The Saint Paul globe., 1899-03-24
TiIIEvIkG In RoSEAlJ
FIRMS AND INDIVIDUALS FROM
ACROSS THE BORDER HELP
ING THEMSELVES
FORMER COUNTY OFFICIAL
Says Great InrOnds Have Been Made
During the Winter Upon stand
Ing Pine on the Minnesota Side
How the Stealing Is Success
fully Carried On-SmalI PiIfer-
ers Are Numerous.

In line with statements published yes
terday by The @ o b e comes to light
information that numbering firms and in
dividualS from across the Canadian
border have been stealing pine in great
quantities from the Minnesota side OF
Lake of the Woods and Rainy Lake river.
EX-Sheriff J. w. Durham, of Roseau
county, one of the most substantial men
IN the new county. recently made state
ment to E. A. Nelson, of Hallock. editor
of the Hallock News Herald. to the eff
feet that great inroads had been made
during the winter upon standing pine on
the Minnesota side by pilferers from
across the Canadian boarder.
Mr.. Nelson has been in ST. Paul this
winter and yesterday gave The G o b g
Information as follows:
Mr.. Durham has lived near Roseau
for several years and has farm where
he spends a good deal of his time. He is,
however. interested on the south shore
| of Lake of the Woods. and his business
frequently takes him down along the
| Rainy Lake river. He told me a short
time ago that he had noticed a good deal
| of timber cut on the American side and
| haIled ever to mills in Canada. He had
| noticed that timber was seldom taken
| from the same place two days in sue
| cession. One day the crews would work
| in one locality and the day following a
move would be made. He made further
Investigations and found that the timber
was being stolen Nothing could be done
unless there was a sheriffs posse on the
I md =, I,t1
The timber is hauled few miles across
the river and It's indentity Is lost as it
is at once sawed up. AS no marks are
made It Is almost impossible to convict
these fellows. In fact, unless they are
taken in the act. it is difficult matter
! to prove where the timber was cut.
Frequent reports of heavy timber tres
| passes are heard up In our country but
| the nature of the operations of the timber
thieves is such that they are difficult to
find, and to convict when found.
Il think no doubt, the greatest trespas
in our country is committed by the Ca
naGians, as the conditions are very favor
! able, and the chances of getting caught
| very slim. This is due to the fact that
| the country has no direct railroad con-
| necttons and as the water line of the
river and lake extend hundreds of miles
| 1t is perhaps surprising that more timber
| Is not taken than is reported to have been
| stolen.
| We have another class of timber
| thieves up our way. that steal in the ag-
| gregate a good deal of timber, yet they
| get away with it in small lots. These are
! fellows who come over from the other
side of the Red River valley in Dakota
| and carry away a load Of logs now and
then, and cart them. across the
riTer where they. put them to
their own uses. Some of the
| logs are cut into cord wood and some
used for building purposes, and when it
Is all considered it has made considerable
difference in the standing pine in and
! around the Red river valley" ,f~---.-
The G ob e has information from
hoochichins. hundred miles down the
Rainy river from Lake of the Woods
which places the amount of stumpage cut
for Canadian mills al about 100000 for
the season. In many cases the Canadian
! mills merely pay the stipulated price
for logs and no questions are asked as to
where they came from. There are a. num-
Der of small mills on the Canadian side
which are said to secure all their logs
III this way. ----'- -~,+'- a.