system Of
numbering dead and down timber a sys-
tenn which offers a premium for firing
the forest and which was cunningly de-
Wsed to enable raScals to obtain stand
ing pine at a price far below it's value
The government at Washington Is d.
rectly responsible, and our people should
hold their
SENATORS AND REPRESENTATIVES,
in congress accountable and responsible
that nothing Of the kind occurs again,
for they are the officers elected to con-
duct the affairs of Minnesota with the
executive department at Washington and
with congress.
THE pine which has been estimated on
the various reservations is so valuable
that the interior department should en-
ploy watchmen to protect it from the
danger that menaces it. Especially such
a splendid body of pine as lies along the
south shore Of Cass lake and near the
rail road, and so uncommonly eligible
for a permanent health resort, should be
watched 1t may be asked cannot the
state fire warden service protect this tim
Der? 1t is not considered as being yet
within the states Jurisdiction Never
theIess. last September 1 appointed Mr.
Mathews. assistant chief timber exam
mer, fire warden to watch that forest
and he served without charge until the
examiners closed their work and left In
February last, on the recommendation
of the postmaster at Cass Lake, 1 ap-
pointed Nathan Brooks, of that village
a fire warden. In an ordinary year a fire
warden. under the state law, can be paid
for only fifteen days service at 81 a day
1t could hardly be expected that a fire
warden living three miles away and with
such small pay could watch against the
stealthy acts of dead and down timber
operators. The interior department is
able to and does prevent the sale of
liquor at Cass lake, and it can prevent
depredations on valuable pine forest if it
tries.
Those who feel interest in preserving
some OF our most available primeval pine
forests for a health resort should adj
dress their senators and representatives
in congress on this subject. There should
ha an hot
CASS LAKE CASE.
in the village Of Cass Lake there are
probably over 100 buildings and a popu-
lation Of about 500. 1t looks as well as
any village of its age. There are several
large stores of unusual size and we'll
filled. Settlers come there to trade a
distance of fifteen miles. The postmaster
told me that on an average 100 stamped
letters were Cancelled at his office IN a
day, and that many others were mailed
on railway trains. For responsibility the
community would not rank below other
new villages. The side tracks of the
Great Northern railway occupy width
Of 200 feet. One train arrives daily from
Duluth and West Superior, another from
Grand Forks and Crookston, and still an
other from the Twin Cities, via Park
Rapids The title to the land on which
States, the Indians having parted with
their title nearly ten years ago The
obligation of the United States govern
ment to the Indians is to see that the
latter receive all that the land and its
timber will bring in money
1.-THE site Of the village being jack pine
land, the timber is not generally regarded
as having commercial value, and Is not
such as Is required to be estimated 1t
is. however, such land as can under the
treaty be allotted to individual Indians,
and 1t is claimed by some that the land
has been allotted to an Indian. Whether
1T has been properly allotted the interior
department, 1t would seem, ought to be
able to determine in twenty-four hours
The Indians have had eight years in
which to select lands and receive allot-
ments. The policy of the treaty was to
have members of the various bands all
removed to the White Earth reservation.
but such as wished to remain were en-
titled to have allotments of land in their
own name. Although nearly all Of the
Indians have adopted civilized habits
they are not accustomed and are appar-
emily unwilling to live isolated on farms
as the whites do, But how much longer
are the people of Minnesota to wait for
the Indians to decide on their allotments?
After railroads are built and postoffices
established 1t is absurd to prevent the
establishment of industrial and distrib-
uting centers.
From the village to the landing on the
west shore Of Cass lake the distance is
about a mile. and a carriage road leads
thither through continuous jack pine
woods. At the landing one finds three
little steamboats, and a dozen row boats.
the most Of which are in use by tour
lists The Indians are friendly, and of
course it is for their interest to have the